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Sukhwinder Singh, known for chartbusters like ‘Chhaiya Chhaiya’, ‘Jai Ho’, ‘Ramta Jogi’, and ‘Lai Vi Na Gayi’, has reached a significant milestone in his career. Naturally, his remuneration is high, reflecting his success. However, the singer recently revealed that he has taken an extreme measure for a personal reason: he is now charging no money for film songs.
Sukhwinder Singh to charge two rupees for film songs from now on
Sukhwinder explained, “I noticed some time back that the new age music directors have maybe got the wrong information about my fees, that I charge a lot. So I decided to mention in my contracts that I will charge zero money for film songs for the time being.”
To underscore his point, Singh has even returned contracts he had already signed, along with the agreed-upon fees. “When I did that, people got to know what I want to say. Chahe film OTT pe release ho ya theatre mein. I returned contracts to six films, some mentioned 10 lakh rupees, some were to the tune of ₹11 lakhs. I have no objection if the production houses want to offer me money, but lena hi nahi hai. Their lawyers told me they cannot write zero rupees technically, so I said one rupee then. They laughed and said it is not acceptable. So I said ‘do rupaye toh bante hi honge?’,” he added.
Singh elaborated that working with new music directors has been challenging due to rumors about his high fees. “Jinse maine seekhna hai, naye music composers and filmmakers se, ho sakta hai unki kahaaniyaan aur music achhe ho…but due to my remuneration rumours they might be running away from me. I have made it clear I don’t want money, just give me a good song. I am comfortable in life, and continue to charge for my performances in private concerts. On one hand, I say music is my life, and on the other hand I monetise it for film songs? I will only be able to learn from the new breed when I am able to reach them,” he said.
By foregoing his fee for film songs, Singh aims to dispel the misconceptions about his charges and open doors to collaborations with new music directors and filmmakers. His decision reflects his commitment to his craft and his desire to keep learning and evolving in the industry. Despite this, he continues to charge for private concert performances, maintaining his livelihood while prioritizing artistic growth in film music.