Singer Krishna Beura, voice behind Chak De! India’s “Maula Mere Le Le Meri Jaan,” says he was paid only Rs. 10,000 for the hit track and has often received no money for songs recorded for Bollywood. He contrasts this with A-list singers who can earn up to Rs. 3 crore per song.
Playback singer Krishna Beura, best known for lending his voice to iconic Bollywood tracks such as “Maula Mere Le Le Meri Jaan” from Chak De! India and “Aap Ki Kashish” from Aashiq Banaya Aapne, has opened up about the stark pay disparities in the Indian film music industry.
In a recent conversation with Hindi Rush, Krishna said that despite singing some of the most recognised songs in Hindi cinema, his compensation for those contributions was far from commensurate with their popularity. He alleged that he was paid only Rs. 10,000 for the Chak De! India track by Yash Raj Films, a figure he contrasted with the earning potential of top-tier singers.
“There is no fee structure for singers in Bollywood,” Krishna said, underlining a long-standing grievance among many behind-the-scenes artistes. “If you are calling a singer and making him sit in the studio, at least you should pay him Rs. 10,000… they don’t even pay Rs. 10,000 to singers.”
He shared, “There is no fee structure for singers in Bollywood. I say that singer should have minimum wages. Like if you are calling a singer and making him sit in the studio, at least you should pay him Rs 10,000, they don’t even pay Rs 10,000 to singers. For the song, ‘Aap Ki Kashish’, I was paid Rs 10,000. In that also, Rs 900 was cut as TDS. I was paid Rs 10,000 for Chak De India song ‘Maula Mere Lele Meri Jaan’ by Yash Raj Films. I was paid Rs 0 for ‘Soniyo O Soniyo’ song for film Raaz 2. I was paid Rs 0 for the song ‘Moko Kaha Dhunde Re Bande’ and Rs 0 for ‘Mera Intkam Dekhegi’ song.”
He said that for several songs he recorded over his 23-year career in playback singing, including tracks in major films, payments were either minimal or non-existent. Krishna also contrasted his experience with what he described as the earnings of “A-list” singers, noting that some can charge up to Rs. 3 crore for a single song, a level of remuneration he said is far removed from that of less-publicised artistes.
He said, “Some take Rs 5 lakh, some take Rs 10 lakh, and some charge Rs 50 lakh and even charge Rs 3 crore to sing one song. It is all about demand once you have demand in the industry. You will get what you ask for.”
Unlike actors whose pay is generally public and substantial, playback singers and other off-screen contributors often navigate a less transparent system, where compensation can vary greatly and is seldom standardised. The absence of a clear pay structure for singers has been cited by several artistes over the years as a structural issue that undervalues their contributions, even when their work becomes part of hugely successful films.
Krishna’s comments have reignited discussion about how playback singers are compensated relative to their contribution to a film’s commercial and cultural success, especially when their voices help define some of Bollywood’s most memorable musical moments.
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