‘Today, Shah Rukh Khan probably wouldn't greet me like he used to': Abhijeet Sawant reflects on declining fame, recalls hobnobbing with stars during prime
Abhijeet Sawant, who once captured the hearts of millions with his melodious voice as the winner of the first season of Indian Idol, went on to sing for several Bollywood films. However, over time, his prominence in the industry began to fade. In a recent conversation on the Hindi Rush Podcast, Abhijeet opened up about the highs of his career, the moment he met superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and the eventual decline of his stardom.
'Uss time par aisa hogaya tha ki bade bade stars aakar mil rahe thay… ki aare yaar Abhijeet, big fan. Ek baar Shah Rukh Khan sahab aakar mile. He was being very kind, ek baar show par bulaya mujhe perform karne ke liye… khud announce kiya mera naam, and said maine ghar par bohot dekhe iske gaane (At that time, it had reached a point where big stars would come up to meet me, saying, 'Hey Abhijeet… big fan.' Once, Shah Rukh Khan himself came up to me, he was very kind. He invited me to perform on a show… personally announced my name… and said he had watched many of my songs at home).'
Also Read | Indian Idol 1 winner Abhijeet Sawant says live performances are his biggest source of income: 'I spend most of my time on stage…it is my business'
But Abhijeet also candidly spoke about how fame is fleeting and how difficult it became to maintain his position as the industry evolved. 'Woh consistency nahi ho paa rahi… woh gaane nahi mil rahe hai… ya kuch aisi cheezain nahi ho rahi ki main hamesha uss level par chalta rahoon… agar aaj main milunga Khan sahab se toh shayad woh sirf hello karke chale jayenge (That consistency isn't there anymore… I'm not getting those songs… or things just aren't happening the way they used to, for me to remain at that same level… If I were to meet Khan sahab today, maybe he'd just say hello and walk away.)
Abhijeet further reflected on how many people rely on their initial impression or moment of fame to carry them through, but emphasised that this is not sustainable. He noted that one must consistently put in the work, not only to reach a position of success but also to maintain it over time, with hard work and perseverance.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
37 minutes ago
- Mint
India's highest paid actress, second most followed celebrity investor, yet no Bollywood film in 5 years- Find out who
At a time when equal pay in the film industry is still a hot topic, this actress has broken barriers by out-earning many of her male counterparts with a staggering ₹ 30 crore fee for her upcoming film. She's also emerged as one of the most followed celebrity investors of the year. Yet, despite all this success, she hasn't appeared on the Indian big screen in not one, but five whole years. Can you guess who she is? According to the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders list, Priyanka Chopra is the second most followed celebrity investor on the list, only slightly behind the topper, Shraddha Kapoor with 94.1 million followers. Priyanka has 92.4 million followers online as per the list; 92.3 million alone on Instagram and 27.2 million on X, formerly Twitter. The list mentioned, 'Priyanka Chopra, 42, with 92.4 million followers, is a global icon and the Co-founder of Purple Pebble Pictures, a production company. She is also the Co-founder of Anomaly Haircare, a brand known for its high-quality, sustainable hair care products. With her entrepreneurial spirit and global reach, Priyanka has expanded her influence beyond acting, making a significant mark in the entertainment and beauty industries.' Reportedly, Priyanka's total net worth is said to be around ₹ 650 crore. She was last seen in the short film, We Are One Family as herself in 2020. However, her last full length role in a Bollywood film was in the movie, The Sky Is Pink, released in 2019. She is set to mark her comeback in Indian cinema with filmmaker SS Rajamouli's next tentatively titled, SSMB29. It also has Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Priyanka Chopra has charged a massive ₹ 30 crore for the Rajamouli film, becoming the highest-paid actress in Indian cinema. A source told the portal previously, 'This is why they took so long to announce her participation in the project. She was not willing to budge over her fee, and why should she? Why should only the men actors get double-digit salaries in our films?" Notably, while ₹ 30 crore is a record-breaking paycheck for an Indian actress, Priyanka has earned even more internationally. Now based out of Los Angeles with husband Nick Jonas, she reportedly took home $5 million (over ₹ 41 crore) for her role in Amazon Prime Video's Citadel, as per Hindustan Times. With her recent ₹ 30 crore deal for the pan-India film, Priyanka Chopra has officially surpassed Deepika Padukone to become the highest-paid actress in India. Deepika was the previous highest-earning actress after charging ₹ 20 crore for her role in Kalki 2898 AD.
Pink Villa
an hour ago
- Pink Villa
Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's first glimpse from International film The Seven Dogs OUT, fans say 'maza aa gaya'
Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt share a great bond, and their brotherly friendship needs no proof. The duo has starred in several movies together, including Saajan and Chal Mere Bhai. While they were last seen together in a music video titled Old Money, sung by AP Dhillon, the duo is now ready to take on an international project, The Seven Dogs. While it will be Sanjay Dutt's international debut, the Bollywood Megastar will mark his second foreign outing after Marigold (2007). The official teaser of The Seven Dogs (7 Dogs) is out now, promising slick action sequences and a high-octane cinematic experience. Both Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt can be spotted in a blink-of-an-eye glimpse. While Salman Khan is elevating the teaser with his presence in a pinstripe suit, Baba is seen holding and pointing a gun at someone. Ever since the teaser dropped, fans are in no mood to keep calm and are gushing over the presence of the Indian cinema icons. While reacting to the teaser, a social media user commented, 'Bhai looks and charm (with fire emoji), another user wrote, 'maza aa gaya, can't wait for the movie.' A third fan wrote, 'Bhai's swag is on another level - this one's gonna be explosive!' Another user tweeted, 'Salman Khan stepping up the game globally - Bollywood to Hollywood!' Check out what other netizens have to say about Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's first glimpse from The Seven Dogs teaser: For the unversed, the International feature film is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who previously directed Hollywood movies- Bad Boys For Life and Ms Marvel. The movie stars Egyptian actors Karim Abdel Aziz and Ahmed Ezz in the lead roles. Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt are doing guest appearances in the movie. Besides the lead actors, the Saudi action-comedy also stars Monica Bellucci, Max Huang, Tara Emad, and Sandy Bella. Though Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt's character details have been kept under wraps, we cannot wait to see how their cameo presence elevates the film. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more!
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
UK woman swoons over India's garbage truck jingle
Credit: X/@sociallywanderful India's music scene is known for producing some absolute bangers — from Bollywood hits to indie chart-toppers. But for one British woman, the song that stole her heart wasn't playing in a nightclub or movie — it was blaring from a garbage truck. Deanna Leigh, a 23-year-old travel vlogger from the UK, recently went viral after posting a hilarious and wholesome video about falling in love with India's municipal waste collection jingle. The tune? The familiar 'Swachh Bharat ka irada, irada kar liya humne…' — instantly recognizable across the country as the anthem of cleanliness drives and, more commonly, the soundtrack to your local trash van. 'I kept hearing it in Jodhpur and thought it was just a really catchy morning song people liked,' Deanna admitted in her video, laughing at her mistake. 'I had no idea it was announcing garbage pickup!' In the clip, a garbage truck can be seen rolling down the street as the upbeat jingle plays, while Deanna listens in, clearly amused and unexpectedly impressed. In her caption, she wrote: 'My new favourite song in India! At one point, this was all I would hear in the mornings. I had no clue what it meant… but damn, what a banger!' She first heard the tune while traveling through Rajasthan and Agra, where different versions are commonly played by municipal vans. 'Each city has its own tune, but this one was my favourite,' she added. And now? She's seriously considering bringing the concept home. 'Can we use this back in the UK? I think it might make bin days 10 times better,' she joked. Deanna's reaction has struck a chord with Indian netizens, who are both entertained and oddly proud. One user commented, 'Honestly, it's a banger.' A second user wrote, 'This song was a nightmare and an alarm for me for 7 straight years.' However a third user noted that his personal favourite is another OG song. He wrote, 'Nobody can beat the OG song though: 'Kude wala aaya ghr se khachra nikaal.'
