In the late Nineties, music occupied just an hour in the day of a little girl. Little did Geetha Madhuri know that this single hour of music would eventually land her in a career in singing for films. Considering that Geetha Madhuri has been scaling up the ladder with one hit song after another, the latest Top lesipoddi (from Iddarammayilatho) being a chartbuster, her career is soaring.
Now, with her recent engagement to actor Ananda Krishna Nandu (of 100 % Love fame), her personal life too is going great.
During a tête-à-tête at her modest apartment in Ameerpet, we find the cheerful singer glowing, even though she has just come back from a show in Nandyal. We wonder if it’s love? She just smiles. “The engagement feels like yesterday,” she confesses as an explanation. Turning towards her mother, she asks, “One week ayipoyinda?” (it is one week already?)
Geetha says she enjoys every moment of her life. “I never thought I would become a singer, but I did,” she says, the cheerfulness resonating in her tone. Her childhood was spent in Hastinapuram near L.B. Nagar. While her father was a bank official, her mother is a homemaker. “I would practice music only during the class and then forget it. I would sing for special days like Independence Day, Annual days,” she recalls. She learnt classical music from vocalist K. Padmavathi and joined Ramachary’s Little Musicians Academy when she was in Standard X . “Then I got an opportunity to sing on stage and my confidence level improved.” Reality shows, singing tracks and chorus songs followed quickly.
Her break in films came in 2006 with Prema Lekha Raasa. “I also sang for Keeravani for Khatarnak and both the movies had a simultaneous release,” she says. With Geetha’s singing career taking off, the family moved to Ameerpet.
Now,.with around 250 songs in her repertoire, Geetha is a busy professional. Her singing career is marked by peppy numbers in movies like Mirchi, Pottugadu, Baadshah or the recent ones in Doosukeltha and Bhai. Another distinctive feature of Geetha Madhuri is the effortless ease with which she moves across genres. “I like singing all types of songs. I also like to sing in chorus, hum a tune or sing in the background,” she says. The song Sri Sri Rajadhi Raja from Pandurangudu was one of her difficult songs, she recalls. “It was tough and I had to rehearse a lot to get the tune right,” she says
Is she an ambitious singer? “I am not very ambitious but I do not like to miss any opportunity. My focus as a singer has been to never part with anything which comes my way. Even if it is just humming, I would like to sing it, provided I am free that day.”
Geetha insists it is the best time in the Telugu film industry for newcomers to try their luck in the singing field. “With small films making a mark, many young singers have been able to make their voice heard. Youngsters are getting opportunities to showcase their talent,” she says. Interestingly, Geetha says there is lot of camaraderie among the new crop of singers.
A common criticism one hears is that today’s songs are known more for their music than lyrics. Does she find that some lyrics are not in good taste? “Actually there have been all kinds of songs since the industry started. There have been melodious songs and songs which are high on music. The audience appreciation is what really matters in the end,” she says.
Given her busy schedule, does she miss out on the fun factor? “I have lots of fun, only that my events can never be planned. If I feel like having pani puri or eating an ice cream, I just go with my friends and eat. If my show gets over early, we just go off to watch a movie. I don’t plan them. I decide instantly and when you decide in a jiffy, the fun is doubled,” she says.
Her face lights up at the very mention of Aditi, a short film that Aditi saw Geetha making a debut as an actor, donning the role of a singer and sharing screen space with Nandu. The movie is about a lyricist (Nandu) who proposes to a singer (played by Geetha) through a song he has written. “It was a special role as Nandu and I got to reprise our real lives on screen,” she says, with a broad smile. So, would we see her act more in movies? “No”, she quips.
She feels blessed to have worked with different music directors. “There is so much to learn from all the music directors like Ilayaraja who is disciplined. I also admire Koti, Keeravani, Chakri and Sri Lekha who are sincere, hard working and encourage new singers.”
Every conversation with Geetha Madhuri is peppered with expressions like ‘Super’ and ‘Wow’. However, her family members and friends find her SMS-language confusing. “Sometimes, my messages and conversations merge and the person I am talking to is puzzled,” she laughs.
For someone who was named after the Bhagavad Gita and dreamt of being an airhostess, Geetha says she is in a happy space. She can’t wait for next year when her wedding is scheduled.
As for her future? “Keep singing all the time,” she signs off.
