A powerhouse performer, Anuj Gurwara’s laughter is infectious. “I have always been the happy guy in the group,” he chuckles. Starting his career as a content writer and voice-over artist, he moved on to act in theatre and films. Best known for his award-winning song Panchadara Bomma in the movie Magadheera, Gurwara says that he got into playback singing ‘by accident’. “All I knew in college was that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry, but I have always enjoyed singing,” he shares.
He credits his college principal for having encouraged him. “We had an orchestra for our performances during the college fests. This boosted my confidence and helped me tap my potential,” says the performer who loves being on stage.
Gurwara was a student of BA psychology, advertising and sociology at the historic Nizam College in Hyderabad between 1998 and 2001. It took a while for Guruwara to adapt to a ‘commoner’s life’ at the college. “At school, all my teachers knew me as my parents ran the school. Moving out of the protected circle was a shock at first but gave me the opportunity to meet people who came from different backgrounds and different schools of thought,” reminisces Gurwara.
His group of friends frequented the ‘tree of enlightenment’ — as he calls it — on the campus. It was privy to the students’ plans to organise fests, literary club activities, theatre groups and much banter. “We were a fun group and wrote lyrics, set it to music, sang and even wrote scripts sitting there,” he recalls.
Apart from academics, Gurwara was also involved in theatre since college. However, the first play scripted and planned by the group in the second year of college ended in utter chaos. “We scripted the play over a period of two months and the 15 of us would gather for rehearsals every evening for three months. When we finally staged the play, some of our ‘friends’ dressed as women created a riot. The audience was in splits. We could not proceed beyond the first half,” he shares.
Having studied science in class 12, he chose to pursue advertising. “Five minutes into the IIT-JEE (coaching class), I walked out and told my father that this was not what I wanted to do. He was very supportive. I chose to study BA instead. My courses have helped me understand my audience and present myself better. What matters is not what you study but how you apply it in life.”
Though academics never took a backseat, Gurwara maintained a fair record of bunking classes. “That was the time when snooker fever hit Hyderabad. We would bunk classes to hang out at snooker parlours or to catch a movie at IMAX,” he says.
The happy-go-lucky singer says that his attitude helped him make friends among faculty and different age groups. “I was mildly ragged in college, but when it came to singing for the seniors, I really enjoyed the whole process. Gradually it became a regular feature and I would entertain them after classes. This helped me bond with them.”
His gift of voice won him many friends and admirers. He loves singing with friends on stage. “One of my buddies, Salman, is considered the best singer in Dallas. Whenever I am on a USA tour, we sing together just like in college,” he says.
As a parting shot, he says, “Never join a college just because your friend is going there. One need not be clear about his career but has to realise where the passion lies.” Gurwara’s joie-de-vivre indicates he has definitely realised his
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