Poornima Shrestha

Biography:

Poornima Shrestha, also known by her stage name Poornima, is a renowned Indian playback singer who made significant contributions to Bollywood during the 1990s. Born on September 6, 1960, as Sushma Shrestha, she hails from the Nepali Newar community and was raised in Mumbai. Poornima’s father, Bholanath Shrestha, was a notable music composer who primarily collaborated with Hindi film music directors.

Poornima’s journey in the world of music began at a very young age when she was recommended to Shankar–Jaikishan by a friend and assistant. Despite the prevailing tradition of women playback singers singing for children, Shankar took the bold step of using an unknown child to sing “Hai Na Bolo Bolo” for the film “Andaz.” This marked the beginning of Sushma Shrestha’s career as a playback singer, and she recorded her first song on November 11, 1969, alongside Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur.

Her childhood was marked by collaborations with legendary music directors such as Naushad, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Salil Choudhury, Anil Biswas, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant–Pyarelal, S.D. Burman, and Shankar Jaikishan. She gained fame for her memorable songs, including “Ek Din Bik Jayega Mati Ki Mol,” “Yaadoon Ki Baaraat,” “Teri Hai Zameen Tera Aasman,” “Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle,” and “Kya Hua Tera Vada.”

In the mid-80s, Poornima faced struggles as an adult singer, and her marriage temporarily halted her singing career. However, she made a triumphant comeback in the 1990s under the name Poornima. Some of her notable songs during this period include “Barsaat Mein Jab Aayega Saawan Ka Maheena” from “Maa” and “Tu Tu Tu Tu Tara” from David Dhawan’s “Bol Radha Bol.” She continued her successful association with David Dhawan and sang for films like “Coolie No. 1,” “Judwaa,” “Hero No. 1,” and “Biwi No.1.”