Anweshaa

Anweshaa (born Anweshaa Dattagupta; 15 December 1993, Changed Her Name to Anwesshaa ^{[1] [2] [3]}) is an Indian singer who made her presence felt in the Indian music scene at the age of 13 through the reality show Amul STAR Voice of India, Chhote Ustaad. Anweshaa was runner-up in the finals, where the outcome was solely decided on the number of votes polled. She was the favorite of judges throughout the contest and had the sole distinction of winning a Sarvottam for all her performance. Anwesha is known for starring in Amul Music ka maha muqqabla at the age of 16. She not only had the sole distinction of '6 Singer of the Day awards' for seven performances, but also won the 'Singer of the Series award'. In spite of being the youngest in the show, she defeated the winners and participants of various shows (Indian idol, JJWS, SVOI, SAREGAMAPA) who participated in 'music ka maha muqqabla' and received the award. She was hugely applauded in this show for her flawless and rocking performances, which helped her team to the finals. Also one of the opposite teams captain in the show, Shankar Mahadevan said that '"she was the best singer that ever emerged from a reality show after Shreya Ghoshal in the 90s". She has also made her debut in commercial playback singing in a Hindi movie Golmaal Returns. Anweshaa has sung the song Tha Karke,^[4] which is said to be the most expensive song to ever be shot in Bollywood.^[5] Apart from few Bollywood songs, She has sung many Bengali songs, albums, two Tamil songs and one Telugu song for the movie (Uu Kodathara? Ulikki Padathara?) and a Telugu album song to her credit. She also appeared in Coke Studio aside Papon. Along with other awards, she won Best female playback singer award for Bengali song in Tele Cine Awards 2011 (nominations included Shreya Ghoshal, Richa Sharma, June Banerjee)^[6]

Biography

Anwesha is a student of LYCEE School Kolkata,India. She is the only child of Mita and Kushal Dattagupta. Anwesha's ambition is to become a playback singer in the music industry and she idolises her parents. Her favourite singer is Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan is her favorite actor. She started yoga when she was only six. Anwesha does four hours of 'Riyaz'(Practice) everyday. She also likes reading detective stories and enjoys cricket & football (soccer in America).^[7]

Musical background

At the age of four, Gupta started her training under Shri Jayanta Sarkar, a leading personality in Indian classical music and a composer. Anwesha still continues her training in Hindustani Classical music under him. She is guided by her mother in light music.

Anwesha achieved 1st Division with Distinction in Hindustani Vocal and Rabindra Sangeet under Bangiya Sangeet Parishad Examination (2002–03 and 2003–04). She also became one of the few recipients of the Jugal Srimal Talent Scholarship in Rabindra Sangeet, given by Tagore Foundation.

Anwesha was the Winner of "Young Talent Contest - 2004" in Indian Popular Vocal category (Junior) organized by the Calcutta School of Music. She has also won the All Bengal (Inter School) Music Competition 2006 organized by Smile World, an NGO. She was also the runner up at Amul Star Voice of India Chhote Ustaad. ^[8]

Early public appearances

Anwesha performed in Sabujer Deshe in 2000 (ETV Bangla). She was a Mega Finalist in Tarana music competition (1st Schedule) which was telecast in January 2003 (ETV Bangla). In early 2007, she also participated in the musical game show Antakshari (Star Plus) where she represented East Zone. In 2015 December a concerts in kalna in (pithe pulli) utsav. Bardhaman, west Bengal.

Recordings

• "Mohiyoshi" composed by Shri Jwatileshwar Mukhopadhyay in the album Ei Prothom Abhijit.
• "Sukher Mela Biswa Bhubone" in a Thalassemia Project by the West Bengal Voluntary Blood Donors' Forum.
• "Prabahini", a West Bengal Govt. Project.^[9]

Discography

Albums

• Nachiketa Ebar Safar
• Neel Dariya
• E-pothe Anweshaa
• Priyotomasu
• Nana Range Anweshaa
• Aaradhana (One of several artists)
• Nilathattam (One of several artists)
• Antaranga (One of several artists)
• Ekla Tor - Sarata Din
• Aarzoo (One of several artists)
• Dil Ki Baatein (One of several artists)
• Krishnaruupa (One of several artists), song - "Shreenathji Darshan"

Amul STAR Voice of India Chhote Ustaad

In 2007-08, she participated in the juniors version of the popular musical reality show Amul STAR Voice of India named Chhote Ustaad. Aishwarya Majmudar was winner and Anwesha became runner up in competition.^[10]

After Chhote Ustaad

• Anwesha recorded her second playback song for a Bengali film Khela, directed by Rituparno Ghosh, a Bengali film director, on 6 May 2008.
• Anwesha got her first break as a commercial playback singer in the film Golmaal Returns (Music Director - Pritam) where she sings for Amrita Arora/Kareena Kapoor.^[11]
• She sung the title song for the TV show Waar Parriwar by Gajendra Singh alongside Shaan.
• She will be recording a Bengali Album, which would release during the Pooja.^[12]
• Anwesha recorded a song with Planman Motion Pictures in the 2012 romantic comedy I M 24 with music director Jatin Pandit.^[13]
• Anwesha also participated in NABC-2009 held at San Jose, California where she delivered soulful numbers with Shaan
• Anwesha Tamil debut with the song called "Megam Vanthu Pogum" (Cloud comes and disappears)from the movie called Mandhira Punnagai(Mandhra of Smile), music by one of the greatest music director Vidhyasagar. For the same music director, she has recorded a new song for the new Tamil movie Ilaignan. The song title goes as Mazhaiyil Kulitha along with Karthik
• She received best female upcoming singer of the year award for the debut Tamil song in music mirchi awards 2010.
• She sang, as promised by Himesh Reshammiya (during "Music Ka Maha Muqabala"), one of the songs of the movie Dangerous Ishhq (Vikram Bhatt 2012):
• Anwesha sang the song "Banarasiya" with Shreya Ghoshal and Meenal Jain from the 2013 film Raanjhanaa with music composed by AR Rahman.

Music ka Maha Muqqabla

Anwesha participated in Music ka Maha Muqqabla held in 2009-2010 which was organised by Star Plus. Six teams competed for the title which were captained by Shankar Mahadevan, Shaan, Himesh Reshammiya, Shreya Ghoshal, Mohit Chauhan and Mika Singh. Anwesha played for Shaan along with Bharath, Harshit Saxena and Shadab where the team came second.

MTV Coke Studio

She performed a ghazal "Benaam Khwahishein"^[14] at Coke Studio on the fifth episode under the music direction of Papon.

References