Shweta Shetty

She rocked the Indi-Pop scene in the ‘90s and ‘2000s before moving to Germany. Shweta Shetty is now back and singing  but prefers the quiet life of Alibaug to the hustle and bustle of Bombay

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor

Location: TheOriental Blossom, Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai

 

After lighting the Indian stage on fire you disappeared for 20 years, what gives?

Ha, ha, ha, right. I fell in love, got married and went away to live a blissful life in Germany! Yes, my husband was a German!

 

Was…?

Hmm…Unfortunately all good things come to an end, to use a cliché. But mind you, Clemens Brandt is my best friend today. We have never been closer. Just that something I couldn’t accept drove us apart as a couple.

 

Such a shame…

Yes, I agree, but the first 10 or 15 years we had a blast. I loved living in Hamburg, we would go to Paris, Amsterdam or somewhere in Europe for weekends. Dining and wining, singing, performing, it was so much fun!

 

So you quit Bombay twice, first for Hamburg and then for Alibaug, where you now live.

Right. When I did return a few years ago, I realised, much as Bombay is home and will always be, it just got too noisy, too polluted and too crowded, too expensive also… Plus, I did not want to lead the same old hectic social life. I wanted to start anew…

 

So you went and checked out Alibaug, to see if it was a good alternative?

Yeah and it was. I loved it. Rented an apartment at first and when my heart said ‘yes’, I got myself a beautiful villa with a garden, mind you. 360 degrees of greenery. The woodpecker comes knocking on my window and the bulbul I am convinced is an operatic singer, goes coooooo trying to compete with my high notes.

 

Talking of music, I can see you are back with a bang! Your performance at NCPA was superlative.

I am blessed. I did get a lot of appreciation from the audience. It’s what I love doing, singing, entertaining, performing…

 

You have an incredible range. You can sing most anything.

I have my mother to thank. She was a classical singer, Carnatic. And as a 10-year- old I used to sing bhajans with her. I have been hooked on singing since then.

 

Trace the route for me.

Well, my wings started to flap and flutter when I went to college, St. Xavier’s. Malharwas my platform when I would sing songs by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, both like gurus to me, and everyone around was like… how do you do it, hit those high notes? To be honest I don’t know. It was so easy, so natural.

 

That’s called talent, a gift from God.

Absolutely. And I am so grateful. I feel like I am God’s chosen child.

 

And then FarhadWadia’sIndependence Rock happened?

Exactly! That was a big break for me. I cut up my jeans and wore short shorts and sang like hell! I was quite a sensation, I was now ready to fly and did, by God’s grace. From winning prizes I went to winning awards, singing away to glory. Performing on grand stages, going on overseas tours, once even with Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh.

 

And the shows just went on and on…

Until it was curtains for pop culture, itself. That happened in the early 2000s. When everyone jumped into singing imagining they are really good. But weren’t. The whole scene had changed. We started to ape the West. The fields of Punjab took over the Bombay studios. Music really went for a toss. Very sub-standard stuff.

 

Did you continue with showbiz when living in Germany?

And how! Even got an opportunity to sing two duets with Sarah Hugill, who was Andrew Lloyd Weber’s wife. Their villa was just down the road from our home.

 

You have another passion; yoga…

Yoga has been my lifetime saviour. I not only do yoga but I also teach yoga. Was doing it in Hamburg, too. Now a lot of my clients based in Europe and elsewhere learn it online, with me.

 

How come yoga, in such a big way?

The inspiration came from my dad, who at 98, is still a practitioner of yoga. He is amazing. I feel truly bad that we had fallen out for some years, no thanks to misunderstandings created by family members while I was away. But, only a few days ago, I just went and met him, touched his feet and took his blessings. Was emotional, but believe me I am at total peace now.

 

Oh dear, that sounds bad and good. But glad it’s sorted. So overall, would you say life has been a bed of roses?

Ahhhh, let’s see… the few thorns that have been there have really pricked! So let’s say there have been huge ‘downs’ and a few good ‘ups’. But I am a survivor, I will survive! And I can sing that for you right now, in this beautiful Oriental Blossom, if you want!!

 

We’ll keep that for later, but now let’s talk about food!!

This is great stuff here, I believe it’s your favourite place. The honey prawns are so delectable. And the crispy chicken, super. I am a garlic gal so it works for me. Australian Lamb in Pak Choy is a first for me.

 

You eat everything.

Yes and no. Meaning at home I am veg, outside non-veg!

 

That’s a great balance!

Yaaa, it works. Helps me get everything my body needs and yet not too much of anything. Yoga does the rest!

 

Like helps you get into your leotards?

And clothes I have been keeping for 20 years. Keeps me in check.