Sunidhi Chauhan

If you have hummed even just a handful of popular Bollywood songs over the last two decades, there is a 99% probability that at least one of them was sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. She began singing when she was four. She has been nominated for a total of 81 awards, including 14 Filmfare and 14 I.I.F.A. awards, and has won 22 of those coveted trophies.

Sunidhi Chauhan is a highly talented singer and is often known for giving a powerful performance on the stage that charges up the crowd with excitement and energy. She makes the atmosphere electrifying and that manifests her vocal range. Her infectious personality adds an extra layer of melody. Sunidhi Chauhan is possibly one of the best singers we have from this generation, and even legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has called her the best we have. She has reflected on her views about societal shaming, breaking social norms, and caging.

Sunidhi had faced rejections and being asked to 'pack her bags and leave' the industry; she'd seen it all. In fact, Sunidhi, who's dabbled with both dance numbers and soft, romantic ballads, initially also faced a lot of shaming, with music directors claiming her "voice was masculine."

Sunidhi's Background

She started singing when she was just 4 years old; however, her passion was to dance, not to sing. But she had sung so much in Jagarans in Delhi that she began to believe this was her passion and wanted to do in life. But she faced the truth when she sang his first song for a film called Shastra; she realized that it was not just a hobby that she wanted to continue but wanted to take up as a career in her life. This realization has had happened at the age of 13.

It is also to note that her initial name was Nidhi, not Sunidhi. When she was singing in Delhi, people attached "Master" to the boy and "Baby" to the girls. So, she started being called "Baby Sunidhi," and it also became her stage name. When she shifted to Bombay, Kalyanji suggested her it would be wonderful if she altered her name from Nidhi to Sunidhi. Kalyanji loved the letter "S" and the letter "Sh" in Hindi with "Sh." Many Hindi words that are associated with music start with "Sur," "Shargam," etc. In his Academy, personalities like Sadhana Sargam, Sonali Bajpai, Sneha, and many more people were there whose names started with "S," so he thought the naming to Sunidhi. She had worked in the Kalyanji's Academy.

She hailed from a modest family background (middle class) and she did not have any influential background. Her father's name was Dushyant Chauhan, had worked as a Theatre artist at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, and her mother was a homemaker. She also had a sibling whose name is Suneha Chauhan.

In an interview given to Bollywood Bubble, a YouTube channel, she said that she had studied till class 10. However, some report suggests that she has studied till class 12. She has done her schooling at Greenway Modern School and was residing with her family members at Dilshad Garden, Delhi.

Family Support System

Her family was very supportive at an early phase. Her father used to travel with her everywhere, even though her father jeopardized his career for her. Her father was a wonderful actor and was comfortable in his life. He had spent 12-13 years in theatre and used to play the character of Ram in the Ramleela. People, out of respect, go to him and touch down his feet. But when he realized Sunidhi's career that she wanted to pursue a career in singing, he chose to put aside his career and support Sunidhi in his endeavor wholeheartedly. Her parents never put pressure on her studies and gave her the liberty to go out wherever she wanted to. She just wanted to sing after finishing her 10th grade. This decision of hers was respected and always stood behind her as bedrock. When her family shifted to Mumbai, the family faced some initial hiccups to adjust to Mumbai's life.

Personal Life

She tied the knot with well-acclaimed director and popular choreographer Bobby Khan after getting worked on the music video. They held their marriage ceremony in the yaear 2002 in the presence of close friends and guests. However, she did not receive active support from her parents and faced stiff opposition from their parents. It may contribute to the different religious backgrounds they were coming from. However, the couple witnessed a separation a year after marriage, and Sunidhi reconciled with her parents later. During the separation phase, Sunidhi used to reside with Annu Kapoor and his wife Arunita. Sunidhi petitioned for divorce in the court in the same year and reasoned that they wanted different things in life.

She began dating music composer Hitesh Sonik. Sonik was her friend when she clinched Meri Awaz Suno from being friends; they entered into a relationships. Both of them dated for two years and finally culminated in a wedding held on 24 April 2012. They kept their wedding low profile and held their ceremony in Goa. However, they threw a huge reception in Mumbai, which was attended by renowned Bollywood stars. They have been blessed with a son whose name is Tegh.

Sunidhi Chauhan's Struggle in the Music Industry

She started her musical journey at the age of 11-12 years. However, she did not face the brunt because of her age. All this load was taken by his father, who used to run for her. She described herself as just a tape recorder, as she used to go with her father, and whenever she was asked to sing to someone, she had to sing. Before getting a big break, she had faced lots of rejections at the initial stage of her career. At the beginning of her career, she was asked to sing chorus lines and leave. But these things helped her to learn a lot, and she kept brushing herself and becoming better with the passing day. She is thankful to all those who said to her, "Pack your bags" and "This kind of voice won't work in the industry." Her voice has also been labeled as a "masculine voice," but Sunidhi takes it as a compliment. She takes it as a gift that is received from God. She has also been subjected to negative comments but these things do not affect her all because of the support she receives from the parents. She does not allow negativity to affect her mental peace.

Artistic Career

She entered the industry with her debut song, "Ladki Deewani Dekho," for the film Shashtra. She also became the winner of the first singing reality show aired on D.D. National named Meri Awaz Suno. She was bestowed with the "Lata Mangeshkar Trophy" for being as Best Female Singer of India.

For her song "Ruki Ruki Si," she clinched the RD Burman Award at the Annual Filmfare Awards and received nominations for the Best Female Playback Singer at the same show.

She got another breakthrough with her song "Mehboob Mere" for the film Fiza, released in 2000 in collaboration with composer-singer "Anu Malik." She was nominated for Best Female Playback Singer for "Mehboob Mere ."Vidhu Vinod Chopra roped in Chauhan to sing "Bumbro" for the movie Mission Kashmir.

She was featured in the four tracks of the film Ajnabee. Some of the playback songs in the movie include Mehbooba Mehbooba, Meri Zindagi Mein Ajnabee, etc. These songs proved to be highly successful and it was clear manifestations of her versatility. Later, she sang for the film Ehsaas with the songs "Yeh Kaisa Ehsaas Hai" and "Ek Baar Pyar."

She collaborated with Malik for the four movies in the year 2002. Apart from singing in the title track, she featured in the 3 other songs: Ya Habibi, Maine To Khai Kasam, and More Sawariya. These songs all were part of the film Awara Paagal Deewana.

Later, she teamed up with "Ismail Darbar" for the song "Ai Ajnabi" for the film Deewangee, and she put it as the most difficult song. Sunidhi has worked with Himesh Reshammiya for the Film Humraaz.

For the second time, she made an appearance in the Ram Gopal Varma film called Bhoot and made a special appearance in the promotional song "Bhoot Hoon Main ."Chauhan was also brought in for the film Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon to sing as a playback singer for Kareen Kapoor. She has given her voice to the song "Dekh Le" from Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.

Sunidhi's collaborations with Chameli proved to be significant as she got overwhelming recognition and appreciation and sang all tracks for the album. Some of the songs were "Bhaage Re Mann", Sajna Ve Sajna.

She received a third Filmfare nomination for the Best Female Playback Singer for the song "Dhoom Machaale" for the film Dhoom. It was also a commercial success. She sang four tracks for the film Garv. Later works include Aisa Jadoo for the film Khakee and Saaki and "Ishq Kabhi Kario Na" for the movie Musafir.

In 2005, for the first time, she collaborated with Shantanu Moitra, composer, where she recorded a song called "Aao Nee Kudiyon" for the film 7 ½ Phere and another track called "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" for the film Parineeta. She has also worked with Abhishek Bachchan for the "Right Here Right Now" composed by the for the Bluffmaster. She has also worked with the legendary duo Vishal-Shekhar in some of the films, such as Dus, Shabd, etc.

She was nominated for the Film Fare Award for the song "Deedar De" from Dus and "Kaisi Paheli Zindagani" from Parineeta.

Music Rendition (2006-09)

She earned her first Filmfare award for the rendition of "Beedi Jalaile" from the film Omkara (2006), a song that achieved both critical and commercial success. In the same year, she received two more nominations for the songs "Soniye" (Aksar) and "Aashiqui Main" (36 China Town). Collaborating with Pritam, her performances in songs like "Tere Bin," "Aa Kushi Se Khud Kushi Karle," and the Opera-style singing of "Afreen" were well-received. Her duet with Shreya Ghoshal, "Imaan Ka Asar" (Dor), showcased her vocal versatility. Moving forward, Sunidhi continued to deliver hits such as "Soniye Mil Ja" (Aaja Nachle, 2007), "Dance Pe Chance" (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, 2008), and "Desi Girl" (Dostana, 2008). In 2009, she collaborated with Ilaiyaraaja for "Batla De Koyi" (Chal Chalein) and "Hichki Hichki" (Paa). Her rendition of "Raat Ke Dhai Baje" from Kaminey (2009) received critical acclaim for its seamless transition between voices. Sunidhi's continued success includes hits like "Chor Bazaari" (Love Aaj Kal, 2009), showcasing her prowess in the music industry.

Musical Prowess (2009-2017)

She made an international singing debut with the song "Heartbeat" with Enrique Iglesias in 2010. Later, she gave some powerful musical melodious such as "Chhan Ke Mohalla," "Ainvayi Ainvayi," and "Udi. and also came into collaborations with several music composers, Vishal Sekhar, and worked on immensely successful musical tracks such as "Bin Tere" and "Sheila Ki Jawani". She has also been part of Indian Idol as a judge and also participated in the Common Wealth Games closing ceremony.

In continuation, she collaborated with composers like Pritam and received immense praise for songs like "Te Amo" and "Aa Zara. She also tried different genres, from the incredible "Ishq Sufiyana" to the party song "Honeymoon Ki Raat." Later, the audience witnessed her working with a diverse range of composers, such as Amit Trivedi, Ajay-Atul, and Atif Aslam, enriching the Bollywood industry with her melodious voice and producing some successful tracks.

She also collaborated with composer Vishal Sekhar for Punjabi Wedding Songs from the film Hasee Toh Phasee. She continued to collaborate with a diverse range of big composers and delivered hits like "Dance Like a Chammiya," "Phatte Tak Nachna," "Girls Like To Swing,"

Sunidhi Chauhan had represented India at the 2015 Global Citizen Festival. Sunidhi's collaborations with Amit Trivedi delivered musical melodies like "Ranga Re" and "Tere Liye" from Fitoor. She received tremendous applause for her musical rendition of "Just Go To Hell Dil" from Dear Zindagi. In 2017, she gave some notable performances in songs like "Bloody Hell" and Tippa for the Rangoon. She continued with the same momentum in songs like "Zinda" from Naam Shabana and "Radha" from Jab Harry Met Sejal. Chauhan also made an acting debut in the film Playing Priya and gained immense positive comments for her performance.

Public Perception

Chauhan is noted among the public for her captivating styling and incredible fashion sense. Media discussed her look when she appeared in the Indian Idol as a judge. She is often seen experimenting with her hairstyle. When Chauhan got married in 2012, she had to bear a weight of 20 kg. During this period, she was getting breathless and eager to get fit as soon as possible, also she had to perform in regular shows and concerts. She is fond of glamorous outfits, but she remains hesitant with too much weight. She follows a strict diet and visits the gym and jogs regularly. She sheds 12 kg of weight by jogging and workout.

She has also been featured in the Forbes Celebrity 100 list. She has also been named in the "World's Sexiest Asian" list by the F.H.M. India. She is also available on major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. She continues to take feedback from her followers through these platforms. She updates her concert shows via social media platforms.

Charity

Chauhan has immensely contributed to several charity funds and has associated herself with several social causes, for example, working for underprivileged children. She also performs in the shows which are meant for charity and social welfare. She also raised money for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami by recording a song titled "Zindagi Pukaarti Hai."

The money received collected from the sales of cassettes and C.D.s went to the victims. She gave a performance at Trafalgar Square, paid respect to the International Widows Day, and began a charity program to educate the children of poor widows in India. She has also been part of several programs, such as the establishment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.G.s) and the international campaign 25TH anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund).

Acknowledgment

She has received applause from legends like Lata Mangeshkar, who termed her as "Numero Uno" singer of the generation. Chauhan has been picked up as one of the best female singers by versatile and skillful artists like Usha Uthup, Asha Bhosle, and Kavita Krishnamurthy. Shreya Ghoshal, who is considered the toughest competitor, has also complimented Sunidhi for her professionalism. Several talented and veteran artists like Kavita Seth, Manna Dey, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Bombay Jayashri, and Amjad Ali Khan have commended Sunidhi Chauhan for her versatile musical abilities.

Apart from being praised by the legendary singer, the numerous awards she won for his musical performance are a clear manifestation of her musical prowess, vibrancy, and dynamism, which do not require any certification from anybody.

Films and Television Participation

Due to her musical prowess, she has been part of several films, giving special appearances in particular scenes. Television reality shows that are based on the singing competition; Sunidhi Chauhan has appeared in some of these shows as a judge and gave her valuable suggestions and feedback to the contestants. A list of films and television shows in which she has appeared is given below:

Conclusion

Sunidhi Chauhan is an excellent singer who has dominated the music Industry. She has been phenomenal at singing and mesmerized the audience with her stunning stage performance. Chauhan is very popular among college students and she performs in college programs also.

Her successful journey inspires everyone. A small girl from Delhi dominating the glamorous-ridden Bollywood is an incredible feat. She was passionate about singing from an early stage, and an opportunity arrived at the right moment for her. It is heartening to note that her parents were supportive and eager about her career choice. Sunidhi did not face objections and resistance from her parents. Kudos to her father, who stood with her right from the beginning of her career and did not buckle down from the hardship.

However, her personal life has remained a personal talking point in the media and audience, but this issue has not affected her performance. The audience hopes that she will continue to mesmerize the audience with her powerful and electric performance.