Alisha Chinai refused Rs 15,000 cheque for ‘Kajra Re’, says she was hurt: ‘I was big at that time’

After the 'Kajra Re' controversy, Alisha Chinai boycotted Bollywood, vowing not to return until copyright laws were changed.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | October 6, 2025 07:21 PM IST

3 min read

Alisha Chinai recalls her experience singing Kajra Re. (Photo: IMDb)

When Rani Mukerji and Abhishek Bachchan-starrer Bunty Aur Babli released in 2005, its chartbuster track “Kajra Re”, featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan, instantly became a cultural phenomenon. Sung by Alisha Chinai, the song not only topped charts but also won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer. Even today, it remains a staple at Indian weddings and parties. But behind its success lies an unpleasant truth. Alisha revealed that she was offered only Rs 15,000 for singing the song—an amount she found insulting and refused to accept.

In a conversation with Zoom, the singer recalled: “After Kajra Re, I was really angry and upset. I was hurt. I thought—don’t they have any value for singers? I was already big at that time with ‘Made in India’. I didn’t really want to do playback, but because Ehsaan (from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy) called me, I agreed. I also said yes because it was Yash Raj. But when the cheque came, I was like—‘Hello!’ I didn’t accept it. They kept sending it back, but I refused.”

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Her candid admission at the time sparked controversy. “Back then, I was still naive and not politically correct,” she said. “I blurted out that they didn’t pay me, and it became a big deal, which of course didn’t go down well with them.”

Despite the uproar, Alisha Chinai stands firm on her stance. “It wasn’t fair play by the makers. Many singers today don’t even get paid, because they’ve lowered their own standards. The industry behaves like they’re doing singers a favour, but they’re actually not.”

This wasn’t the only shock for the pop diva. In a 2010 interview with The Times of India, Alisha revealed she was aghast to learn that YRF was collecting royalties on “Kajra Re” whenever she performed it abroad. She discovered this when an international organiser asked her not to sing the track, as they would have to pay a hefty fee to the production house.

The experience pushed her to take a stand. Alisha Chinai declared she would not sing in Bollywood until copyright laws changed. “No more Bollywood for me. Let the copyright laws change, phir dekhungi,” she said firmly.

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Since then, the singer has turned down several offers, including Madhur Bhandarkar’s Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji.

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