All you need to know about Pawandeep Rajan: Indian Idol 12 winner and singer who suffered multiple injuries in accident
The winner of Indian Idol 12, Pawandeep Rajan, suffered 'multiple injuries' in an accident that reportedly took place on May 5 around 3:40 am on National Highway 9, near the CO office of Gajraula police station. Reports suggest his car an MG Hector, hit a parked Eicher Canter from behind, adding the singer is now stable after he was taken to a private hospital for the treatment.
Pawandeep, 28, hails from Champawat, Uttarakhand. He comes from a family of Kumoni folk music, where his father Suresh is a folk singer, mother Saroj and sister Jyotideep are also into the same art.
In 2015, he attained The Voice India as part of singer Shaan's team and earned ₹ 50 lakh cash prize. He has guided young contestants on Superstar Singer 2. When it comes to his music career, it comprises singles such as Fursat, Yaad, Mazoor Dil, Tere Liye (from Romeo & Bullet), and O Saiyyonii (from Himesh Ke Dil Se: The Album).
He won hearts of many, including audiences with his melodious voice and became popular overnight after succeeding Indian Idol Season 12. He overcame performances of five other finalists, namely Mohd Danish, Arunita Kanjilal, Nihal Tauro, Sayli Kamble, and Shanmukha Priya. He is reportedly taking a trophy, a car, and a cheque for ₹ 25 lakh at his home.
'Music in any form is a yes for me — be it composing, playing instruments or singing. What matters to me at the end of the day is that I remain deeply connected with music. I am working on a number of projects, including albums, singles and film music. Composing and singing are two sides of the same coin, and I enjoy both equally. Composing gives me the chance to work with other artistes, and I get to learn through the process,' HT quoted Pawandeep as saying.
First Published: 6 May 2025, 09:39 AM IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'Reviews are paid, everything is bought': Nikkhil Advani says Indian audience no longer trusts filmmakers
Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani is one of the four executive producers behind debutant director Karan Tejpal's new film, Stolen. Nikkhil, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, and Kiran Rao have come together to lend their weight to the film, which stars Abhishek Banerjee. Ahead of the release, the filmmaker spoke to HT about the film, the state of film distribution in India, and more. Stolen follows a time-honoured tradition of getting 'big names' as executive producers for small, independent films to ensure they have visibility. But Nikkhil says the Utopian goal would be not to be in such a situation. "A big point to celebrate will be that a film like Stolen doesn't need us," he says, explaining, "Who are we? We are just putting our muscle or credibility behind this film. I think there is a complete distrust right now between the audience and the filmmaker. Basically, the audience is saying, 'Whatever you say, we don't trust you. Reviews are paid, and everything is bought.' We are just trying to say, 'Trust us!' At the end of the day, there is a certain quality we are known for." Nikkhil, who is known for films like Kal Ho Naa Ho, D-Day, and Batla House, lauds the contemporary audience for being well informed, which makes them choosier. "Audiences today, thanks to social media, have got so much information. They've got everything on their fingertips," says the filmmaker. The demarcation between independent and commercial cinema has existed in Indian filmdom for decades. For years, the indie films were called parallel cinema. Then the term multiplex films came into being, and today they are referred to as festival films. Talking about the divide, Nikkhil says, "The choices are becoming smaller. The demand to conform to the formula is getting much higher. When you want to disrupt and do something off the beaten track, you really have to do something that is marketable, whether that is the cast, the director, or the producer. But, I am very hopeful that it will turn. It has to. A good quality film will find its audience." Over the last few years, since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollywood has seen a decline in revenue and success rate in the theatres. But Nikkhil is quick to note: "The same audience is spending money in comedy clubs and live shows. Vir Das told me earlier he used to do India tour in 6 cities. Now, he does 60 cities." The implication is simple. "The audiences need to be won back, and that is possible only by listening to them," argues the filmmaker. Stolen, starring Abhishek Banerjee, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Singer who opened up for Maharashtra a treasure trove of north India's images through ‘thumri'
MUMBAI: Her deep, focussed voice could mine myriad images from the folds of a vibrant 'dadra' or a soulful 'thumri', thus celebrating the beauty and timelessness of folk music, which defines India's ethos and raison d'etre. Needless to add, Shobha Gurtu, the 'thumri' queen, remained peerless both as singer and performer. A musical soiree was recently held at the Swatantrya Veer Savarkar auditorium at Shivaji Park by the cultural directorate of the state government to commemorate Gurtu's birth centenary; and more such concerts are being planned through the year, a directorate official told HT on Friday. According to experts, to Gurtu goes the credit for having brought the richly nuanced music of the Indo-Gangetic plains down the Vindhyas, to Maharashtra, thus providing a counterpoint to the austere 'khayal gayaki' of which the state became a melting pot in the nineteenth century, an abode of countless 'gharanas'. 'Actually, ghazal and 'dadra-thumri' were an integral part of Shobhatai's growing years. What makes her so special is her ability to internalise all influences — that of her mother (noted danseuse-singer Menakabai Shirodkar) and her guru (Ustad Ghamman Khan, the sturdily built and kind-hearted doyen of the Gwalior gharana), and map out her own course,' said Neela Bhagwat, the renowned exponent of the Gwalior gharana. 'Shobhatai redefined 'thumri' and put her own stamp on it. It wasn't enough for Shobhatai to be a Siddheshwari Devi (the legendary 'thumri' singer) clone. She took ahead the latter's content and craft. Also, Shobhatai remains unique for her voice projection.' Gurtu's 'thumris', belted out in a husky voice, welcomed harvest and 'Holi', while her ghazals celebrated love, loneliness and lust. 'Toone yeh kya sitam kiya' and 'Garmi-e-hasratein nakaam se jal jaate hain', for instance, were a rage at concerts. According to Bhagwat, a Gurtu concert was 'abundantly delightful'. 'Shobhatai would be lost in her own reverie—sometimes contemplative, sometimes playful. She did many 'abhinaya'—her eyebrows arched, a mischievous glance at someone seated in the auditorium whom she had chosen that evening for a dialogue (once it was thespian Nana Patekar) through her music, while her hands executed an eye-catching 'mudra', all done with great dignity and a radiant smile. Actually, she sought liberation through her music; and in as much as this, she was a feminist,' said Bhagwat. Pandit said, 'Shobhatai's music had a great depth. The 'bhaav' (mood) was the soul of her personality and music.' Recalling her long association with the singer, Pandit said, 'Shobhatai's 'thumris' would often puzzle me as there was no path laid out for a student. A 'khayal' composition has set rules: right notes, precise 'taal', a cohesive 'taan' pattern and so forth. However, a 'thumri' lets you go footloose, and that's its strong point. She would not teach us within a framework. She would just begin to sing and allow us to meander through the secret chambers of a composition. I slowly began to discover 'thumri' and the guru too.' Gurtu was simple, down to earth and a warm person, she added. Entrepreneur Priya Gurtu described her mother-in-law as a 'noble soul, free of rancour and ill-will.' 'A 'pucca' Goan, Aaiee (mother) was 'susegaad',' she added. Trilok, Gurtu's son, is an internationally acclaimed drummer; Ravi, who died young, was an ace musician in filmdom, while the youngest Narendra is an entrepreneur with a flair for the tabla. Music buffs said Gurtu would take a 'raag' and turn it into a 'thumri', often blending two 'raagas' to add texture to composition. Many Gurtu songs attract countless views on the YouTube: for instance, 'Sawan ki ritu aayee sajaniya', the straight-from the-heart 'kajri'; 'Rangee sari gulabi chunaria' and 'Chaitar chunari rangaa de'. Also, her film ditties —'Nathaniya ne hai Ram bada dukh deena' ('Sajjo Rani') and 'Sainyya nikas gaye' ('Main Tulsi Tere Angan Ki') —are equally popular. Gurtu received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1987 and 'Padma Bhushan', the country's third highest civilian honour, in 2002 followed by the Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar and the Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar. Among her admirers were Lata Mangeshkar, Pandit Mallikarjun Mansoor, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Zakir Hussain and Kishori Amonkar. In fact, Kishori, Shobha and Prafulla (Dahanukar, the eminent painter) were great friends — 'The Goa Girls' Club', as Gurtu would joke. The troika challenged the patriarchal order in music and the arts with guts and gusto. Gurtu was born in February, 1925 in Belagavi, Karnataka, and died in Mumbai in September 2004.
Mint
2 days ago
- Mint
Shazahn Padamsee gets married: Ranbir Kapoor's heroine ties the knot in a close family ceremony
Actress Shazahn Padamsee, seen in Bollywood films like Housefull 2 and Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, got married to businessman Ashish Kanakia on June 5 in a close family ceremony. The wedding was simple and attended by loved ones. There will be a celebration on June 7. Shazahn shared lovely pictures on Instagram. 'This day. This feeling. Our forever,' she wrote while sharing the pics. The couple reportedly met through a mutual friend. They got engaged in November 2024. In the photos, Shazahn Padamsee and her husband, Ashish Kanakia, are seen sharing joyful moments during their wedding ceremony. They are dressed in matching pastel-toned traditional outfits. Shazahn is glowing in a beautifully embroidered lehenga with a sheer dupatta over her head. Her arms were adorned with bridal bangles and mehendi. Ashish complements her in an off-white sherwani with delicate threadwork. Both are wearing garlands made of white flowers and pink lotuses. Rose petals rain down on them, adding a dreamy touch to the scene. Their eyes are locked in loving smiles, capturing the essence of a blissful and romantic celebration. Their pre-wedding functions included traditional events like haldi and sangeet. One special celebration had a Broadway theme, inspired by Shazahn's late father, Padma Shri Alyque Padamsee, and her family's strong link to Indian theatre, HT reported, citing sources. The musical evening featured retro-style performances in full theatre fashion. Shazahn, along with her sister Raell Padamsee, theatre director Quasar and her mother, planned the event. Many theatre artists and close family friends performed. Shazahn, the daughter of singer Sharon Prabhakar and late theatre actor Alyque Padamsee, debuted with Ranbir Kapoor in Rocket Singh (2009), produced by Yash Raj Films. She has also acted in South Indian films like Kanimozhi (Tamil), Orange (Telugu) and Masala (Telugu). She won the Stardust Awards for Best Supporting Actress. In 2011, she was included in the Times 50 Most Desirable Women. She was placed ahead of Ameesha Patel, Nargis Fakhri, Amy Jackson and Malaika Arora Khan. She also beat Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ileana D'cruz and Kangana Ranaut. Kareena Kapoor topped the list. Older reports suggest she once dated cricketer Yuvraj Singh and actor Akhil Kapur. However, she previously dismissed such rumours. As per reports, she earlier dated model-actor Akashdeep Saigal for three years.
