1. Lata Mangeshkar

Music_department | Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…

Lata Mangeshkar was born in Indore on September 28, 1929, and became, quite simply, the most popular playback singer in Bollywood’s history. She has sung for over 50 years for actresses from Nargis to Preity Zinta, as well as having recorded albums of all kinds (ghazals, pop, etc). Until the 1991 …

2. Mohammad Rafi

Music_department | Hum Kisise Kum Naheen

Mohammed Rafi, whose voice brought to life hundreds of melodies, was born in a village Kotla Sultan Singh near Amritsar long before India attained its independence. But music training beckoned him to Lahore where he cut his musical teeth under the hawk-like eye of Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan. He made his…

3. Kishore Kumar

Music_department | Sholay

Abhas Kumar Ganguly was born in Khandwa, now in Madhya Pradesh. His dad’s name was Kunjilal, a lawyer by profession, and his mom’s name was Gouri Devi, who came from a wealthy family.

Kishore was the youngest in the Ganguly family, preceded by Ashok Kumar, Sati, & Anoop Kumar (I). Sati was married …

4. Asha Bhosle

Music_department | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

One of the greatest playback singers in Bollywood history, Asha Bhosle has recorded over 10,000 songs for over 800 movies. Although every class (ghazals, pop, etc) of song was within her vocal range, her specialty was in sensual songs or Western-styled songs–she had an uncanny knack for making …

5. Mukesh

Music_department | Anari

A singer in a class of his own, Mukesh was ranked, along with Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar, as one of the greatest male playback singers in Bollywood history. However, his position was unique – while Rafi was perfection incarnate and Kumar was the astonishing yodeller, Mukesh was that man in a …

6. Talat Mahmood

Music_department | Baaz

Talat Mahmood was born on February 24, 1924 in Lucknow, India. He is known for his work on Baaz (1953), Taxi Driver(1954) and Devdas (1955). He died on May 9, 1998 in Bombay, India.

7. Geeta Dutt

Music_department | Pyaasa

Geeta Dutt was born in Faridpur District in East Bengal in 1930. Music Director Hanuman Prasad gave her chance to sing two lines in the film Bhakt Prahlad (1946). Her major assignment came the following year, 1947, with Do Bhai. From 1947-1949 Geeta Duttt was number playback singer in Mumbai. …

8. Hemanta Mukherjee

Music_department | Nagin

Hemanta Mukherjee was born on June 16, 1920 in Benares, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He is known for his work on Nagin (1954), Bees Saal Baad (1962) and Kohraa(1964). He was married to Bela Mukherjee. He died on September 26, 1989 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India.

9. Jagjit Singh

Soundtrack | Veer-Zaara

Jagjit Singh was born on February 8, 1941 in Sri Ganganagar, Rajputana, British India. He is known for his work on Veer-Zaara(2004), Khal Nayak (1993) and Sarfarosh (1999). He was married to Chitra Singh. He died on October 10, 2011 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

10. Manna Dey

Music_department | Sholay

Manna Dey was born on May 1, 1919 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India as Prabodh Chandra Dey. He is known for his work on Sholay (1975), Mera Naam Joker (1970) and Karz(1980). He was married to Sulochana Dey. He died on October 24, 2013 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

11. Shamshad Begum

Music_department | C.I.D.

She made her debut on a radio station in Lahore in December 1937.Radio Lahore had begun broadcasting on December 16,1937. Shamshad Begum was one of the first playback singers there.

12. Mahendra Kapoor

Music_department | Hamraaz

Mahendra Kapoor (9 January 1934 – 27 September 2008), one of Hindi cinema’s most prominent singers, on his 9th death anniversary.

Mahendra Kapoor was born in Amritsar, but soon moved to Mumbai. At an early age he was inspired by singer Mohammed Rafi but he started learning classical music under …

13. Kumar Sanu

Music_department | Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Kumar Sanu was born on September 22, 1957 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India as Kedarnath Bhattacharya. He is known for his work on Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Baazigar (1993) and 1942: A Love Story (1994).

14. Alka Yagnik

Music_department | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

Alka’s musical career began at the age of six, when she started interpreting devotional songs for Calcutta Radio. She came to Mumbai at the age of 10, along with her mother to try her luck as a child singer. Eminent music directors Kalyanji Veerji Shahand Anandji Veerji Shah were impressed by her …

15. Udit Narayan

Music_department | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

Udit Narayan Jha credited as Udit Narayan (born 1 December 1955)is an established Indian playback singer who works in Bollywood and whose songs have been featured mainly in Nepali and Bollywood movies.He has won three National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards. He is the only male singer in the …

16. Kavita Krishnamurthy

Music_department | Devdas

Kavita Krishnamurthy was born on January 25, 1958 in New Delhi, India as Sharada Krishnamurthy. She is known for her work on Devdas (2002), 1942: A Love Story (1994) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). She has been married to L. Subramaniam since November 11, 1999. They have one child.

17. Sadhana Sargam

Music_department | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

Sadhana Sargam is known for her work on Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), Dasavatharam (2008) and Kuch Naa Kaho(2003).

18. Sonu Nigam

Music_department | Kal Ho Naa Ho

Sonu Nigam was born on July 30, 1973 in Faridabad, Haryana, India as Sonu Kumar Nigam. He is known for his work on Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Om Shanti Om (2007) and Main Hoon Na (2004). He has been married to Madhurima Nigam since February 15, 2002. They have one child.

19. Shankar Mahadevan

Music_department | Kal Ho Naa Ho

Shankar Mahadevan was born on March 3, 1967 in Chembur, Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is known for his work on Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag(2013).

20. Shreya Ghoshal

Music_department | Devdas

Shreya Ghoshal was born on March 12, 1984 in Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, India. She is known for her work on Devdas (2002), Om Shanti Om (2007) and Bajirao Mastani (2015). She has been married to Shiladitya Mukhopadhyaya since February 5, 2015.

21. Hariharan

Soundtrack | Deadpool 2

Hariharan is known for his work on Deadpool 2 (2018), Hera Pheri (2000) and Aasai (1995).

22. K.S. Chitra

Music_department | Koi… Mil Gaya

23. Balasubramaniam S.P.

Music_department | 7 Aum Arivu

Balasubramaniam S.P. was born on June 4, 1946 in Konetampet, Pallipattu, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh [now Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu], India as Sripati Panditharadhyula Balasubramaniam. He is known for his work on 7 Aum Arivu(2011), Shankarabharanam (1980) and Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). He…

24. Anuradha Paudwal

Music_department | Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin

Anuradha Paudwal was born on October 27, 1954 in India. She is known for her work on Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Aashiqui(1990) and Beta (1992).

25. K.J. Yesudas

Music_department | Bharatham

K.J. Yesudas was born on January 10, 1940 in Fort Kochi, Kingdom of Cochin, British India as (Dr.) Kattassery Joseph Yesudas. He is known for his work on Bharatham (1991), Chitchor (1976) and Mannan (1992). He has been married to Prabha since 1970.