Shefali Shah croons Jagjit Singh's nazm for her film Once Again

In her first attempt at singing for reel, Shefali Shah renders a ghazal sung Jagjit Singh for her upcoming film Once Again

In an industry that's willing to give its actors a spotlight to showcase their varied skills, it's surprising that Shefali Shah, a trained singer, hasn't yet lent her voice to a track for reel. Fortunately, the actor, who has a wide array of film and television ventures to her credit, has finally decided to serenade fans in the upcoming romance drama, Once Again.

Having rendered a track originally sung by ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, Shah tells mid-day the development followed a chance discussion she had with director Kanwal Sethi. "During a script-reading session, we were discussing the romantic relationship of the protagonists [Neeraj Kabi and hers]. It reminded me of the nazm [by Kafeel Aazar Amrohvi]. Our director casually asked me to sing it. I did, and he found the voice apt. He requested me to sing in the film."

Shah is quick to assert that she isn't trying to flaunt her singing prowess with this act. The scenario in the film, she says, facilitates her involvement as a singer. "It [singing] is just what my character does. Like a lot of women, she hums in the kitchen," she says, alluding to the fact that technical brilliance behind the mic isn't something that could be demanded from such a character, and hence , not from her either.

While she trained in singing for several years, her practice took a back seat after other professional commitments took priority. "I gave up on it then, but I do sing when I am alone, or [in company of] close friends."

Once Again puts the spotlight on the love story of a middle-aged couple. Shah's character, a businesswoman who supplies tiffins, falls for an artiste, played by Kabi, who is her client. A relationship develops over food and notes that are exchanged with the tiffins. But, when word about it gets out, she is subjected to ridicule.

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