Playback Singers Face Shocking Pay Disparity

Playback singers in Bollywood are grappling with a significant pay disparity, as revealed by artist Krishna Beura. He shared that many singers receive meager compensation, with some popular songs earning them as little as Rs 10,000, and in certain instances, zero payment. Beura himself stated that over his 23-year career, his playback singing earnings total approximately Rs 1.5 lakh, as industry insiders believe singers supplement their income through concerts.

This lack of a defined pay structure means singers often cannot demand fair wages, fearing it could jeopardize future work. While top-tier artists can command fees running into crores, emerging or mid-level singers face substantial financial insecurity. The industry's current model reportedly relies on the demand for artists, leading to a situation where only a select few achieve significant financial rewards from playback singing.