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The Indian Music Industry is constantly evolving with the introduction of various kinds of musical trends and artists. However, what remains constant is the creative force of the legendary music artists that helped emerging artists to proceed with the same energy. And when it comes to legendary Indian music artists, Shankar Mahadevan will always stay atop.
Mahadevan is one of the most versatile and multifaceted personas who is well revered as a music composer, singer, and a loving mentor to many budding music artists in the industry. Let’s find out more about this four-time National Award-winning artist who changed the music scene in the Indian music industry with his creative psyche and abilities.
Early era and beginning of the musical journey
Born in Mumbai, Shankar Mahadevan started his musical journey at a very young age when he was only 5 years old. Born on 3 March 1967, this dynamic persona is currently 56 years old and so; the musical journey is quite far-fetched. He studied Hindustani classical music and Carnatic music to nurture his core and in his adult years, he was finally successful and seasoned enough to create a professional music career ahead. In the year 1997, the artist paired up with Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa and formed a powerful music trio that is known as, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. This trio has offered some of the most iconic soundtracks in the Indian Film Industry.
Breathless: The eternal album with a literal ‘Breathless’ Performance
‘Breathless’ is one of the earliest and most acclaimed musical projects that helped Mahadevan gain attention from every corner of the nation. It was released back in 1998 and listeners still enjoy listening to it after all these years. The eponymous track ‘Breathless’ is one of the most notable works by Shankar Mahadevan where the artist showed his remarkable lyrical mastery and breath control. With a clock time of around 3 minutes; the song might not seem long but Mahadevan managed to do the whole bit in a creative way. However, it was not recorded in a single breath. However, this musical masterpiece still remains one of those tracks that remain relevant year after year.
Other than the title track, the album also offered many tracks which have been used in other films. Some of the iconic songs are ‘Dil Chahta Hai,’ ‘Tu’, ‘Jaane Kyon’, and the list goes on. This album is of the most successful projects in the history of Indian Music that sold over 3,00,000 copies while ranking in the top music charts for more than 10 weeks in a row. This is the album that established Mahadevan as an icon in the industry.
Collaborations, Awards, and Achievements
Through all these years, Shankar Mahadevan took the opportunity to collaborate with other music artists, composers, and singers which helped to create some most memorable and timeless tracks in Bollywood. He is best known for his works with the lyricists like Javed Akhtar, and Gulzar, which mesmerized all kinds of listeners. He also worked with fellow musical legend A.R. Rahman which shows his humble personality and adaptability to work with everyone.
Not only as a composer, but he has also collaborated in many projects as a singer and captivated listeners with his vocal skills such as, ‘Sapnon Se Bhare Naina’ from ‘Luck By Chance,’ ‘Mitwa’ from Lagaan, and the list goes on. It does not require to say that the trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy enriched the Indian Film Industry with some of the best soundtracks. As a composer, Mahadevan worked on numerous films in Bollywood and helped to turn them into a hit project. Some notable works would be the films, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’, ‘Mission Kashmir’, ‘Taare Zameen Par’, ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, ‘Bunty Aur Babli’, and many others.
For his timeless contributions to the Indian Music Industry as well as Bollywood, Shankar Mahadevan has received many awards. He has won a total of three Filmfare Awards, four National Film Awards, and numerous other accolades. He was also honored with India’s highest civilian honor, the Padma Shri, awarded in 2011 for his unparalleled contributions to music and arts.
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2000 for “Yenna Solla Pogirai”
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2007 for ‘Maa’ from Taare Zameen Par
- Swaralaya-Kairali-Yesudas Award in 2007
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2008 for “Kalyana Kacheri”
- Asianet Film Award for Best Male Playback in 2009.
- National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 2012 for “Bolo Na” from Chittagong
- Tulu Cinemotsava Awards for Best Playback Singer in 2015
- The Padma Shri Award in 2019
The True Mentor for the Next Generation
Apart from his prolific musical career, Shankar Mahadevan is also popular as the judge in many singing reality shows as well as a mentor to emerging music artists in the industry. He has worked in many shows like ‘Rising Star’ and ‘Indian Idol’ where he trained young talents to ace their respective musical fields. His determination to discover and nurture new talent has also offered many new artists to the music industry. His musical workshops and masterclasses are quite popular across the country as well as the globe for inspiring, motivating, and empowering young music artists to pursue their dreams.
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