Dr. Reena Mehta creating a stir with her silky voice in Bollywood

By Neena Badhwar

Kersi Meher-Homji, our sports writer who loves hearing Indian music, had interviewed Reena Mehta for The Indian Down Under first describing her voice lilting, magical and mischievous when he heard her sing in India Club’s concert the song ”˜Thandi Hawaayein’ in the mid of 40 degree heat of Sydney summer, which just blew the audience away, as well as him, and the magic it created in the concert ”˜Ye Shaam Mastani’.

Reena Mehta, a doctor and a scientist, wears many caps and has gone ahead and created a storm with her soft, silky voice. Here TIDU talks to her again about her journey into Bollywood, her love of singing and how she manages it all:

Reena, you have created waves in Bollywood with your ‘Kesariya Balam’, a song that got over 2 million hits, can you tell us about your journey?

Kesriya Balam was offered to me and Anup Jalota ji along with play back singer Shikhar Kumar by the Music Director and it was recorded in 2018. I was charmed by the chemistry of Deepak Thakur and Somi Khan during Big Boss 12, and so I recommended that the duo be brought together again for the video of Kesariya Balam. The video, in which Deepak guides Somi through the Rann of Kutch’s famous annual mela, has generated over 2 million hits on Youtube.

The song was released by Zee Music company and entered 116th in iTunes top 200 tracks “India All Genre Chart”. This news was very prestigious for Zee Music company and we singers as well as artists. It gave good recognition to the entire team which was filmed by eminent personalities from Bollywood. 

My experience of attending the launch ceremony of Kesariya Balam in Mumbai was absolutely awesome. It was wonderful to have so many great singers from the industry grace the occasion like Talat Aziz, Mika Singh, Jasbir Jassi, Jeet, and Shailendra Singh of ‘Mai shayer tou nahi’- my favourite song. This event also launched the songs Saanson ki Tarah which I was offered to sing with Play back singer Aaman Trikha and Choom Lu Lab Tere with play back singer Shahid Mallya which was released by Zee Music Company. 

Being a doctor and a scientist, a mother and wife, can you tell us about singing, your passion?

I am passionate about music . Music acts like Meditation for me and good for my health . I try my best to find time for it whenever I can. 

Who are the people who inspired you in your pursuit of singing?

Music runs in the family. The gift of music no doubt comes from my mother who was a trained classical and ghazal singer and radio and TV artist on Doordarshan who mixed in the company of legendary figures such as Hasrat Jaipuri and Ravindra Jain who were family friends to my parents.

I would like to thank the composers in Bollywood who approached me to sing saying, my voice tone was different and they wished to make use of it. From here I was offered to sing in Bollywood and one thing led to another.

I would also like to thank my teacher Sayd Sarshar as well as all my well wishers, particularly here in Sydney who have encouraged my singing and inspired me.

Sydney remembers you vividly in concerts at India Club, then with Vinod Rajput and his Band Baja Group and his concerts for The Indian Down Under, Can you tell us about your journey in Sydney?

I fondly remember starting my musical journey at an intimate and informal music function with Dr John and Susheela John at her friend Saroj Arora ji’s home. After that function I was offered to perform for Sydney’s India Club very regularly with Suhas Mahajan and then with Vinod Rajput’s Band Baaja Group for various organisations, India Down Under inclusive. I really enjoyed singing with my co-singers for the India Club Organisation who appreciated me as a valuable singer always. I am thankful to them. 

Where do you go from here, tell us about your future projects?

It was a wonderful opportunity to be offered future projects with fellow artist and music companies such as Eros. I am looking forward for my future contracts with Shemaroo. Most importantly I am looking forward to my upcoming release with T Series which for me will be a great breakthrough with a sense of accomplishment. 

My association with Bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota ji is flourishing, and I continue to work with contemporary playback singers, Nakaash Aziz and Dev Negi in my future project which is lined up.

In addition, a collaboration with legend Suresh Wadkar in the film ”˜Mundeir’ is forthcoming for which we have already recorded a romantic duet. 

You mentioned that ‘Bollywood is all luck’, can you elaborate?

I feel luck seems to play a very important role to get offers in Bollywood no matter how good a singer one may be. Fortunately, being present at the right time and at right place helped me bag future projects. 

Reena, Sydney is proud of you when can we hear you in a professional concert here for your fans in Sydney?  

My last concert in Sydney was in 2016 with India club which was quite successful and still remembered. Since then I have been extremely busy shunting between Sydney and Mumbai, my home town for my music projects which takes away all my time to accept any music events in Sydney. I thank the organisers in Sydney who do offer me to sing for their organisation . Unfortunately, I am unable to commit, due to time constraints and other commitments at the moment which will continue until 2021. 

Currently, here in Sydney I am quite happy to rehearse with my co singers like Dilip Bhave and Vinod Rajput Ji who are our family friends in a more relaxed informal atmosphere at home with my family and friends when time permits as we all have busy schedule attending to family needs, work and social commitments.”

A quiet achiever having won over Bollywood with her sheer hard work on her passion, that is singing, has made Sydney equally proud of having produced an artiste in her own right in Dr. Reena Mehta, a beautiful lady doctor with a beautiful silky voice.

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