Singer Alisha Chinai has spoken out about the reasons behind her long absence from Hindi film music, revealing a deep discontent with the contractual and copyright practices in Bollywood. Known for her chart-toppers like Made in India and Kajra Re, Chinai said she made a conscious decision to distance herself from the industry after being made to sign what she described as “completely illegal” contracts.
In a recent interview, Chinai admitted that by the 2010s, she had grown “bored with the Bollywood music.” She said she felt “a little burnt out as an artist,” and wanted to explore other paths. But that was only part of the story. According to Chinai, the industry’s flawed system played a far more decisive role. “The copyright issues for artists, the injustice, and there was no fair play,” she explained. She alleged that musicians were routinely forced to sign exploitative contracts, failing which they would be left out of projects, an injustice she refused to participate in.
Her principled stand, she acknowledged, came at a professional cost: “We were just being made to sign contracts, which were, in my opinion, completely illegal. So, I refused to sign them, and that was another reason why people didn’t choose to call me, which is fine. It suited me fine.” For Chinai, leaving Bollywood was not merely a career break, but a protest against a system she believed undermined artists’ rights.
Chinai’s experience echoes earlier public struggles by Indian playback singers protesting unfair royalty practices. It’s not the first time the industry has been accused of undervaluing artists. But coming from someone of Chinai’s stature, often called the “Queen of Indipop”, the revelations cast a harsh light on structural inequities in Bollywood music production.
Despite her absence from mainstream film music since 2013, when she last lent her voice to a film song, Chinai has maintained her identity as an artist through non-film albums and independent projects. In her view, the choice to step back was difficult but necessary, a way to uphold dignity and artistic integrity in an industry she believed compromised ethical standards for profit.
Her comments arrive at a moment when debates around artists’ rights, copyright, and equitable remuneration are gaining renewed traction, especially in the wake of digital streaming and globalisation of music. For many observers, Chinai’s exit is not just a personal story of burnout or disillusionment; it serves as a cautionary tale about the cost of ignoring creators’ rights in modern entertainment.
In hindsight, Chinai’s decision to walk away from Bollywood seems less like a retreat and more like a statement. A protest against a system that failed to respect the very artists whose voices built its success. The industry may have moved on, but for those who cared about fairness, her silence speaks volumes.