Abhay Jodhpurkar’s National Award for “Navasachi Gauri Mazi” from Gharat Ganpati reframes a playback career that was nearly stopped at the Hindi film gate. In a new conversation with Variety India, he returns to the 2018 Shah Rukh Khan song “Mere Naam Tu” from Zero, the break that almost went to an established voice.
A pattern of being replaced
Jodhpurkar says composer A.R. Rahman launched him with “Godfather” in 2012 and kept trying to place him in larger projects. Several recordings, including work on Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Kochadaiiyaan, were replaced by bigger names such as Arijit Singh or Sonu Nigam. Even after he had sung more than 100 songs in the south, Hindi cinema did not open easily.
- Early promise: Launched by A.R. Rahman with “Godfather” in 2012.
- Repeated setbacks: Scratch and trial recordings gave way to established playback names.
- Falling confidence: The rejections produced self-doubt, not just lost work.
The trial that became the biggest song
After moving to Bombay, Jodhpurkar met composers Ajay-Atul, who knew his work. What began as a trial recording became “Mere Naam Tu.” The track was shot over 14 days, and the response from the set mattered: Shah Rukh Khan felt the voice suited him, and director Aanand L. Rai and lyricist Irshad Kamil were happy with it.
The problem was commercial. Jodhpurkar says “Mere Naam Tu” was treated as the biggest song in Zero, and he was an unfamiliar voice in the Hindi market. He described the stakes to Variety India: labels were asking for a “big singer” to replace him.
Talent kept its place, this time
The creative team refused. Jodhpurkar recalls being told that everyone had liked the song and it would not be replaced. “Had they not taken that stand for me, I would have probably not been here now,” he said.
That moment shapes his wider criticism of the music business. He says decisions are often taken by producers who do not understand musicality, while composers and artists are treated as employees rather than creative partners. He cites composer Pritam pitching him for projects, only for stakeholders to ask for “more energy” or a different, popular voice.
Why the story still matters
The same industry that hesitated over an unfamiliar name now has a singer with a National Award. Jodhpurkar’s win for “Navasachi Gauri Mazi” from Gharat Ganpati is a reminder of what gatekeeping can cost: a distinctive voice, a better song, or a career.
Source: The Times of India
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