Usha Timothy is a veteran Bollywood playback singer. Referred to as a "Singer with a difference" She began her career in the film

Himalay Ki Godmein ''Himalay Ki God Mein'' () is a 1965 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Vijay Bhatt starring Manoj Kumar and Mala Sinha, with Shashikala in a supporting role. The film won the Filmfare Best Movie Award and was a "Superhit" at the box off ...

(1965). She has sung 5,000 songs in multiple Indian languages such as

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry ( Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam wa ...

, Punjabi,

Bhojpuri Bhojpuri (;Bhojpuri entry, Oxford Dictionaries
, Oxford U ...

and

Marathi Marathi may refer to: *Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India *Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people *Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece See also * * ...

etc.

Early life

Usha Timothy was born in

Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nag ...

, Maharashtra, India in a Christian family. Her father worked for the CBI. She was the youngest of the eleven siblings. Her elder brother, Madhusudan Timothy was inclined to music and often organized musical ''jalsas'' (gatherings) at home. Usha took her early musical lessons from Pt Laxman Prasad. She also learnt

Tappa Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music. Its specialty is a rolling pace based on fast, subtle and knotty construction. Its tunes are melodious and sweet, and depict the emotional outbursts of a lover. Tappe (plural) were sung mostly by ...

s and

Thumri Thumri () is a vocal genre or style of Indian music. The term "thumri" is derived from the Hindi verb ''thumuknaa'', which means "to walk with a dancing gait in such a way that the ankle-bells tinkle." The form is, thus, connected with dance, dr ...

s from

Nirmala Devi Nirmala Devi, also known as Nirmala Arun (7 June 1927 15 June 1996), was an Indian actress in the 1940s and a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana. She is the mother of Bollywood actor Govinda. Nirmala Devi was the wife of t ...

Career

Usha was discovered by

Kalyanji Anandji Kalyanji Virji Shah (30 June 1928 – 24 August 2000) was the ''Kalyanji'' of the Kalyanji-Anandji duo. He and his brother Anandji Virji Shah have been famous Indian film musicians, and won the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, ...

. In 1956–57, a musical concert was held. It was called Kalyanji Anandji Night and prominent male singers like

Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...

Manna Dey Prabodh Chandra Dey (May 1, 1919 − October 24, 2013), known by his stage name Manna Dey, was an internationally acclaimed and celebrated Indian playback singer, music director, and a musician. As a classical vocalist, he belonged to the Bhe ...

Hemant Kumar Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemant Kumar and Hemanta Mukherjee, was a legendary Indian music composer and playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, as well as other Indian ...

, Mukesh performed songs composed by

. The event was organized by Usha's father. Since there was no female singer to perform, Madhusudan suggested eight-year-old Usha's name to Kalyanji Anandji. She performed "Rasik Balma" from '' Chori Chori'' (1956) before the audience. Her performance pleased the audience as well as Kalyanji Anandji, who made her a part of their troupe. She did what was considered her first playback for them in

(1965). In that film, her duet with

"Tu Chhat Pe Khadi Thi" was well received, but many thought it to be Asha Bhosle's voice. However, the first playback she gave was for a song in the 1962 film ''Durga Puja''. Her major work was with Kalyanji Anandji for whom she sang many hit songs in the 1970s most of them duets with Mohammed Rafi. In 1967, Laxmikant Pyarelal gave her two songs in the film '' Taqdeer''. The songs were "Jab Jab Bahar Aayi" and "Papa Jaldi Aa Jana", both songs became popular. She was greatly inspired by Mohammed Rafi. She used to ask newcomers to follow the singing style of Rafi. She has also sung with Kishore Kumar in the song "Are Rafta Rafta Dekho Aankh Meri Ladi Hai".

Popular Songs

Some of her popular songs in Bollywood films include: * "Natkhat Pare Hat Chhod" (Maharani Padmini) (1964) * "Taqdeer Ne Kya Angdaai Li" (Sunehre Qadam) (1966) * "Jab Jab Bahaar Aayi" (Taqdeer) (1967) * "London Paris Ghoom Ke Dekhen" (Parivaar) (1968) * "Dhol Baja Dhol Dhol Jaaniya" (Vishwas) (1969) * "Honthon Pe Inkaar Thoda Thoda" (Raat Ke Andhere Mein) (1969) * "Ae Sapnon Ke Raja" (Nateeja) (1969) * "Jo Mama Mera Aayega" (Heer Ranjha) (1970) * "Main Hoon Saamne Tu Mere Saamne" (Kaanch Aur Heera) (1972) * "Are Rafta Rafta Dekho" (Kahani Kismat Ki) (1973) * "Ho Bairi Saiyaan Ki Nazariya" (Uljhan) (1975) * "Kali Kali Zulfon Mein" (Farishta Ya Qaatil) (1977) * "Honolulu Se Aayi Hoon Main" (Khanjar) (1979) * "Meri Jaan Tumse Mohabbat Hai" (Mera Salaam) (1980) * "Ja Pori Ja" (Rahem Dil Jallad) (1985)

Collaborations

Kalyanji Anandji

Usha Timothy has sung over a hundred songs in her collaboration with Kalyanji Anandji. Kalyanji Anandji were the very first to trace Usha's musical talent, incidental in a musical soiree. Impressed, they aimed at making her a prominent singer in Bollywood. They gave her "Tu Raat Khadi Thi" with Mohammed Rafi to sing in the 1965 film

starring Mala Sinha.. She was nervous singing with the legendary singer. The song proved to be a major hit and was a turning point of her career. This, however, was not her debut work, she sang in a few films before it. Her major body of work is credited with Kalyanji Anandji. She has also worked with other composers like Bulo C Rani, Roshan, Hansraj Behl, S.N. Tripathi, S. Mohinder,

Sardar Malik Sardar Malik (13 January 1930 – 27 January 2006) was an Indian Hindi film music director and score composer. Early life and career Sardar Malik was born on 13 January 1930 in Kapurthala, Punjab, British India. He first was a student at Ud ...

Usha Khanna Usha Khanna (born 7 October 1941) is an Indian music director in Hindi cinema. She is the third female music director to enter the Hindi film industry, after Jaddan Bai and Saraswati Devi and is one of the most commercially successful music d ...

, Sonik-Omi, Babul, Lala Sattar and

Jagdish Khanna Jagdish is a given name. Notable people with the given name include: *Jagdish Bishnoi Rotoo, Raj.India (dob-20-07-1993) *Jagdish Bhagwati (born 1934), Indian-born American economist * Jagdish Bhola, Indian wrestler * Jagdish Bishnoi (born 1972), Ind ...

Mohammed Rafi

Usha was a great fan of Mohammed Rafi since her childhood. She had grown up listening to Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi songs. She recorded her first hit track "Tu Raat Khadi Thi" in Himalay Ki Godmein. The popularity of this song made them a successful pair. She has sung with other major playback singers including Mukesh,

Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born as Abhas Kumar Ganguly (); 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of Indian music. He w ...

Shamshad Begum Shamshad Begum (Hindi: शमशाद बेगम, IAST: ''Śamśād Bēgam''; 14 April 1919 – 23 April 2013) was an Indian singer who was one of the first playback singers in the Hindi film industry. Notable for her distinctive voice and r ...

Suman Kalyanpur Suman Kalyanpur (born as Suman Hemmadi;January 28th 1937) is an Indian playback singer, one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Her voice was often mistaken to be that of Lata Mangeshkar. Suman Kalyanpur's career st ...

, Hemlata and Krishna Kalle. Remembering Shamshad Begum, she says, "Shamshad ji had a very attractive and loving personality. She used to treat me like her own Child. Her voice had that "Khanak" and openness which I have never seen in any other singer's. During recording, She used to say, Beta Dum (power) Ke Saath Gaao and I used to laugh, Shamshad ji aapke jaisi power to kisi ki voice mein nahin hai!". Usha Timothy was also a regular participant in the shows of C. Ramchandra also. She says, "I used to be part of his shows regularly. In fact, the famous Pradeep song, 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon' was initially sung as a duet by me with C. Ramchandra sahab for a show."

Filmography

List of Hindi films: #Durga Puja (1962) #Birju Uystad (1964) #Maharani Padmini (1964) #Char Chakram (1965) #

(1965) #Sati Nari (1965) #Sunehre Kadam (1966) #Veer Bajarang (1966) #Vidyarthi (1966) #Johar in Bombay (1967) #Mera Munna (1967) # Ram Rajya (1967) #Taqdeer (1967) #Fareb (1968) #Har Har Gange (1968) #Parivar (1968) #Apna Khoon Apna Dushman (1969) #

Mahua Mahua Acharya Mahua or Mahuaa may refer to: Botany * ''Madhuca longifolia'' or mahua, a tree in the family Sapotaceae * Mahua (moss), ''Mahua'' (moss), a genus of mosses in family Hypnaceae Culture and entertainment * Mahua (snack), a Chinese fri ...

(1969) #Nateeja (1969) #Raat Ke Andhere Mein (1969) #Vishwas (1969) #Gunahon Ke Raste (1970) #Heer Raanjha (1970) #Truck Driver (1970) #Khandan De Ohle (1970) unjabi#Ek Din Aadhi Raat (1971) # Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong (1971) #Ladki Pasand Hai (1971) # Shri Krishna Leela (1971) #Kanch Aur Heera (1972) #Chattan Singh (1974) # Hamrahi (1974) # Aaja Sanam (1975) #Anokha (1975) #Do Thug (1975) #

Jaan Hazir Hai is a 1975 Bollywood film directed by Manohar Nath Rangroo. This film produced by Vijay Anand. Prem Kishan, Shekhar Kapoor, Natasha (real name Bilkis Noori), Urmila Bhatt, Iftikhar, Murad, Trilok Kapoor, Ranjan, Jankidas and Komila Virk were a ...

(1975) #

Uljhan ''Uljhan'' (Confusion) is a 1975 Hindi suspense thriller film. Produced by Sudesh Kumar and directed by Raghunath Jhalani, it stars Ashok Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Asrani, Farida Jalal, Aruna Irani, Sulakshana Pandit, and Ranjeet. The music is by K ...

(1975) #Zorro (1975) #Farishta Ya Qatil (1977) # Atithee (1978) # Besharam (1978) #Kal Subah (1978) #Nasbandi (1978) #Khanjar (1980) #Mera Salaam (1981) #Pyar Ke Rahi (1982) #Pyar Bada Nadan (1984) #Rahemdil Jallad (1985) #Sone Ka Pinjara (1986) #Saat Ladkiyaan (1989) #'' Aakhri Chetawani'' (1993) #Pardesi (1993)

Television reality shows

She appeared as a contestant in the third season of ''

Rising Star Rising Star or Rising Stars may refer to: People and characters * Rising Star, a pseudonym of the DJ Armin van Buuren * Aurvandil, the Rising Star, or Morning Star; in Germanic mythology Books * ''Rising Stars'' (comic), a comic book series by J ...

'' and was eliminated in the fifth episode.

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Timothy, Usha Living people Bollywood playback singers Indian women playback singers Musicians from Nagpur 20th-century Indian singers 20th-century Indian women singers Singers from Maharashtra Women musicians from Maharashtra 21st-century Indian women singers 21st-century Indian singers 1948 births