Udit Narayan Jha, popularly known as Udit Narayan is a playback singer in commercial Hindi-, Tamil-, Telugu-, Malayalam-,
Kannada-, and Nepali-language cinema. He was born in a village called Bharadah in Saptari, Nepal. Udit Narayan has sung more
than 15,000 songs in more than 30 different languages.
Career
Udit Narayan began his career by singing Maithili, Bhojpuri, Bengali, English,Nepal Bhasa,and Nepalese folk songs for Radio
Nepal in the early 1970s. In 1978, he moved to Mumbai on a music scholarship. In Mumbai, he got trained in Indian classical
music for six years at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. He lives in Mumbai right now.
He got his first break in 1980, when noted music director (composer) Rajesh Roshan asked him to do a song for the Hindi movie
"Unees Bees", in which he got opportunity to sing with his inspiration, Mohammed Rafi. But the actual success story of his
career, began in 1988 with the superhit Bollywood movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, fetching him a Filmfare Award. The film also
happened to bring actor Aamir Khan, actress Juhi Chawla and playback singer Alka Yagnik to stardom. After the success of
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, he became one of the leading playback singers in the Indian film industry, lending his voice mostly
in Aamir Khan movies like Dil, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, etc. At the same time, he became a well-known celebrity in Nepal and
sang in most popular Nepalese movies. He even acted in some Nepalese movies like "Kusume Rumal" and "Pirati" but did not
achieved that much success.
Throughout the 1990s, he was one of the most successful singers in India. In 1995, his song "Mehndi Lagake Rakhna" from the
movie Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge won him his second Filmfare Award after 7 years. The following year 1996, he got nominated
for three songs out of five and won his third award for the song "Pardesi Pardesi" from Raja Hindustani.
He has worked with musicians like Anu Malik, Jatin Lalit, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Kalyanji-Anandji, Bappi Lahiri, Vishal
Bhardwaj, A. R. Rahman, Nadeem-Shravan, Rajesh Roshan, Shankar Mahadevan, Himesh Reshammiya, Pritam Chakraborty, Vishal-
Shekhar etc., and leading directors like Yash Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Karan Johar, etc. These include Darr, Dilwale
Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Dil To Pagal Hai, Mohabbatein, Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Swades, Veer Zaara, etc.
Udit Narayan is considered as one of the greatest singers of his generation along with Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam, whose
singing abilities are often compared with legendary singers like Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. He is famous for his
original voice and not following any of the old singers' clans. Renowned singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Anup
Jalota, Pankaj Udhas etc., have all collaborated with him.
His repertoire includes songs in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam. At the same time, his
discernible Nepalese accent and distinct pronunciation has many critics who find it difficult to decipher words in his songs.
He has worked in Nepalese films as well, in particular for composer Shambhujeet Baskota. During early singing career, he sang
songs composed by Shiva Shankar, Natikaji and Gopal Yonzan. In 2004, he released his first private Nepalese album "Upahaar",
in which he also sang duet songs with his wife Deepa Jha. It did well and one of the best selling albums of all time. He even
ended up winning awards in two major categories - Record of the year and Album of the year during Hits FM Awards 2004, the
most popular music awards in Nepal for the same album Upahaar.
He has most frequently sung for actors like Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, Akshay Khanna,
Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan etc,. Throughout the years he has sung numerous hit songs for these actors.
Udit Narayan (rightmost) as a judge in Indian Idol-3 alongside Javed Akhtar & Alisha Chinai
Personal life
Udit Narayan is married and has one son. His wife Deepa Narayan, whom he married in 1985, is an accomplished Nepalese singer,
and the two have recorded an album together titled Dil Deewana.
His son Aditya Narayan has also established himself as the voice of child artists in Hindi movies and acted as child artist
in hit movies like Pardes, Rangeela, and Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai. His role as a son of actor Salman Khan in the movie Jab
Pyar Kisise Hota Hai was widely acclaimed. However, Aditya Narayan has grown up and had taken a break from Bollywood since
2001, on account of his changing voice. He's now back on the scene and was hosting Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 then Sa Re
Ga Ma Pa Lil Champs and is now back with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2008. His son is also going to star in two big bollywood
movies.
Notable songs
Log Jahan Par Rahte Hain - Pyar Ka Mandir (1988)
Papa kehte hai - Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
Ae Mere humsafar - Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
Oaa Oaa - Tridev (1989)
Mujhe need na aye- Dil (1990)
Hum ne ghar chora hai- Dil (1990)
Hum payer karne wale- Dil (1990)
Mera Dil Tere Liye Dhadakta Hai - Aashiqui (1990)
Bin Tere Sanam - Yara Dildara (1991)
Pehla Nasha - Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)
Dhak Dhak Karne laga - Beta (1992)
Jadoo teri nazar - Darr (1993)
Tu mere samne - Darr (1993)
Phoolo sa chera tera - Anari (1993)
Tu cheez badi hai mast mast - Mohra (1994)
Main Khiladi tu anari - Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994)
Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)
Mehndi laga ke rakhna - Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
Ho gaya Hai Tujko To Pyar Sajna - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)
Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya - Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)
Kya Kare Kya Na Kare - Rangeela (1995)
Pardesi Pardesi - Raja Hindustani (1996)
Aaye Ho Mere Zindagi Mein - Raja Hindustani (1996)
Meri Sason Mein Basa Hai - Aur Pyar Ho Gaya (1996)
Ghar Se Nikalte Hi - Papa Kehte Hai (1996)
Jadoo Bhari Aankhon Wali Suno - Dastak (1996)
Ho Nahin Sakta - Diljale (1996)
Dil To Pagal Hai - Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Are Re Are - Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Bholi Si Surat - Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Dholna - Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam - Duplicate (1998)
Ae Ajnabi - Dil Se (1998)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Koi Mil Gaya - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Yeh ladka hai deewana - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Chand Chupa - Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)
Taal Se Taal Mila - Taal (1999)
Chaha Hai Tujko - Mann (1999)
Mera Mann - Mann (1999)
Nasha Yeh - Mann (1999)
Kaho Na Pyar Hai - Kaho Na Pyar Hai (2000)
Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hai Dil Se - Dhadkan (2000)
Aaja Mahiya - Fiza (2000)
Mitwaa - Lagaan (2001)
O Rey Chhori - Lagaan (2001)
Radha Kaise Na Jale - Lagaan (2001)
Udhja Kaale Kawwa - Gadar (2001)
Jaane Kyon - Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
Woh Chand Jaisi Ladki - Devdas (2002)
Tere Naam - Tere Naam (2003)
Koi Mil Gaya - Koi Mil Gaya (2003)
Idhar Chala Main Udhar Chala - Koi Mil Gaya (2003)
Main Yahan Hoon - Veer Zaara (2004)
Aisa des hai mera -Veer Zaara (2004)
Yeh hum aa gaye hai kahan - Veer Zaara (2004)
Yeh Tara Woh Tara - Swades (2004)
Yun Hi Chala Chal - Swades (2004)
Khaike Paan Banaraswala - Don - The Chase Begins Again (2006)
Mujhe Haq hai - Vivah (2006)
Milan abhi adha adhura hai- Vivah (2006)
Sahana - Sivaji: The Boss (2007)
Do U Wanna Partner - Partner (2007)
Deewangi Deewangi - Om Shanti Om (2007)
Falak Tak Chal Saath Meray - Tashan (2008)
Dil Dance Maare - Tashan (2008)
Thean Thean - Kuruvi (2008)
