By Subhash K. Jha

Mumbai, Nov 10 (IANS) Prominent playback singer Alka Yagnik slams rumours about her impending divorce, saying she had been in an unconventional long-distance marriage for years and people could keep speculating.

"I've been hearing these rumours for years. They don't make a difference to me. As long as my husband and I know what we mean to each other, people's opinions cannot influence our relationship.

"I spent Diwali with my husband and in-laws in Meghalaya. We've had an unconventional long-distance marriage for years. People can keep speculating," Alka told IANS.

Alka, who has been in the film industry for 25 years now, admits that being a single working woman in Mumbai has its disadvantages.

"Life does get very lonely for me, especially after a hard day's work when I return home and there's nobody waiting for me. When people tell me, 'How nice, your life is like one long honeymoon'. I tell them it's not so hunky-dory. I've lived almost my entire married life alone, and so has he.

"My husband visits me and my daughter in Mumbai. And I often visit his family home in Delhi. But I guess the secret of our togetherness is that we're not together all the time, what with everyone's tolerance level being what it is."

Alka admits she's an impatient person. "I can't sit in one place. It's too boring."

Alka's daughter doesn't want to be a singer.

"She wanted to get into direction ever since she was a child. She will be joining Subhash Ghai's institute Whistling Woods. She's 16, but she has become taller than me. People say she looks like me, so make what you will of that."

With her surprisingly controlled and emotional renditions in J.P. Dutta's recently released "Umrao Jaan", about the trials and tribulations of a courtesan, Alka feels she is on the threshold of a new phase in her career.

"Going by the way things are moving in the music industry I had given up hope of ever getting anything substantial. You know, compared with what one hears these days, I feel the songs I've sung belong to a golden era.

"I just reduced the volume of work. After 20-25 years of singing I didn't want to just go on singing for a lark. I only wanted to do work that would take me ahead. 'Umrao Jaan' was god-sent".

Did Alka have Asha Bhosle's renderings for Rekha in "Umrao Jaan" in mind?

"I belong more to Lataji's school of singing than Ashaji's. Just because Ashaji had sung in the earlier 'Umrao Jaan', I didn't need to be influenced by her. When I was told I was going to be Umrao's voice I was very excited. That they've used only one voice for Aishwarya Rai is very sensible. Normally, we've four different voices singing for the same person.

"I've sung many beautiful songs for J.P. saab's earlier films, like 'Humen jabse mohabbat ho gayi hai' in 'Border'. Thank god melody lives in his films. Otherwise, this melodious side of me would have suffocated to death."

Alka confesses she was restless and bored by the songs that she was getting.

"And if other singers are reaping the harvest that's fine, though I must say many of the new voices sound quite similar to one another. There was a time when I recorded as many as three-four songs a day. If I want I could still do that. But I don't want to be part of the rat race any more. I can't believe I've survived for 25 years."

She sighs, "I'm very fortunate to have got everything in life. The one regret that I have is that I lost my dad very early in my life. He was my friend."

What next?

"I'm too scared about what will come next. I want to do a raga-based album. As for film songs, I can't lose heart. I'm sure something like 'Umrao Jaan' will come again. I'm also singing for 'Jodha-Akbar' - again For Aishwarya, though I suspect this time the songs will be in the background."

She thinks, and says: "When you've someone like Aishwarya putting across your voice your singing gets an added lustre. Lataji's mind-blowing songs got the right faces like Meena Kumari and Madhubala. It makes so much of a difference."

Alka loves singing duets with all the prevalent voices.

"When I used to sing with Kumar Sanu I felt he had a lot of romance in his voice. I was always cautious about the romantic aspect to my voice. Sonu Nigam is so well-prepared. And, since he takes so many harkats (raga-curves) in his rendition, music directors ask me to tone down my harkat.

"You know the male singers tell me they've to be on their toes while singing with me. Udit Narayan actually sings after me. He first listens to what I sing and then sings after me."

Happy with life, Alka is 40 now.

Click here to send Gifts to India