Abhijeet Bhattacharya says he was 'victim of industry politics', claims he was denied songs in films featuring Shah Rukh Khan

Abhijeet Bhattacharya

Playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has voiced several hit songs, especially those featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the 90s and early 2000s. The singer has now opened up about the early days of his career and how he was made to eel humiliated by music directors. In a recent interview, Bhattacharya spoke about being a victim of industry policies.

Talking to Pinkvilla, Bhattacharya said, "Mere saath bahut huya hai... jisme hota tha ki, music director ko jaise hi laga ke Shah Rukh Khan ki picture mil gayi... kitne bhi close ho mere woh music director, aisa lagta tha ki uska motive hi tha ke Abhijeet ko nahi gavaaunga (It has happened a lot with me. When music directors would get a Shah Rukh Khan film, they wouldn't give me a chance to sing, no matter how close I was to them)."

He also said, "Jabse mujhe award mila, aur koi film bahut badi blockbuster nahi thi Yes Boss, gaana bhi blockbuster nahi tha, lekin us time pe saare blockbusters ke beech mein ek non-blockbuster tha, Border, Pardes, Dil To Pagal Hai. Aur idhar mujhe mil gaya... Aur kitne music directors ko woh laga... uske baad dikha dikha ke mujhe woh bolte hain ke gaana tumse nahi gavayenge (When I won an award for my song in Yes Boss, mine was the only non-blockbuster song among all the blockbuster tracks from films like Border, Pardes and Dil To Pagal Hai… After that, many music directors would openly tell me that they won't give their song to me)."

From 'Main Koi Aisa Geet' from 'Yes Boss' to 'Tumhe Jo Maine Dekha' in 'Main Hoon Na' to 'Badshah' title track, Abhijeet has voiced for SRK in many films making their combination iconic. However, Abhijeet never sang for Khan after his 2009 film 'Billu. The two had a fallout and Bhattacharya said that he tried to bury the hatchet but it did not work out. "Shah Rukh is a very commercial person, wo apni success apne career ke liye kisiko bhi side mein kar sakta hai. Woh use karega unko (Shah will sideline any person for his success & career, he'll use them)," said the singer in an earlier interview with Lehren Retro.

In the recent interview with Pinkvilla, he once again addressed his rift with the superstar which started after he claimed lack of credit in his movies. "This is something Shah Rukh Khan knows very well. There's no difference between us; our birthdays are just one day apart. We have the same nature, We both know what we're going to be. If I go to him today, I can tell him, as his senior by 6-7 years, Enough of the drama, you are a star and always will be. But if I come back into the picture, then it will be me, not him."

Abhijeet Bhattacharya added, "Kabhi aisa lagta hai ki wo bhi aisa aadmi hai ki itraata hai.. Ya toh uske pass bilkul waqt nahi hai.. Lekin wo aisa nahi hai, mai apne aap ko janta hu toh usko bhi bhot acche se janta hu, jabki mera koi close bond nahi, lekin usko itna pata hai ki muje chot phochi hai. [Sometimes it feels like he is the type of person who shows off… or maybe he just doesn't have any time. But he isn't like that. I know myself very well, and I know him very well too, even though we don't have a close bond. He knows that I have been hurt.]"