BOLLYWOOD
Simran Singh | Sep 24, 2026, 06:49 PM IST
1.Neeti Mohan

Before becoming one of Bollywood’s established playback singers, Neeti Mohan auditioned to be part of Rahman’s touring ensemble in 2007. The experience gave her the opportunity to perform extensively with the composer. Her association with Rahman later produced “Jiya Re” from Jab Tak Hai Jaan, a song Neeti has herself credited with giving her a major identity in the Hindi music industry.
2.Heer

Heer is one of the newer voices to emerge from Rahman’s recent musical collaborations. Her association with the composer has already produced “Hellallallo” from Peddi, where she is the playback singer, and “Dheere Dheere” from Main Vaapas Aaunga, alongside Faheem Abdullah, Shilpa Rao and Antara Nandy.
What makes Heer stand out is the contrast in the music she has been exploring. From the energy of “Hellallallo” to the softer, more layered “Dheere Dheere”, she has been able to showcase different facets of her voice in a relatively short span.
3.Sarthak Kalyani

Sarthak Kalyani is perhaps one of the clearest examples of Rahman’s talent-discovery ecosystem. He appeared on ARRived, Rahman’s talent-hunt series, where he was among the shortlisted contestants auditioning before Rahman and the judging panel.
His subsequent association with Rahman has included songs such as Sofia from 99 Songs, Jwalamukhi, Tharangini, and Chal Anjaane. More recently, he has also been featured with Rahman and Khatija Rahman on “Nindiya Pari” from Gandhi Talks.
4.Tanvi Shah

Tanvi Shah’s association with Rahman began with songs including “Yakkai Thiri” and “Fanaa”, and developed into one of the composer’s notable long-running singer collaborations. She later became part of “Jai Ho”, contributing to the song that won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
5.Naresh Iyer

Naresh Iyer’s association with Rahman began after the composer heard him perform on Channel V’s Super Singer. Though Iyer did not win the competition, his performance caught Rahman’s attention, leading to an invitation to Chennai and eventually his playback debut. His voice went on to become closely associated with Rahman compositions including “Roobaroo” from Rang De Basanti.