The enchanting voice of actress Aditi Rao Hydari first captivated audiences during the promotion of the Tamil film “Katru Veliyidai” in 2017. Her spontaneous renditions of the song ‘Vaan Varuvaan’ piqued the public’s interest, not solely because of her captivating presence or her starring role in a pivotal Mani Ratnam film, but also because of her hauntingly melodious voice.
Several years later, in 2023, Aditi Rao Hydari has continued to engross the cinephile and music lover alike. With a rich portfolio of roles in diverse film industries, she has now ventured into the realm of independent music. Her recent contribution to the field is through the techno-pop track ‘Please Purinjukko’, produced for Coke Studio Tamil Season 2, in collaboration with musician Sean Roldan and wordsmith Vignesh Shivan.
The single is a reflection on contemporary relationships and their complexities. Aditi’s approach to music is intimately rooted in authenticity, “When I go in to sing, I have only one request: I don’t want to be auto-tuned. I want whoever is making me sing to be happy with my delivery. I have grown up with so much good music that I feel I have cheated if my voice has to undergo an auto-tune process. The biggest compliment for ‘Please Purinjukko’ was Sean telling me that he didn’t have to use auto-tune for my vocals,” she remarks with pride.
This journey began with her exposure to an unrefined scratch track of the song, an experience she admits wasn’t familiar. Yet, even in its raw form, the track had an undeniable charm that piqued her interest.
Aditi is a staunch advocate for composers who pursue independent projects. She perceives independent music as a liberation from the constraints of mainstream cinema, “Quite often, a composer cannot express a lot of their musicality in their mainstream film work. In those instances, independent music helps them express that,” she explains. “I love song and dance in mainstream cinema, but when I want to express something I feel very passionate about, there’s always short videos or short films I can attempt. Similarly, independent music offers that platform for composers.”
The collaboration between Aditi and Sean Roldan has been a symbiotic one, with Sean also engaging actor Siddharth to lend his vocals to the Tamil film “Lover.” Their partnership raises the question – does having actors sing add value to a project? Aditi believes it does, as the confluence of acting and music is intrinsic to storytelling in Indian cinema. Nevertheless, she asserts that such an undertaking should contribute meaningfully rather than serve as a vehicle for vanity.
Dreams often propel one’s career, and for Aditi Rao Hydari, those dreams included working with cinematic titans Mani Ratnam and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Having achieved the former in 2017’s “Katru Veliyidai,” she is now set to appear in Bhansali’s forthcoming web series “Heeramandi”, “It’s a period piece that I’m thrilled about. It’s a dream come true for me to be working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali,” she shares, brimming with anticipation.
The horizon holds more for this multifaceted artist. Aditi is part of Kishore Belekar’s silent movie “Gandhi Talks,” star-studded with Vijay Sethupathi, and Rajesh Selva’s thriller with a female-centric narrative. Additionally, she excitedly anticipates her role in “Lioness,” an Indo-UK co-production helmed by director Kajri Babbar that illustrates the life-changing interconnection between two women from different centuries.
Aditi Rao Hydari’s artistic voyage continues to expand, and her foray into independent music signals an evolution of her talents—carving her niche not only as an accomplished actress but as a singer with an authentic touch, setting her apart in an industry that often blurs uniqueness with technology.
