Playback singer Nikhita Gandhi lends her elastic vocals to Tollywood, Bollywood and beyond, alongside independent projects that mirror her fresh, adventurous approach. • A mix of influences informs Gandhi’s work. She has Bengali and Punjabi roots, and has taken Odissi dance and Hindustani music training. • Gandhi attended Chennai’s Ramachandra University for a bachelor’s in dental surgery, but never gave up music. She recorded an album based on songs by Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, among others, and took a course at A. R. Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory. • She got her big break from Rahman in “Ladio” (I, 2015), for which she gave a confident performance while tackling complex verses in Tamil. • Several Bollywood smashes ensued, including the title song for Raabta (2017), “Burjkhalifaa” (Laxmii, 2020) and the romantic “Ghar” (Jab Harry Met Sejal, 2017), which earned her a Best Playback Singer nod at the 2018 Filmfare Awards. • Gandhi also juggles duties as a singer-songwriter, composer and producer, displaying a distinct pop sensibility on songs like “Khud Ko Hi Paake (Reprise)”.