Alisha Chinai reveals why she WALKED AWAY from Bollywood playback singing: “Playback singers were treated BADLY…I was upset with the whole situation with all the labels”
Alisha Chinai began her singing career with Adventures Of Tarzan (1985). A major turning point came with ‘Made In India’, which made her a household name. Nearly a decade later, she once again became a sensation with ‘Kajra Re’ from Bunty Aur Babli (2005). The next few years, she sang several memorable tracks like ‘Touch Me’ (Dhoom 2; 2006), ‘Aaj Ki Raat’ (Don; 2006), ‘Allah Bachaye’ (Pyar Ke Side Effects; 2006), ‘Ticket To Hollywood’ (Jhoom Barabar Jhoom; 2007), ‘Dilruba’ (Namastey London; 2007), ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ (Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani; 2009), etc. But in the post-2010 era, she recorded only a handful of numbers. In a conversation with Komal Nahta, Alisha Chinai explained why she decided to take a backseat.
When asked whether she was afraid of taking such a bold step, she replied, “No. I am fearless. When you want to do something, you just do it. I was true to myself and my conviction. Agar mujhe nahin gaana hai, toh mujhe nahin gaana hai. I felt I wanted to go away from here. Of course, I was upset with the whole situation with all the labels and everything.”
She added, “I was not getting gratification as an artiste. I am not just a playback singer. I need gratification as an artist. I felt playback singers were treated badly. They were relegated to the position behind. Actually, it’s the voice that makes the song a hit, quite honestly. Essentially, I am still the star of my song. But that’s the way it worked in those days. And I was a bit defiant and cheeky. I was not politically correct.”
Did she have a long thought before taking the step? Alisha Chinai revealed, “No. I just said, ‘That’s it. I have had enough’.”
When asked whether music composers contacted her about her decision, she said, “Yes, though I don’t remember who all called me. But I just told them, ‘I don’t want to work’. Actually, what also happened was that since ‘Made In India’ was such a big hit, I had no time to sing in Bollywood. I was on tour all the time. The next 5 years after ‘Made In India’, I spent doing so many shows. There, I was a star. Here, I was just a playback singer. The shows were doing fabulously well. I became a star in my own right. And it continues to be a classic.”
The post Alisha Chinai reveals why she WALKED AWAY from Bollywood playback singing: “Playback singers were treated BADLY…I was upset with the whole situation with all the labels” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.