Sona Mohapatra Uses Arijit Singh’s ‘Zaalima’ to Critique Male-Dominated Bollywood Songs

Singer Sona Mohapatra has once again sparked an important conversation about gender balance in the Indian music industry. This time, she used Arijit Singh’s hit song “Zaalima” to highlight how Bollywood overwhelmingly focuses on male-dominated heartbreak songs.

​Sona pointed out that when a movie features a sad or emotional track, it is almost always given to a male singer. While she explicitly stated that this trend is “not his fault,” referring to Arijit Singh, she criticized filmmakers and music labels for ignoring talented female artists. According to her, female perspectives on love, longing, and heartbreak are rarely given the same platform or marketing push.

​”The industry repeatedly defaults to a male voice for deep, emotional tracks, leaving female singers with fewer opportunities to connect on that level,” Sona expressed.

​Her comments have ignited a fresh debate on social media about inclusivity in Bollywood music. Many fans agree that female playback singers deserve equal representation in soulful and melancholy genres, rather than just upbeat dance numbers. Sona continues to be a strong voice calling for a fairer, more balanced industry.