Monica Rajendran: Singer, Actress, Writer
You are a Singer, Writer, Actor, Powerlifter and Brave Voice of Youth. It's an honour to have you on my "Leslie Show" again, I have few burning questions for you.
Leslie Where are you from , which 3 cities/countries you love to travel to and why
Monica:Firstly, I would like to thank you for having me on your show Leslie.
I am from Hyderabad.
I would love to travel to -
- The new Ayodhya!
-the banks of Ganges in Varanasi - the culture and divinity of that place is so talked about and I need to witness it.
- Himalayas - due to the same reasons and also to experience the snow!
- Europe and any place in the world where there are hot springs - natural geysers amaze me!
Leslie: How would you describe your Life-journey so far
Monica: It’s been a roller coaster, Leslie. Unpredictable, sprinkled with a few constants. I am absolutely not at the place that I always wanted to be in but I have no regrets because I am enjoying this life more. The roller coaster has definitely been an amazing experience. It all comes down to how one emerges from it and for me, that emerging has been good. I am much more conscious in life and that feels splendid.
Leslie: What's the first thing you would do once the Lockdown is lifted
Monica: Go for a long drive with some amazing music - solo!
Leslie:What's the first thing you do when you wake up
Monica: Sit in calm and meditate for a few moments.
Leslie: You are a success story , what's a normal day schedule like in your life...(the way it was before lockdown and currently during lockdown)
Monica: I am training in Hindustani classical vocals. So my day typically starts with Riyaz and vocal warmups. I am a powerlifter as well. So I workout really heavy at the gym for not more than half an hour followed by another session of vocal practice. I have writing projects at hand which I work on in the later part of the day. Besides, I read a lot on politics and pen down my opinions. That’s my routine.
Lockdown hasn’t really affected my regime too much except for the gym and visiting my Guru physically. Digital world has taken over.
But I used to often take off on solo drives and solo dinners which is restricted right now.
Leslie: What are your fav childhood memories
Monica: So many actually. School, school friends, the one rupee ice cream we used to wait for after the last bell goes off, my days as a child in Mumbai/Bombay - beautiful memories all of them.
Leslie: What comes to your mind when I say the word "Family"
Monica: A blessing. Not all have one.
Leslie: What's the best compliment you have ever received
Monica: When my Guru said that I am special to her.
It is immensely hard to earn a place in a Guru’s heart with your potential and values. And when you are recognised for it by someone so highly regarded, that’s definitely a huge compliment and I cherish that.
So that remains to be one of the best moments in my life.
Leslie:What's the most memorable day of your life
Monica: Well, as an individual I have my share of good days and moments. But as my consciousness deepens and perspective broadens during the years, the memorable days keep increasing when you see not only yourself but also your society grow along with you. There’s so much happening around us in the country right now that every step of progress we make as a collective feels reassuring. The era we live in right now in India is a period of public conscience awakening where injustice is being called out and you see action being taken for the betterment of the collective. The fact that I am living at a time when things are changing for the good is so memorable. What can be greater than this?!
Leslie: What's your fav quote
Monica: Many actually.
You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself - Swami Vivekananda
Leslie : What's your fav food/drink
Monica: I love tender coconut water. Nariyal Pani with the malai.
Leslie: Who or what inspires you to keep progressing and succeeding in life
Monica: I take inspiration mostly from myself. In retrospect, my own moments of setbacks and how I overcame them give me a much needed boost whenever I feel low. The fact that I have bounced back and am here today despite many things that went so wrong makes me trust myself a bit more than yesterday. So I take inspiration from my own stories of bouncing back. If I could make it when I was completely broken, then today should be a cakewalk! ;)
Build yourself so strong that you are not afraid of going back to ground zero all over again.
Leslie: How do you handle moments of defeat, failure, rejection.
Monica: I rather call them low points. But your low points are actually your high points in disguise.
I have been through a massive phase of low points. Back to back downfalls and destruction. But, that phase actually offered me a blank slate and I could write whatever I want on it. You realise that you are the hero of your own story. All you need to do is stay calm and choose to write the right thing.
Leslie: What makes you the happiest
Monica: Even if one person gets inspired from any of the work I do, the things I believe in or things I stand up for, that would make me super duper happy because it gives me a sense of satisfaction that I have managed to contribute something! It almost feels like an achievement. At the end of the day, it is about being able to give, right?!
Leslie:Your Fav top 5 movies/series/tvshows
Monica: Bridges of Madison County, Goodwill Hunting, The Prestige, Dexter, The Walking Dead, Gran Torino and many more
Leslie: Where do you see yourself in 5 years
Monica: Well, I am taking one step at a time. I aim to be a better singer, a better writer and a more purposeful and conscious person than I was yesterday. So let’s see where that takes me after 5 years. :)
Leslie: What are your social media handles Monica: Facebook - Monica Rajendran
Instagram - @ladylaazarus
Twitter - @MonOfficialz
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