A sensation that moved Lata Mangeshkar

Reewa Rathod is 28, magically musical and on top of the world. Not merely because of an upcoming concert but what happened before. None less than Bharat Ratna Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar presented her. “This is ultimate! Who would’ve thought that the Goddess of music herself would be present?”

But this is where we accuse her of undue modesty. After all, Mangeshkar, in a specially recorded message, had underlined Rathod’s exceptional talent and blessed her with success.

But how did this happen? This daughter of the well-known vocalist couple Sonali and Roop Kumar Rathod explains, “Lataji’s brother Pt Hridayanath Mangeshkar, who often comes home, recently asked me to sing something. I sang Saawan and bits from my compositions and he was full of praise. Later, he took me to Lataji, who also wanted to hear me sing. I sang Maula, which has been penned by Gulzar saab (she has composed and sung five tracks written by this poet-lyricist. “He carries his divinity so lightly”) and a Carnatic kriti. She held me close, blessing me: ‘I’ve heard about you a lot, but whatever I’ve heard seems less,’ she had said leaving me moist-eyed.”

Reewa received a standing ovation at Mumbai’s Tejpal auditorium for her rendition of the popular Meera bhajan Payoji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo when only four. But is this an influence of her parents? “Music at home helps. But I’ve always wanted a distinct musical identity. It helps that my longest training in any genre is not Hindustani like my parents, but Carnatic (from Balamani Aiyyar). “It lets me hold my own in any fusion with jazz/ instrumental music since it helps me play with rhythm.”) thanks to my father, who recognised my strength for laykari (brisk rhythmic singing) and made me learn it,” says Reewa, who has also had a grounding in Western music thanks to clearing eight levels of piano training from the Royal Associated Board of Music, in London.

This came handy when a family friend who was helping organise the Bryan Adams concert in Pune asked her to be the opening act eight years ago. “I was both nervous and excited. It all felt worthwhile when I met Adams afterwards.”

Despite never been taught thumri, she went on to pick up a Ustad Salamat Ali Khan composition and quietly worked on it. “My parents were shocked at my variations. I recorded 80 minutes just from listening to the late maestro,” she smiles lamenting it was cut down to onfour minutes in the final recording.

Often approached to sing for films she says that is not her scene. “I don’t enjoy even recording in a studio as much as performing in front of an audience.”

The audience clearly wants more.