Draft:Deepali Sahay
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Deepali Sahay | |
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| Born | Patna, Bihar, India |
| Education | Film and Television Institute of India |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Indian Idol; "Tere Paas Main" |
| Spouse | Aishwarya Nigam (m. 2019) |
Deepali Sahay is an Indian singer, actress and television director. She is known for her participation in the third season of the Indian singing reality television series Indian Idol, her work promoting Bhojpuri music, and her playback singing. In 2026, she received widespread attention for singing "Tere Paas Main", composed by A. R. Rahman and written by Irshad Kamil for Imtiaz Ali's film Main Vaapas Aaunga.[1][2][3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Sahay grew up in Patna, Bihar, in a family with a background in public service. Her interest in music developed during childhood. According to her, her mother first noticed her singing when Sahay was a young child and heard her singing the school prayer "Aye Malik Tere Bande Hum". She subsequently received training in classical music from teachers in Patna and grew up listening to older Hindi film songs on the radio.[1]
While preparing for her Class 12 examinations, Sahay auditioned for Indian Idol.[1]
She later studied television direction at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. FTII's alumni records list Sahay among its 2012 television-direction students.[5]
Career
[edit]Indian Idol and television
[edit]Sahay participated in the third season of Indian Idol in 2007. She became one of the finalists and was subsequently eliminated from the competition. The programme brought her national recognition and encouraged her to move to Mumbai with the aim of pursuing a career in playback singing.[6]
Sahay subsequently worked in television and acting. She appeared in programmes including Tujh Sang Preet Lagayi Sajna and Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap. She also co-hosted the fourth season of Indian Idol with Meiyang Chang.[7]
Her work at FTII also led her towards filmmaking. In 2013, she directed the short film Kanti, a film about a woman's experiences after marriage. FTII's records list Kanti among its student films directed by Sahay.[8]
Bhojpuri music
[edit]After her early television career, Sahay increasingly concentrated on music, particularly Bhojpuri folk music. She created independent performances of traditional Bhojpuri songs and sought to challenge stereotypes associated with Bhojpuri popular culture.[1]
She later developed the online series Bhojpuri Classics with Deepali Sahay, through which she performs traditional folk forms including sohar, kajri, wedding songs and Chhath songs. She has also performed older Bhojpuri film songs originally associated with singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Manna Dey.[1]
Her independently produced performances were distributed through social media and music platforms. In 2024, her official YouTube channel published collections of traditional Bhojpuri folk and film songs under the Bhojpuri Classics series.[9]
Playback singing
[edit]Sahay's major breakthrough in Hindi film music came nearly two decades after her appearance on Indian Idol.
In 2026, A. R. Rahman discovered Sahay through her social-media performances. Rahman's team subsequently invited her to Chennai to record "Tere Paas Main" for Main Vaapas Aaunga, directed by Imtiaz Ali. The song was written by Irshad Kamil and became one of the prominent songs associated with the film.[1][6]
Sahay recorded the song at Rahman's home studio in Kodambakkam, Chennai. She later described the recording process as an important milestone in her career, particularly because Rahman allowed her considerable freedom in interpreting the composition.[1]
The song's reception brought Sahay renewed national attention and introduced her work to a new audience. Her 2026 music credits also include releases associated with the Main Vaapas Aaunga soundtrack.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Sahay married singer Aishwarya Nigam in November 2019 in an intimate ceremony in Coimbatore. Nigam is known for winning the television singing competition Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Ek Main Aur Ek Tu with Ujjaini Mukherjee.[11]
Discography
[edit]Selected songs
[edit]- "Tere Paas Main" – Main Vaapas Aaunga (2026)
- "Aa Bhi Ja O Piya" – Aa Bhi Ja O Piya (2022)
- "Hey Devi" (2024)
- "He Chhathi Maiya" (2023)
- "Tahke Senura Hamaar" (2022)[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Khurana, Suanshu (4 July 2026). "Meet Deepali Sahay, the Voice Behind Main Vaapas Aaunga's 'Tere Paas Main'". The Indian Express.
- ↑ Niyogi, Agnivo (2026-06-24). "Meet Deepali Sahay, the singer who waited 19 years for her breakthrough with 'Tere Paas Main'". Telegraph India. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ Pande, Shreyas (2026-06-22). "Love 'Tere Paas Main' from 'Main Vaapas Aaunga'? Meet Deepali Sahay, the voice behind this viral song". The Hindu. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ Maru, Vibha (2026-06-23). "20 years later she got her Bollywood break in Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aauga". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ "2011 to 2020 alumni". Film and Television Institute of India. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- 1 2 "'Living my dream': Deepali Sahay on singing for A R Rahman-Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga". The Indian Express. 25 June 2026.
- ↑ "Deepali Sahay on SAB TV's next". India Forums. 15 June 2015.
- ↑ "Student Films". Film and Television Institute of India. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- ↑ "Non Stop Traditional Hits". Deepali Sahay. 30 December 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Deepali Sahay". Spotify. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
- ↑ "Indian Idol 3 singer Deepali Sahay ties the knot with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa fame Aishwarya Nigam; see pics". The Times of India. 13 November 2019.