Anushka Manchanda aka Kiss Nuka (born 11 February 1984) is an Indian singer, music producer, composer, actress, and former VJ. She came to prominence as a member of the Indipop girl group Viva!. In 2018, she adopted the artistic name Kiss Nuka.

Anushka Manchanda
Background information
Also known asKiss Nuka
Born (1984-02-11) 11 February 1984 (age 40)
Delhi, India
GenresBass, Experimental, Electronic, Spiritual
Occupation(s)Music Producer, Singer-Songwriter, Director, Editor, Entrepreneur, Actor
InstrumentPiano
Years active2002–2017
LabelsUniversal, Sony Music, IncInk, T-Series, EROS, Tips, SaReGaMa, Venus
Websiteanushkamanchanda.com kissnuka.com

Career

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Manchanda started playback singing in the Tamil film industry by singing the song "O Mahire" from the 2004 film Manmadhan under the direction of noted music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja. She later worked several times with him to create popular songs like "Thee Pidikka" (Arinthum Ariyamalum), "Kudakooli" (Kalvanin Kadhali), "Money Money" (Thimiru) and "Oh..Oh..Ennanamo" (Chennai 600028). In 2006 then, she got her first opportunity to sing for a Hindi film as well, which was the title song of the film Golmaal, composed by Vishal–Shekhar. This was followed by several other songs under other noted music composers such as Anu Malik, Salim–Sulaiman, Pritam, and Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy. She performed a cameo role in the Bollywood film Dulha Mil Gaya, for which she sung three songs as well. Manchanda has also appeared in a reality show of MTV Pulsar Stunt Mania in the year 2010.[1] In Bollywood, Manchanda's rendition of the song "Dum Maro Dum" in the film Dum Maro Dum gained immense popularity. She also sung "Ek Main Hun Aur Ek Tu" from the film Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, "Apna Har Din Aise Jiyo" in Golmaal 3. In 2013, she sang the remix version of the 1991 hit song (originally sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy in the film Chalbaaz) "Na jaane kahan se aya hai", featuring Neeraj Shridhar.

Manchanda featured on a track by Akcent in I am Sorry, which received high critical acclaim and collaborated with producer Chicane.

Manchanda is one of the lead actors in the film Angry Indian Goddesses, a film by award-winning director Pan Nalin (Samsara).

Viva (2002–2004)

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When Manchanda was a part of the show Coke [V] Pop stars, she was trained under the likes of Manish Malhotra, Bosco-Caesar, Shaimak Davar, and Noyonika Chatterjee. The band took the became one of the highest TRP reality shows on television. As Viva, she worked with Javed Akhtar, Salim–Sulaiman, Shankar Ehsan Loy, Sandeep Chowta, Raju Singh, Shantanu Moitra, and Ashu Dhruv.

Their first album sold went platinum. 60,000 people attended their first concert.

For the second album of Viva, Viva Reloaded, Manchanda composed a track on the piano. The song was 'Yeh Pyar Nahi Toh Kya Hain' to which the lyrics were written by Neha Bhasin and Manchanda.

Due to mutual differences, the band split in 2004.

Channel V (2004–2006)

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After Viva split, Manchanda started working as a VJ on Channel V. She hosted a travel show called V on The Run with Purab Kohli and Sarah Jane Dias where they traveled around India. She hosted shows like Launchpad, Hotline, and Jukebox. Manchanda left Channel V in 2006 after the show ended, but returned for the V Ad Awards.

As independent artist

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After establishing a career in film, Manchanda formed an electro-pop group in 2012, collaborating with members from various backgrounds, including Shiraz Bhattacharya and Abhijit Nalani. The band released the track "Crazy" and toured but disbanded two years later.

Manchanda launched her alter ego, Kiss Nuka, in 2018 with the electro-pop song "Don't Be Afraid." The accompanying music video was recognized as one of the top 10 music videos of 2018 by Rolling Stone and Homegrown and won awards for Best Concept and Best Direction at the 17th Independent Music Awards.

In November 2020, she released "Kashmir," featuring Khalid Ahmed and Sufiyan Malik. The song's music video won the award for Best Concept and Best Director at the 17th Independent Music Awards in New York.

Awards

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  • Zee Cine Award for Best Playback Singer Female for Dum Maaro Dum (2012)
  • GIMA Award for Best Pop Album for Kiss Nuka (2018)
  • Best Concept and Best Director at the Independent Music Awards for Don’t Be Afraid (2020)
  • Best Female Artist at the Ola Music Awards (2021)

Personal life

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Manchanda is the daughter of former Indian cricketer Rajesh Manchanda and an artist mother, Dr. Anita Manchanda. She has a brother, Shikhar Yuvraj. She was raised in Delhi and attended Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She started singing at the age of 6 and won a talent show at the age of 9.[2]

Manchanda is a fitness enthusiast and supports fitness and health awareness and practices yoga and nutrition.

Filmography

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Fims
Year Title Role Notes
2010 Dulha Mil Gaya Shyla Cameo Appearance
2015 Angry India Goddesses Madhureeta
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Coke [V] Popstars Herself Singing Reality Show
- MTV Pulsar Stuntmania Season 2 Herself (Host) Reality Show
- On The Run Herself Travel Show
2007 Loins of Punjab Presents Herself Judge
2009 Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Herself (Winner) Reality Stunt-based Show
2010–11 Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Herself (Contestant) Reality Dancing Show
2016 Comedy Nights Bachao Herself (Contestant) Comedy Show

Discography

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Year Song Album Language Composer Notes
2004 "Oh Mahirae" Manmadhan Tamil Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Qiero" Rakht Hindi Anand–Milind With Pratichi as part of "Viva"
2005 "Theepidika Theepidika" Arinthum Ariyamalum Tamil Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Kudakkooli Koduthachu" Kalvanin Kadhali. Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Mila Mila" Super Telugu Sandeep Chowta
"Hey babu" Devadasu Chakri
2006 "Golmaal" Golmaal Hindi Vishal–Shekhar
"Money Money" Thimiru Tamil Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Zindaggi Rocks" Zindaggi Rocks Hindi Anu Malik
"Manmatha Neenena" Aishwarya Kannada Rajesh Ramanath
2007 "Oh..Oh..Ennanamo" Chennai 600028 Tamil Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Naughty Naughty" Cash Hindi Vishal–Shekhar Winner, Stardust New Musical Sensation (Female) Award
"Rathraina" Athidi Telugu Manisharma
"Cheli cheruku" Aadavari Matalaku Ardhalu Verule Yuvan Shankar Raja
"Chammakuro Challa" Munna Harris Jayaraj
2008 "Tu Saala" Golmaal Returns Hindi Pritam
2009 "Chandni Chowk to China" Chandni Chowk to China Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
"Oh Sexy Mama" Yavarum Nalam Tamil
"Oh Sexy Mama (Hindi)" 13B Hindi
"Akira Kurosawa" Chintu Ji Hindi
"Dil Kalase" Kick Telugu S.Thaman
2010 "Alisha" Pyaar Impossible! Hindi Salim–Sulaiman
"10 on 10"
"Life Is A Game (Hindi Version)" Teen Patti
"Life Is A Game (English Version)" English
"By The Way" Aisha Hindi Amit Trivedi
"Behke Behke"
"Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock" We Are Family Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
"Apna Har Din" Golmaal 3 Pritam
"Go Go Golmaal"
"Dhatad Tatad" Lafangey Parindey R. Anandh
2011 "Mit Jaaye Gum (Dum Maaro Dum)" Dum Maaro Dum Pritam
"Piya Kesariyo" Hum Tum Shabana Sachin–Jigar
2012 "Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu" Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu Amit Trivedi
2013 "Allah Duhai Hai" Race 2 Pritam
"Dil Na Jaane Kyun" Jayantabhai Ki Luv Story Sachin–Jigar
"Mann Basiyo Sanwariyo" ABCD – Any Body Can Dance
"Rowdy Fellows" D for Dopidi Telugu Mahesh Shankar
"Na Jaane" I, Me Aur Main Hindi Sachin–Jigar
2014 "Horn OK Please" Dedh Ishqiya Vishal Bhardwaj
"Teri Mahima Aprampar" Entertainment Sachin–Jigar
"Lucky Tu Lucky Me" Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania
"Dance Basanti" Ungli
2015 "Bezubaan Phir Se" ABCD 2
"Manma Emotion Jaage" Dilwale Pritam
"Zindagi" Angry Indian Goddesses Anushka Manchanda
2016 "Tu Hai Toh Main Hoon" Waiting Mickey McCleary
"Waiting For You"
2017 "Aate Jaate Hanste Gaate" Golmaal Again Abhishek Arora

Non-film songs

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Fims
Year Title Role Notes
2015 "Superfly" Superfly English Anish Sood, Nanok
2016 "Don't Hold Back- Feat Ranveer Singh" Jack & Jones Hindi Anushka Manchanda
2017 "ZEE5" ZEE5 ANTHEM! Amit Trivedi

References

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  1. ^ "'Dulha Mil Gaya' – the official story". Bollywood Hungama. 5 January 2008. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 9 May 2009.
  2. ^ "Anushka Manchanda: I won a talent show at the age of 9". Mumbai Mirror. 2 November 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
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