Sapna Awasthi, a Bollywood playback singer, is best known for her rendition of raunchy songs and has created her own niche in the industry as a folk singer. Recognition and fame came her way with the song “Chal Chaiyya Chaiyya” from the 1998 movie “Dil Se”.
She is the daughter of a Sanskrit lecturer in Lucknow University and her basics in hindustani classical music were learnt from Prem Singh and later at Bhatkande Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. Her professional singing career began in 1990 when she sang her first film song, “Banno Teri Ankhiyan” in the film “Dushmani”. Originally from Bihar, she moved to Mumbai after having sang in the Nana Patekar-Dimple Kapadia starrer “Krantiveer” (1994).
She has worked with many of the eminent musicians of Bollywood including Nadeem Shravan, A. R. Rahman and Sandeep Chowta. She can sing in Telugu, Assamese, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Nepali and Bengali. Some of the movies she has worked on include “Shool”, “Dushmani”, “Janwar”, “Khauf” and “Jungle”.
Few of her chartbuster songs are “Banno Teri Ankhiyaan” (“Dushmani”, 1995), “Pardesi Pardesi Jana Nahin” (“Raja Hindustani”, 1996), “Bachke Tu Rehna Re” (“Company”, 2002), “Kabhi Bandhan Chhuda Liya” (“Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam”, 2002) and “Kata Kata” (“Raavan”, 2010).
She is married to Karthik Awasthi and they own Awadh Threatre Group, a drama company specialising in opera plays for which Sapna composes, sings and also acts at times.
Over the years she has won the following awards: Cinegoers Award in 1996 for “Pardesi Pardesi”, Channel [V] Award and Aashirwad Award in 1998 for “Chaiyan Chaiyan”, Certificate of Honour from NSK Tokyo and Kaladarpan Award.
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