Her father was an army officer and mother a teacher. She was brought up in a strict environment where education was of utmost importance. As I spoke to her over phone, she recalled the day she was slapped on coming late after her college because she had gone somewhere in the evening with her friends.
Compare this scenario with today’s. Today our youth has a list of rights ready with them and parents are taught by counselors to behave like friends rather than parents.
Not only this, she was married into a business family in her early 20s while today, children are asked if they would like to marry or do something else in life.
I am writing this because we were batchmates in school . I still remember that young Sheetal who had starry dreams in her shiny eyes. She loved music so much that she could sing anytime anywhere. We would just surround her to loose ourselves into her melodious songs and she would sing with her hands beating the desk like a tabla.
So this is Sheetal Gupta, the singer who received much attention after her 2020 Bollywood song “Kadi hoon karke” of the film “Virgin Bhanupriya”. But her journey had not been easy. She failed countless number of times. “Yet” she says, “I will not say I ever thought I failed. I only thought I couldn’t make it that time. I got up and tried again and again. You actually fail when you stop trying.”
She is a mother of a pretty 19 year old girl and started her journey towards Mumbai just a couple of years ago. 40s was her new 20s and she worked with full zest.
She’s performed for many corporates and cultural hubs. Her work includes albums, singles and playback singing for films. She has presence in about 70 digital platforms. She’s been awarded the Human Welfare Foundation Award in the field of music. She’s also creative head of a Mumbai based production house and is also a privileged fellow member of the Screen Writers Association. She also does a lot of philanthropy.
This society really need people like you Sheetal :).
The Interview
FCTB : Tell us about Your birth, education and family.
Sheetal : I was born on 24th of June in Dehradun, studied in various schools from Our Ladies of the Snows in Kullu, Waverly Convent in Mussoorie, Kendriya Vidyalaya in other places where ever my father was posted. I graduated in vocal music from MKP College Dehradun.
My father served in Indo Tibetan Border Police & retired as Addn DIG, mother was a teacher & retired as Headmistress for SGRR junior school. Elder Sister is an administrator at NMS in Jaipur.
I got married in Delhi into a business family, we are just a small family of 3, husband & a daughter. My in-laws & my grandmother in-law are very much an integral part of our family, though they live separately.
FCTB : Who inspired you at the first instance?
Sheetal : Honestly, bollywood songs…later Geeta Dutt…I loved her expressions & rendition. She could move from one genre to another so effortlessly that it really left an impact on me.
FCTB : Tell us about your awards and which one do you think is the most important and why?
Sheetal : My first ever award for singing as a child at school will always be special as nothing can compare that sense of achievement & happiness. It was a huge encouragement for me to participate in all extra co-curricular activities.
FCTB : What made u break the ice? I mean in Bollywood.
Sheetal : There are a lot of things that could be mentioned here, it’s a process…but my latest songs ‘Kadi hoon karke from film Virgin Bhanupriya’ , the multi artist project ‘Jeetkar dikhana hai’, ‘Oh Jiya’ have got all the attention & raised the bar.
FCTB : Tell us about what made you think u can do it?
Sheetal : Just my gut instinct…my passion for my art took me to Mumbai…I was at a stage where either I could take a chance or regret forever, I chose the former.
FCTB : What do you do when you are not singing?
Sheetal : I enjoy my time with family & friends or try to pitch in for social causes close to my heart. I love to detox & disconnect for short times just to spend time with myself.
FCTB: Your message to the society and the new enthusiasts.
Sheetal : First, take responsibility, once you do that you will automatically do a lot of things for your own benefit & in the process help others as well. Life is a beautiful gift, share it with loved ones & utilize it to your fullest capability & capacity. Make something worth out of this awesome gift you’re blessed with.
FCTB : Had you not been in the music industry where do you think you would have been or taken up?
Sheetal : Perhaps in the Himalayas biking or trekking or dancing. I just love to dance.
FCTB : Would you like to share with us the struggle of your life?
Sheetal: I will not call it a struggle, it is just a process, a journey, like your caption ‘from caterpillar to butterfly’ but for the struggle to squeeze out of the cocoon, life wouldn’t be the same for the butterfly, similarly it was for me, my relocating to Mumbai, balancing family and work in two cities has been very challenging & taxing at times but it is my journey & I absolutely embrace it. There have been emotional upheavals, tiredness and also the discomfort of living out of the suitcases but in the end it’s all worth it because it was my choice, they were all the adjustments I had to make to follow my passion.
FCTB : Anything specific you would want to tell your readers?
Sheetal : Never give up on your dreams…it is a win win situation. If you’ve arrived, the feeling is unparallel to anything you must’ve ever felt & if at all you don’t, you’ve atleast enjoyed the journey all along, doing what you love to do.
FCTB : Thank you Sheetal.
Sheetal : Your [email protected]
