Anuradha Paudwal’s daughter Kavita launches Kirtan Klub, shares advice from her mother
In an interview with SCREEN, Anuradha Paudwal’s daughter Kavita Paudwal opened up about Kirtan Klub and the responsibility of carrying forward her mother’s legacy.
Anuradha Paudwal is one of India’s most celebrated voices in devotional music. Besides bringing bhajans and aartis to millions of households, the veteran singer also made a significant mark on Hindi film music, delivering several memorable songs in the 1990s for films such as Aashiqui, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and Sadak. Now, her daughter Kavita Paudwal is carrying forward her mother’s legacy, carving out a space of her own in the devotional music genre.
Kavita recently kickstarted Kirtan Klub, a fusion format that blends traditional bhajans with contemporary elements such as guitars and drums. In an interview with SCREEN, she opened up about her inspiration behind the idea. She also spoke about her childhood, and growing up with Anuradha Paudwal.
Long before audiences heard her soulful voice, Kavita Paudwal grew up witnessing her mother’s musical talent at home. “My earliest memory of my mother as a singer is not watching her as a public persona, but her singing the Bhagwad Geeta at 5 am every morning, when her music journey had just started. She used to sing Lata Mangeshkar’s Bhagwad Geeta version. That voice and ambience is still in my heart. It is a very strong memory. That overpowers everything that I’ve seen till now,” she recalled.
Kavita Paudwal, who recently brought her Kirtan Klub format to the SNDT Regional Youth Festival in Mumbai, opened up about the inspiration behind the concept. “As far as kirtans are concerned, there’s nothing like young, old, middle-aged, man, woman, foreigner, Indian, there’s no such bias. The idea is to keep repeating something till it takes you into a meditative space. I feel that this experience is good for all the age groups. Kirtan Klub is a concept to make you feel connected to God. It is happy, light, and simple, with a lot of music, joy, and fun,” she shared.
Kavita further added, “We (Kavita and Anuradha Paudwal) discuss everything and she was very happy when I told her about the idea, and said that it’s what she’s been doing till now, just packaged in a different way. The name Kirtan Klub was also suggested by her. She has a very acute sense of what works in the market.”
When asked about the one advice given my her mother Anuradha that will always stay with her, Kavita replied, “Her journey has been a great inspiration for me, both as a mother and an artiste. Her spiritual journey has also taken place in front of my eyes. What I have learnt from Anuradha ji is maintaining a certain decorum and dignity while presenting spiritual works to people. There’s a fine line between enjoying and something becoming offensive.”
Over the years, Kavita Paudwal has lent her voice to several bhajans and aartis, including Shree Lakshmi Amritwani, Gayatri Mantra and Mahavir Dhun. But alongside carving her own path in devotional music, she has also had to contend with the pressure of carrying forward the legacy of her mother Anuradha Paudwal. “Like every other person who belongs to an illustrious family, I also feel the pressure of living up to her legacy. You always want to contribute in a way that can keep your family name intact. Having said that, the social and media environment was very different when my mother was at her peak as compared to now,” she said.
“She is a very kind person, she will never critique my singing. But, if she thinks something is going to take away from the performance, she gives her suggestions. She voices her opinion gently,” the singer concluded.
Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events.
Experience & Professional Background
Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include:
The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of "exclusive conversations" for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam.
Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her "Gen-Z Revisit" series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include:
Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth.
Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era.
On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan.
South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera.
Authoritativeness & Trust
Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing "Journalism of Courage" in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. ... Read More
