Sixteen-year-old Puja Dugal of Hyderabad has wowed Ekta Kapoor and will now compose music for her soaps.
Puja Dugal is like any other child-prodigy - talented, focused and ambitious. Though she has a few health issues to deal with, none of it comes in the way of her creating good music.
At 16, she has given the city another reason to be proud of. She has been selected by Ekta Kapoor to compose theme music for the latter's forthcoming soaps.
Nivedita Basu, deputy creative director to Ekta Kapoor, says, "We selected Puja to compose the theme music for Kya Hoga Nimmo Ka, Kavyanjali, and two other soaps that are yet to be named."She adds, "The selection was on the basis of a couple of compositions she had sent to us.
Puja has got a good hang of melody and understands the director's need very fast. There have been instances when she has given 20 themes in only one week."
According to Basu, Puja has an edge over music directors who have been in the industry for long because she is flexible and her compositions are fresh.
Social worker and socialite Pinky Reddy, who has sponsored the young composer, says, "Puja is one of the most promising and positive child artists I have ever come across. It's her own talent that's taking her places. I am sure she will make a mark as a music composer."
Gajender Shewalkar, Puja's tabla instructor, says, "Music comes naturally to Puja. She has an extremely good sense of rhythm and timing."
Apart from tabla, Puja also dabbles with the keyboard. Her drum instructor S Kishor Sangani says, "Puja took only three months to learn what others take two years to pick up. She is great at Walsh, Rock and Soul"
Recently, Puja got a standing ovation from an audience of nearly 200 people after her performance in the city. Her mother Neelam Dugal says, "Puja got hooked to music right from the day she played the keyboard that I had gifted her.
I had given her the instrument with the hope that it would help her exercise her fingers."The prodigy, who is reticent yet charming, believes that music is serious business.
Like any other teenager, she has a crush on Cezanne Khan (of Kasauti Zindagi Ki fame). "I love Cezanne and will tell him so when I meet him,"says Puja. The day isn't far when Puja will meet Cezanne as a crewmember.
hyderabadtimes@indiatimes.com
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