‘Itni Shakti Hame Dena’ singer Pushpa Pagdhare living in poverty

The iconic song, Itni Shakti Hame Dena Data from the Nana Patekar 1986’s Ankush has a unique place in Indian music history. However, the voice behind the cult song is today living a poverty filled life. In an interview with Etimes, Pushpa Pagdhare alleged that the Government pays no attention to singers like her, who live alone and have no income. She revealed that in 1989, Pushpa had appealed to the state government for a house, but her file has not reached them till today. The singer said that she had made various attempts to meet the minister in Mumbai but only got answers like “not available” or “he is on a tour.”

Talking about not receiving royalties for the songs she has sung, Pushpa Pagdhare said, “I sang the song ‘Aga Pori Sambhal Daryala Toofan Aalay’ with Mohammed Rafi, which was hugely popular. I was paid royalty for it till the time the HMV music label was active. The payments stopped after the label ran out of business. The honorarium I get from the cultural department of the state of Rs 3150 is also not paid on time. Atleast the royalties need to come so that I can take care of myself.” As per a recent reports, she is compelled to ask her relatives for financial help as she doesn’t receive proper royalty for her songs and the grants of Rs 3150 that she receives is never on time. Pushpa further drew a comparison between the singers then and now and revealed that she had received only Rs. 250 for a cult song like Itni Shakti Hame Dena Data. Pushpa concluded by saying, “I have been told that the same song is now the ringtone on most ministers’ and politicians’ phones. But not one of them pays heed to the needs of the singer who sang that song.” The film, Ankush, is still remembered for powerful performances from all the actors including Ashalata Wabgaonkar, Nisha Singh, Nana Patekar and Madan Jain. Made on a modest budget of Rs 13 lakhs, the film grossed Rs 95 lakhs to become a surprise hit of 1986, the year when many blockbusters failed.