Mohit Chauhan is an Indian playback singer whose soft, soulful voice defined some of Hindi cinema’s most loved songs of the 2000s and 2010s — “Tum Se Hi”, “Masakali” and “Sadda Haq” among them. In November 2026, nearly three decades into his career, he found himself trending all over again after a guest appearance on Bigg Boss 20‘s Diwali special, where a musical tribute to host Salman Khan’s father left the superstar fighting back tears on live television.
From fronting the Indi-pop band Silk Route in the 1990s to winning two Filmfare Awards, Chauhan’s journey runs from the hills of Himachal Pradesh to the biggest stages in Indian music. This biography covers Mohit Chauhan’s age, height, wife, net worth, songs and the Bigg Boss 20 moment in 2026.
| Full Name | Mohit Chauhan |
| Date of Birth | 11 March 1966 |
| Age | 60 years old (as of November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Nahan, Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Height | 5’9″ (175 cm) approx. |
| Occupation | Playback singer, lyricist, composer |
| Known For | “Tum Se Hi”, “Masakali”, “Sadda Haq”; former frontman of Silk Route; Bigg Boss 20 Diwali tribute |
| Spouse | Prarthna Gehlot (married 29 June 2012) |
| Net Worth 2026 | ~$7 million (approx. ₹60 crore) — online estimate, not officially disclosed (see Net Worth section below) |
Early Life and Education
Mohit Chauhan was born on 11 March 1966 in Nahan, a small town in the Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh. He has an elder brother and a younger sister. Because his father held a transferable job, Chauhan studied at several schools across Himachal Pradesh, including Our Lady of Snows High School in Kullu and St. Luke’s Senior Secondary School in Solan.
He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Geology from a government college at Dharamshala, affiliated to Himachal Pradesh University. He received no formal training in music. Instead, he practised singing with his brother, was influenced by his grandfather, a classical singer who played the harmonium, and idolised Kishore Kumar. Before music took over, he had wanted to become an actor.
Silk Route and the Indi-Pop Years
Chauhan came to Delhi in the early 1990s and formed the band Silk Route with Kem Trivedi on keyboards, Atul Mittal on lead guitar and Kenny Puri on drums, with Chauhan as vocalist. Their debut album, Boondein, released in 1998, became a cult classic of the Indi-pop era, powered by the hit songs “Dooba Dooba” and “Pehchan”. A second album followed in 2000.
Silk Route gave Chauhan his first fame, and composer Sandesh Shandilya brought him into films. The band was discontinued in 2008, and Chauhan released the solo album Fitoor in 2009. To this day, “Dooba Dooba” remains one of the most recognisable Indi-pop songs ever recorded in India.
Bollywood Playback Career
Chauhan’s film singing career began in 2002 with “Pehli Nazar Mein Dari Thi” from the film Road. His breakthrough came when A. R. Rahman called him to sing “Khoon Chala” for Rang De Basanti (2006). The following year, Pritam’s romantic ballad “Tum Se Hi” from Jab We Met made him a household name across India.
The year 2009 was the most successful of his career: of the eight songs he recorded, four — “Masakali” from Delhi-6, “Yeh Dooriyan” from Love Aaj Kal, “Pehli Baar Mohabbat” from Kaminey and “Tune Jo Na Kaha” from New York — were huge chartbusters. “Pee Loon” from Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai followed in 2010. His biggest rise to national prominence came in 2011 with Rockstar, where he sang all nine songs as the voice of Ranbir Kapoor’s character Jordan, including “Sadda Haq”, “Jo Bhi Main” and “Nadaan Parindey”.
His awards include two Filmfare Awards for Best Male Playback Singer — for “Masakali” in 2010 and “Jo Bhi Main” in 2012 — along with one IIFA Award, three Zee Cine Awards and one Screen Award. He was listed in the Forbes Celebrity 100 of 2012. He also appeared on MTV Unplugged and The Dewarists in 2011, made his Gujarati debut in 2017, and performed “Khoon Chala” at the Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in New Delhi in 2019 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His later work includes Guns of Banaras (2020), a new “Yeh Dooriyaan” for Love Aaj Kal (2020), “Baaja” in Amar Singh Chamkila (2024) and “Chikri Chikri” in Peddi (2025).
Bigg Boss 20 Diwali Special
On 8 November 2026, Chauhan appeared as a special guest on the Diwali special Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 20, alongside fellow guests Gaurav Gupta and Harrdy Sandhu. He entered the stage singing “Tum Se Hi”, performed songs from Jab We Met and Ek Tha Tiger, and used the appearance to promote his latest romantic track, “Shimle”.
The emotional high point came when he told host Salman Khan, “My family and I are huge fans of you, but I am an even bigger fan of your father Salim Khan.” He then sang “Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai, Magar Main Keh Nahi Sakta” from the 1963 film Bachpan — a song originally sung by Mohammed Rafi, from a film in which Salim Khan had acted before becoming one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated screenwriters. As Chauhan sang, Salman Khan’s eyes welled up and he turned away, struggling to hold back tears. Salman praised the singer afterwards, saying what he loved about Chauhan’s songs was that they connected with the listener and that every line was worth enjoying. (Several outlets described the song as “written by Salim Khan”; as NewsX noted, Salim Khan acted in Bachpan but did not write the song’s lyrics.)
Personal Life, Philanthropy and Net Worth
Mohit Chauhan married Prarthna Gehlot, a journalist and poet, on 29 June 2012. Beyond music, he is an active participant in the National Skill Development Corporation’s initiatives encouraging young people to pursue vocational training.
He is also known for his animal welfare work. Since the COVID-19 lockdown, when many regular feeders stopped, Chauhan has personally fed more than 250 stray dogs around Delhi — an effort that grew into his own charity, Animals Are People Too, registered under sections 80G and 12A of the Income Tax Act.
As for his net worth, no official or audited figure has ever been disclosed. The estimate most commonly repeated across online profiles is around $7 million, roughly ₹60 crore, with some sites putting it lower at $5 million. StarsUnfolded reports earnings of ₹5–7 lakh per song, plus concerts and royalties. In the absence of any verified disclosure, the $7 million figure should be read as an unverified online estimate rather than a confirmed fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Mohit Chauhan?
Mohit Chauhan was born on 11 March 1966 in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, making him 60 years old as of November 2026.
What is Mohit Chauhan’s height?
Mohit Chauhan is approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall (175 cm), according to StarsUnfolded and other online profiles. No official height has been published, and one profile lists him slightly taller at 5’10”.
Who is Mohit Chauhan’s wife?
Prarthna Gehlot, a journalist and poet. They married on 29 June 2012. Chauhan keeps his family life private.
What is Mohit Chauhan’s net worth?
There is no officially disclosed figure. Online estimates most commonly put Mohit Chauhan’s net worth at around $7 million (approximately ₹60 crore) in 2026, earned through playback singing, concerts and royalties — but this is an unverified estimate, not a confirmed number.
What are Mohit Chauhan’s most famous songs?
His best-known songs include “Tum Se Hi” (Jab We Met, 2007), “Masakali” (Delhi-6, 2009), “Sadda Haq” and “Jo Bhi Main” (Rockstar, 2011), “Pee Loon” (Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, 2010), “Khoon Chala” (Rang De Basanti, 2006) and, from his Silk Route days, “Dooba Dooba” (1998).
What happened with Mohit Chauhan on Bigg Boss 20?
On the Diwali special Weekend Ka Vaar episode of 8 November 2026, Mohit Chauhan sang a tribute to Salman Khan’s father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan — performing “Mujhe Tumse Mohabbat Hai” from the 1963 film Bachpan, in which Salim Khan had acted. Salman Khan became visibly emotional and struggled to hold back tears as Chauhan sang.
Mohit Chauhan appeared on the Bigg Boss 20 Diwali special alongside stand-up comedian Gaurav Gupta, whose roast of the contestants sparked a controversy of its own. Readers may also like our biographies of Bigg Boss 20 contestants Gaurav Khanna and Aasif Khan.
