Many artists are born with exceptional talents, excelling in multiple fields. Vijayta Pandit is one such artist who was not only a captivating actress but also had a melodious voice as a singer. She became a sensation with her debut film Love Story (1981), which garnered her immense fame. However, her promising career faced an abrupt downfall after a series of unfortunate events during her early days. In a recent interview, Vijayta Pandit expressed her deep sadness over how she was replaced, both in films and in iconic Shah Rukh Khan songs from popular films like Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman and more.
In an exclusive conversation with Lehren Retro, Vijayta shared how her personal and professional life changed drastically. During her debut film, she fell in love with her co-star Kumar Gaurav. However, her relationship with him faced strong opposition from his father, Rajendra Kumar, who was also the producer of the film. Due to this opposition, Vijayta’s budding career took a drastic turn. Despite the success of her first film, her career as an actress never took off. Later turning to music, she hoped to establish herself as a singer but even in this field, she was replaced by either newcomers or legendary singers.
Vijayta Pandit recalled how disappointed she was when, despite her best efforts, she was replaced in several major songs. One such iconic song was Pehla Nasha from Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992). She revealed that although she had recorded the song it was eventually dubbed by another singer. “I was very upset”, she said, explaining how she lost the opportunity to showcase her singing talent in one of the most memorable songs in Bollywood history. The situation was no different when it came to Shah Rukh Khan songs from films like Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman (1992) and Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994). Despite having recorded several songs for these films her voice was replaced by other singers before the release.
Speaking about Pehla Nasha, Vijayta recalled how her brother, Jatin, one-half of the famous Jatin-Lalit composer duo informed her that the song would be dubbed. “Jatin ne mujhe bola, ‘Jo gaana tune record kiya, Pehla Nasha, jo gaana tune gaaya hai’. I was shocked aur maine bola, ‘jo gaana tune gaaya hai’”. She continued, “Jatin didn’t know why aur usne muje bola, ‘I don’t know, kya hua, Kalyan ji bhai (Composer) ne phone kiya Naseer Hussain saab ko aur kaha ki nayi ladki hai Sadhana Sargam isse gavayiye’ unka pehla gaana tha aur mera bhi pehla gaana hota agar market mein aata toh as a singer I would’ve received the recognition and I was very upset about it.”
Vijayta expressed her frustration over how her own brothers, Jatin-Lalit, who were the music directors for Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, wanted to give her more opportunities but she was replaced in songs at the last minute. She also credited Jatin-Lalit for giving Shah Rukh Khan some of the most iconic songs which played a crucial role in shaping his career into stardom.
Despite coming from a family with a deep musical heritage spanning seven generations including her father, Pandit Pratap Narain Pandit and uncles Pandit Jasraj and Pandit Maniram, Vijayta struggled to make her mark in the music industry. Her husband, Aadesh Shrivastava, later gave her some opportunities in his films but the early setbacks in her career left a lasting impact.
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: ‘Jatin-Lalit Shaped Shahrukh Khan’s Career’, Claims Vijayta Pandit On King Khan’s Stardom
In the interview, Vijayta Pandit reflected on her struggles, explaining how despite her talent, she faced rejection after rejection, both as an actress and a singer. Although she was surrounded by legendary musicians in her family her talents remained largely unrecognized for a long time. She emphasized how her career could have taken a different trajectory had she been given the opportunities she deserved, especially with major Shah Rukh Khan songs that could have highlighted her singing abilities.
Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: “Shahrukh Khan, We Need You!” – Vijayta Pandit’s Emotional Outcry
