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Music producer Ramesh Taurani revealed that Anuradha Paudwal’s decision to focus exclusively on T-Series helped Alka Yagnik become a top playback singer in 1990s Hindi cinema.
Ramesh Taurani reveals how Anuradha Paudwal shaped Alka Yagnik’s rise
Music producer Ramesh Taurani opened up about how playback singer Alka Yagnik emerged as one of the most sought-after voices in Hindi cinema during the 1990s.
He revealed how Anuradha Paudwal’s decision to stop singing for films and focus on T-Series worked in Alka’s favour.
The filmmaker who was recently a part of trade analyst Komal Nahta’s podcast Game Changers: The Music Series along with Kumar, reflected on the rise of legendary playback singers and the changing dynamics of the Hindi film music industry during the 1990s.
While speaking about Alka Yagnik’s rise in popularity, Ramesh Taurani shared, “Back then, Lata Ji and Asha Ji were already established. When we used to make music, Lata Ji was our first preference, followed by Alka and Anuradha. The idea was that in the ’90s, when new singers like Shanu, Anuradha Paudwal, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan came in, these four made it big. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Aashiqui, Saajan and Phool Aur Kaante were hits, and their songs became superhits.”
He added, “The idea then was that Anuradha Paudwal was the new Lata Mangeshkar, while Alka Yagnik became the new Asha Bhosle. Luckily, Anuradha Ji stopped singing for films and made herself exclusive to T-Series. This worked in Alka Ji’s favour, as she got both Lata Ji and Asha Ji type songs, whether they were solos, duets or shayari. The situation was such that, among Udit, Sanu and Sonu, Alka Ji was getting the most songs.”
For the uninitiated, Anuradha Paudwal was among the leading playback singers of the late 1980s and early 1990s, delivering popular soundtracks such as Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin and Saajan.
For the uninitiated, Anuradha Paudwal had previously explained that she had decided to step away from film playback singing while she was at the peak of her career. She gradually shifted her focus towards devotional music and became closely associated with T-Series.
Meanwhile, Alka Yagnik continued to establish herself as a leading voice in Hindi cinema, singing for a large range of composers and becoming a regular choice for romantic songs, duets and other musical sequences.
Alka’s collaborations with composers such as Nadeem-Shravan and Anu Malik helped cement her position during the decade, with films such as Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Saajan and Phool Aur Kaante initially.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – IANS)
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Ask News18Anuradha Paudwal’s decision to stop singing for films and focus exclusively on T-Series worked in Alka Yagnik’s favour, allowing Alka to receive a large share of solos, duets, and shayari tracks that otherwise would have been distributed.
Ask News18October 12, 2026, 12:53 IST