How did you become the voice of Doraemon in India?
My mother is a casual announcer at All India Radio (AIR), Delhi, so I got my start as a child artiste when I was eight. I would do these kids’ programmes and plays for AIR back then. One day, someone told my mother that there were some auditions happening and they’re looking for kids’ voices. So, we went there and I auditioned for this character Doraemon, and after a few days we got a call that I had been selected. We never thought that Doraemon would become such a huge success!
What was it like to play a cartoon character?
It was very difficult at first. I started dubbing for Doraemon at 13. Basically, you have a TV screen, a pair of headphones and a script. You have to watch the video that’s playing on the screen, listen to the audio and understand what the character is saying and how. After watching the scene, they play it once again for us to start recording. Sometimes, we don’t understand the language; if it’s Japanese, Chinese or Turkish you have to gauge the scene from the expressions of the characters. For a kid, that’s very difficult to do. Secondly, it’s a time-consuming process.
As a young girl, did you have other ambitions?
Absolutely, I had a lot of ambitions, and they kept changing. I remember I wanted to be a teacher, and then a doctor (laughs). By the time I graduated, I was dubbing as a freelancer. If you are selected for a character, you have a job, but once that project is over, you’re jobless again. I wanted something permanent. So, after I graduated, I did my B.Ed. I figured since teaching is usually a half-day job, I would have time to do both. Around that time, a few dubbing friends were planning to move to Mumbai and they were taking a trip here for a few days to get a feel of the city. I accompanied them. I went with them to visit studios, and since I had worked on Doraemon, a lot of directors were interested in meeting me. They told me that Mumbai was the place for me.
Did you have to take any vocal training?
Not really. Since I started as a kid, I learnt on the job. Today, when I watch the first episode of Doraemon, I can feel the difference. That was my normal voice, since I dubbed as a kid. Today, I have to modulate it to sound like the character.
Which other characters have you dubbed for?
Chhota Bheem, Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls (2016 onwards), Pikachu (Pokémon, season eight) and Arya Stark (Game Of Thrones for HBO Hindi), among others. I also voiced Amy Jackson in her movie Freaky Ali.
Is there a character you wish you had voiced?
I auditioned for The Beauty And The Beast. I really wanted to do it, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the gig.
What are your biggest challenges?
I remember in 2015, I had a sore throat, so I took a break for a couple of days thinking that it would get better. But it didn’t so I went to the doctor who prescribed medicines. Still no better. Then I went to a specialist, who told me that my vocal cords had swollen. The first thing he asked me was if I was a teacher or a singer, because teachers had to strain their voices in class and singers had to practise every day, which could account for the bad throat. When I told him that I was a voice artiste, he advised me to give my voice complete rest for 10 days. I had to make sure my vocal cords didn’t vibrate at all. I couldn’t even whisper! When I argued that I couldn’t possibly do that, he warned me that I might lose my voice completely. So, of course, I listened to him.
Another challenge is that even if you’re in a bad mood, or something has upset you, it simply cannot reflect in your voice, especially if you’re voicing a high-energy cartoon character. Voice artistes have to keep everything aside when they’re dubbing, and just be that character.
What kind of characters do you enjoy voicing for?
I love dubbing bubbly characters who speak very fast. In animation, your expressions and energy have to be over the top. I also like singing, so I really enjoy doing Disney shows and movies, because many of them are musicals and the characters spontaneously break into song.
What does your schedule look like on a normal day?
I work for a minimum of 10-12 hours. But that’s because I’ve taken on a lot of projects right now. Some days, I just record for an hour and I’m done.
What’s the best thing about voicing cartoon characters?
When it comes to Doraemon, the best thing is the phone calls from kids from all over the country saying ‘Mujhe Doraemon se baat karni hai’. I have had children speaking their hearts out to me because they think I’m Doraemon. But I’ve got a few complaints also. One day, a lady who lives in my building told me they had to buy another TV in her home because the one they have always has Doraemon playing on it. Another sweet compliment I received is when a Maharashtrian friend of mine told me that her young son started speaking really fluent Hindi, thanks to Doraemon. That was a pleasant surprise.
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