'Titli Udi' fame Sharda Rajan passes away at 86
RIP Sharda Rajan: Veteran singer and composer Sharda Ranjan also known for famous legendary song Titli Udi from the 1966 film Sooraj passed away on Wednesday after prolonged illness.
Sharda Rajan passed away at the age of 86 as she was suffering from cancer.
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Sharda’s daughter Sudha Madeira took to her Twitter handle to announce the news of demise of her mother.
She tweeted, "With great sadness, my brother Shammi Rajan and I announce the passing this morning of our beloved mother, playback singer Sharda Rajan, after a long and brave battle with cancer. 25.10.1933 – 14.06.2023. Om Shanti.”
Sharda was born Sharda Rajan Iyengar. She grew up in a Tamil family.
Raj Kapoor introduced her to music directors Shankar-Jaikishan, who introduced her to the film industry. They provided her with her first break with Sooraj. Her debut song, coupled with Mohammed Rafi, earned her a Filmfare award at the time. While Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle were the most popular singers at the time, Sharda's unique baby voice stood out.
She was noted for her unusual voice and performed in many of Rajshree's films.
"Titli udi" turned out to be a top chartbuster in 1966. It so happens that the coveted Filmfare award for best playback singer had only one category (either male or female) until 1966. "Titli Udi" song, however, was tied as best song with Mohd Rafi's song "Baharo Phool Barsao" which had never happened before.
Sharda performed with several famous singers, including Mohd Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Yesudas, Mukesh, and Suman Kalyanpur. She sang with the likes of Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana, Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rekha, and Helen. She collaborated on songs with Usha Khanna, Ravi, Dattaram, Iqbal Qureshi, and others in addition to Shankar. She was the first Indian female vocalist to record her own pop album in India.
- With inputs from agencies
