Mika Singh: Daler sang kirtans before Bollywood stardom

Mika Singh has pulled back the curtain on the Singh family’s musical origins, describing a path that began not in a studio but in a gurudwara. In a freewheeling conversation with filmmaker Farah Khan at his 100-acre Delhi farmhouse, the singer traced the faith and music that shaped him and elder brother Daler Mehndi.

Kirtans before the spotlight

Their father, Ajmer Singh Chandan, sang kirtans at gurudwaras, Mika said, adding that he was a music enthusiast. According to Mika, that background is common across Punjabi pop: many of today’s singers took their first music lesson in a gurudwara.

Mika credited Daler with years of devotional singing before fame arrived, and said he had followed the same path himself. “Now, with God’s grace, we have earned wealth, and I make sure to have 24/7 paath in our gurudwara,” he told Farah.

Maharaja Band and a wannabe verdict

Farah admitted she once saw Mika as simply trying to imitate his brother when Daler first broke out, but that he eventually found his own style. Mika recalled the brothers teaming up after Daler returned from the US: they formed Maharaja Band, with Daler as lead singer and Mika handling equipment.

• Ajmer Singh Chandan sang kirtans in gurudwaras.
• Daler Mehndi did kirtan for years before the industry; Mika did too.
• Maharaja Band began after Daler returned from the US.
• Mika now keeps a 24/7 paath at his Delhi farmhouse.

Faith with the fame

That devotional thread has stayed visible. Daler founded Gurudwara Dukhbhanjani Sahib in West Delhi, where a free community kitchen serves food around the clock. Mika’s own farmhouse gurudwara, he said, remains open 24/7.

The Uttarakhand controversy

The family stories surface in a difficult moment for Daler. A video of him struggling through a performance at an event in Uttarakhand went viral, and the conduct of state Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal drew sharp criticism from many who felt the veteran singer was publicly humiliated. Mika has maintained that Daler does not consume alcohol.

Mika was among the first from the entertainment world to defend his brother. Actors Puneet Issar, Rajpal Yadav and Anupam Kher also expressed support. Uniyal has reportedly apologised to Daler over a phone call, and Mika’s team issued a statement welcoming the gesture.

For fans, the episode is a reminder that behind a viral clip is a long, layered career, one that began with kirtans long before the lights came on.

Source: The Times of India