Kailash Kher Was Replaced By Sukhwinder Singh In SRK's Chalte Chalte; Here's Why

Kailash Kher, a distinguished figure among India’s top vocalists, has left an indelible mark with his contributions to a multitude of compositions and performances in over 20 languages. In a recent revelation, the singer candidly discussed a situation where he didn’t receive the recognition he deserved for a song he lent his voice to in Aziz Mirza’s 2003 film Chalte Chalte, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji. He expressed that he learned about losing the song to Sukhwinder Singh after the movie’s music album had already been released.

In a conversation with Bollywood Thikana, Kailash Kher fondly looked back on the joy he experienced when the creators of Chalte Chalte approached him for a song. “I was called to sing a song which was written by Javed Akhtar in the Aziz Mirza film Chalte Chalte. I thought if such a big director is calling me, it must not be for nothing. He must be calling me to sing a song. These are big names who are calling. So, I went there and sang a song. Gaana bhi ek dum aise kushti vala (The song was also just like wrestling). It took a lot of effort to sing it,” he recalled.

Kailash Kher had recorded a few songs and even confided in his sister about his opportunity to sing for a Shah Rukh Khan movie. However, upon receiving the first audio CD of the film, he was taken aback to find that his name was replaced by someone else’s. He said, “But when the first audio CD of the film came, it didn’t have the name Kailash Kher. It had someone else’s name. That is when I got the first setback. I thought, ‘Bade aadmi bhi choti harkat karte hain (Even big people do such small things).’ They made some other singers sing the song.”

The song, which he believed to be his, titled Layi Vi Na Gayi, was ultimately performed by, Sukhwinder Singh. According to Kailash Kher, this incident proved to be an eye-opener for him. Layi Vi Na Gayi was featured in the movie, with scenes depicting the central characters Raj and Priya, portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, respectively.

Kailash Kher was raised in a family rooted in traditional folk singing, The singer’s musical style is heavily influenced by Indian folk melodies and classical maestros like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, among others. Previously facing financial hardships, the singer of Choti Si Chiraiya earned widespread recognition purely due to his unwavering commitment and relentless diligence.

Kailash Kher performed his first Bollywood track, Rabba Ishq Na Hove, for the film Andaaz. Subsequently, he gained immense fame through his rendition of Allah Ke Bande from the movie Waisa Bhi Hota Hai-Part II and his most popular track Saiyaan from his 2007 album Jhoomo Re. Recently, the singer collaborated with music composer Pranaay on the song Ho Tayyar for the movie OMG 2, which stars Akshay Kumar, Pankaj Tripathi, and Yami Gautam in prominent roles.