Wanted to be a dancer as a little girl, reveals Sunidhi Chauhan

This year marks the silver jubilee of Sunidhi Chauhan’s musical journey, and she believes “it’s just the beginning”. The singer, who began her career at the age of 11 with the song, Ladki Deewani Ladka Deewana (Shastra; 1996), says, “I’m happy to have been a part of so many changes that happened over the years. Completing 25 years has given me the confidence to keep doing what I love to do.”

Looking back at the time when she recorded her first film song, she shares with a laugh, “I remember having five to six cups of tea before singing to calm myself done. I was so wired and excited about singing before a microphone for the heroine of a big film.”

Chauhan reveals that becoming a singer didn’t top her bucket list. In fact, as a little girl, she dreamed of being a dancer: “I wanted to learn dancing. But my singing was noticed a little more than dancing. When people around me started telling me that I sing well, I realised that I wanted to learn it.”

The Maskari (Dil Bechara; 2020) singer, who turned 38 a day ago, admits that she learnt music from listening to songs. “In Delhi, children would learn singing in groups. But I wanted a special kind of attention from my guru. I, instead, started doing shows. Once I started singing in films, I didn’t get the chance to learn music,” she shares.

In 2016, Chauhan added a new feather to her hat when she starred in Playing Priya, a short thriller. Ask about her acting plans and she reveals, “I was supposed to start something in that front but the lockdown changed a lot of situations. I’m open to acting and I’m looking forward to exploring a new side of me.”