Sharda entered the film industry with the help of Raj Kapoor. She provided her voice for actresses like Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana, and Mumtaz.
Renowned playback singer Sharda Ranjan passed away on Wednesday after a prolonged struggle with cancer. She was 89 years old. Sudha Madeira, Sharda’s daughter, shared the sad news on social media to inform everyone about the singer’s demise.
She posted on Twitter, “We are deeply saddened to inform you that our dear mother, playback singer Sharda Ranjan, passed away this morning after bravely fighting cancer for a long time. She was born on 25th October 1933 and left us on 14th June 2023. May she rest in peace.”
Sharda, whose real name was Sharda Rajan Iyengar, entered the film industry with the support of Raj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor introduced her to the music directors Shankar and Jaikishan. They gave her a big opportunity in the movie called “Sooraj,” where she sang the song “Titli Udi.” She received a prestigious Filmfare award for this song. Sharda also won another Filmfare award for her performance in the cabaret song “Baat Zara Hai Aapas Ki” from the film “Jahan Pyar Miley.”
During that time, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle were the popular choices for playback singing. However, Sharda’s unique and youthful voice brought a refreshing change to the era. She lent her voice to several actresses including Vyjayanthimala, Sadhana, Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz, Rekha, and Helen.
In the mid-1970s, Sharda started her career as a music director. She composed music for movies like ‘Maa Behen Aur Biwi’, ‘Tu Meri Main Tera’, ‘Kshitij’, ‘Mandir Masjid’, and ‘Maila Anchal’.
