A tête-à-tête with Kajol’s playback voice

The singer, Antara Mitra’s, soft romantic numbers Gerua and Janam Janam from Dilwale are already a hit

Yes, they are back! Wonder who Of course the hit pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. After five years (ever since the release of My Name is Khan) or 14 years from the release date of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or 17 years from the time Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai had hit the screens or let’s say, 20 years post the autumn release of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ)! For their latest outing at the theatres shares its name with the first word of their aforementioned cult flick that had once swept the entire nation off its feet with their magical onscreen chemistry.

Die-hard fans have been waiting with a bated breath for the just unveiled Rohit Shetty directorial vehicle Dilwale, also starring current generation actors — Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon in the second lead. Predictably, all technicians and cast-n-crew who have shared space with one of the leading jodis of Indian cinema are super excited about their momentous tryst experienced on the sets. One such behind-the-scene artiste is 28-year old Antara Mitra, the female playback voice (of Kajol) in the movie.

The soft-soulful romantic numbers Gerua and Janam Janam are already declared chartbuster duets with happening male singer Arijit Singh. While the peppy dance track Manwa Emotion Jaage with Amit Mishra and Anushka Manchanda is racing up the popularity ladder with each passing day.

Conversing about the trump card she bagged from the much-hyped Dilwale to boost up her career-graph, Antara sounds understandably elated. “I feel like a child caught in a candy-store. Nothing can be better than this. It’s like a Cinderella story for me. I’m pinching myself hard to sink it in my head. Guess, God is more than kind to me,” she quickly rattles of with a giggle. But isn’t nostalgia enveloping her with fond memories from her childhood when she would crazily gorge on a Kajol-SRK love-saga “Oh definitely, how can I forget those times,” pat comes her prompt reply. “I kept thinking of those days when I had large posters of these evergreen superstars pasted all across the walls at my place. I would incessantly play their cassettes and listen to all their heartwarming superhit songs on a rewind loop in my small tape-recorder. You see, it can’t get surreal than this that I have sung for them today. It really gives me goosebumps when I analyse this.

Call it a karmic connect or what you will, my prayers ae answered as if,” shares the small-town girl from West Bengal’s humble territory of Maslandapur with a hint of emotion in her tone.

However, Antara is no alien to the gleam of limelight. She has been consistently performing as a successful vocalist and belting out raging hits one after another. Her blockbuster duet with Deepan — Saree Ke Fall Safrom the Shahid Kapoor-Sonakshi Sinha starrer R... Rajkumar is yet another shining feather in her cap. Comfortable delivering both melodious ballads as well as fast-paced scores, Antara’s high confidence-level immediately alerts her about her ability to do justice to a particular song just hearing it once.

“Well, If I fathom I can’t pull off a certain number, I duck under the table and honestly, that has happened so many times,” she blurts out in lighter vein. But at the back of her mind she knows she unfailingly wishes to sing as many varied genres as she can. On this front, her idol is rightfully the true versatile genius Asha Bhonsle.

For the time being, her platter is filled with a string of concerts and the busy bee announces to trot around Kolkata, Delhi and Dubai where all her gigs are lined up for the imminent future. “My hands are full as of now. There are multiple show commitments. So am hardly getting any free time this December and come January, next year. Literally living out of a suitcase and traveling all over,” she briefs with a smile.

When quizzed about cutting a private album or launching a single which seems to be the current flavour of the season as in singers are being widely patronized and promoted through music videos, to that, she responds: “Well, that’s a very interesting scene.

And trust me, I also want to do something in that space but frankly need proper planning before taking the final plunge. I won’t dabble in only for the sake of it,” she sets the record straight. Besides Ashaji, her list of inspiration also includes illustrious names like Kishore Kumar, John Meyer, Adele and Sunidhi Chauhan.