In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, singer Geetha Madhuri, who is currently seen as a judge, alongside Karthik, and Thaman S, speaks to us about the new season, how intimidating it is to be on the other side of the stage, and more.
Tejal Sinha
After the smash hit of the first season, Telugu Indian Idol is back with another season, and this time with a lot more twists. The ongoing season is being judged by the maestros: Karthik and Thaman S., and adding to the panel this season is the super talented Geetha Madhuri.
Madhuri has sung over 1800 songs in several languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. She is a recipient of numerous Nandi Awards and Filmfare awards.
It was a rapture for us to connect with the music connoisseur for an exclusive chat via phone, who shared some interesting tidbits about the ongoing season, parameters she would be looking at while judging, something that she regrets and cherishes the most, and more.
Excerpts from the interview:
How excited were you when you were approached for Indian Idol 2?
Being on the other side of the stage can definitely be intimidating. But for Geetha, when the team approached her about being one of the judges, she says, “I was actually nervous and was also very doubtful if I would be able to do it or not, if it is good for me at this point of my career. However, later on, many of my colleagues and music directors were like, ‘Now that you have experience ranging from 15 to 20 years, you can just try and get into it, and all that matters is experience.’
How intimidating was it to be on the other side of the stage for the first time?
I was intimidated because Thaman Garu was on one side and Karthik Garu was on the other. For almost 15 years, I’ve been following their music, and they have been in a position where they gave me the opportunity to sing. If you ask me to sit beside them and start judging, I will definitely feel intimidated and a little nervous too, but then I’m like, “Let’s make the most of it, and maybe I can add a new colour to the contestants.” This has been the mindset I have.
What new has season 2 got for the audience?
In the first season, we had some amazingly talented singers; now in season 2, we have singers from different backgrounds, like the Army, from rural areas, and they’re not even familiar with singing but have it in their blood. This is the major difference I see between both seasons, and I’m looking forward to seeing many talents come into the industry with raw voices.
What do you think you’ll bring to the table as a judge this time?
I know the songs that they are singing by heart. And so, I’m going to start enjoying the music as a music lover first of all, and maybe I can add the colour of making or teaching them dynamics in that way.
What parameters would you be looking at while judging?
I look at a song like a wave; a wave has highs and lows. I expect the song to be sung like a wave. I don’t like it as a straight line without any dynamics. So I look for magic when a person is singing.
You’ve had an illustrious career as a singer. When you look back at it, what’s the thing that you regret and cherish the most?
I cherish my opportunities the most because I’ve got abundant opportunities, and that makes me stand where I am today, and I am very happy that I have never left an opportunity that came on my table. I’ve always made use of all the opportunities that have come to me, and the one I regret is that I have never made independent music or tried to do some independent music. I have that in my mind, so maybe I’ll do it now.
You’re known for singing item songs, and you’ve sung dozens of them. Does it ever get tiring? Don’t you feel like you’ve been typecast over the years?
I’m someone who is very grateful for wherever I am. If I hadn’t been typecast for this genre of music, maybe I wouldn’t have been addressed as a singer. Maybe this elocution of songs has made me different from all other singers and helped people recognise me easily. For music directors to just try my voice. If I wasn’t unique, then people wouldn’t have made me sing these songs. When people actually called me for these kinds of songs, that’s when all the music directors got to know that I can also sing other genres and made me sing other genres like melody. Then, when I get the chance or opportunity, it’s my time to start proving my talent at that point in time. I take it as a positive thing only because this has made me stand out from others.
How does the future look from here?
I’ve been planning to make some independent music and some good videos, and I’m also planning to go to shows like a package with the band and project it as a ‘Geetha Madhuri show’. I have a lot of plans in my mind. Let’s see what gets me to all of it.
