Monali Thakur Biography
Monali Thakur was born on November 3, 1985 in Kolkata. She did her schooling in Kolkata in The Future Foundation School. She also pursued her B.A degree in English Honours from St. Xavier’s college, Kolkata. Monali Thakur was born in a family of singers. Her father was a renowned Bengali singer.
Thus, she aspired to be a singer from a very early age and started taking music lessons from the tender age of 6. She started off by participating in the singing reality show called Indian Idol second season. She garnered a lot of following but stood 9th overall.
Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and Pandit Jagdish Prasad trained Monali in Hindustani Classical Music. Thakur learned hip-hop and as well as Bharatanatyam and is also a trained salsa dancer.
Family
Monali’s father Shakti Thakur is a Bengali singer and her mother is a home maker. She has a sister named Mehula Thakur who is a playback singer in Bengali film industry. Monali Thakur Husband name is a Maik Richter.
Career
Monali rose to popularity after placing ninth in Indian Idol 2, the Indian version of Pop Idol. She was never in the Bottom 3 until her elimination, and immediately after she was eliminated.
Judge Anu Malik offered to help her find a future singing opportunity, which turned out to be a playback song in the movie Jaan-E-Mann.
Monali Thakur Popular Songs
- Khwab Dekhe (Sexy lady) – Race Movie 2008
- Zara Zara Touch Me – Race Movie 2008
- Zilla Hilela – Jabariya Jodi
- Khudaya Khair – Billu Barber
- Cham Cham – Baghi
- Badrinath ki Dulhaniya – Title track
- Goodnight. Film – Dil Kabbadi
- Raghupati Raghav – Krrish3
- Tamil language songs – Yaro Yaro – Madha Yaanai Koottam
- Naalum Naalum – 60 Vayadu Maaniram
- Kannada songs – Soojiga Nanava – Vardana
Non – Filmy Songs of Monali Thakur
- Who pehli baar – Indian Idol Season 2.
- Ye mera India Anthem – 2015
- Googly Woogly Wooksh – Ponds Advertisement on television
- Naamkarann – Title track 2016
- Shy Mora Saiyaan – 2018
- Kare Naina – 2019
- Pani Pani Re – 2019
- Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan – 2019
Movies
In her childhood Thakur appeared in a Bengali television show Aalokito ek Indu where she played protagonist Indubala.
She made her acting debut with Bengali language film – Krishnakanter Will (2007).
In 2014 she made a Bollywood debut with ‘’Lakshmi’’. Which was Hindi-language biographical social problem film, written and directed by Nagesh Kuku Noor. The film deals with the harsh realities of human trafficking and child prostitution, which continue behind closed curtains in rural areas of India.
This film was critically acclaimed and also audience loved this film, Thakur had played a very crucial role and showed us how things happens behind the shield of fake niceness of people in the rural India.
This film was clear cut message for the parents who (for some money) sell their girl child to brothels and ruins their life then it already is.
This movie also backed international eyes by winning in ‘Palm Spring International Film Awards’.
She also acted in a short film titled Jangle Bells along with Namit Das. The film came out on Christmas of 2015.
Television
Monali Thakur after becoming successful in Bollywood industry also came on television and judged many shows. This is a typical for any singers after they become successful they have to and have to host/judge any of the singing reality shows.
Monali Thakur was a successful judge of the Bengali music reality show ‘Bengali Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs (2009-2011)’ where she judged for two seasons. Monali also appeared in the show ‘Key Hobe Biggest Fan’ And was an important part of ‘Coke Studio’.
She also judged the reality show on Colors TV’s “India’s Rising Star’’., Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L’il Champs (2014)’’ , Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Sangeet er Sera Mancha (2016), Rising Star 2, MTV Youth 2019
Awards
Monali Thakur has been applauded manytimes in her career. Be it her debut or be it her films. She has won two very important awards in Bollywood and one most important award following is the list of awards she has won and made her place in everybody’s heart.
- Filmfare Award 2014
- Best Female Playback singer for Sawaar loon – Lootera 2014
- International Film Academy Award
- Star Guilt Award
