Details

Written by: Ajmer Alam Wani

Category: INTERVIEWS/PROFILES

Published: 04 August 2015

• “Innocent Kashmiris believe in what they hear, even the educated ones”.
• “I was in Kashmir in February was saddened to see it dry and a bit life less. The faces of village people looked sad. It wrung a chord in my heart”.

JAMMU: The European looks, hazel green eyes, sun kissed bronzed complexion, blessed by an Italian gene in her lineage, shaken and stirred with svelte figure, complimented with a dash of bountiful intellect, smoothed out with a sensuous and delicious crunchy voice, crooning out verses, is all you will find in Vandana Vadehra.

By profession, a playback singer, performer, award winning MC from JAI, Lyricist, composer and actress while talking to Ajmer Alam Wani, Editor-in-Chief of JK Monitor , said that the biggest obstacle to peace in Kashmir is its own people and the warped up wrong politicians. According to Vandana, innocent Kashmiris believe in what they hear, even the educated ones.

She suggested that if you learn to use your own discretions and not be swayed by instigation from outsiders, then make your own judgments.  She advised that they should fathom the fact that all answers lie within themselves, in their hearts if they just seek it with all honesty, then peace is not that hard to restore.

Replying to a question about her willingness to contribute to Kashmir society, she said, “I am a singer anchor actress, I also teach modulation phonetic diction communication skills, fashion, grooming, and etiquettes. One way would be taking such classes in schools and colleges and boot camps for women too. Second would be performing for the concerts and college festivals there held for a cause”.

When asked how she sees Kashmir, Vandana replied, “Well, not how I see but how I want to see Kashmir, well I want to comprehend Kashmir as an Unscathed Virgin with its splendor, as it was in the olden days gone by, as I had heard my grandparents, who hail from Peshawar, relate the tales of bountiful resources, hypnotic hills, verdant vales, lush greenery and vagrant flowers, innocent people with a beauty known world over.”

In response to another question, she suggested that Bollywood should promote oneness in their Plots based on Kashmir, just the way Bajrangi Bhaijaan did. That is the only way for people there and world over, to realize that we are one, Kashmiris are Indians, and Kashmir is NOT just an Islamic state, (“as most Kashmiris believe which I realized after being in conversation with several locals there”) it’s a part of what the world, especially Uzbekistan Afghanistan etc STILL refers to as ‘HINDUSTAN’! That is the name we were known by, for centuries.

On Kashmir tourism promotion across the globe, she said, “One way I feel is through Bollywood movies, documentaries, international film festivals and a strong marketing strategy by the Government of India at the Centre.

On shortcomings, she belive that shortcomings are there but none that cannot be overcome and suggested that attractive holiday packages with assurance of safety of tourists would help a great deal.

When asked about methodology that can divert Kashmiri youngsters towards entertainment world, she replied, “Its upon our directors and producers in Bollywood to give more and more opportunities to youngsters in Kashmir in all fields, be it music, direction, acting production, photography, cinematography etc. as it is the Kashmiri youth are very good looking and have the best of genes.

Summing-up about her recent visit of Kashmir, she recalled, “I was in Kashmir in February, was saddened to see it dry and a bit life less. The faces of village people looked sad. It wrung a chord in my heart”.

Relevant to mention here that with B.Sc Hons in Botany, LLB,[Law] , Diploma Fashion Designing  NIFT,  the name Vandana Vadehra is synonymous with sensual husky baritone vocals, ranging from a mellow soft key to a high pitched falsetto, traversing a plethora of musical range, emotions, modulations’ and situations, packaged in this exclusive singer’s and MC’s voice! A live-wire stage performer par excellence, she can belt out melodies in English, Hindi and Punjabi, the languages, on which she has impeccable command and occasionally chooses to have a fling with Telgu, Bangla, Marathi and Spanish too!

The wit in her anchoring shows, sense of humour, intellectual acuity makes her a favourite with all clients. Her impeccable baritone, vocals switching into a pleasant
falsetto enthral the audience in her singing events.  Be it English rock Pop, Ballads, Hindi Bollywood, with a band or on tracks, she enchants the crowd with her interactive performance even in the most sombre of shows.

The events she conducts as an anchor, for classy and panache crowd, leaves the audience mesmerised by her impeccable command on the English language, while her intonations, wit, subtle humour, pensive punches draw a splatter of understated mirth! She slips into the guise of a Hindi language host with equal ease and can hold fort with her clean diction, beautiful aura, and glamorous persona sprinkled with a dash of singing abilities need to make a perfect on stage recipe!

She has conducted 2500 plus Stage shows in 5 Continents, 18 Countries, 300 plus Cities for over 2000 plus happy clients and got 5 awards besides getting impressive over 3000 press coverages.

Being the great granddaughter of Dhyan Chand Malhotra, 1st cousin of the legend Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Art and Music flow abundantly in her blood. Her mother late Mrs Meera Vadehra being her teacher of English literature language, Phonetics, art and theatre, contributed to the artist in her and her father rendered the baritone voice. She has Anchored shows/Sung and shared stage with Hollywood stars like John Travolta, Jennifer Lopez, Foo Fighters, SMOKIE etc.

International Feathers in Her CAP:

INDO-ATLANTA MUSIC FESTIVAL, IN GEORGIA ATLANTA, WITH INTERNATIONAL STARS LIKE, JENNIFER LOPEZ, JESSICA SIMPSON, FOO FIGHTERS AND THE LIKE in JULY 2004

-NEWYORK FASHION WEEK OPENING ACT-JUNE 2004

-MTV GRIND IN KATHMANDU AT HYATT…MAY 2004

-MUSCAT PERFORMING WITH SUKHBIR FOR THE SULTAN OF OMAN DEC 2005

-INDO US FESTIVAL COVERING CITIES LIKE CHICAGO, SAN DIEGO, PHILADELPHIA ETC

SHE CAME BACK FROM A ROCKING TOUR OF UK,IN APRIL 2006, AFTER ENTHRALLING AUDIENCES, WHERE SHE WAS THE ONLY PERFORMER TO BE FLOWN IN FROM INDIA TO PERFORM AT THE EASTERN EYE ASIAN BUSINESS AWARDS 2006, HONOURING THE LIKES OF LAXMI MITTAL CHAIRED BY PRINCE CHARLES AND CHERIE BLAIR-COVERED BY BBC, CNN, CNBC ETC.

-COVERED CITIES LIKE LONDON AMSTERDAM, FOR PRIVATE WEDDING DO’S IN AUGUST2006

-PERFORMED IN GREECE, ATHENS, AT THE ATHENS INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL FESTIVAL’2006!

-SHOWS IN MALAYSIA FOR HAVELL’S IN NOV 2006!

-NOV 3RD 2007 PERFORMED AT THE SINDHI COMMUNITY DIWALI BALL, AT MAYFAIR HOTEL, UK, MIDDLESEX, LONDON!

-4TH DECEMBER 2007, SHE WINS THE HEARTS OF THOUSANDS IN MUSCAT WITH HER CHARISMA PANACHE ELEGANCE N STYLE!

-14th FEBRUARY PERFORMED AND ANCHORED MUSCAT

SHOPPING FESTIVAL GRAND FINALE AT THE AMPHITHEATRE WITH BOLLYWOOD STARS LIKE ANNU MALIK, KIM SHARMA ETC.!

-HAMBURG-26TH 27TH APRIL 2008, 2009,  2011, SINGING AT THE DAMATOR AUDI FOR THE GERMAN PUBLIC AND THE AFGHAN HINDUS SETTLED THERE AT THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

-BERLIN 8TH AND AMSTERDAM 20TH MAY 2013, GERMAN INDO FESTIVAL

-BANGKOK FOR VIDEOCON R AND R AWARDS APRIL 2015, AND FOR ASIAN PAINTS IN 2010

-TASHKENT, SAMARKHAND AND ALMATI AND BALI FOR ASIAN PAINTS IN 2012, 2013.