Singer Hemlata, whose soul-stirring songs became major Bollywood hits in the late 1970s and ’80s, is making a comeback to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign for gender equality.
“I have lent voice to many heroines during my singing career. But this will be the first time that I am giving voice to an embryo, which is pleading with her mother, ‘Maa, mujhe aane de’ (mother, let me come out),” Hemlata said.
The song will be the centrepiece of a video album produced by Vision Corp., likely to be released in October. Producer A.K. Mishra is also planning a feature film on the subject, and has applied to the UP government for grants for the project. Mishra’s Vision Corporation had brought out the album Nai Disha, featuring the poems of former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee.
“Mishraji came to me with the theme some time back. I come from Rajasthan, where a daughter is not even considered to be santaan (offspring). I was very moved by the theme. I thought this is an opportunity to do something for my nation and help in Modi’s campaign, so I agreed to sing for the album,” said Hemlata, who began her singing career at the age of 13.
“She was very sentimental about this album and has not charged anything for it,” said Mishra. He said the album will have six songs, and will also feature Asha Bhonsle and upcoming singer Abhinanda Sarakar.
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