Palak Muchhal

Palak Muchhal (born 30 March 1992) is an Indian playback singer and lyricist. Muchhal performs as a playback singer across Hindi films and other Indian film industries. She has rendered her voice in Hindi films such as Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Aashiqui 2 (2013), Kick (2014) and Action Jackson (2014) Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) Kaabil (2017), Baaghi 2 (2018) and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (2019). Her rendition of the song "Kaun Tujhe" from the film"M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story has earned her much praise from fans as well as prominent personalities in the music industry.^[1][2] On 6 November 2022, she married music composer Mithoon, with whom she had earlier worked on the soundtrack of Aashiqui 2.^[3] Alongside her brother Palash Muchhal, she has also done philanthropic work by raising funds through her stage shows for children who need financial assistance for treatment of heart diseases.^[4]

Palak Muchhal was born on 30 March 1992 into a MaheshwariMarwari family in Indore. Her mother, Amita Muchhal, is a homemaker and her father, Rajkumar Muchhal, works for a private firm.^[5] She has a younger brother, Palash Muchhal.^[6] She did her schooling from Queens College Indore. In May 2013 Muchhal stated that she was doing her final year of B.Com from a college in Indore.^[7]

Muchhal veröffentlichte vor ihrer Volljährigkeit sechs Alben außerhalb des Bollywood-Genres. 2001, im Alter von neun Jahren, erschien ihr erstes Album „Child For Children“ bei Tips Music . 2003 folgte ihr zweites Album „Palken “ . ^{[ 8 ]} Später veröffentlichte sie die Alben „Aao Tumhe Chand Per Le Jaaye“ , „Beti Hu Mahakal Ki“ und „Dil Ke Liye “. 2011 erschien ihr Album „Jai Jai Dev Ganesh“ bei T-Series . Ende 2006 zog Muchhal von Indore nach Mumbai , um in Bollywood ihre Gesangskarriere voranzutreiben. Ihren ersten Bollywood-Song sang sie im Oktober 2011 für den Film „Damadamm!“ , der überwiegend positive Kritiken erhielt. Einen Monat später folgte ihr zweiter Song „Pyaar Ke Silsile“ für den Film „Na Jaane Kabse“ . ^{[ 9 ]} Sowohl die Musik als auch der Film selbst erhielten schlechte Kritiken. ^{[ 10 ]} Muchhal kannte den Schauspieler Salman Khan . Khan hatte sie zuvor dem Musikdirektor Sajid-Wajid für seinen Film „Veer“ empfohlen. Auch Yash Raj Films empfahl er sie . Daraufhin synchronisierte Muchhal zusammen mit KK den Song „Laapata“ für Yash Raj Films, der im Blockbuster „ Ek Tha Tiger“ von 2012 verwendet wurde. Das Lied wurde mit Salman Khan und Katrina Kaif gedreht . Es wurde ein Hit und verhalf Muchhal zum Durchbruch in Bollywood. ^{[ 11 ]}

Später im selben Jahr, 2012, sang sie den Song „Nainon Ne Nainon Se“ für den Film „ From Sydney with Love“ und erhielt dafür positive Kritiken. Anfang 2013 sang Muchhal zwei von Mithoon und Jeet Gannguli komponierte Lieder für den Film „Aashiqui 2“ . Die Musik von „Aashiqui 2“ wurde überwiegend positiv aufgenommen ^{[ 12 ]} und wurde nach „Ek Tha Tiger“ ihr zweiter Hit. Der Song „Chahun Main Yaa Na“ markierte ihren charakteristischen Start in die Bollywood-Industrie. ^{[ 7 ]} Muchhal sang außerdem den Song „Tui Borsha Bikeler Dheu“ auf Bengali für den bengalischen Film „ Rocky“ , der im April 2013 erschien . Nach ihrem Debüt als Sängerin in Bollywood interpretierte sie mehrere Lieder von Himesh Reshammiya . 2014 sang sie zusammen mit Mika Singh Reshammiyas Song „Jumme Ki Raat“, der zum größten Hit des Jahres wurde. Später sang sie das Lied auch mit Salman Khan . Sie war außerdem die Leadsängerin in Salman Khans Film „Prem Ratan Dhan Payo “ aus dem Jahr 2015. ^{[ 13 ] [ 14 ]} 2016 lieh sie Amaal Malliks „ Kaun Tujhe “ in „MS Dhoni: The Untold Story “ ihre Stimme , einem der erfolgreichsten Lieder des Jahres. Die meisten ihrer bisherigen Lieder stammen von Reshammiya , Gannguli, Mithoon und Amaal Mallik . Ihr Kannada-Lied „Enammi Enammi“ mit Vijay Prakash war 2018 ein großer Chartstürmer.

Im Jahr 2023 war das Lied Naiyo Lagda aus dem Film Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan ebenfalls ein großer Chartbuster des Jahres.

Muchhal wurde im Alter von vier Jahren Mitglied von Kalyanji–Anandji Little Star, einer Gruppe junger Sängerinnen. ^{[ 15 ]} Während des Kargil-Krieges 1999 sang sie im Alter von sieben Jahren eine Woche lang in Geschäften ihrer Heimatstadt Indore, um Spenden für die Familien gefallener indischer Soldaten zu sammeln. Ihre Aktion fand in den indischen Medien große Beachtung, und sie sammelte 25.000 ₹ (810 US-Dollar). Später im selben Jahr sang sie, um Spenden für die Opfer des Zyklons in Odisha 1999 zu sammeln . ^{[ 16 ]}

Her decision to use her voice to help others was triggered when she saw poor children using their clothes to clean train compartments.^[5] Around the same time, teachers at Nidhi Bal Vinay Mandir, an Indore-based school, approached Muchhal and her parents with a request for a charity show to raise funds for their pupil, Lokesh, who was suffering from a congenital heart defect. Lokesh's father was an impoverished footwear shop-owner and was unable to afford the high cost of heart surgery. Muchhal and her parents agreed to arrange a show and in March 2000, she used a street vendor's cart as a stage for the event and collected ₹51,000 (US$1,600) towards the cost of surgery. The attendant publicity prompted Bangalore-based cardiologist, Devi Prasad Shetty, to operate on Lokesh free of charge. Muchhal's parents advertised in local newspapers to promote donations toward heart surgery for children like Lokesh. The outcome of this was a list of 33 children in need of heart surgery.^[17]

A series of charity shows were arranged later in that year, from which ₹225,000 (US$7,200) were raised. This money was used to provide heart surgery for five children in Bangalore and Bhandari Hospital Indore. To help Muchhal in her efforts to save lives of children at relatively low cost, T. Choithram Hospital of Indore halved the cost of surgery from ₹80,000 (US$2,600) to ₹40,000 (US$1,300) and one of its surgeons, Dhiraj Gandhi, decided to waive his fee for cases brought in by Muchhal.^[15]

Since 2000, Muchhal has travelled extensively in India and abroad for her charity show, which is billed in Hindi as "Dil Se Dil Tak" ("From heart to heart") and in English as "Save Little Hearts". Her younger brother, Palash, performs in the same shows with the intent of raising funds for children who have kidney ailments.^[18] On average, Muchhal sings around 40 songs in each show which includes popular Bollywood songs, Ghazals and Bhajans. Muchhal can sing in 17 different languages which include Hindi, Sanskrit, Gujarati, Odia, Assamese, Rajasthani, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sindhi and Malayalam.^[5]

Palak was also a star at Maheboob College, Secunderabad and sang there. Both Palak and Palash sang on different occasions. By this they were brought up and built their career.

In 2001, Muchhal raised around one million rupees for the victims of 2001 Gujarat earthquake.^[19] In July 2003, Muchhal offered financial assistance through her charity funds to the parents of a two-year-old Pakistani girl who had a hole in the heart.^[20] Muchhal's charity organisation is named "Palak Muchhal Heart Foundation". As of March 2006 this foundation had financially assisted 200 children in undergoing heart surgery.^[21] By the end of the year 2006 Muchhal had raised ₹1.2 crore (US$130,000) for this foundation which were used to save the lives of 234 children. To ensure that operations of children do not stop due to lack of money, Bhandari Hospital in Indore has allowed an overdraft of up to one million rupees to Palak Muchhal Heart Foundation.^[5] In 2006 Muchhal was one of the five heroic stories broadcast by Star Gold channel as part of its "Rang De Basanti Salaam" (Salute to Color of Sacrifice) initiative. By June 2009 Muchhal had staged 1,460 charity shows across the world, which had raised ₹1.71 crore (US$180,000) for Palak Muchhal Heart Foundation. These funds helped to save the lives of 338 children.^[22]

Doctors allow Muchhal to be present in the operating theatre. She has her own surgical gown in the hospital and when the operation takes place she chants JainNavkar Mantra. Muchhal and her parents do not receive any financial benefits from the charity shows but she receives a doll for every child whose life she helps make better through her efforts.^[5]

In 2011, Muchhal entered Bollywood as a professional playback singer but her efforts to help child heart patients continued. In August 2015, funds raised by her has helped to save the lives of 800 children. As of October 2020, she with her brother has saved 2,200 lives of children.^[23] As of March 8, 2024, a total of 2986 lives have been saved so far by Palak and her brother Palash.^[24]

Muchhal married Mithoon, a music composer on 6 November 2022 with whom she worked earlier on the music of Aashiqui 2.^[25]

• Silver Medal for the year 2000 by Vice President of IndiaKrishan Kant as National Child Award For Exceptional Achievement (Rashtriya Bal Puraskar).^[32]
• Winner of Sony Entertainment Television (India) TV show Cadbury Bournvita Confidence Champions (2006)^[33]
• Muchhal has made her entry in Limca Book of World Records for great achievements in social work.^[34]
• CBSE and Maharashtra board has included Palak's achievement in the textbook of seventh standard moral science.^[22]
• Zee Cine Awards 2014 Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Fresh Singing Talent for "Meri Aashiqui" song of Aashiqui 2 and also a nomination in Best Female Playback Singer category for the same song.
• Stardust Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the title track of Prem Ratan Dhan Payo in 2015.
• Got her first-ever nomination in the Filmfare Awards through 61st Filmfare Awards in 2016 as a playback singer for the same song and category.
• BIG Star Entertainment Awards for BIG Star Most Entertaining Singer (Female) for the same.
• Her contribution resulted in winning Best Track of the Year Award 2015 for "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" song in Zee Cine Awards.
• Received her first ever Screen Award for "Kaun Tujhe Yun Pyaar Karega" _ M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story in December 2016.
• Second nomination in Filmfares through 62nd Filmfare Awards 2017 for "Kaun Tujhe" once again.
• Became a judge in The Voice India Kids 2017 _ &TV with Himesh Reshammiya, Shaan (singer) and Papon, and ultimately a contestant (from "Palak's Team") won the title even after facing a critical stage of her life as a minor girl 'about her modesty issues'.^[35]
• Received the Honorary Doctorate by the American University, United States for Global Peace (2021)^[36]

• Palal Muchhal at IMDb
• Palak Muchhal at Bollywood Hungama
• Palak Muchhal at farhanabhatt.com