“And the GIMA goes to… for ‘Mitti Ka Gana’ from Rivers of Salt .”
Aarav was silent for a long moment. Then, for the first time in a decade, the veteran hugged the rebel. “Then you deserved it.”
Then he turned to Dhruv Seth. “And to the autotune generation: technology is a spice, not the vegetable. Don’t forget to sing with your scars.” gima award for best male playback singer
As Raghav reached the mic, the playback of his winning song began—a raw, broken lullaby about a farmer’s drought. No orchestra. Just his voice cracking on the high notes.
Later that night, in the green room, Aarav Mehra walked up to Raghav. He didn’t congratulate him with a smile. He simply said, “You sang off-key at 2:34.” “And the GIMA goes to… for ‘Mitti Ka
The Night the Playback Rebel Silenced the Stadium
Raghav leaned into the mic. “I was told playback singing is dead. That the ‘ghar ka mahaul’ (family atmosphere) of a recording studio is replaced by laptops in bedrooms. But tonight, this award is not for the perfect note. It is for the broken one.” “And to the autotune generation: technology is a
— The Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) Awards had always been a spectacle of choreographed glamour. But on its 12th edition night, held at the DY Patil Stadium, the category for Best Male Playback Singer turned into a battlefield of generations.