Abhijeet Bhattacharya, long regarded as one of the signature playback voices for Shah Rukh Khan in the ’90s and early 2000s, has once again spoken about the fallout between them. In a recent podcast, the singer revisited the reasons behind their strained relationship, describing it as a mix of emotional hurt and unresolved issues. He has previously maintained that he felt sidelined and denied due credit, particularly during the film ‘Main Hoon Na’, which starred and was produced by Shah Rukh.Abhijeet candidly addressed the root of their rift. He said in an interview with Nidhi Vasandani, “Shah Rukh Khan’s ego and my self-respect are the reasons for the rift. Shah Rukh is younger than me, yet when Farah Khan’s husband abused him so much, Shah Rukh still hugged him. Aamir Khan even named a dog after Shah Rukh, and the two of them still became friends.”For the singer, the absence of an apology remained a major point of pain. “What hurt me was that you couldn’t even say sorry once. You are such a big person, yet no apology. The blunder you made, just remember, something like this will happen to you too, maybe in your own home production,” he added.Abhijeet dismissed suggestions that his stance stemmed from ego, insisting it came from a place of emotional investment. “I was very proud, I had stopped singing for others. I felt I was Shah Rukh’s voice and wouldn’t sing for anyone else. This isn’t ego, it’s deep hurt.”He also recalled moments where he felt overlooked despite being present. “When I saw him hugging everyone, I was sitting right there too. He could have just said, ‘Come on, Abhijeet, let it go.’ He could have done at least that.”Responding to claims that people invoke Shah Rukh’s name for attention, Abhijeet said, “It’s not that I want to sing for you. You say people are using your name for publicity. Why would I use your name when you are using my voice? That’s the pain.”Reflecting on how he might have handled things differently, he said, “If I had made such a mistake, if I were Shah Rukh, I would have gone to his house, grabbed his collar and said, ‘Come on, let it go.’” He further remarked, “This is very petty behaviour. My songs will be heard for life. Today, people don’t even know who Rajesh Khanna was, despite him being such a big superstar. They listen to Kishore Kumar and Rafi, but don’t know those songs were picturised on Rajesh Khanna. You and I may know, but the next generation won’t.”Despite everything, the singer left the door open for reconciliation. “If there is a patch-up, the kind of voice Shah Rukh needs, no one can give him that. I can give him an even better voice than before.” Speaking earlier to ANI about where things stand now, he said, “Koi relationship hi nahi hai. I have met him a few times, but just for hello or hi greetings. Haven’t sat and talked to him properly like I am doing with you right now.”
