Rashmi Rekha Das
Sasmita Biswal’s mellifluousness has propelled her to prominence in the music industry and the talented vocalist looks set to scale greater heights
Known for her distinctive style of singing, Sasmita Biswal has a clutch of brilliant and soulful songs to her credit. She got her due recognition with the song ‘Mu Jhia Nuhe, Nuhe Jadu Malam,’ from the movie ‘Rudra’. She is endowed with a great voice and her power to emote through her voice is immense. Her best numbers are ‘Silata khadi’ and ‘Kholi mana diary’. She is one of the few worthy contenders for the most popular female playback voice today.
Hailing from Salepur, Sasmita is a born singer who had to face difficulties to make her dreams come true. Her parents were opposed to their daughter pursuing a musical career and Sasmita didn’t receive formal training till graduation.
However, her heart-touching voice enabled her to get a break for the devotional track ‘108 Bela Patara’. Her happiness knew no bounds when she recorded for the first time, but it faded the next day when she came to learn that the recording had been rejected and a renowned female singer had replaced her. Following this incident, she made up her mind to go for formal training and establish her worth as a singer.
Recounting the painful incident, she said: “It was really heart-wrenching when I was rejected by the music director. However, the rejection also boosted my morale to establish myself as a singer. Subsequently, I took training in classical music under Ashok Samal. Today, Pradip Patra is my guru. After a span of two years, I finally got a break in the mega soap ‘Sindura’ aired on Doordarshan.
Sasmita shifted to Cuttack to pursue a career in fashion designing but her ambition was to try her luck in music. The burning desire to sing in an Oriya film drove her to join an orchestra about which she didn’t inform her family.
Guess what happened when her father came to know about it?
“Once I went to Baripada to perform,” recounted Sasmita. “My father was posted there. But I had not expected that he would see me perform in an orchestra. A local channel telecast the programme and my father saw me on TV. He was livid. He shouted at me like anything. But when people praised my singing, he thought twice. Soon after, he started supporting me. I would like to attribute my success to my mother who always supported me against my father’s will.”
Asked to narrate a memorable moment, Sasmita said: “One moment which I would cherish forever was when legendary singer Asha Bhosle praised me. I was asked to sing dummy songs before they would be recorded by Lataji and Ashaji in Mumbai. Ashaji praised and blessed me after listening to me.”
Sasmita shot to limelight after her mesmerising performance at the reality show ‘Amari Geeta Amari Swara’ aired on OTV. With 300 songs to her credit, Sasmita has been felicitated at Jagatpur Mahotsav, Jagatsinghpur Zilla Mahotsav, Satasahi Nrutya Mahotsav and by the Art of Giving organisation. She has also received the Maa Chandi Samman.
Sasmita’s Faves
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Food: Oriya cuisine
Song: Tujhse Naraj Nahi Jindagi…’
Destination: Jagannath dham
Person: Mother
