Satyavati Chauhan, aka Mangli, a Banjara talent is at the best phase of her career now. Her number ‘Ramulo Ramulaa’ (with Anurag Kulkarni) from Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo is trending and the ‘Bullet’ song from George Reddy that released is also getting her good feedback. Her mother tongue is Banjara but she speaks fluent Telugu and her Telangana dialect is endearing. “Our Banjara language does not have a script, and to survive in society, I learnt Telugu. I discontinued graduation and followed music passionately and also completed a diploma in Carnatic music. Singing and dance is in our DNA. Our tribe is very hard working and is now progressing well,” says Satyavathi, who’s a big name on YouTube and television. Her next goal is to sing for Bollywood movies.
Satyavathi Chauhan (Mangli)
Before she made her debut as a singer and an anchor five years ago, she would teach Bharatanatyam and music in schools and take home tuitions as well. Music is her world and when she got a call from a channel as a guest to sing, they were so impressed with her that they hired her on the spot. She shares, “People here have owned me and address me as Mangli. I would always get the first prize for singing at school, but honestly I had no goal till I turned 18. My indie albums worked after people noticed I have a unique voice, now I am getting offers as a playback singer. I sang the title number ‘Sailaja Reddy Alludu Choode ’ in Sailaja Reddy Alludu too.” Her father is her icon; she is not only very attached to him but also learnt singing by observing him from childhood, she says.
She adds, “My dad would sing all kind of songs during festivals. He is happy with my career now. My parents encouraged me to take up what I liked. In our community, girls would get married by 12 or 14 and most families prefer sons, but my parents weren’t like tha. Anyway, things are slowly changing these days. I come from a thanda that is not well known but today my community considers me their brand ambassador, so I consider myself lucky.Music is my life now. I don’t get time for anything else during Dasara or Ganesh Utsav. I have travelled everywhere from America to Australia for Bathukamma events and Telangana Formation Day celebrations.”
Satyavati constantly tries to improvise and upgrade her work because she thinks people expect a lot from her and she doesn’t want to disappoint them. She supports her three siblings and parents and has even built a house for the family. “I remember not having a bathroom, we would go to neighbour’s home and bathe. Now there are three attached bathrooms in our house. The problem with the Banjara community is that they are illiterate. They discontinue education and take up some work or the other. I actually see some awareness happening and whenever I go to the thandas , I emphasise people should educate their children.”
Satyavathi’s forthcoming song is from Aakasavani . She attempts to balance her work by singing folk songs for the rural areas and movie songs for the urban people. She signs off, “I know the phase that a celebrity goes through is temporary, so I don’t let it go to my head. I am grateful to the opportunities that God is giving me and I believe that one should give back to society.”
