Kavita Krishnamurti, a playback singer and Padma Shri awardee with a repertoire of over 50,000 songs in 45 different languages, reflects on the difficulty she faced while recording the iconic ‘Hawa Hawai’ track for the film ‘Mr India,’ starring the late actor Sridevi.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, the seasoned singer shares insights on tackling the Javed Akthar track, known for its playful lyrics like ‘Pak chiki, laki chiki, chiki laki choom,’ all in one take.

“Hawa Hawai was challenging for me at that time because I was a new singer. Singing a naughty song without feeling like I had the acting ability posed certain problems. To get ‘pak-chiki, laaki-chiki’ all correct in the mic was a challenge because, as I told you, it’s one take,” explains the 66-year-old singer.

She reminisces about the era when six-minute songs were recorded in a single take during the 80s and early 90s. The absence of dubbing facilities at the time meant musicians had to replay everything if they made mistakes. Kavita recalls the pressure of being a junior singer with senior musicians present, emphasizing the need for precision from the beginning to the end of a song.

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Among the challenging songs, Kavita mentions AR Rahman and Hariharan’s ‘Tu Hi Re’ and the title track of ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,’ featuring Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan, and Aishwarya Rai.

“Tu Hi Re was fantastic but a little difficult for me. Rahman ji sings very high, and transitioning from chest voice to head voice smoothly is crucial,” she shares. Kavita also reveals her battles with sinus issues, which added an extra layer of difficulty to her singing.

Reflecting on high-pitched songs, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining smooth transitions to avoid strain in the voice. Kavita also praises Shabana Azmi’s lip movement and expressive skills in the song ‘Badal Umad Ghumad’ from the film ‘Saaz.’

Madhuri Dixit, among Kavita’s favorites, receives praises for her expressive eyes and lip movements. Kavita recalls singing for Madhuri in songs like ‘Meraa piya ghar aaya’ and ‘Kay Sera Sera,’ acknowledging the actress’s exceptional skills in low-pitched songs.

Kavita Krishnamurti, who has sung in 45 different languages, received four Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Awards and the Padmashri in 2005. Known for her collaborations with renowned composers like RD Burman, AR Rahman, and others, she has made a significant mark in the music industry.