Playback Singers

In the 1940s and 1950s the phenomenon of the "playback singer" came into being. Since many of the actors and actresses looked fantastic on screen but did not have musical talent, professional singers were hired to record the songs to which the stars would lipsynch. Lata Mangeshkar and her sister Asha Bhosle dominated most of the roles with their distinct and lovely voices. Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar reigned supreme as well. Today, however, Udit Narayan is perhaps the most popular playback singer for men, providing the musical voice for most of the major Bollywood heroes.