This singer worked as a tailor, went against family's wishes to give the highest-selling Indian song ever, then vanished
It happens very rarely that just one performance or piece of art can transform someone’s career. But such one-hit wonders are present, many of them in India itself. One such story is of this one singer, who shot to national fame with his debut song over 30 years ago. He broke records, earned loads of money, and then vanished as quickly as he rose.
The singer who became superstar with one song
Altaf Raja was once a household name in India’s entertainment circles. The singer is credited to popularising the use of Urdu shayari in Hindi songs. In 1997, his debut album Tum To Thehre Pardesi became a superhit. Raja’s song of the same name was a chartbuster and held the world record for the highest-selling Indian song for years. This made Altaf Raja a pop culture icon in his early 30s and paved the way for him to appear in several films as an actor and playback singer.
Altaf Raja’s early struggles
But the path to stardom was not a straightforward one for Raja. Born in 1967 in Nagpur, Raja was sent by his parents to Mumbai for better education. But he returned to his hometown after class V. After class IX, he dropped out of school because he wanted to become a singer. Going against his parents’ wishes, he enrolled in music classes and also worked in a tailor shop to earn money while he was still a teenager.
Altaf Raja’s sudden fall from grace
After his initial success, Altaf Raja continued to sing in many Hindi films, including Pardesi Babu, Company, and Hunterrr. However, his fame diminished as none of those songs worked. Raja continued to release his albums and singles as well but again without success. In 2021, he attempted a comeback with the song Saath Kya Nibhaoge, a sequel to his smash hit from 1997. The singer continues to put up stage performances.
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