Richa Sharma Female Playback Singer of India

Richa Sharma (born 29 August, 1972) is an Indian film playback singer as well a devotional singer.In 2006, she sang Bollywood's longest track, the bidaai song, in film Baabul (2006).

Richa Sharma
Birth name	Richa Sharma
Born	August 29, 1972 (1972-08-29) (age 38)
Origin	Faridabad, Haryana, India
Genres	Playback singing
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocalist
Years active	1990 – present

Early life and background

Richa Sharma was born in 5L-90, NH5 in Faridabad, Haryana, the youngest of seven children of a temple priest. Her father Pandit Daya Shankar Upadhyaya and mother Manorma Devi taught young Richa the art of singing bhajans, particularly Mata Ke Jagran, which slowly and steadily became her destiny in the initial years of her life.

Career

Richa Sharma was eight years old, she was invited to sing before religious congregations in and around Delhi. She got herself enrolled in the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.

Under the tutelage of Pandit Aaskaran Sharma, Richa went on to get proper training in Indian classical and light music. Richa added ghazals; film songs, Punjabi and Rajasthani folk songs to her repertoire, thus making her voice reach out to more and more people in a variety of sounds.

While music was at its peak in Richa’s life, academic education had to be sacrificed and without any backing with a dream to make it big in the music world, Richa landed in Mumbai in 1994. She sang cover versions and bhajans in order to ensure she had her bread and butter and simultaneously continued her struggle in Bollywood. She made her debut in Bollywood with Sawan Kumar’s SALMA PE DIL AA GAYA in 1996 and followed it up by a number of films until the big hit came by in the form of TAAL where she sang for AR Rahman.

Thereafter a spate of hits followed: ZUBEDIA, SAATHIYA (with AR Rahman); HERA PHERI (Anu Malik); KHAKHEE (Ram Sampath); TARKEEB (the song Duppatte Ka Palu), BAGHBAN (Title Song for Aadesh Shrivastava); SOCH (the song Nikal Chali Be for Jatin-Lalit); RUDRAKSH, KAL HO NA HO (Sad version of the title track for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy); GANGAJAL (Sandesh Shandilya); POPCORN KHAO MAST HO JAO (for Vishal-Shekhar) and the most popular song for KAANTE (Mahi Ve for Anand Raaj Anand).

The versatile playback singer has also done quite a few albums to showcase her talent. Albums like NI MAIN YAAR NU SAJDA KARDI, PIYA and WINDS OF RAJASTHAN (for Times Music released early 2004) have brought out the classiness and grace in Richa’s voice and her variety as a singer.

At present, Richa is gathering reviews on her work in MUSAFIR. She has been super-excited about her songs in the film and hopes that with this one a lot more work falls in her laps. Besides these Richa is looking forward to the release of Mira Nair’s VANITY FAIR, A R Rahman’s THE RISING & ADA, Anand Raaj Anand’s KAANCH, Salim Suleiman’s KAAL, Himesh Reshmmaiya’s untitled venture for David Dhawan, Sen Brothers’ SHEESHA and many more.

A small town girl who began singing at God’s home is today one of Bollywood’s biggest success stories. With no backing, this girl has proved that talent and enthusiasm cannot be curtailed no matter where you live and where you land up. A girl full of energy and spirit - that’s Richa Sharma for you.

Concert

(New Jersey/New York) Richa Sharma will be a part of the Summer Beats 2008 Concert presented by Ariz Inc and Mehta Entertainment all around the US. For more information: http://www.arizinc.com. Oakland:June 7, 2008 and she was part of Summer Beats Concert in Vancouver at the Orpheum theatre on June 22, 2008

Awards

* Bollywood Movie Award for the Best Singer Female 2003 - MAHI VE(Kaante)

Television

* She is a contestant on the NDTV Imagine singing reality show Dhoom Macha De

* She hosted the ever-popular Antakshari with Anu Kapoor on Zee TV.Richa’s exuberance and earthy style of hosting the show attracted a lot of attention. She hosted the show for almost a year before ending a successful run on television.

* She appeared on the singing reality show Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star as a guest judge.

* She also apperead on the singing reality show Indian Idol as a guest singer.

Filmography

1. Rabba Ve ( Taj Mahal, 2000 )

2. Chhode Mere ( Zubeidaa, 2001 )

3. Maahi ve ( Kaante, 2002 )

4. Ni Mein Samajh Gayi (Taal, 1999 )

5. Sham Rang Bhardoo (Water, 2005 )

6. Jag Soona Soona Lage (Om Shanti Om, 2007 )

7. Lambi Judai (Jannat, 2008 )

8. Sajda (My Name Is Khan, 2010 )

9. Fariyaad Hai(mr singh.mrs mehta,2010)

10. Band Baja (Hello Darling, 2010)

11. kehti hai hawa (Kuch naa kaho)

12. mere maula karam (Khakee)

13. Jo AAb Kiye so data aaisa na kijo( Umrao Jaan (new) - 2007

14. zor ka jhatka haye zoro se laga (Action Replay)- 2010

Albums

"O Baby O Baby" is one of the remarked album.She has sunged "Hye Lagi re lagan"in sufi andaz under Music Director:Shailesh-Utpal(Gujarati Shakira fame)

Richa has also sung a song "Ram tu Shyam tu" in a Marathi album "Sangeet Manmohee Re" composed by famous composer Shridhar Phadke