Neeti Mohan: Indie music allows you to express yourself

Though she’s kept a low profile in terms of Bollywood music for a couple of years, Neeti Mohan has been busy with independent projects. Reason? The singer enjoys the creative freedom that singles offer. “Independent music is about expressing yourself and what you’re feeling at that time. From a heartbreak or falling in love to your fears or political scenario around — independent music allows you to express yourself. It also makes you more independent,” she says.

The singer, who released a wedding-themed single called Shagnaa a couple of months ago to mark the wedding season, goes on to talk about the diverse themes she’s tapped lately: “I did a song, Naari, to celebrate women’s empowerment and another one, Kanha, on Lord Krishna. Then there was Savaria, a dance celebration featuring me and my sisters and Udne De on the Nirbhaya case.”

Though her last Bollywood outing was in 2022 (the song Pari from Dobaaraa), she sang Kahani Shuru for the OTT project Permanent Roommates Season 3 last year. Does she now plan to strike a balance between film and non-film projects? “I just like to be associated with good work — be it film music, non-film music or devotional music. So, for me, it’s not about balancing, but being drawn towards good music,” says the 44-year-old.

Sharing why they decided to release Shagnaa — a song that was originally a gift to her by composer Rochak Kohli on her wedding with actor Nihar Pandya in February 2019 — a couple of months ago, Mohan says, “Shagnaa was made for my bridal entry. So the song holds a special place in my heart. After our shaadi, the wedding filmmakers put the song on their YouTube channel and people started downloading it. Then we started getting requests for releasing it. I thought it was great to share it with everyone.”