Bollywood Actors Who Are Actually Brilliant Singers
Some stars don’t just mouth the lyrics—they cut the track, hit the notes, and headline concerts. This deep-dive celebrates actors who can switch from camera takes to vocal takes without losing the spotlight.
From Ayushmann Khurrana’s indie-pop charm to Farhan Akhtar’s rock vocals, from Shraddha Kapoor’s velvet unplugged renditions to Diljit Dosanjh’s stadium-filling Punjabi pop—these names prove that Bollywood has more than one way to perform. Below, you’ll find curated song picks, what makes each voice unique, and practical playlist ideas you can plug straight into your next reel or road trip.
Spotlight: 14 Actor-Singers You Should Know
1) Ayushmann Khurrana Indie-Pop • Soulful
Signature vibe: Warm, hummable Punjabi/Hindustani flavors with acoustic textures.
Essential tracks: “Pani Da Rang” • “Mitti Di Khushboo” • “O Heeriye” • “Yahin Hoon Main”.
Also composes and often performs live with a small band setup.
2) Farhan Akhtar Rock • Live Performer
Signature vibe: Indie-rock grit with straight-from-stage energy.
Essential tracks: “Rock On!!” • “Senorita” (with Hrithik & Abhay) • “Tum Ho Toh” • “Gallan Goodiyaan (live mashups)”.
Fronts large-format concerts; voice shines in arena settings.
3) Shraddha Kapoor Unplugged • Soft-Pop
Signature vibe: Breath-y, intimate timbre that suits acoustic and ballad styles.
Essential tracks: “Galliyan Unplugged” • “Sab Tera” • “Bezuban (ABCD 2 versions)” • “Rock On 2” performances.
A go-to voice for unplugged covers and soft romantic reels.
4) Diljit Dosanjh Punjabi Pop • Stadium Star
Signature vibe: High-octane Punjabi folk-pop with pristine falsetto touches.
Essential tracks: “Do You Know” • “Lover” • “Proper Patola” • “Ikk Kudi (Udta Punjab)”.
Balances Bollywood acting with global tours and crossover collabs.
5) Priyanka Chopra Jonas Pop • Crossover
Signature vibe: Radio-ready English/Hindi pop with international production.
Essential tracks: “In My City” • “Exotic” • “I Can’t Make You Love Me (cover)”.
One of the first mainstream Hindi film leads to drop global English singles.
6) Alia Bhatt Ballad • Unplugged
Signature vibe: Clean, emotive delivery that lands beautifully on stripped-down arrangements.
Essential tracks: “Samjhawan (Unplugged)” • “Sooha Saha” • Stage covers in award shows/live acts.
7) Parineeti Chopra Trained • Ghazal-tinged
Signature vibe: Light-classical influence and careful diction.
Essential tracks: “Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin” • Live Sufi/ghazal medleys.
Formally trained in Hindustani classical; excels at lyrical, mid-tempo songs.
8) Amitabh Bachchan Baritone • Evergreen
Signature vibe: Commanding baritone; rustic-folk to devotional to pop.
Essential tracks: “Rang Barse” • “Mere Angne Mein” • “Shava Shava” • “Piddly”.
Anecdotal fan-favourite at Holi playlists and retro nights.
9) Salman Khan Pop Ballad • Star Appeal
Signature vibe: Straight melody lines; intimate croon with mass recall.
Essential tracks: “Hangover” • “Main Hoon Hero Tera (version)” • “Jag Ghoomeya (reprise/live)”.
10) Aamir Khan Playful • Character Voice
Signature vibe: Conversational, in-character singing.
Essential tracks: “Aati Kya Khandala” • Snippets in promotional performances.
11) Hrithik Roshan Pop • Ensemble
Signature vibe: Smooth pop delivery; shines in collaborative tracks.
Essential tracks: “Senorita” (with Farhan & Abhay) • Live show covers.
12) Abhay Deol Surprise Factor
Signature vibe: Easygoing, laid-back performance style.
Essential tracks: “Senorita” ensemble sections; niche indie appearances.
13) Shruti Haasan Alt-Rock • Composer
Signature vibe: Dark-pop/alt-rock aesthetics; powerful belt.
Essential tracks: Indie-English singles, film numbers across Hindi & South cinema; frequent live gigs.
14) Fawad Khan Pop-Rock • Band Roots
Signature vibe: Clean pop-rock from his band days (EP) to film-related stages.
Essential tracks: Classic EP hits; unplugged covers in shows/interviews.
Singer-Actor Cheat Sheet (At-a-Glance)
| Actor | Voice Type / Style | Must-Listen Tracks | Best Use Case | Fun Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayushmann Khurrana | Soft-pop, Indie, Punjabi | Pani Da Rang • Mitti Di Khushboo • O Heeriye | Date-night, indie reels, acoustic sessions | Writes/composes many of his own songs. |
| Farhan Akhtar | Rock/Indie | Rock On!! • Tum Ho Toh • Senorita | Concert energy, road trips, throwback rock | Leads full-fledged live tours with a band. |
| Shraddha Kapoor | Unplugged Ballads | Galliyan (Unplugged) • Sab Tera | Soft reels, monsoon playlists | Frequently records alternate unplugged cuts. |
| Diljit Dosanjh | Punjabi Pop/Folk | Do You Know • Lover • Proper Patola • Ikk Kudi | Party sets, festival stages, arena sound | Actor-singer with global festival headlines. |
| Priyanka Chopra Jonas | English/Hindi Pop | Exotic • In My City | Workout pop, crossover playlists | One of Bollywood’s earliest global pop crossovers. |
| Alia Bhatt | Soft Ballad | Samjhawan (Unplugged) • Sooha Saha | Study vibes, late-night chill | Often performs intimate unplugged versions live. |
| Parineeti Chopra | Light-Classical Pop | Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin | Ghazal playlists, Sufi evenings | Formally trained; loves ghazal phrasing. |
| Amitabh Bachchan | Baritone • Folk/Pop | Rang Barse • Mere Angne Mein • Piddly | Retro nights, festive sets | Holi playlists are incomplete without him. |
| Salman Khan | Pop Ballad | Hangover • Main Hoon Hero Tera (version) | Fan edits, star-themed reels | Known for surprise playback cameos. |
| Aamir Khan | Character/Playful | Aati Kya Khandala | 90s nostalgia, fun edits | Proof that attitude can carry a tune. |
| Hrithik Roshan | Smooth Pop (Ensemble) | Senorita | Road-trip Latin-pop sets | Danced and sang in the same chartbuster. |
| Abhay Deol | Laid-back Pop | Senorita (ensemble) | Friends-night singalongs | Unexpected vocal cameo that fans loved. |
| Shruti Haasan | Alt-Rock / Dark-Pop | Indie singles + film tracks | After-hours, moody playlists | Composer-singer; performs across languages. |
| Fawad Khan | Pop-Rock | Band EP classics • unplugged covers | Indie nostalgia, Coke Studio vibes | Came to films with established band cred. |
Note: This table focuses on actors who’ve actually sung on records/live, not just lip-synced in films.
Ready-Made Playlist Ideas (Copy & Try)
- Indie Love Mix: Ayushmann – “Pani Da Rang”, Alia – “Samjhawan (Unplugged)”, Parineeti – “Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin”.
- Stage & Stadium: Farhan – “Rock On!!”, Diljit – “Lover”, Priyanka – “Exotic”.
- Retro & Reels: Amitabh – “Rang Barse”, Aamir – “Aati Kya Khandala”, Salman – “Hangover”.
- Road Trip Español Touch: “Senorita” ensemble (Farhan • Hrithik • Abhay) + Diljit pop bangers.
🎧 Must-Listen Bollywood Playlist
If you’re curious to hear Bollywood actors singing in their own voice, here’s a fun playlist you can create on Spotify or YouTube right now. These songs will surprise you with the hidden talent of our favorite stars!
| Actor | Song | Movie/Album |
|---|---|---|
| Amitabh Bachchan | Mere Angne Mein | Laawaris |
| Farhan Akhtar | Rock On!! | Rock On!! |
| Priyanka Chopra | In My City | Single (ft. will.i.am) |
| Shraddha Kapoor | Galliyan (Unplugged) | Ek Villain |
| Salman Khan | Hangover | Kick |
🎤 Next time you’re building a playlist, don’t just add playback singers — mix in these actor-sung gems and surprise your friends!
How to Listen Like a Pro (Tiny Ear-Training)
- Timbre: Feel the color of the voice—warm (Ayushmann) vs edgy (Farhan) vs crystalline (Shraddha).
- Dynamics: Notice soft-to-loud control in unplugged versions; real singers ride the mic, not the auto-tune.
- Diction: Hindi/Urdu articulation can change emotion; Parineeti’s ghazal phrasing is a neat case study.
- Range: Diljit’s effortless top notes vs Amitabh’s rounded low register—both legitimate, both lovely.
🎤 Fun Facts: Bollywood Stars as Singers
- 🎶 Amitabh Bachchan once recorded an entire album called “Aby Baby”, proving he’s more than just a legendary actor.
- 🎤 Farhan Akhtar is not just an actor–director, his live concerts across India often get housefull crowds!
- 💃 Priyanka Chopra launched her international singing career with songs like “In My City” and “Exotic”, collaborating with Pitbull.
- 🔥 Shraddha Kapoor inherited her singing genes from her mom, who is a trained classical singer.
- 🎵 Salman Khan has sung multiple tracks for his films, with “Hangover” from Kick becoming a chartbuster.
Did you know? Many Bollywood stars keep their singing talent low-key, but fans often discover it during concerts, award shows, or when the stars casually hum during interviews!
FAQs
Q1. Do these actors use auto-tune?
Modern pop production often includes pitch tools to polish takes, but most names here also sound great live—search concert clips to hear the raw energy.
Q2. Who is the most trained singer on this list?
Several have formal training (e.g., Parineeti, Shruti) while others learned on the job or via bands (Farhan, Fawad). Different paths, solid results.
Q3. Which songs are safest to start with for a beginner playlist?
Try “Pani Da Rang”, “Samjhawan (Unplugged)”, “Rock On!!”, “Do You Know”, and “Rang Barse (remastered)”. That’s a balanced starter pack.
Q4. Are there more actor-singers beyond these?
Absolutely—new surprise tracks drop every year. Keep an eye on film reprises, promotional singles, and live award-show performances.
Editorial Note
This feature highlights actors who have actually sung—on official tracks, unplugged releases, or live stages. Song availability and credits vary by label/region; use official sources when embedding or citing.
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