Sunidhi Chauhan (born August 14, 1983) is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Bollywood film songs. She is credited with over 2000 songs.

Chauhan began to sing at the age of four, and was discovered by a local TV anchor. She won recognition through a televised, singing contest, Meri Awaz Suno, which she won, and made her entrance into playback singing with the Hindi film Shastra.

Her breakthrough was Ram Gopal Verma's film, Mast, in which she sang the hit song, Ruki Ruki Si Zindagi. Chauhan has since then gone on to work with some of the most prominent musicians, and has lent her voice for a large number of commercially successful films.

She has been nominated for twleve, Filmfare Awards, of which she won three. She has also won two Star Screen Awards, two IIFA Awards and one Zee Cine Award.

Early career

Chauhan started her singing career as a child, giving her first performance at the age of four, in a local temple in Delhi. Thereafter, she began to participate in, and sing for, various competitions and local gatherings. When local TV anchor, Tabassum, spotted her talent, her family shifted to Mumbai in a bid to further develop the young singer's skills, and Chauhan became the lead singer in Kalyanji's 'Little Wonders' troupe.

Recognition first met her in 1996, through the music show Meri Aawaz Suno - the first such televised contest in India - which was broadcast through the Indian national television channel, Doordarshan. She won the competition, and bagged the top prize of recording an album, Aira Ghaira Nathu Khaira, with HMV. She also came into the attention of Indian, music legend Lata Mangeshkar, who was one of the judges at the contest, and who offered to train her after learning that the young girl had no real training in music.

Unluckily for Chauhan, Aira Ghaira Nathu Khaira was promoted as a children's album, despite some truly wonderful works by her, and failed to get the recognition it deserved. In 2002, Chauhan herself observed this in an interview:

"My first song and the contest did not help me much. Nothing happened for a while. But by then, I had made up my mind that I will pursue singing as a career."

Chauhan stepped into the world of playback singing with the 1996 Bollywood film, Shastra, after Aadesh Srivastava asked her to lend her voice to the song Larki Deewaani Dekho, Ladka Deewaana. She followed it with work in films like Gang, Veergati, Dahek, Bade Dilwala, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and Samar and, by the age of nineteen, had already lent her voice to over 350 songs.

Vocal ability

Chauhan's voice has been described as "powerful,""amazing," "husky ... [and] sensuous". However, it has been noted that Chauhan can not hit high notes without losing some tonal quality, and people have cited her voice more suited to fast and pop songs, as compared to slow ones.

In 2007, while discussing Chauhan's popular song Beedi Jailaile, actress Bipasha Basu (on whom the song was picturised) said, "Sunidhi is a goddess. Her singing is so powerful. She added another dimension to my dancing." Indian singing legend, Lata Mangeshkar has called Chauhan "one of the finest young singers." Ironically, Chauhan's item numbers have been said to mark the end of the "squeakyLata Mangeshkar ," a period in which Mangeshkar's style of soft voice and classical msuic was preferred over racy pop songs. Indian singer Richa Sharma thanked Chauhan for this in an interview:

"[...] I've one amazing singer Sunidhi Chauhan to thank for this [change]. How I adore that girl's voice! Her deviant voice makes me hopeful about the future for another kind of voice."

Special Appearances

In October 2008, Chauhan appeared on a special episode of the singing contest, Star Voice of India, alongside composer Ashu Dhruv, to promote their film, Drona.

She was also a guest RJ for India's Radio City 91.1 FM's new morning show, Musical-e-Azam where, over her week-long stint, she interviewed the likes of Kunal Ganjawala, Daler Mehendi, Sukhwindar, Adnan Sami and Gulzar (lyricist).

Famous songs

In alphabetical order:

• Aisa Jadoo (Khakee)
• Aaja Nachle (Aaja Nachle)
• Avalude raavukal (Shakeela)
• Beedi Jalaile (Omkara)
• Bhaage Re Mann (Chameli)
• Cash Meri Aankhon Mein (Cash)
• Chhaliya (Tashan)
• Crazy Kiya Re (Dhoom 2)
• Dance Pe Chance (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi)
• Dhadak Dhadak (Bunty Aur Babli)
• Deedar De (Dus)
• Dekh Le (Munna Bhai MBBS)
• Desi Girl (Dostana)
• Dhoom Machale (Dhoom)
• Dil Mein Jagi Dhadkan Aise(Sur)
• Ek Ajnabee (Ek Ajnabee)
• Ek Din Fursat (Zindaggi Rocks)
• Gazab (Aa Dekhen Zara)
• Happy New Year (Kuruvi)
• Hey Shona (Ta Ra Rum Pum)
• Hum To Aise Hain Bhaiyya (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag)
• Ishq Samundar (Kaante)
• Kaisi Paheli Zindagaani (Parineeta)
• Kar Le Baby Dance Wance (Hello)
• Khulam Khula Pyar Karen (Road)
• Le Chale (My Brother Nikhil)
• Lucky Boy (Bachna Ae Haseeno)
• Maa Da Laadla - Remix (Dostana)
• Mehboob Mere (Fiza)
• Pyaar Ki Ek Kahani (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.)
• Race Saanson Ki (Race)
• Right Here Right Now (Bluffmaster)
• Sajna Ve Sajna (Chameli)
• Sajnaji Vari Vari (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.)
• Shalala(Ghilli)
• Shut Up and Bounce (Dostana)
• Tere Ishq Me (Supari)
• Pyaar ki yeh kahani suno (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.)
• Vallava Ennai (Vallavan)
• Ya Ali (Aap Ka Suroor)
• Dildara (Welcome to Sajjanpur)
• Saiyaan (Nayak - The Real Hero)

Filmography

• Ehsaas - A Feeling (Released November 30, 2001) [Special Appearance]
• Bas Ek Pal [Special Appearance in Promotional Song Dheeme Dheeme with singer K.K.]

Awards and honors

Year	Category	Song and Film	Result
Filmfare Awards
2000	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Ruki Ruki" (Mast)	Nominated
2001	R. D. Burman Award for Most Promising Newcomer[		Winner
	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Mehboob Mere" (Fiza)	Nominated
2005	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Dhoom Machale" (Dhoom)	Nominated
2006	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Kaisi Paheli" (Parineeta)	Nominated
	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Deedar De" (Dus)	Nominated
2007	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Beedi" (Omakara)	Winner
	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Soniye" (Aksar)	Nominated
	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Aashiqui Main" (36 China Town)	Nominated
2008	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Aaja Nachle" (Aaja Nachle)	Nominated
	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Sajnaji Vari Vari" (Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.)	Nominated
2009	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Dance Pe Chance" (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi)	Nominated
Star Screen Awards
2001	Best Playback Singer - Female	Bhumro for Mission Kashmir	Nominated
2004	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Meri Zindagi Mein Aaye Ho for Armaan	Nominated
2004	Best Playback Singer - Female	Sajna Ve Sajna for Chameli	Winner
2005	Best Playback Singer - Female	Dhoom Machale (Dhoom)	Nominated
2006	Best Playback Singer - Female	"Kaisi Paheli" (Parineeta)	Nominated
2007	Best Playback Singer - Female	Beedi Jalaile for Omkara	Winner
2008	Best Playback Singer - Female	Sajnaji Vaari for Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.	Nominated
2009	Best Playback Singer - Female	Dance Pe Chance for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi	Nominated
Awards of the International Indian Film Academy
2001	Best Female Playback Singer	Mehboob Mere for Fiza	Nominated
2005	Best Female Playback Singer]	Dhoom Machale for Dhoom	Winner
	Best Female Playback Singer	Sajna Ve for Chameli	Nominated
2006	Best Female Playback Singer	Kaisi Paheli for Parineeta	Nominated
	Best Female Playback Singer	Deedar De for Dus	Nominated
2007	Best Female Playback Singer	Crazy Kiya Re for Dhoom 2	Nominated
	Best Female Playback Singer	Beedi Jalaile for Omkara	Winner
2008	Best Female Playback Singer	Aaja Nachle for Aaja Nachle	Nominated
2009	Best Female Playback Singer	Desi Girl for Dostana	Nominated [Result unannounced]
Zee Cine Awards
2005	Best Female Playback Singer	Dhoom Machale for Dhoom	Winner
2005	Best Female Playback Singer	Aisa Jadoo Daala Re for Khakee	Nominated
2005	Best Female Playback Singer	Ishq Kabhi Kariyo Na for Musafir	Nominated