All posts tagged: Chinai

Alisha Chinai shares rare photo and heartfelt letter from Rajiv Gandhi

Alisha Chinai shares rare photo and heartfelt letter from Rajiv Gandhi

Published by Webster

Bollywood ace singer Alisha Chinai recently took a trip down memory lane as she shared a rare photograph with former late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.   She also shared a picture of the heartfelt letter that was penned by him addressed to the singer in 1989. Calling it an “epic moment” and a treasured memory from a “golden era,” Alisha’s posted the picture and the letter on her social media account. Alisha shared a vintage picture featuring a young version of herself posing beside Rajiv Gandhi. In the picture, the singer is seen sporting curly hair while standing right next to the late Prime Minister who is seen standing besides her in a classic white kurta-pyjama look.           View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Alisha Chinai (@alishachinaiofficial) She also shared a photograph of the personal letter sent to her by Rajiv Gandhi on the official Prime Minister letterhead dated May 27, 1989. In the letter, he thanked …

Kishore Kumar was ‘busy clowning’ during Mr India recording, says Alisha Chinai: ‘He gave me a look…left without a word’ | Bollywood News

Kishore Kumar was ‘busy clowning’ during Mr India recording, says Alisha Chinai: ‘He gave me a look…left without a word’ | Bollywood News

Published by Parlour News

It was in 1987 that Boney Kapoor released Mr India, directed by Shekhar Kapur. The sci-fi classic, starring Sridevi and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles, was shot over nearly a year. Written by the legendary duo Salim–Javed—who split after this film—the movie remains unforgettable, thanks to iconic characters like Mogambo and Mr India, and evergreen songs such as “Kate Nahin Kat Te” and “Hawa Hawai”. While Mr India evokes nostalgia for many, for singer Alisha Chinai—the voice behind the sensual “Kate Nahin Kat Te”—it also marks her memorable experience of recording with Kishore Kumar. Alisha was barely 21 or 22 when she stepped into the studio to record the duet with Kishore Kumar, who was more than twice her age and already an icon. Composers Laxmikant–Pyarelal were at the helm. Terrified she might forget her lines, Alisha found Kishore da busy “clowning around,” barely acknowledging her presence. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Alisha recalled: “I was so lucky and fortunate that I got to sing with him. After my song with Bappi Lahiri, I …

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

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

Published by Parlour News

Updated on: Nov 28, 2025 09:18 am IST 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 …

Here`s why Alisha Chinai- Queen of Indie pop stopped singing

Here`s why Alisha Chinai- Queen of Indie pop stopped singing

Published by Webster

Singer Alisha Chinai is most popularly known for her song `Made in India`. She sang several hit songs in the 90s and most of the songs were produced by Anu Malik and Biddu. She began her singing career with the album Jadoo in 1985, and by the 1990s she had become known as the `Queen of Indiepop`. She did playback singing for several popular actresses including Aishwarya Rai, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Smita Patil, Mandakini, Sridei, Juhi Chawla and more.  Why did Alisha Chinai stop singing? One of her biggest hits during the 1980s was `Kaate Nahin Katthe` (Mr. India), which she recorded in 1987 with Kishore Kumar  Another successful track, in 1989, was `Raat Bhar Jaam Se` from the film Tridev. In the 1990s, Chinai took on working in different films, collaborating with other music directors, such as Anu Malik, Anand–Milind, Rajesh Roshan and Nadeem-Shravan. Chinai was noted for her 1995 hit single and album, titled Made in India, which was composed by Biddu and went on to become one of the highest-selling pop …