Suneeta Rao reveals 'In the Night, No Control' was wrongly credited for years
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Singer Suneeta Rao, celebrated for her iconic tracks 'Paree Hoon Main' and 'Talaash', has revealed that her 1996 Bollywood playback hit 'In the Night, No Control' from Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi was incorrectly attributed to another singer for years — until a recent intervention finally set the record straight. The disclosure came through an Instagram post in which Rao shared the song's music video and recounted the long-overdue correction.
The Misattribution and Its Correction
In her post, Suneeta Rao described the track as 'a sizzling slice of my Bollywood playback history,' adding that despite it being one of her notable hits from the 1990s, the song was 'wrongly credited to some other singer' for an extended period. She credited Sherley Singh of MRM Music Rights Company for resolving the error. 'Thanks to the determined efforts by Sherley Singh and her MRM music rights company, the error was corrected and now the credit line even spells my name right!!' Rao wrote.
The Song and Its Stars
The track featured the on-screen chemistry of Rekha and Akshay Kumar and was released under the Tips label, with music composed by Anu Malik. Rao described it as 'a sensation back in the day,' noting that both actors scorched the screen with their chemistry. Directed by Umesh Mehra, Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi was released in 1996 and ranked as the fifth highest-grossing film of that year.
About the Film
The film was the fourth instalment in the popular Khiladi series and also starred Raveena Tandon alongside former WWF (now WWE) wrestlers Brian Adams (as Crush) and Brian Lee (as The Undertaker). The story follows Akshay's character as he infiltrates a gang led by a gangster named Maya while searching for his missing brother, ultimately proving his worth in a wrestling match. Notably, the film marked Rekha's second negative role, following her earlier turn in Madam X.
Why This Matters for Music Rights
The episode shines a light on a longstanding issue in the Indian film music industry — incorrect or incomplete singer credits, particularly for tracks from the 1990s and early 2000s, a period predating digital metadata standards. Music rights companies such as MRM have increasingly taken on the role of auditing and correcting such attributions, though the process can take years. This case underscores both the vulnerability of playback singers to credit erasure and the growing advocacy around accurate attribution in Bollywood's back catalogue.