Legendary Singer Sharda Remembered for 'Titli Udi' Hit

Singer Sharda, whose full name is Sharda Rajan Iyengar, continues to be remembered for her enchanting voice and her unforgettable contribution to Indian film music. Her songs from the 1960s and 1970s still hold a special place in the hearts of fans.

Her musical journey began far from Indian film studios. Sharda first gained recognition by performing at Indian community parties in Tehran, Iran.

Born on October 25, 1933, in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, she developed a love for music in her childhood. She often wrote Hindi songs in Tamil and kept humming them. That passion eventually grew into a serious commitment to singing.

When her family moved to Tehran, Sharda began performing at gatherings organised by the Indian community there.

A major breakthrough occurred when film distributor Shrichand Ahuja arranged a party for Raj Kapoor in Tehran. Sharda sang at that party, and Raj Kapoor was so impressed by her voice that he invited her to Mumbai.

In Mumbai, Raj Kapoor introduced her to Shankar of Shankar-Jaikishan. Sharda also learned music from Ustad Jagannath Prasad and singer Mukesh.

She debuted in Hindi cinema in 1966 with the film 'Sooraj'. Its song 'Titli Udi, Ud Jo Chali' became a superhit and is still sung and remembered by audiences. The song brought her overnight fame.

She later sang notable songs for 'Gumnaam', 'Shatranj' and 'Around the World'. Between 1969 and 1972, she received several Filmfare Award nominations in succession.

Sharda performed with many celebrated artists, including Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Asha Bhosle and K.J. Yesudas. She also provided playback for actresses such as Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana, Hema Malini, Rekha, Sharmila Tagore and Mumtaz.

In 1971, she recorded the pop album 'Sizzlers', which was described as the first pop album by an Indian woman singer. In 2007, she released 'Andaz-e-Bayan', a collection based on Mirza Ghalib's ghazals.

Her final film song was recorded in 1986 for 'Kaanch Ki Deewar'. Across roughly two decades in the industry, she built a unique identity in Bollywood.

Some accounts say that the success of 'Titli Udi' led Filmfare to begin giving separate awards to male and female playback singers. Before that, one category covered both. Mohammed Rafi's 'Baharon Phool Barsao' and 'Titli Udi' received equal votes at the time. Rafi was given the award, along with a special recognition for this historic tie.

The next year, separate categories were created. Sharda was nominated for four consecutive years, during a time when Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle were dominating the industry.

Sharda also sang in Telugu, Marathi, English and Gujarati. She died in Mumbai on June 14, 2023, after suffering from cancer.