While Bollywood has always had a significant number of talented female singers who have made remarkable contributions to the music industry, the number of solo female songs in Hindi films, overall, has been much lesser in comparison to the number of solo male songs and duets. And, in the last few years, this discrepancy has only increased.

Even duets often feature the female vocalist for the last one minute of a three-minute song, case in point -- the recent popular number Tere Pyaar Mein from Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar sung by Arijit Singh and Nikhita Gandhi. The song sparked a debate on this subject, and many female singers believe that, ‘It’s the society, more than the film or music industry, that is responsible’.

While Nikhita Gandhi has had two solo Bollywood songs this year, she believes that there is definitely a disparity. “There is a slight tilt towards male songs in Bollywood playback. There is usually a lot of male-centric music in Bollywood. Having said that, I wouldn’t say that there isn’t any female song at all, because I just sang Mushkil from the film Blind (for Clinton Cerejo and Bianca Gomes) and Banjaare from Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat. There is still a long way to go for female solo songs.”

Shreya Ghoshal, who has sung the maximum solo songs in Bollywood in the last three years, says, “I think somehow there is some kind of a subconscious choice which a creator or producer has, which stems from the society we live in. But now, things should change. There are girl bosses everywhere. It’s the time for women, but the same is yet to reflect in our films, stories and music.”

Music composer Jeet Gannguli agrees that there is a dearth of female-led songs in the Hindi film industry. “It all depends on the heroine’s character and the importance she has in the narrative. In all of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s works, female solos are beautifully used because they have significant roles. And female-oriented action films do not have much scope other than background music and title songs.”

Shilpa Rao is among the few female singers who recently had a big solo hit, Besharam Rang from Pathaan, but understands the need for change. “We need to have more voices, and by voices, I mean perspectives. Every gender has its own voice that needs to be represented. The story will be incomplete otherwise.”

Harshdeep Kaur explains that the lack of female voices is because there aren’t enough female protagonists in our movies. She says, “Most films generally are male dominated and that’s why there are many more songs that are sung by men. Unless an entire film is women-centric, with women protagonists, there won’t be many solo songs for female vocalists. Even at big music festivals and music concerts, the headliners are usually male singers.”

Composer Shantanu Moitra says, “In most Bollywood films, directors, producers and scriptwriters are male, and therefore, the narratives are from the male perspective. Today, the overall usage of songs has anyway reduced in films, even in that limited space, the point of view given out is that of a male, hence, you are listening to more male songs. Even if it is just four lines, the male perspective is prioritized. There are exceptions of course, but it all depends on the subject of the film. And that is the snapshot of India – for the average woman in non-urban India, the narrative is controlled by the man. And the representation of a voice comes from there. Sickening but true.”

Bollywood has about four-five songs in the film albums these days and female songs are much lesser than before. But it all depends on the heroine’s character and the importance she has in the narrative

Today, the usage of songs has reduced in films, and even in that limited space, the point of view given out is that of a male, hence, you are listening to more male songs

Most films generally are male dominated and that’s why there are many more songs that are sung by men. Unless an entire film is women-centric, with women protagonists, there won’t be many solo songs for female vocalists

I think narrative-wise, people tend to just adhere to more male vocals. A lot of it is also due to the fact that our society, in general, is like that. In India, we are sort of just pre-conditioned to listen to the male voice, including ads and documentaries. I think that it’s society, more than the film or the music industry, that is responsible

We need to have more voices, and by voices, I mean perspectives. Every gender has its own voice that needs to be represented. The story will be incomplete otherwise