It was a joyous occasion for ISAMRA (Indian Singers And Musicians Rights Association) recently as they announced that they have distributed Rs. 100 crore in royalties to 26,000 singers and musicians. Bollywood Hungama spoke exclusively to the ones who fought bravely for the rights of the singers – the legendary Sonu Nigam and Anup Jalota and ISAMRA founder and MD, Sanjay Tandon.
Sonu Nigam said, “It feels like a quiet victory, not loud, not dramatic, but deeply meaningful. For years, the voice created value but did not always receive its share of that value. Today feels like a moment of correction. Not just for me, but for every singer who has given their soul to a song. It is a sense of dignity returning. The system has finally begun to listen.”
In June 2024, Sanjay Tandon revealed that ISAMRA had distributed its first royalty, Rs. 51,000, for the song ‘Lag Jaa Gale’ (Woh Kaun Thi; 1964). Explaining the journey from Rs. 51,000 to Rs. 100 crores, he replied, “That first royalty of Rs. 51,000 was a beginning, not just financially, but emotionally. It proved that performers’ rights could move from theory to reality. From there to Rs. 100 crore has been a journey of building from scratch. There was no ready data, no structured system, and no precedent. Just belief. Today, when we look back, it is not about the numbers alone. It is about restoring faith among singers and musicians that their contribution has value beyond applause (smiles).”
Anup Jalota, meanwhile, stated, “This is a very emotional moment. For years, singers have been the soul of music in this country, but their contribution was not always recognised in the way it should have been. Today feels like a long-awaited acknowledgement. It is not just financial, it is about respect, about dignity. It …read more
Disclaimer : This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by FilmyFriday. Source:: BollywoodHungama
