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‘Deepika Padukone doesn’t like to admit it, but she should credit Himesh Reshammiya for giving her a break’: Mika admits drunk singers complained about Himesh’s rise

Mika Singh admitted that the Bollywood playback community had an existential crisis when Himesh Reshammiya burst onto the scene; they'd get together over drinks and wonder why he was getting all the big songs.

Deepika Padukone appeared in a Himesh Reshammiya music video before her Bollywood debut.

Before making her acting debut with the film Om Shanti Om, opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone appeared in Himesh Reshammiya’s “Naam Hai Tera” music video. Singer Mika Singh said that Deepika should credit him more often for giving her a break, and that she doesn’t speak about it as much as she should. He also admitted that the playback singing community in Bollywood was extremely jealous of Himesh’s early success as a singer, because he was getting all the big songs at one point. Mika himself was thrown for a loop because he felt that they sounded alike.

In an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Mika said, “Deepika doesn’t like to admit it, but she should. More newcomers will learn from her on how to grow in the industry.” In an earlier interview with Pinkvilla, Himesh was asked about launching Deepika, and he said, “We launched many other girls, but they didn’t become Deepika Padukone. So, the whole credit goes to her. She starred in the music video of ‘Naam Hai Tera’, and she was a star from day one. She was fantastic. Her dedication, hard work, and screen presence was good even back then.”

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Deepika appeared as a guest on Indian Idol 11, when Himesh was on the judges’ panel. She thanked him for giving her an opportunity, and said, “I knew nothing about shooting when I was shortlisted for the music video. I never went to a film set or knew how music videos are shot. Whatever I am doing today, I have learned it while filming the music video. Thank you, sir, for giving me this opportunity. You had faith in me when nobody else did.”

Mika said that it was in 2004, while working with Himesh on a project, he suggested that he, Himesh, should also consider singing. The advice backfired on him, because when Himesh debuted as a singer, he skyrocketed to the top of the industry. “He delivered 40 hits in a row, and I’d just set foot in Mumbai. It was over. His success didn’t just impact singers, but also composers. Everybody was wondering where this tsunami had come from. I delayed my Bollywood career because of him, because I wanted his wave to run its course. Had I also stepped in at the same time, people would’ve made comparisons,” he said, adding, “All the singers would get together over drinks and curse him. But he’s so talented. He’s an incredible composer.”

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