Singer Sudhir Yaduvanshi. Photo: Courtesy of the artist
New Delhi-raised Singer and performer Sudhir Yaduvanshi was first encouraged to sing at local cultural programs in school and college and later took part in (and won) competitions on a professional level.
Now, the last year alone has brought more recognition in Hindi mainstream music for Yaduvanshi, from “Kaawaa Kaawaa” (off the soundtrack for action movie Kill) to “Rang Hai Ri” for the series Taaza Khabar and the Akshay Kumar spiritual song “Shambhu.”
As it turns out, music wasn’t the only thing Yaduvanshi had on his radar in his formative years. There was also cricket, with Yaduvanshi being a wicketkeeper and batsman who has reportedly played alongside cricketers such as Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar and Gautam Gambhir. He recalls specifically about Gambhir, now the head coach of the Indian cricket team, “Sometimes, you get a rare opportunity in the nets to bowl to a national player. So, when I got that chance, I bowled.” In sharing the cricket pitch with these players, Yaduvanshi says he saw himself in them. “That itself is a feeling of fulfilment.”
Now that he’s scored a few hit songs, it’s not surprising to hear Yaduvanshi express a desire in playing again, but this time he’s more likely to make the playing 11 in a celebrity cricket league team. He says, “The dream was there before, and it’s still there today — just changed a bit. Now, if I get to play in a celebrity league, that would be amazing! If not, well, India has no shortage of cricket grounds or corporate teams. To keep my heart happy, I can play anywhere — just say ‘all is well’ and swing the bat!”
Alongside his film soundtrack and mainstream work, the singer is also lending his voice to solo singles like “Watna Ve” which pairs him with singer-composer Arijit Srivastava and singer-lyricist Arjun Sarkar. Yaduvanshi describes it as an “emotional song for a true patriot.” Released in advance of India’s Republic Day in January, the song allowed Yaduvanshi to give “just pure love and gratitude” without being caught up in complicated or technical aspects of music making.
There are a few Punjabi songs coming out, but Yaduvanshi says “most of them have been put on hold.” He’s not necessarily bitter about it, explaining that “everything happens at its right time and it just falls into place naturally.”
To that end, he has a “major movie project” coming up this year, among many others. If Yaduvanshi’s powerhouse vocals on “Kaawaa Kaawaa” made India’s music fans sit up and take notice, he maintains that having a “unique texture and different vibe is really important” to stand out. He adds, “Maybe that’s why I got a couple of chances early on. Mahakal has blessed me with a powerful voice, One that’s not very common — a bit rare. That could be a big reason.” Beyond his own abilities, he credits hard work and luck.
Up next, Yaduvanshi leads a folk project featuring new versions of Sufi songs that is “coming out very soon.” He’s running through the cycle of recording scratch tracks for Bollywood movies, in the hopes that it will be selected. Then, there’s a “very special movie with a big star cast” whose name Yaduvanshi is not yet ready to put out with regards to his involvement. “I’ll reveal its name at the right time — it’s set to release in April, and you’ll definitely get to hear an explosive song in it,” he adds.
I hope everything turns out for the best, and may everyone receive their due, along with the blessings of God.
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