Shravan Rathod (1954-2021): He just knew what will click with the audience, says Anuradha Paudwal

Veteran playback singers Anuradha Paudwal and Kumar Sanu remember late music composer Shravan Rathod

My first interaction with Shravan, rather Nadeem-Shravan, was long before we collaborated on Aashiqui [1990]. I was told of this upcoming music composer duo with great potential and I remember recording two tracks with them. When they began work on Aashiqui, I came on board to render the songs. The film, the music, everything about it was magical. I garnered awards for Nazar ke saamne and it marked the beginning of many more chartbusters with Nadeem-Shravan. Even though recording a track was different from what it is nowadays due to technology, Shravan had this inherent knack to know what will click with the audience, and it always did. During the ’90s, the soundtrack of every film they scored became a hit. Naresh Sharma collaborated as their music arranger. After recording a track with them, I always had this feeling that this one is going to be huge. Song after song, it was a success story for them. Shravan was a jovial, humble person. He came from a music background, so rhythm was within him. For me, that was the golden era of music. I last met Shravan at an event over two years ago. His passing away has made me emotional and nostalgic. From singing Bahut pyar karte hain and Jiye toh jiye kaise in Saajan [1991], Tumhein apna banaane ki in Sadak [1991] and Dil hai ke manta nahin and O mere sapno ke saudagar in Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin [1991], it was an endless list of chartbusters with them.

He called me Tiger: Kumar Sanu
Kumar Sanu, who has often collaborated with the dynamic duo, says he couldn’t catch up with his friend Shravan due to the pandemic. “The first song I rendered for Nadeem-Shravan was Nazar ke saamne. It was part of the music album, Chaahat, but was later used in the film Aashiqui [1991]. I met the music duo through Gulshan Kumar. As soon as they heard my voice during the recording, they told me, ‘Tiger awaaz hai’. They then started calling me Tiger. I often met Shravan, and he would still call me Tiger, but of late due to the pandemic, we could not meet.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!