Alisha Chinai Reveals She Left Home With No Money, Battled Depression After Divorce: ‘It Was Humiliating’ | Bollywood News

‘Made in India’ singer Alisha Chinai has revealed the emotional and financial turmoil she faced during her divorce from Rajesh Jhaveri, sharing how she battled depression, debt, and loneliness at the peak of her fame.

Veteran singer Alisha Chinai, whose iconic track “Made In India” defined an era of Indian pop music, has revealed the deeply personal struggles she faced while at the peak of her career in the 1980s and early 1990s. In a candid interview with Zoom, Alisha reflected on her troubled marriage, financial stress, and how her father’s cancer diagnosis pushed her into one of the lowest phases of her life.

Success on Stage, Turmoil at Home

At a time when her music was topping charts, Alisha’s personal life was unraveling. Married to her then-manager Rajesh Jhaveri, she was simultaneously juggling fame and an increasingly difficult marriage. “It was a very challenging time. On one side, I had this humungous success and on the personal side, I was having so many problems. I was going through my divorce, it was a bit of a traumatic time. Every incident upset me personally, that is why I was not able to enjoy my success,” she shared.

“This Marriage Is Not Working”

Describing the breaking point, Alisha admitted she felt confined and couldn’t continue. “I just didn’t want to be there. I was feeling too restrained and confined. I told him very honestly that we should just be friends or work together, but this marriage is not working. The whole equation changes, the expectations change and I felt that maybe it was just a wrong decision. It was a failure at that point but when I look back, it’s okay because we kind of mutually agreed to that conclusion of parting ways,” she explained.

Her parents, however, were shocked. “My parents were aghast, they told me to try and work it out. I told them never mind, took a PG accommodation and ran off with nothing in my pocket. It was tough, but I was getting a lot of songs so I was okay. It’s just self-belief that has taken me everywhere,” Alisha said.

Battling Depression and Financial Strain

The “Made In India” singer also spoke about the years following her separation, calling them some of the darkest of her life. “I went through a bad phase in the last 12-15 years. My dad got cancer… there was no one else really to help him. He felt that I was the only one who could handle it. I kind of said yes, because it’s my duty. So, I did and got caught up with all that. It was a very low time,” she revealed.

She further added, “I was short of funds, we were in debts. There was no one, just I, me and myself fighting it all. I didn’t think I’d make it. There was a time when I thought that this is it, I am done. I was depressed, I was down and out. It was a very humiliating and also a humbling time, I am thankful for that. I didn’t take therapy, but I think I should have.”

A Journey of Resilience

Alisha Chinai parted ways from Rajesh Jhaveri in 1994, but her career continued to evolve as she reinvented herself musically. Her honesty about this period highlights the unseen struggles behind the glamour and shows her resilience in facing personal and financial setbacks while continuing to create music that resonated with millions.