Ashhar Alam | New Delhi

While on one hand, music legend A.R. Rahman’s remarks to a BBC anchor kicked up a debate on the alleged discrimination faced by Muslims in Bollywood, singing sensation Shahzad Ali, whose number “Na to karvaan ki talash hai…” from the blockbuster movie Dhurandhar is breaking all records, remembers how music director Vishal Dadlani patronized him during his days of struggle.

Coming from musicians Dagar family, Shahzad Ali’s first hit number in Bollywood was from Sultaan “Upar Allah, neche dharti…”which he sang with Sukhwinder Singh as a backing singer. “I did not first get credit for it because there is something called back singing, for which singers may not get recognition. But Vishalji fought with the production team. He insisted ‘is bache ka naam aana chahiye,’” Shahzad recalls.

Although he was not deeply disturbed by the initial lack of credit, he was deeply impressed by Vishal’s support. “I didn’t even know for a long time that they had added my credit line at the end of the movie,” he says. Today, at 34, Shahzad has come a long way from those uncredited beginnings.

Shahzad, whose Dhurandhar number has catapulted him into the spotlight, recently shared his journey in a podcast with Vijay Vikram Singh. He began singing in hotels and restaurants in Mumbai, driven by a childhood determination to make Bollywood his career. “From my childhood, I was determined to make Bollywood my field of work and livelihood,” he says.

The road was anything but easy. Shahzad vividly remembers the 12 days he and his father slept on a footpath near Pakeeza hotel (Santa Cruz) in Mumbai. “Abba and I slept on the footpath. We stayed in a tiny room where only one person could sleep at a time. I spent my days searching for restaurants where I could sing just to earn a few rupees for food,” he recalls. Despite these hardships, his mother’s sacrifices saving every penny to pay for his music lessons, fueled his determination to succeed.

Ranveer Singh and Shahzad Ali

Before Dhurandhar brought him global recognition, Shahzad had steadily built his career. In The Kashmir Files, he was part of the haunting vocal ensemble for “Hum Dekhenge.” His early Bollywood entries included Sultaan (2016), and later tracks such as the title song of the series Aashram and “Dumadum Mast Kalandar” in Code Name: Tiranga highlighted his versatility as a Sufi and playback singer.

The turning point in Shahzad’s career came when he collaborated with composer Shashwat Sachdev and director Aditya Dhar on the track “Ishq Jalakar,” a high-octane recreation of a 65-year-old qawwali. Shahzad was in his hometown of Bikaner when the trailer dropped, and the song became a viral sensation almost overnight, cementing his place in Bollywood’s musical firmament.

The success of Dhurandhar has transformed Shahzad’s life. The most emotional moment for him was during the film’s music launch, when Ranveer Singh publicly embraced him, calling his voice “lighting.” After nearly twenty years of anonymity, the singer who once slept under the Mumbai stars has finally found his own place among them.

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Despite fame and recognition, Shahzad remains grounded. “Those fifteen days on the footpath taught me more about life than any music lesson ever could,” he reflects. His journey is a testament not only to his talent but also to the power of mentorship, resilience, and perseverance.

From the footpaths of Mumbai to the glamour of Bollywood music, 34-year-old Shahzad Ali’s story is an inspiration for aspiring singers everywhere, a story of struggle, passion, and ultimate triumph.