Award-winning singer/musician/songwriter Mohit Chauhan celebrates another birthday tomorrow.
Born in the Nahan town of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh on 11 March 1966, Mohit is fluent in Pahari, English and Hindi. He received a Master of Science in Geology from the Dharamsala College in Himachal Pradesh.
Though he never received formal training in music, he sings and plays guitar, harmonica and the flute. In 1996 he formed the Indian pop band Silk Route and released two albums. The song "Dooba Dooba" became a popular Indipop hit.
While he began playback singing for films in 2002, he wouldn't achieve mainstream success until 2007 when he performed the beautiful "Tum Se Hi" for the movie Jab We Met. More recently, he sang a version of the light and lively "Bawla Sa Sapna" ("The Children Come To Sing") for Shaadi Ke Side Effects.
In a 2009 Buzz In Town interview, he explained his philosophy about playback singing:
"As a singer you need to bring out the emotions of a song that the music director and the filmmaker expect out of you. I think the lyrics should be simple, straight and should fit into the tune and the character of the film ..."
Songs performed by Mohit Chauhan tend not to be used as your typical dance numbers. They are more often portrayed as internal dialogues and stories of romance.
Mohit Chauhan has performed for more than 80 films. In 2013 alone, he was playback singer for 18 films. Here are some highlights:
The vibrant "Tu Hi Junoon" from Dhoom 3 shares the feelings of joy and adoration in love. The song was composed by Pritam Chakraborty, sung by Mohit Chauhan and picturized on Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif.
Though not appearing in the final film, the sweet song "You Are My Love" from the film Krrish 3 reflects the relationship between Krishna and Priya. Composed by Rajesh Roshan, this song is sung by Mohit Chauhan and Alisha Chinai.
The quiet "Aankhon Hi Aankhon Ne (Duet Version)", from Mickey Virus, highlights a passionate and playful romance between lovers. Written by Hanif Shaikh and performed by Mohit Chauhan and Palak Muchhal and picturized on Manish Paul and Elli Avram.
The song "Bezubaan" from ABCD: Any Body Can Dance gives voice to the struggle of an aspiring dancer to earn his father's acceptance. Composed by Sachin-Jigar with lyrics by Mayur Puri, the song is sung by Mohit Chauhan and Priya Panchal with a rap by Tanvi Shah and Deane Sequeira and picturized on Dharmesh Yelande and Lauren Gottlieb.
"Ilahi (Reprise)" from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) takes us on a travel adventure. Composed by Pritam Chakraborty and sung by Mohit Chauhan, the song is picturized on Ranbir Kapoor.
The following playlist features official videos for each of these songs:
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