Latest news with #ARRahman
India.com
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet India's highest-paid singer, lives in a village, sells Rs 40 meal, charges Rs 14 crore for a show, beats Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, not AR Rahman, he is…
India's highest-paid singer: The Indian music industry is one of the most followed industries globally, and this Indian singer has now become Spotify's new king. Forget Taylor Swift, Drake, ED Sheeran, and The Weeknd, this artist beats top singers to claim the top spot on Spotify to become the most followed artist on the globe with over 140 million followers. Who is India's highest-paid singer? This singer has been ruling everyone's heart for years, his magical voice has been the track to many countless love songs and heartbreak anthems. He not just rules the top playlist, he also charges Rs 14 crore for two two-hour live shows. You'll be shocked to know that, despite earning so much wealth, he still lives in a village and sells Rs 40 meals. If media reports are to be believed, his net worth is said to be Rs 414 crore. Still wondering which singer we are talking about? No it's not AR Rahman, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, or Udit Narayan. The singer whom we are referring to is none other than, Arijit Singh. According to Business Today, Arijit Singh is the most followed artist on the globe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos) Pay Rs 16 Lakhs to get a closer view of Arijit Multiple media reports claim that, Arijit Singh's premium seats can make a hole in your pocket. Whopping Rs 16 lakh to see Arijit Singh closer at concerts, the amount is equivalent to buying a sedan car in India. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arijit Singh (@arijitsingh) Owns a Rs 8 crore house, still lives in a village According to reports, Arijit Singh bought a lavish house in Mumbai costing over Rs 8 crore. Despite his immense wealth, Arijit prefers to live in Jiaganj, a small town in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Well, most of the time, Arijit Singh lives a private life, unlike stars, he rarely appears infront of the media and paparazzi. Sells food at just Rs 40 India's richest singer also runs a restaurant which sells meals at the price of sodas. Yes, you read that right, a meal at Arijit Singh's restaurant Heshel costs up to Rs 40. Arijit Singh beats AR Rahman in… Unlike superstars and other singers, Arijit Singh lives a simple and grounded life. Unlike actors flaunting their luxury cars and private jets worth crores. According to media reports, Arijit Singh charges Rs 14 crore for a show, which is 14 times more than Oscar winner and music director AR Rahman.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive: AR Rahman reflects on how storytelling and artistic choices have shifted in the movie industry
AR Rahman Known for his transformative impact on music over the decades, AR Rahman has voiced concerns about the evolving creative landscape in the film industry. Reflecting on how storytelling and artistic choices have shifted, in a chat with BT the Oscar-winning composer said, 'In the past, there was a certain innocence in filmmaking—and that was beautiful,' Rahman said. 'Today, filmmakers are more calculated, with pre-set ideas. It is a good thing that they know what they want, but the bad thing is ideas are being repeated because they want something which already exists. And they are happy with it. That is one of the reasons why remixes have come in. They know that the song is familiar to the audience which makes it easy to get their attention.' Rahman lamented the dominance of safe, formulaic storytelling, warning that it stifles innovation and freshness. He emphasised that this trend is not limited to Bollywood but is also prominent in Hollywood. He said, 'Audiences who expect newness, innovation and something which should be like a breath of fresh air are being choked with repetitive stuff and with ideas which are contrived and safe. This isn't just an Indian issue—it's happening in Hollywood too. They just want the money to come in. That is where Indie movies come in (where they take risks and value originality).'
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
‘CHINKY': Shillong singer Sonu Borai reclaims slur in bold anti-discrimination anthem
Fighting discrimination against how one looks is never easy, especially in a country as diverse as India. As social media continues to be a powerful medium, many people have started using these platforms to speak out about the discrimination they have faced, particularly those from the Northeast. For many, it has become a space to share their stories and challenge long-held stereotypes. But there are two sides to the coin. The Internet has also made things worse with trolling and backlash based on half-baked reports and entirely fake stories. Stereotyping is rampant — Biharis are often reduced to labourers and litti chokha, South Indians to idli-dosa and dark skin, Gujaratis to dhokla and business, and people from the Northeast are labelled 'Chinese' or 'momo sellers.' It gets worse for women creators, many are harassed in the comments and even asked about their 'rates.' If you've ever followed a creator from the Northeast and glanced at the comments section, you know what it's all about. Despite their being Indian, many mainlanders end up lumping them for their features with the despised other, Chinky! Instead of ignoring such racist abuse, Shillong-based singer Sonu Borai has written a song entirely devoted to Chinky, and is receiving plaudits from several artistes, including A R Rahman's Khatija Rahman. 'If there's one thing I want the country to take away from CHINKY, it's this: Let's be one. Let's recognise and respect the diversity that makes India beautiful, and stop the 'othering' and discrimination. We are all part of this nation,' Borai said in an interview to This is not turning the other cheek like Christ, but boldly taking on the abuse and shutting it down. 'The experiences in 'CHINKY' are deeply personal. I've been called 'Chinky,' 'momo,' and 'Chinese' countless times. The feeling of being 'othered' and seen as a 'lesser' is a constant reality. As a Hindu from the Northeast, I've faced unique prejudice from multiple sides. These recurring microaggressions and overt racism directly fuelled my song,' he said. A post shared by S (@sonu_baroi) Here are the excerpts from the interview: The lyrics in the song say, We rise, take control. Can you cite examples of people from the Northeast taking leadership positions in areas outside the Northeast? Our region is a powerhouse in sports, with athletes like Mary Kom (Manipur), a six-time world boxing champion and Olympic medalist, and Bhaichung Bhutia (Sikkim), a celebrated former captain of the Indian national football team, having brought immense glory to India. Beyond these, Mirabai Chanu (Manipur) and Lovlina Borgohain (Assam) are also Olympic medalists, and Hima Das (Assam) has made her mark as a sprinting sensation. Beyond music, the Northeast also significantly contributes to arts and culture, education, and like Silbi Passah, who was awarded Padma Shri for focusing on socially useful, productive work (SUPW) and music, particularly Khasi Jaintia folk songs and traditional musical instruments. With individuals gaining national and international recognition in cinema, fashion, and literature, they are enriching India's diverse cultural tapestry. The song is a welcome attempt to forge Northeast unity. Historically, the rivalries within NE states themselves are very strong, forget between the 8 states, is there something tangible called unity in the Northeast, or is it another tokenism? The Northeast has a complex history with over 200 ethnic groups and past rivalries, like border disputes and ethnic clashes (e.g., Nagas-Kukis, Bodos). But 'Northeast unity' isn't just talk. It's growing because of shared experiences, especially being stereotyped as 'outsiders'. We also see it in cultural exchange, economic initiatives like the Act East Policy, and the youth connecting through social media. While differences remain, a common Northeastern identity is clearly emerging, especially when facing external perceptions. 'CHINKY' strongly helps this unity by turning shared grievances into a powerful call for pride and recognition. The title is a racial slur that many Northeastern Indians have faced. Why did you choose to speak about it directly through your music? I chose 'CHINKY' as the title precisely because it is a racial slur that has been used to demean and marginalise people from the Northeast for far too long. By reclaiming it, I aim to strip it of its power to hurt. Art has the unique ability to confront uncomfortable truths, and I wanted to directly challenge the racism we face. My intention is to turn a word meant to shame into a symbol of defiance and pride. It forces listeners to confront the prejudice, sparking conversations and raising awareness about the experiences of Northeastern Indians. It's about taking ownership of our narrative and transforming a negative into a powerful statement of identity and resilience How do you think the media, education, and government should better address racism against the Northeast? The media must stop stereotyping and provide more diverse, realistic coverage of the Northeast, actively fact-checking misinformation. Education needs an inclusive curriculum on Northeast history and cultures, running awareness programs, and training teachers on sensitivity. Beyond institutional changes, every individual has a role to play. We should actively encourage and practice treating everyone with kindness and respect. After all, fostering empathy, understanding, and acceptance is fundamental to humanity. Have other artists or public figures reached out to you since the song went viral? Not yet, but A.R. Rahman's daughter Khatija Rahman liked my post and even commented! And other public figures, such as Hina Gujral, Swara Bhasker, have commented and liked my content. That's a huge deal for me. Discrimination against people from the Northeast is often normalised or ignored in the mainstream. How do you think music and art can help change that? Music and art are powerful for fighting discrimination. They raise awareness of ignored racism, build empathy by sharing our stories, and directly challenge stereotypes by showcasing our true identity. For us, it fosters pride and unity, and crucially, it sparks conversations that force people to confront their biases.
Indian Express
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
With 4.6 billion views, this devotional song is the most viewed video on YouTube; Hariharan recalls a priest ‘almost touched his feet' because of it
Singer Hariharan has been gracing the Indian audience with his soulful voice and unmatched skill of singing since the early 1990s. The singer, who recently held a Soul India program in Pune, for local artistes and musicians to showcase their talent, has sung many Bollywood hits and has also been celebrated in the independent music space. But, his biggest hit on YouTube with over 4.6 billion views, is his rendition of Hanuman Chalisa. In a recent interview, the singer talked about his rendition of Hanuman Chalisa, and shared that at one point, a priest almost touched his feet and got emotional upon meeting him. While talking to Radio Nasha, the singer talked about his career as a playback singer in Indian films and spoke about his version of Hanuman Chalisa. He shared that the love he gets for this baffles him to this date. He said, 'I was completely flabbergasted by the response it got. I didn't understand how it became such a huge thing and the kind of belief people have in it… It truly humbles me.' ALSO READ: AR Rahman reveals real reason behind his recent hospitalisation; calls it a 'humanising' experience: 'Realised that people wanted me to live' Hariharan shared a beautiful anecdote about this particular track and talked about his visit to Pushkar, where a priest's behaviour towards him completely took him by surprise. He said, 'I once visited the Brahma temple in Pushkar. The priest at the temple came up to me, folded his hands and nearly touched my feet. I asked him 'Maharaj ji yeh aap kya kar rahe hai (What are you doing?)'. He told me that they start the day with my rendition of Hanuman Chalisa.' The track which has transcended geographical boundaries worked wonders for Hariharan, who believes that every time someone listens to it, they pray for his well being and success. 'Not only in the north, but even people from the south tell me that they listen to my Hanuman Chalisa, it is the greatest blessing for me,' added the singer. At the time of publishing, Hariharan's Hanuman Chalisa stands at 4.6 billion views on YouTube, making it the most viewed Indian video on the platform.
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Baba Sehgal disses AR Rahman's song Rukmani Rukmani: ‘Kitne vahiyat lyrics hai'
Singer Baba Sehgal worked with AR Rahman on the Hindi version of Roja's popular track Rukmani Rukmani. Now, in a new interview, he has revealed that he didn't like the lyrics of the song at all. Also read: AR Rahman says his recent health scare made him realise that people do want him to live The song has been composed by AR Rahman for Mani Ratnam's 1992 film. During an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Baba Sehgal looked back at the time when he was approached for the Hindi version of the Tamil song during a performance in Chennai. He shared that there was an assistant director who came and played Rukmani Rukmani's Tamil version. But he didn't pay much attention to it and just said 'yes' to the song. Baba claimed that Rahman, along with his team, came to his hotel and requested him to help release the song. He mentioned that he helped the team get in touch with some of his friends, who asked him to sing the Hindi version. He said, 'When I saw the Hindi lyrics, I was like, 'Kitne vahiyat lyrics hai yaar. Kisne likha hai ye?' (How cheap are these lyrics? Who wrote this?) The problem is, when we listen to songs in another language, they sound fine. But in our own language, we grasp the meaning. I don't think Rahman or Ratnam knew what those Hindi lyrics meant'. Baba also spoke about why the song turned out to be his only collaboration with AR Rahman. 'It was a forced thing. I was not at all convinced with the lyrics. They were very cheap, I feel. Another lady was called to sing the female lines. Later, I told Swetha Shetty to sing those too, and she nailed it. That was my first and last song with Rahman. Language was a problem. We never met after that,' he shared. Baba Sehgal is credited for introducing rap in India with his song Thanda Thanda Pani in 1992. An electrical engineer by training, Baba Sehgal attained stardom in the early 1990s as a rap star. His ascent had much to do with the rise of MTV in those years. Over the years, he released several songs that went on to take their place in the party playlist of people. Later in his career, he also appeared in films. He regularly takes to social media to share varied videos related to songs and music.
