Sapna Awasthi, the “chaiya chaiya” fame from Dil Se (1998) is a popular Indian playback singer. Over the years she has delivered many hits like “UP Bihar Lootne” from Shool (1999), “Pardesi Pardesi” from
Raja Hindustani
(1996), “Bachke Tu Rehna Re” from Company (2002), ”Sab Kuch Bhula Diya” from Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002) including recent hits like “Katiya Karu” from the famous
Ranbir Kapoor
starrer Rockstar (2011).
Born in Kumaon, Sapna is the daughter of a Sanskrit lecturer in Lucknow University. Her singing style which seems largely influenced by Rajasthani folk music came into limelight first after she sang “Bano Teri Ankhiya” in Shekhar Kapoor’s Dushmani (1992). But it was after the famous song “Pardesi Pardesi” in the Aamir Khan-Karishma Kapoor blockbuster hit Raja Hindustani that she became a household name.
Apart from singing in numerous Bollywood films, she also released an album “chunariya” along with Kavita Krishnamurthi and Vinod Rathode. Sapna Awasthi is mainly known for her high pitched songs as against the music in 1960’s and 1970’s which were more sophisticated. Her singing is influenced by the famous
Lata Mangeshkar
and
Noor Jahan
as well as the folk songs of Daler Mehendi which gives her song the peculiar folk touch.