Forgotten Bollywood Singers From the 90s Who Need a Comeback

The forgotten Bollywood singers from the 90s who deserve a comeback include Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Vinod Rathod, Kamaal Khan, Babul Supriyo, Falguni Pathak, Anuradha Paudwal, Kunal Ganjawala and Ila Arun. We also remember KK and SP Balasubrahmanyam, two voices of that era who have since passed away, and note who is still active.

The 1990s were the peak of the Bollywood film song. Playback singers were stars in their own right, and their songs played everywhere from wedding halls to bus stands. Many of those voices have since faded from film music. Kumar Sanu showed that a return is possible: as our original article noted, his song Dard Karaara in Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) introduced him to a new generation.

90s Bollywood singers: where are they now?

Forgotten Bollywood singers from the 90s

1. KK (Krishnakumar Kunnath)

Before Bollywood, KK sang over 3,500 jingles in 11 languages. His non-film song Pal won a Screen Award, Yaaron Dosti became a farewell anthem, and his film songs include Tadap Tadap Ke Is Dil Se (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999), Dus Bahane, Khuda Jaane and Zara Sa.

KK died on 31 May 2022 in Kolkata, aged 53, after a cardiac arrest following a concert. He cannot make a comeback, but his songs remain on every college playlist.

2. Abhijeet Bhattacharya

Abhijeet won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaaon from Yes Boss, and his other hits include Wada Raha Sanam and Yeh Teri Aankhen Jhuki Jhuki.

He has stayed visible as a judge on Bengali singing shows and as a guest on Indian Idol, where he was honoured in 2024 for his contribution to film music. A full return to Hindi film playback has not happened.

3. SP Balasubrahmanyam

SPB was Salman Khan’s singing voice from Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) and through much of the 90s, including Saajan and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. He recorded over 40,000 songs across languages.

He died in Chennai on 25 September 2020 and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 2021.

4. Vinod Rathod

Vinod Rathod comes from a musical family: his brother Shravan was half of Nadeem-Shravan and his other brother is singer Roop Kumar Rathod. His hits include Nayak Nahin Khalnayak Hoon Main (Khalnayak), Aisi Deewangi (Deewana), Romeo Naam Mera and M Bole To from Munna Bhai MBBS.

His film work slowed sharply after the early 2010s. He is a strong candidate for the kind of comeback Kumar Sanu had.

5. Shaan

Shaan’s songs, such as Roop Tera Mastana and Tune Mujhe Pehchaana Nahin, made him a youth favourite, and he went on to sing Woh Ladki Hai Kahan and O Humdum Suniyo Re. He is less forgotten than others on this list, but his voice is heard far less in new Hindi films than in his peak years.

6. Sonu Nigam

Sonu Nigam became a household name in the 90s, both as host of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa from 1995 to 2000 and as the voice of Sandese Aate Hai (Border, 1997) and Yeh Dil Deewana (Pardes, 1997). He received the Padma Shri in 2022, and he never really went away.

7. Babul Supriyo

Babul Supriyo’s breakthrough came with Dil Ne Dil Ko Pukara (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, 2000), and he sang the title track of Hum Tum. Then politics took over. He won the Asansol Lok Sabha seat for the BJP in 2014, joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021 and served as a West Bengal minister.

He has been a Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal since 3 April 2026. Music is clearly no longer his main job.

8. Falguni Pathak

The dandiya queen gave us Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi (1998), Maine Payal Hai Chhankai (1999) and Meri Chunar Udd Udd Jaye (2000). She remains one of the most in-demand Navratri performers.

She has also kept recording in Gujarati, with the album Vasaldi in 2022 and a song for the Gujarati film Umbarro in 2025.

9. Daler Mehndi

Daler Mehndi took Punjabi pop across the country with Bolo Ta Ra Ra (1995), Dardi Rab Rab and Tunak Tunak Tun (1998). Unlike most names here, he never left films: he sang the Dangal title song (2016) and Arjan Vailly in Animal (2023).

10. Kamaal Khan

Kamaal Khan was the voice behind O O Jaane Jaana, picturised on Salman Khan, and also sang Sawariya Re O Sawariya. Few listeners today know his name, which makes him one of the truly forgotten voices of the decade.

11. Anuradha Paudwal

Anuradha Paudwal won Filmfare Awards for Nazar Ke Saamne (Aashiqui), Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin and Dhak Dhak Karne Laga (Beta). She moved to devotional music and left Bollywood around 2006.

She received the Padma Shri in 2017, joined the BJP in March 2024 and was given Maharashtra’s Lata Mangeshkar Award in 2024. Her devotional catalogue remains hugely popular: she ranked No. 26 among top global artists on YouTube’s music charts in February 2025.

12. Kavita Krishnamurthy

Kavita Krishnamurthy won Filmfare Awards for Pyaar Hua Chupke Se (1942: A Love Story), Mera Piya Ghar Aaya (Yaraana) and Aaj Main Upar (Khamoshi), and shared one for Dola Re Dola (Devdas). She received the Padma Shri in 2005 and has collected several lifetime honours in 2024 and 2025. We would gladly hear her in a new film score.

13. Kunal Ganjawala

Kunal Ganjawala’s Bheege Honth Tere became a huge hit, along with Channa Ve and Dupatta Tera Nau Rang Da. His voice suited the romantic and party songs of that era, and he has been far less visible in recent Hindi film soundtracks.

14. Ila Arun

Ila Arun’s folk-pop sound gave Bollywood Choli Ke Peeche, Morni Baaga Ma Bole and Dilli Shaher Mein. She has also acted in films, so she has never fully disappeared, but her distinctive voice is rarely used in film music now.

Why 90s singers faded

Our original piece blamed the industry’s heavy reliance on remakes and remixes, and that criticism still holds. Studios also prefer a small group of current singers, so older voices rarely get a chance. Yet songs from the 90s keep trending on reels. For more music stories, see our Bollywood section and celebrity news.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Wikipedia: KK, Wikipedia: Babul Supriyo, Wikipedia: Anuradha Paudwal, Wikipedia: SP Balasubrahmanyam.