Alisha Chinai whose chartbusters includes Kajraa Re (Bunty Aur Babli) and Tera Hone Laga Hoon (Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani) has decided not to do playback singing anymore.
Says the obstinate singer, “Aishwarya and Katrina are beautiful women. But sorry, I didn’t enjoy watching them pretending to sing my songs Kajraa Re and Tera Hone Laga Hoon.
It’s so ridiculous! Would you ever see Julia Roberts singing in Madonna’s voice? This practice of ghost voices just spooks me out. I can’t do it anymore. Sorry.”
Alisha’s latest grievance is over the chartbuster Munni Badnaam Hui. She protests, “Who knows it is sung by Mamta Sharma? Everyone sees it as Malaika’s song.”
So what’s the solution? “I’ve none. I can’t fight the system. For years and years, the heroines have been walking away with the credit for songs sung by us playback singers.
Today things have come to such a pathetic and sorry state that no one knows the singers’ identity any more.
Who knows I sang ‘Tera Hone Laga’ for Katrina and ‘It’s Rocking” and ‘Bebo Main Bebo’ for Kareena? In fact, many people think they sang these numbers.”
Alisha not only finds this continual de-recognition of playback singers degrading but also unacceptable. Says the livid singer, “I’ve told my manager to not entertain any offers for playback singing. I can’t do it.
In the past, I saw Sridevi walk away with all the raves for my song Kate Nahin Katate in Mr India. It hurt even then. I’d rather sit at home jobless than allow my talent to be used to further any actress’ popularity.”
Alisha hopes to revive the era of non-film albums. “I know I’m being unrealistic. But I can’t help it.
Either I’ll sing in non-film albums or let the singer also do music videos of songs that heroines lip-synch to on screen. I know other singers just sing their songs, take the peanuts offered as remuneration and go home.
I can’t do that. I won’t be exploited in this way. Pay me and give me my due credit. Or I am out of here.”
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