Name: Shweta Pandit

Profession: Singer

Sun Sign: 7 July 1986, Cancer

Educational Experience
I did my schooling from Utpal Shanghvi School at Juhu. I just cleared my standard 12 exams from Mithibai college in Mumbai, and am contemplating on which course to take up.

Professional Experience
I started singing when I was four years old. My first recording was for the Hindi dubbed version of a Mani Rathnam film Anjali. Soon after that, I got loads of offers to sing for films as a child singer. I have a faint memory of those songs. Amongst the ones that I do remember are for Nishana, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, Saaz, Dil Kya Kare and the recent Devgan Productions' Raju Chacha.

My defining moment as a singer came when I was selected by the Yash Chopra banner to sing for one of the leading ladies in their movie Mohabbatein. I was the playback for Shamita Shetty's character 'Ishika' in the movie. It was an exhilarating experience working under the Chopra Banner and I was barely 13. Working with Yashji and Adityaji [Chopra] was a great learning process. The entire unit of Mohabbatein, both the music and film units, was very helpful.

My first debut devotional album was with Pandit Jasraj called Mahalakshmi, that was launched by Times Music. After Mahalakshmi, I also sang for an album called Dashavatar under the same music banner. Recently, I recorded yet another devotional album for them. It should be out this year as well.

Besides, I have also sung for films like the Hrithik- Amisha starrer Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, the Raveena Tandon starrer Soch, the teen flick Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai (YKHRH). With the talented music trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy being the music directors for YKHRH, the assignment gave me an opportunity to work with musicians totally a league apart.

Recently, I did the title track of Nayee Padosan, which topped the music charts. Currently, I have two projects in my kitty, Rudraksh and Kal Ho Na Ho. I have also sung for the Jimmy Shergill- Harshita Bhatt starrer Haasil.

There is lots more comming up, but I guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

Why music?
My family is into music for four generations now. I am the grand daughter of classical vocalist Pandit Pratap Narayan and Pandit Jasraj happens to be my grand uncle, so you can say that music is in my genes.

I have been trained in the Mewati gharana of classical vocal tradition plus the onus of obtaining training from my grandfather Pandit Pratap Narain and father Vishwaraj Pandit was something I could not afford to lose. Even my sister Shraddha Pandit is a playback singer.

Current music scenario
It's definitely a phase and audiences are very fickle. Actually for no particular reason, there are certain songs that climb the popularity charts. Sometimes, even good songs get stifled in the process. I think people are tired of the same old tunes and therefore lap up anything that is different. So for us musicians, we have to keep trying something new.

But even if the so called popular songs are shown 1000 times on television, people will get tired after the intial hype and reject them. Conversely, even if a song is great but is hammered several times on television, people get bored. Over exposure is definitely bad.

Right and wrong about current music scenario
The videos are getting vulgar. Well, at least some of them. I cannot watch them. They make me uncomfortable and eventually I change the channel. It is a bad influence on the kids. I can tell you for sure because I have seen my young cousins getting affected by some videos. Personally, I think they should be banned. As for the songs, they are remixes of great evergreen songs, so they can't be bad. But sadly, the original people associated do not even get the credit for the songs.

Five years from now
I should still be singing and entertaining audiences. My music should be better.

Hobbies
I love reading, watching films, catching up with good friends and listening to songs on the radio.

Idea of enjoyment
My idea of enjoyment is getting up in the morning, spending some time with myself. I love relaxing with my family, listening to great songs and learning something out of it. Catching a good 9-12 film with my family.

I am happy when I go for recording, play badminton with my sister in the evenings, and sing along with her.