Singer Anushka Manchanda rebranded herself as Kiss Nuka to focus on songs that align with her belief as an artiste. “I felt that there was a big difference in the music that I had been doing under my name (Anushka) — which is primarily composed by other people — as opposed to the music, art and visuals that I wanted to make myself. I wanted to create that separation,” shares Kiss Nuka. But does that mean she has quit Bollywood altogether? “Yes!” she instantly replies. 

Known for hit songs such as Golmaal title song (Golmaal: Fun Unlimited Again, 2006), Manma Emotion Jaage (Dilwale, 2015) and Mit Jaaye Gham (Dum Maaro Dum, 2011), the singer’s last playback job was in 2017 with Aate Jaate Hanste Gaate (Golmaal Again). “A lot of the time you don’t really have a say in the lyrical part of the track, in the story or how it is going to be projected. I stand for a lot of things. So, it’s difficult to go back into [that] space and give that control. However, never say never again. What if there’s a project where everything is aligned, and they feel exactly the way I do? They are as invested in it as I am. Then I’ll be open to it. [For now], I’m quite far from it (Bollywood),” she elaborates. 

Has she learnt anything from her experience in Bollywood? Kiss Nuka says she surely “could have handled” her “finances better”. “The way I used to make money, I don’t make it anymore. I feel it’s important for the artistes to understand that when you are creatively involved, a lot of times you are not good with numbers. You don’t know how to save, invest or build wealth. Especially as an artiste, the job you have is very uncertain,” she ends.