Recently, when Sonu Nigam decided to turn an actor, many tongues wagged about his screen It's A M-ad World Go presence, his looks, his aura and what have you. Many are worried that he might not be a success story and go back to what he does the best, that is, singing. Many are in a hurry to pass their verdict, and have already called him a bad performer on screen, but the fate of a Hindi movie is as fluctuating as the Sensex.
As many would know, this idea has not popped up out of the blue.
Remember the greatest legend KL Kumar imprinting their inimitable styles on 'yore' minds? Ask your'dadi' (grandma).
Many are unaware that many of the old-time singers used to act in films. To start with, the great singer of her time, Noorjahan, was also an actress. Comedian Umadevi, aka Tun Tun, was a very good singer, and she had sung for many films in her career, including the famous song 'Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon'. Suraiya, who acted in several films, including 'Mirza Ghalib' with Bharat Bhushan, was also a good singer of that era. And who will ever forget the great singer Talat Mehmood Young Go living the double life of an actor and singer? Move to colour films, and the first name to ring a bell is Salma Agha, who acted in the film 'Nikaah' and crooned the all-time faourite, 'Dil.
Vijayata Pandit, whom many of you know only as the heroine of the star son Kumar Gaurav's launching pad Love Story', was also a singer in her own right, and is now married to music director Aadesh Shrivastav. Her sister Sulakshana Pandit is also a singer who acted in films like Uljhan and Khandaan. And for the late comers, they are the sisters of the most wanted music director duo of Bollywood, Jatin-Lalit. Shailendra, who was known as the voice of 70's heart throb Rishi Kapoor, also tried to get his act right with the film 'Agreement', where he starred with Rekha, but the film flopped and his acting career came to a halt. But with Mahendra Kapoor's son Rohan Kapoor, it's a different story. He first tried his hand at acting with
films like Faasle and Love 86, and Karadi Katha - also tasted success with Love 86. But soon it seemed to be a flash in he plan, so he decided to take a plunge into singing, and has cut a pop album, 'Ishq Rab Ki Dua'.
