✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Alisha Chinai

Alisha Chinai biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Alisha Chinai Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 March 1965

Age60 Years

BirthplaceAhmedabad, Gujarat, India

ProfessionPlayback Singer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

SpouseRajesh Jhaveri (m. 1986-1994)

FamilyFather: Madhukar Chinai (Singer); Mother: name not specified

Alisha Chinai Biography

Alisha Chinai, born Sujata Chinai on 18 March 1965 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, is an Indian playback singer and pop artist best known for the 1995 hit album and

Early life and background

Alisha Chinai was born Sujata Chinai on 18 March 1965 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Raised in a Gujarati family, music was part of her upbringing: her father, Madhukar Chinai, was a singer and her mother played piano. She adopted the professional name Alisha, taken from a cousin's daughter, and developed a strong interest in music from an early age, growing up listening to singers such as Ustad Ghulam Ali.

Career

Alisha entered the Hindi film music scene with support from composer Bappi Lahiri, and in the 1980s she sang a number of disco-influenced tracks for him. Her early work included playback songs for major Bollywood actresses of the era, and she recorded in multiple Indian languages. In 1985 she released the Hindi album Jaadoo and also sang on a Konkani album, Old Goan Gold, with Remo Fernandes.

Through the late 1980s she contributed songs to several films and regional projects: a Kannada song in 1989, Malayalam and Telugu songs in the late 1980s and 1990, and a notable duet with Kishore Kumar for the film Mr. India (1987). Other memorable tracks from this period include Raat Bhar Jaam Se from Tridev (1989).

The 1990s brought increased visibility and mainstream success. Alisha achieved a career peak in 1995 with the blockbuster pop album Made in India, which became her signature commercial success. She continued to record for films and pop projects in the following decade and returned to collaborate with producers she had previously had disputes with, including singing for a 2003 film.

In 2005 she enjoyed renewed nationwide recognition with two high-profile film songs: Kajra Re from Bunty Aur Babli, which won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award that year, and Tinka Tinka Zara Zara from Karam. Her film playback credits extend across many titles, including Taaqatwar (1989), Naaraaz (1994), Chehraa (2005), No Entry (2005), Aap Ki Khatir (2006), Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (2009), and Krrish 3 (2013).

Public profile

Alisha became widely regarded as one of India’s pop divas, noted for both her independent pop work and her film playback singing. She has been nicknamed Baby Doll and, at times, the Indian Madonna. Beyond recording, she has worked on television as a judge, appearing on Indian Idol 3 in 2007 alongside Javed Akhtar, Anu Malik, and Udit Narayan, and later serving as a judge on the show Star Ya Rockstar.

Awards and recognition

Her playback performance for Kajra Re earned her the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 2005. She has also received international recognition including a Billboard award and the Freddie Mercury Award for Artistic Excellence, according to available information.

Personal life

Alisha was married to Rajesh Jhaveri, who served as her manager; the marriage lasted from 1986 to 1994. She later had a relationship with Romel Kazzouah in 2003. She follows Hinduism and lists travelling and reading among her hobbies. Physical details recorded in public sources include a height of approximately 1.68 m (5'6") and brown hair and eyes.

Controversies

In 1995 Alisha filed a sexual harassment case against music director Anu Malik and sought compensation. The matter received public attention and subsequent legal actions were reported. During the 2018 MeToo movement in India she publicly supported other women who made allegations against the same figure.

Latest updates

Following her peak commercial success in the mid-1990s, Alisha continued to work in both pop and film music, recorded songs for films through the 2000s and 2010s, and remained a visible presence on music reality television as a judge. Her body of work spans multiple languages and includes notable pop and film hits that have sustained her reputation in the Indian music industry.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Alisha Chinai, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
◈

Recent Work

Kajra Re

Playback song from the film Bunty Aur Babli (won Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 2005)

2005
Tinka Tinka Zara Zara

Playback song from the film Karam

2005
Made in India

Breakthrough pop album and biggest career hit

1995
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Became a prominent pop and playback singer with the 1995 album Made in India
  2. Won Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for Kajra Re (2005)
  3. Served as a judge on Indian Idol 3 and Star Ya Rockstar
  4. Recorded songs across multiple Indian languages and for numerous Bollywood films
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Alisha Chinai born?

Alisha Chinai was born on 18 March 1965.

What is Alisha Chinai known for?

Alisha Chinai is known for playback Singer.

What is Alisha Chinai’s marital status?

Alisha Chinai's marital status is listed as Divorced.

Who is Alisha Chinai married to?

Alisha Chinai is publicly listed as married to Rajesh Jhaveri (m. 1986-1994).