Shreya Ghoshal not embarrassed by Chikni Chameli but 'won't record songs like that' now: 'Always have to live with it'

Shreya Ghoshal talked about facing backlash for talking about not singing songs like Chikni Chameli anymore, and then singing it in a concert.

Singer Shreya Ghoshal recently spoke about singing so-called “raunchy” songs such as Chikni Chameli and said she would not record similar tracks again. Her statement attracted backlash on social media. However, the singer has now responded to the trolling, clarifying that she is not embarrassed about singing Chikni Chameli, but has become more conscious about the kind of songs she chooses to record.

Shreya Ghoshal says she's not embarrassed about Chikni Chameli.

Shreya Ghoshal says she's not embarrassed by Chikni Chameli

In a recent podcast with Raj Shamani, Shreya shared that after Chikni Chameli, she was offered tracks that felt objectifying, which she refused to record. She revealed that a composer friend once offered her a song with overtly objectifying and unsubtle lyrics such as “make me into chicken and eat me” or “hold me like this”. She said she declined the track because even thinking about those words made her blush.

Speaking about Chikni Chameli, she said, “That song is not just a fun number; there’s a lot of artistry in it. There were toned-down versions too. The one that finally appeared in the film was more subtle than the original drafts, though still suggestive. At that time, I didn’t always understand what I was singing. I wasn’t mature enough to fully grasp the meaning of certain lines.”

She added that she is now more mindful of what she records, as if a song becomes a hit, she has to perform it everywhere, sometimes in front of children, which makes her uncomfortable.

When Raj pointed out that she faced trolling because she spoke about objectification yet continued to perform the song at concerts, Shreya clarified that she is not embarrassed by it. “Yes, I did perform it. I like that song. I think it’s good. But I won’t record songs like that anymore. I’m not embarrassed. I sang that song at that time. It’s one song I will always have to live with, where even children in the audience may dance to it. Sometimes I close my eyes. But I cannot disown it. It’s my song. I’ve owned it,” she said.

Why Shreya Ghoshal faced criticism

During a chat with Lilly Singh in 2025, Shreya admitted that she has sung some raunchy songs in her career, including Chikni Chameli, which she would not sing today. She said, “There is a very fine line between being sensual, sexy, and being outright objectified, or objectifying women in general. The reason I’ve become more conscious over time is that I see little girls singing these songs without understanding their meaning. They’re just dancing to them, and they come to me saying, ‘Oh, we love your song! Can we sing it for you?’ and I feel very embarrassed. A little girl, just five or six years old, singing those lyrics, it doesn’t sound right.”

However, Reddit users trolled her for saying she no longer wanted to sing such songs while still performing them at events. Some even labelled her a hypocrite.

About Shreya Ghoshal’s recent work

Shreya Ghoshal recently lent her voice to Yahin Guzaar Doon, alongside Amaal Mallik, featuring Farrhana Bhatt in the video. The singer has also announced her The Unstoppable World Tour, with planned performances in the UK, USA, India and Abu Dhabi. The dates are yet to be revealed.