You may perhaps be in the biggest quandary of your life, but Chinmayi Sripada’s voice…it melodiously comforts you like a mother’s warmth, jovially lifts your spirits like a best friend, and powerfully becomes your inner voice, pushing you to break free and triumph. Whether it is her Priyathama Priyathama, Kaathalae Kaathalae, Udalodu Uyirupol, Beda Beda, Titli, or Mast Magan, Chinmayi floors all. Ahead of her much-anticipated performance at the show, ‘Lokovoko’ at Boulders Hills on June 7, she exclusively speaks with CE at her home in Hyderabad.
Excerpts
Your thoughts on Hyderabad? Are you looking forward to your performance?
Well, this house in Kokapet was primarily built by my husband Rahul (Ravindran), and I moved in here. I absolutely love what I have experienced here, except the one or two months of heat! (laughs) Food-wise and culture-wise, Hyderabad is great! At the show, I will be singing most of my Telugu songs, some Hindi songs, and one or two Tamil songs.
How did you dive into the world of music?
I started my musical journey with Carnatic music, my mother was my guru, and I didn’t have an option. (laughs) She saw a spark in me and started training me early. It isn’t uncommon for families with musical backgrounds to initiate their children, around four years old, into training. Soon, I switched to Hindustani Classical music. I got All India Radio medals for my ghazal renditions and Hindustani Classical songs. And then, I debuted with AR Rahman sir for the song Oru Dheivam Thantha Poove in Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). The Telugu version of this was called Ye Devi Varamo. I continued recording my Telugu songs in Chennai, but for the past couple of years, I have been doing them here.
I am grateful for the love I have gotten here, especially after Ye Maaya Chesave. You know, people found my email and started telling me how they have watched the film 50 times and listened to the songs. Rahul says, ‘If you give the audience here fantastic films, they will give you the same, if not much more love.’
What is your creative process as a singer?
Nothing special — someone calls me, tells me what time to be at the studio, there are the lyrics, I sing, and leave. My mind actually thinks of a lot of things, like my babies, dogs, house, this, that…My dogs are Uppli, Jiloo, Bobby and Potato. Bobby is the most hyper, he is uncontrollable. (laughs) Uppli actually used to come along for recordings. Now he’s like, ‘Let me be, I’m not in all this drama.’ He has come for so many recordings, has been near the mic, and so many people have been shocked. Even during Kaathalae Kaathalae (Tamil song), he was in the studio.
Is there any musical genre you really want to try?
Life has been kind with opportunities, and composers have been kind by giving me opportunities where I could sing different types of songs. But something I haven’t tried yet…rap. But I don’t think I have it in me to write rap songs — I just can’t rhyme! But never say never, who knows…
You have utilised your reach to support and raise funds for noble causes, particularly those benefiting underprivileged children. What drew you to this?
During Covid, many people from economically weaker backgrounds, including daily wage labourers, reached out and asked for help to avail basic amenities. I was wondering what I could do. My friend and I came up with an idea — since this was a time when people could not meet their loved ones and perhaps were missing birthdays, anniversaries, and the like, what I would do is record personalised songs for them. I’d WeTransfer it to them so they could send it to their loved ones. They would, in return, send money directly to the beneficiaries. No point of me being involved in transactions.
You took on powerful people during the #MeToo movement. Looking back, what do you feel?
Many of us were reading about it, feeling second-hand rage. Even to speak up at that point of time was terrifying. But I crossed that threshold — there was also a wonderful collective energy of other women — and spoke up. I knew no one was going to welcome me and give me an award, but I signed up for the struggle, so no regrets.
What do you think about Tollywood? Would you like to sing more songs here?
Most definitely! Thanks to people like Supriya (Yarlagadda), Nandini (Reddy), and Jhansi (Laxmi) garu — these women actually took a step and spoke to the film chamber here. If not for their initiative, there wouldn’t be an Internal Complaints Committee. I have huge admiration for all these women.
What are the biggest life lessons you want to pass onto your children?
I hope I live a life well enough, so I don’t have to write the lessons. They should learn by observation. Because kids will learn from what they see.