Animal, Deva lyricist Raj Shekhar says he hasn't been credited for 30 of his songs: ‘Others can’t speak up’

Lyricist Raj Shekhar revealed that nearly 30 of his 100 songs remain uncredited and emphasised the need for better recognition of writers.

Lyricist Raj Shekhar, known for penning chartbuster songs in films like Animal and the recent Shahid Kapoor-starrer Deva, revealed on Sunday that out of the 100-odd songs he has written over the years, he hasn’t been credited for nearly 30 of them.

Raj Shekhar reveals not getting credit for his songs in Bollywood.

Raj Shekhar on not getting credit for his songs

Speaking during the session ‘Words That Sing’ at the 7th edition of the Indian Screenwriters Conference (ISC), hosted by the Screenwriters Association of India (SWA), Shekhar emphasised the importance of the industry coming together to safeguard writers’ credits. He said, “I think we're in a transition phase as a society. We’re making mistakes, but we’re slowly figuring out where. Out of 100 songs, 28-30 of mine are not credited to me. That’s just me, but what about others who can’t speak up for their due credit? I urge the audience to find out the name of the lyricist if they like a song. We write with such passion and hard work.”

Shekhar also highlighted areas within the industry that need change for better creativity. “There is a gap between the screenwriter and the lyricist. There have been plenty of times when I received tunes on WhatsApp without knowing the context they were coming from. The creative collaboration with directors and writers feels missing, unlike in the times of Raj Kapoor and Shailendra,” he added.

At the session, moderated by screenwriter Hussain Haidry, Shekhar was joined by filmmaker-lyricist duo Siddharth-Garima, known for penning songs in Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat, Animal, and Kalki 2898 AD.

About Raj Shekhar

Shekhar made his Bollywood debut as a lyricist with the 2011 film Tanu Weds Manu. Over the years, he has penned lyrics for several films, including Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Tumbbad, Veere Di Wedding, Hichki, and Uri: The Surgical Strike. Some of the chartbusters he has written include Ki Honda Pyaar from Jabariya Jodi, Aise Kyun from Mismatched, Papa Meri Jaan, Pehle Bhi Main and Marham from Animal, and Bhasad Macha from Deva, among others.