What is a playback singer?

A playback singer is a professional singer who records songs sung by actors or actresses in Indian films, also known as playback singing. The songs are pre-recorded before filming and lip-synced by the actors and actresses during the film. Playback singers are an integral part of Indian cinema and play an important role in creating catchy and memorable songs that are an essential part of Indian films' cultural identity.

These singers are trained in classical music and have a wide range of vocal abilities, enabling them to sing different genres of music such as classical, semi-classical, folk, and popular music. They have to adapt to the different styles of singing and mimic the actor or actress's voice to match the character's emotions and expressions on screen.

Some of the most iconic playback singers in Indian cinema include Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. Today, there are several new and upcoming playback singers who are making waves in the industry with their unique voices and styles.