Alisha Chinai says she left Bollywood as singers were being made to sign ‘illegal’ contracts: ‘There was no fair play’

Singer Alisha Chinai has opened up on her absence from Hindi film music over the last decade.

Singer Alisha Chinai has had several huge hits under her belt. From Made in India to Kajra Re, her voice has been behind some of the most iconic Hindi tracks. Yet, she has been selective with her choices in Hindi film music. In a recent interview, the singer called it a conscious call, a sort of protest against the ‘illegal’ contracts that she said were being forced upon singers in the industry.

Alisha Chinai has recorded a handful of Hindi films since 2010.

Alisha Chinai slams Bollywood contracts

In an interview with Free Press Journal, Alisha was asked what had kept her away from Bollywood. The singer responded, “To be honest, I was just bored with the Bollywood music. I felt a little burnt out as an artist. I wanted to do something different. So, I stayed away, and there were other reasons as well, like all the politics going on.”

Elaborating on the reasons, the 60-year-old singer added, “The copyright issues for artists, the injustice, and there was no fair play. We were just being made to sign contracts, which were, in my opinion, completely illegal. So, I refused to sign them, and that was another reason why people didn't choose to call me, which is fine. It suited me fine. I also had to stay away for a very long time because I had some personal issues. So, there were various reasons.”

Alisha Chinai's singing career

Alisha was a prolific singer in the Hindi film industry in the 90s and 2000s. But since 2013, she has recorded only one song for a Hindi film - Zinadgi Meri Dance Dance in the 2017 film Daddy. Her last hit was Dil Tu Hi Bata from Krrish 3 (2013).

Apart from film music, Alisha has been very successful in the indipop scene. Her albums Babydoll and Bombay Girl established her as a distinct voice in the Indian pop music scene in the 80s. But it was the success of Made in India in 1997 that made her a household name across India. Made in India remains one of the highest-selling non-film soundtracks in Indian music.