Kunal Ganjawala
Kunal Ganjawala is an Indian playback singer whose songs are mostly featured in Hindi and Kannada films. He has also sung in Marathi, Bengali and other official languages of India. Kunal began his career by singing jingles. He came to limelight in Hindi with the song "Bheege Honth Tere" from the film Murder in 2004. It was his first biggest hit. The song earned him Zee Cine Award as Best Playback Singer in 2005. He came to limelight in Kannada with the song "Neene Neene" from the film Akash in 2005.
Career
As a child, Kunal Ganjawala never thought of becoming singer. He didn't know until college that he could sing. Since then he started singing at every college festivals and won many intra- and inter-college competitions.Ganjawala graduated from St. Peter's School, Mazagaon. Kunal wanted to be either a chartered accountant or an actor. Kunal admits that it was his parents' support which made him possible to become a singer. Kunal's sister is a Bharat Natyam exponent, while his father plays the harmonica. With his parents' support he took singing seriously and started believing that he can become a singer.
Later, Ganjawala learned music from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan under the guidance of Sudhindra Bhaumick. His first singing assignment was a Ranjit Barot-composed jingle titled Doodh Doodh for the Operation Flood advertisement. Ganjawala has said that he was taken seriously by other music directors because he was working with Barot.
Ganjawala's first break in Bollywood was Ab Ke Baras in 2002. Although the song did not mark him as a prominent singer, it earned him many offers. Thereafter he sang in many movies, such as Saathiya, Indian Babu, Paisa Vasool, Khakee, Rudraksh, Dhoom and Meenaxi. His breakthrough hit was "Bheege Hont", from the film Murder, which won the 2005 Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer – Male and IIFA Best Male Playback Award.
Ganjawala entered the Kannada film industry in 2005. His very first song in Kannada, Neene Neene composed by music director R P Patnaik and written by K. Kalyan for the movie Akash, was a hit of the year. His big break in South India came in 2006 from the Kannada blockbuster film Mungaru Male. His song "Onde Ondu Sari" written by Kaviraj and composed by music director Mano Murthy became the biggest hit of the year. It created records, including for highest sales and downloads.
Popular singer Sonu Nigam who is known in South India for his hundreds of Kannada songs, recently composed a theme song for the Karnataka Bulldozer's team in the Celebrity Cricket League. With lyrics by Sowmya Raoh, this was sung by the trio of Ganjawala, Nigam and Raoh. Ganjawala has sung nearly 450 Kannada Songs thus far.
He has participated in Sa Re Ga Ma, an Indian singing talent competition on Zee TV when it was hosted by Nigam. He was a judge on Amul Star Voice of India, another singing competition on Star TV, together with Shreya Ghoshal and Pritam.
Since then Ganjawala has worked for many music directors like Anu Malik, Anand-Milind, Nadeem-Shravan, Pritam, Himesh Reshammiya, Ismail Darbar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Anand Raj Anand, Rajesh Roshan, Viju Shah, Aadesh Shrivastava, Roop Kumar Rathod, Daboo Malik, and Sanjeev-Darshan. Kunal recently sang for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Saawariya. His numbers from the films Maashah Alaah and Pari were running top on the chart.
Other than Hindi and Kannada, he has also sung in Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Bengali, Telugu, MalayalamAssamese and Sindhi languages.
His song "Oh my love" from Bengali language movie Amanush Jeet Gannguli and "Channa Ve Ghar aa jaa" from a Punjabi album Channa Ve by DJ Anit & Music director Santokh Singh was also a success.
In 2007, he participated in a concert tour in North America, called The Incredibles, also featuring Asha Bhosle, Nigam and Kailash Kher.
On 3 April 2010 he performed at RECSTACY, the annual cultural event of NIT DURGAPUR. On 26 November 2010 he performed at SDM UTSAV, the mega fest event of SDMCET.
In February 2018, he recorded India's first jazzy ghazal Dhatt, for the Indian recording label Indian Talkie. The song was composed by Sumit and written by Zeest and is a blend of two completely different genres, Jazz and Ghazal. The song was released on Valentine's Day 2018 to over 300 music streaming platforms, including Saavn, iTunes Spotify, Deezer, and Wynk Music. The Lyrical Making Video was released on Indian Talkie's official YouTube Channel, featuring Kunal Ganjawala and Sumit and his team.
Personal life
In 2005, he married fellow singer Gayatri Iyer. They performed the title track for STAR One's Antakshari together. He is a staunch devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.Awards and recognition
Kunal Ganjawala has received the following recognitions:! rowspan= 5 | Murder
"Best Male Playback Singer"
"RD Burman Award for New Music Talent"
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"Best Male Playback"
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"Best Playback Singer – Male"
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"Best Male Playback Singer"
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"Bollywood Movie Award – Best Playback Singer Male"
Discography
Hindi songs
| Year | Movie | Song | Notes |
| 2002 | Saathiya | "O Humdum Soniyo Re" | |
| 2003 | ' | "Chodo Na Mujhe" | |
| 2003 | Saaya | "Har Taraf Har Jagah" | |
| 2003 | Tere Naam | "Vocals" | |
| 2004 | Murder | "Bheege Honth Tere" | Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent |
| 2004 | ' | "Gonna Fall In Love" | |
| 2004 | Musafir | "Ek Dil Ne" | |
| 2004 | Lakeer | "Nachley", "Shehzade" | |
| 2004 | Khakee | "Uppar Wale" | |
| 2004 | Gayab | "Gayab Hoke", "Dilkash" | |
| 2004 | Uuf Kya Mohabbat Hai | "Shukriya" | |
| 2004 | Balle Balle! From Amritsar To L.A. | "Lo Shaadi Aayi" | |
| 2005 | Kya Kool Hai Hum | "Kya Kool Hai Hum ", "Chaska", "We Are So Different" | |
| 2005 | Aksar | "Loot Jaayenge" | |
| 2005 | Tango Charlie | "Akkad Te Bakkad Te" | |
| 2005 | Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye | "O Jaana Tenu Rab Da" | |
| 2005 | Kyon Ki | "Dil Keh Raha Hai" | |
| 2005 | Kaal | "Kaal Dhamaal, Tauba Tauba" | |
| 2005 | Chaska | "We Are Sabse Alag" | |
| 2005 | Socha Na Tha | "Abhi Abhi " | |
| 2005 | Salaam Namaste | "Salaam Namaste", "What's going on" | |
| 2005 | Sheesha | "Yaar Ko Maine", "Mujhe Jeena Sikha Do na" | |
| 2005 | Chehraa | "Mausam Ki Izazat Hai" | |
| 2005 | Dansh | "Saje Hain Sapnon Ke" | |
| 2005 | Fareb | "Pehle Se" | |
| 2005 | Fun- Can Be Dangerous Sometimes | "Jal Raha Hai Badan" | |
| 2005 | Time Pass | "Koi Nahi, Tere Mere" | |
| 2005 | Topless | "Rang Mein Aaj" | |
| 2005 | Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena | "Ishq Hai Jhootha" | |
| 2005 | Insan | "Is Tarah Deewane" | |
| 2006 | Woh Lamhe | "So Jaoon Main " | |
| 2006 | Chup Chup Ke | "Aaya Re", "Aaya Re ", "Tumse Hi " | |
| 2006 | Bhagam Bhag | "Tere Bin", "Tere Bin " | |
| 2006 | Ankahee | "Tumse Yun Milenge" | |
| 2006 | Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota | "Yun hota Toh kya hota" | |
| 2006 | Pyaar Ke Side Effects | "Is This Love" | |
| 2006 | Ladies Tailor | "Har Raat teri" | |
| 2006 | Anthony Kaun Hai? | "Tune Mera Chain Vain Le Liya", "Because I Love You" | |
| 2006 | Pyare Mohan | "I Love You My Angel" | |
| 2006 | Phir Hera Pheri | "Dil De diya", "Dil De Diya " | |
| 2006 | Krrish | "Dil Na Diya" | |
| 2006 | Jaan-E-Mann | "Ud Jaana" | |
| 2006 | Baabul | "Har Manzar", "Bebashi Dard Ka Aalam" | |
| 2006 | ' | "Rab Ne Mere" | |
| 2006 | Holiday | "Khwaahishon Se" | |
| 2006 | Mr. Khujli | "Lage Pyaas Mujhe" | |
| 2006 | Aisa Kyon Hota Hai? | "Ishq Dhamaka" | |
| 2006 | Mera Dil Leke Dekkho | "Nashe Mein Bheegi Raat Hai", "Nashe Mein Bheegi Raat Hai" | |
| 2007 | Shakalaka Boom Boom | "Saathiya", "Tera Sona Sona Roop" | |
| 2007 | Salaam-E-Ishq | "Salaam-E-Ishq" | |
| 2007 | Partner | "Dupatta Tera Nau Rang Da" | |
| 2007 | Mr. Hot Mr. Kool | "Mr. Hot Mr. Kool", "Hot Cool" | |
| 2007 | Saawariya | "Masha-Allah", "Jaan-E-Jaan", "Pari" | |
| 2007 | Khanna & Iyer | "Rootho Naa", "Raasta Pyaar Ka", "Raasta Pyaar Ka " | |
| 2008 | Roadside Romeo | "Main Hoon Romeo", "Apni Dum Bhi Oonchi Ho" | |
| 2008 | Fox | "Zindagi Mein Mil Rahi Hai", "Advocate De Satan", "Josh Josh" | |
| 2008 | Jumbo | "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" | |
| 2008 | Hastey Hastey | "New Age Mantra ", "New Age Mantra ", "Bheegi Bheegi Teri Julfein" | |
| 2008 | Dashavatar | "O Mohini" | |
| 2008 | Ru Ba Ru | "Mitti Ki Khusboo" | |
| 2009 | Kaminey | "Raat Ke Dhai Baje" | |
| 2009 | Aao Wish Karein | "Tum Mere Ho", "Sab Yahan Hain", "Sabse peeche Hum Khade" | |
| 2009 | Vaada Raha | "Achal Hai Mere Hausle" | |
| 2009 | Life Partners | "Poorza Poorza", "Poorza Poorza " | |
| 2009 | Kaun Ho Sakta Hai? | "Sapna Dekha Tha", "Apun Toh Yeh Bolta Hai", "Nacho Gao" | |
| 2010 | Raavan | "Kata Kata" | |
| 2010 | Khatta Meetha | "Nana Chi Taang" | |
| 2010 | Isi Life Mein | "Tere Pyaar Mein" | |
| 2010 | Tum Milo Toh Sahi | "I Am Bad" | |
| 2010 | Guzarish | "Sau Gram Zindagi" | |
| 2010 | Sadiyaan | "Pehla Pehla Tajurba Hai" | |
| 2010 | Diwangi Ne Had Kar Di | "Diwangi Ne Had Kar Di" | |
| 2010 | Musaa | "Jaaniya Teri Hansi Adaa" | |
| 2011 | Dil Toh Bachcha Hai Ji | "Beshuba Beshuba Hai Yakeen", "Jadugari" | |
| 2011 | Aashiqui.in | "Ruk ke Jaana", "Rangon Bhari Raat", "Cinderella Se Bhi Pyaari", "Ruk Ke Jaana Reloaded!" | |
| 2011 | Singham | "Maula Maula" | |
| 2011 | Love U...Mr. Kalakaar! | "Bhoore Bhoore Badal" | |
| 2011 | Yeh Saali Zindagi | "Yeh Saali Zindagi " | |
| 2012 | Koochie Koochie Hota Hai | "Koi Mil Gaya" | |
| 2012 | Pune tc | "Manzil Meri Kaiya" | |
| 2013 | R... Rajkumar | "Mat Maari" | |
| 2014 | Dishkiyaoon | "Tu Mere Type Ka Nahi Hai" | |
| 2014 | ' | "Tu Hi Toh Hai " | |
| 2015 | "Chaand Baadal Mein" | ||
| 2016 | Deewaren: Unity Song | "Deewaren" | |
| 2017 | Rangoon | "Julia" | |
| 2018 | Zero | "Aan Ban" | |
| 2019 | Panipat | "Jai Mard Maratha", "Mann Mein Shiva" |