From "Hawa hawai" to "Dola re dola", Kavita Krishnamurthi has travelled many miles in Bollywood. But now, the versatile singer, who used to croon three-four songs a day, has cut down her assignments saying the current trend in music and lyrics doesn't inspire her.

"The kind of music being composed these days and the kind of meaningless lyrics don't encourage me to accept many assignments. In other words, I am out of the Bollywood rat race," Kavita, who was in the Polish capital with her husband L. Subramanyam for a concert, told.

She is not singing more than three or four songs a month because she wants to concentrate on her international assignments.

"Now I have to do only quality work. I am working with my husband on a Hindi album. We are collaborating with Pandit Jasraj and Hariharan. At the same time I am indulging in Jazz and fusion and I want to expand my horizon to international markets.

"Indian classical music is appreciated the world over these days. But we in India are not realising our own heritage. When we can do original work, what is the need to become copycats in Bollywood?"

She feels that the golden era of Hindi film music was in the 1950s and 60s.

"Composers like Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas, Naushad, S.D. Burman, Khayyam, R.D. Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal used to have their signature tunes. They had mastery over their styles and one was proud of that golden era of film music," said Kavita.

She feels the current lot of musicians lack creativity in their compositions.

"Today, the composers have no style, and music has become soulless. It's too mechanical also. Today, you don't have to be trained in classical music because computer can do cutting and pasting for the singers. Duets are being made, and both the artistes don't have to be present for the recording.

"Everything is moving like a robot. Where is the scope for melody? Only Ismail Darbar and A.R. Rahman have a sense of music," she said.

Paying a tribute to Manna Dey who helped her in her struggling days, Kavita said: "He always treated me like his daughter. He coached me painstakingly for years. My grounding in classical music is largely his contribution. I have yet to see a better man of integrity and honesty in the film industry than Manna uncle.

"I admire his dedication. Even at the ripe age of 86 he is giving stage performances that normally last more than two hours. He sets a great example for artistes like us."