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Kanika Kapoor says singers get paid only ₹101 for their songs in India, reveals their real source of income

Kanika Kapoor revealed how singers in India earn money after claiming that they don't get paid for playback singing. 

Published on: Aug 18, 2025, 06:01:35 IST
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Singer Kanika Kapoor, popularly known for songs like Baby Doll and Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan, recently made a shocking confession, revealing the harsh reality of the music industry. During a conversation with Uorfi Javed on her show Bunkk with Uorfi, Kanika revealed that singers don’t really get paid in India and explained how they actually earn money.

Kanika Kapoor says singers in India are not paid for their songs.
Kanika Kapoor says singers in India are not paid for their songs.

Kanika Kapoor says singers doesn't get paid for songs

When Uorfi asked Kanika about a viral song of hers for which she didn’t get paid, Kanika admitted that singers don’t usually get paid for their songs. She added, "Singers don’t really get paid. Main saare contracts dikhaati hu, 101 rupees milte hain. (I can show you all the contracts. I was paid 101). They say that they are doing you a favour. I can talk to you about the greatest singer of India. I am not going to give names, but very obvious. I don’t think that even he is being paid for most of his greatest songs ever. Or has any publishing, or has any royalty structure. There is nothing like that in India today."

Kanika Kapoor reveals how singer really earn money

When further asked how singers really earn, Kanika said, "Only if you are alive and you are able to sing, agar aapki awaaz chal rahi hai, aur aap shows kar paa rahe hain. Jab tak aap shows kar paa rahe hain, tab tak aapko paise milenge. Kal ko kuchh ho jaaye to koi pension plan nahi hai singers ke liye (As long as your voice is working and you’re able to perform shows, you’ll keep earning. But if something happens tomorrow, there’s no pension plan for singers)."

She further clarified that even though she hasn't seen everyone's contracts but the reality is singers only get 101 for their songs.

About Kanika Kapoor

Kanika rose to fame with her chartbuster debut song Baby Doll from the film Ragini MMS 2 (2014), which became an overnight sensation and established her as one of Bollywood’s most sought-after voices. Following this success, Kanika delivered several hit tracks including Lovely (Happy New Year), Chittiyaan Kalaiyaan (Roy), Desi Look (Ek Paheli Leela), and Beat Pe Booty (A Flying Jatt).

Her latest track, Gori Hai Kalaiyan from Mere Husband Ki Biwi, featuring Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar and Rakul Preet Singh, was loved by the audience. The lyrics were penned by IP Singh, music was composed by Akshay & IP, and Badshah added a twist to the song with his rap.

  • Riya Sharma
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Riya Sharma

    Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.Read More

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