'I Was A Misfit': Shreya Ghoshal Felt Her Voice Was Not The Right Match For Bipasha Basu In Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai
Shreya Ghoshal says she felt like a misfit singing Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai for Bipasha Basu, despite the song later becoming a major hit.
By ETV Bharat Entertainment Team
Published : March 1, 2026 at 4:50 PM IST
Hyderabad: Famous playback singer Shreya Ghoshal recently opened up about a lesser-known part of her early days as a singer and revealed how she felt like a "misfit" while recording the popular track Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai from the film Jism, featuring Bipasha Basu.
In a recent interview with a news wire, Shreya looked back at her journey after making her Bollywood debut with Devdas, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. She was just 16 when she lent her voice to songs in the film, which featured Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.
Her song Bairi Piya from Devdas won her a National Award and made her an overnight sensation. However, Shreya said that despite such a strong beginning, her journey was not immediately smooth.
"Devdas was a great launchpad. When you sing in a film with stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit, your beginning is very strong. But it took me a long time to get my next song. It was not as if I called everyone every day asking for work. I waited for the right opportunities. I believe every piece of music deserves the right casting, and if it does not happen at the right time, it does not create magic," she said.
Shreya then spoke about recording Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai and how unsure she felt at that time. The song, composed by MM Keeravani, became one of the most popular tracks of the early 2000s. But the singer revealed that she was initially doubtful about her suitability for the song, which was picturised on Bipasha Basu.
"I felt like I was a misfit for Bipasha Basu, but it was a very bold choice by composer MM Keeravani, who is internationally acclaimed. He said he wanted that exact voice. I don't think I tried to be sensuous in it, because that does not come naturally to me. I think it was meant to have the rawness of youth - I was 18 at the time. I couldn't deliver. When they explained the situation to me, I tried to channel my inner Asha Bhosle ji, thinking what she would have done if she were there. But I still did it in my own way," she said.
The song featured Bipasha Basu alongside John Abraham, who made his Bollywood debut with the film. Even though she was not interested at first, Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai became a hit song, and music lovers still remember it.
Shreya is currently seen as a judge on Indian Idol Season 17, along with Badshah and Vishal Dadlani. The show recently featured Anil Kapoor, who appeared to promote his upcoming film Subedaar.
Shreya had recently sung Maatrubhoomi for Salman Khan's film Battle of Galwan, alongside Arijit Singh and Master Mani Dharamkot. She had also announced her global concert series, The Unstoppable Tour, which will cover several countries, including India, Australia, the US, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi and the UK.
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