Vasundhara Das

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Vasundhara Das


Img_capt =
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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Born = 1977 Bengalooru,India
Died =
Instrument = Guitar
Voice_type =
Genre = Hindustani classical and western
Occupation = Actress, singer
Associated_acts = Arya, World Music band with Roberto Narain on drums.
Years_active = 1999–present

Vasundhara Das (Kannada:ವಸುಂಧರಾ ದಾಸ್)(born 1977) is an Indian actress and singer.

Early life

Das was born in a Hebbar Iyengar family. To her family, she is known as Lovely.

She began training in Hindustani Classical music since the age of six. She used to run away from home to avoid taking music lessons. In her college days, she was part of an all-girl band. She can do the Flamenco strums on her guitar.

She studied at All Girls Convent High School , Bangalore and Mount Carmel College graduated in Economics and Math. She speaks Hebbar Tamil,Kannada, Hindi, English, and some Spanish.

Career

She began acting with the Kamal Hasan film "Hey Ram" (1999) and her playback singing career began when she worked with A. R. Rahman for the Tamil-language film "Mudhalvan". She has also sung for Maestro Ilaiyaraaja in the unreleased Tamil movie 'Dhanush' acted and directed by newcomer A M Gurumani. Vasundhara Das has also recorded her own album of non-film songs, and sung in French, English, Kannada , Tamil and Hindi.

Music career

She founded a musical band named "Arya" with Roberto Narain. The band comprises musicians from various backgrounds in music, ranging from Hindustani and Carnatic classical music to jazz, Latin, rock and pop. Arya’s music can be broadly classified as "World Music". Arya’s first performance was at the prestigious festival "La Mar de Musicas", in Spain in 2003. The band performed a tour in the United States of America in September 2004. Roberto Narain plays the drums and she provides the western and the Indian vocals.

She has sung one song for maestro Ilaiyaraaja, 'pattu viral thottu vittadhaal', in the Tamil movie 'Dhanush' directed by A M Gurumani. She has sung a song in 'Lagaan' for the British character played by Rachel Shelley.She was considered for the role of heroine by Mani Ratnam in his movie 'Alaipayuthey' opposite R. Madhavan.

She often sings for the actress Preity Zinta.

Personal life

She has been dating for a long-time, an Italian Roberto Narayanan.

Filmography

* Ugly Aur Pagli [2008] Hindi.
* Eik Dastak [2005] Hindi.
* Kudiyon Ka Hai Zamaana [2005] Hindi.
* Pathar Bezubaan [2004] Hindi.
* Filmstar [2003] Hindi.
* Lankesh Patrike [2002] Kannada.
* Ravanaprabhu [2001] Malayalam.
* Citizen [2001] Tamil.
* Monsoon Wedding [2000] Hindi.
* Hey Ram [1999] Tamil & Hindi.
* Mudhalvan [1999] Tamil.

Music influences

* Hindustani Classical
* Kannada
* Ghazal
* Choral
* English
* Fusion
* Rock and Funk
* Spanish

External links

*
* [http://www.littleindia.com/news/153/ARTICLE/1290/2006-09-14.html http://www.littleindia.com/news/153/ARTICLE/1290/2006-09-14.html]