Alisha Chinai (The Queen of pop)

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Alisha Chinai (The Queen of pop)

September 7, 2007 by weyouth

Alisha Chinai
Background information
Birth name	Sujata Chinai
Born	March 18, 1972 (1972-03-18) (age 35) India
Genre(s)	Bollywood filmi playback
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instrument(s)	Vocalist
Years active	1988-current

Biography

Born in 1978 as Sujata, she is popular as Alisha Chinai (shortened to Alisha). She is also known as the “Indian Madonna” (she was first known as Babydoll but an image change later resulted in the “Madonna” moniker). A little known fact is that Sujata changed her name to that of her cousin’s daughter Alisha (also Chinai) after she was born. Alisha Chinai (her cousin’s daughter) is now a fashion accessory designer in India with her label Beā Accessories.

Career

Chinai was discovered by the music director and composer Mr Bappi Lahiri. They did many disco hits together in many films in the 1980s including Dance Dance, Commando, Guru, Love Love Love and more. She started her career with him doing playback singing for many actresses, such as Smita Patil, Mandakini, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Juhi Chawla, etc. In the 90s she worked in other films and for other music directors, such as Anu Malik and Nadeem-Shravan. In 1985, Alisha sang with Remo Fernandes in tha album Old Goan Gold. The songs she sang in this album became very popular.

Alisha (center) as a judge in Indian Idol-3 alongside Javed Akhtar & Udit Narayan

Simultaneously with playback singing, she has recorded many songs as a pop singer, with album releases. Chinai was noted for her 1996 single and album, titled “Made in India”, which contains another well-known song, “Lover Girl.” Throughout her successful years, she had a number of hits in Indian films, including Roundhe (Pyar Tune Kya Kiya), Sona Sona Roop Hai (Bollywood/Hollywood), and the controversial Mujhe Log Bole (Khuddar). However, her follow-up albums were less successful.

Alisha’s return to film music was with the song “Oh My Darling” in the Yash Raj Film Mujhse Dosti Karoge. She then teamed up with Anu Malik after stating she would never work with him again in 1995.

Another high point in her career came with the song Kajra Re (Bunty Aur Babli). The song was a hit and Alisha won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. Her most famous songs have been represented by actresses Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai.

Alisha is currently a judge on Indian Idol 3.