Rekha Bhardwaj, born on January 24, 1964, is known for her soulful and distinctive voice, as well as her ability to sing difficult compositions with ease. She hails from Delhi and was educated at Hindu College, DU.
What brought us together was music. And the fact that we were in the same college… What also kept us close was the crazy streak we both had, perhaps still have.
Rekha on her relationship with Vishal Bhardwaj
She took formal music training at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Delhi, where she was mentored by Shri Vasant Thakar, Pandit Vinay Chandra Mudgal, and Shri Madhup Mudgal Ji.
In November 1982, she began learning music from Guru Pandit Amarnath, “Shagird” of Ustad Amir Khan Sahab of the Indore Gharana, whom she terms her ‘eternal guru.’ After his demise in 1996, she continued her musical journey under his disciple, Shushri Amarjeet Kaur.
Rekha married acclaimed filmmaker and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj in 1991, whom she met in 1984 while preparing for the annual function of Hindu College in New Delhi; he was her junior there.
She made her debut as a playback singer with the song ‘Ek Woh Din Bhi’ from the film “Chachi 420” in 1997, but she gained prominence with “Maqbool” (2003) and “Omkara” (2006), where she sang “Lakad Jal Koyla Bhai” and the peppy “Namak Ishq Ka.”
Since then, she has sung several hit numbers such as ‘Humari Atariya Pe,’ ‘Ek Ghadi,’ ‘Darling,’ ‘Sasural Genda Phool,’ ‘Phir Le Aya Dil,’ ‘Kabira,’ ‘Ghaghra,’ ‘Oye Boy Charlie,’ and many more.
Rekha has explored her artistic versatility with albums like “Ishqa Ishqa” in collaboration with Gulzar Saab and Vishal Bhardwaj, and “Corridor of Memories,” showcasing her prowess in diverse genres. Her ability to infuse emotion into every note has earned her critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.
She won the National Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the song ‘Badi Dheere Jali’ from the film “Ishqiya” (2011). She also won Best Female Playback Singer for ‘Sasural Genda Phool’ from “Delhi-6” (2009) and ‘Darling’ from “7 Khoon Maaf” (2011), shared with Usha Uthup.
