New Delhi: Bollywood’s legendary singer Udit Narayan has voiced some of the most iconic tracks like Pehla Nasha and Tip Tip Barsa Paani. But while his melodies have aged like fine wine, his personal life has been more like a rollercoaster—full of unexpected twists, turns and controversies.

Recently, Udit found himself in hot water after a video from one of his live performances went viral. In the clip, a female fan leaned in for a cheek kiss while taking a photo and Udit responded by kissing her on the lips. Yes, you read that right. The video sparked outrage online with netizens calling it “shameful” and slamming the veteran singer for crossing boundaries.

While social media was busy debating concert etiquette, this wasn’t the first time Udit had faced public scrutiny. In fact, his personal life has been a headline-grabber long before viral videos were even a thing.

Udit Narayan’s first wife

Long before Udit became Bollywood’s go-to playback singer, he married Ranjana Jha in 1984. At the time, he was still struggling to make a name for himself in the music industry. However, fame came knocking after he moved to Mumbai where he met fellow singer Deepa Gahatraj. Sparks flew and the duo tied the knot in 1985–without Udit divorcing his first wife.

Things took a dramatic turn in 2006 when Udit was in Patna for a concert. Ranjana stormed into his hotel room with a group of reporters, publicly claiming she was his first wife. The revelation sent shockwaves across the media with the singer’s first wife accusing him of bigamy and emotional betrayal.

When questioned, Udit flat-out denied the allegations suggesting Ranjana was attempting to tarnish his image. But the latter wasn’t backing down. She took legal action against the singer, revealing that Udit had threatened to commit suicide if she ever went public about their marriage. “Now I have no fears, and I will take legal recourse,” she declared boldly to the press.

Udit Narayan songs

Udit Narayan’s contributions to Indian music remain unparalleled. With a career spanning over three decades, he has sung in multiple languages, including Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, Bhojpuri and Nepali. His soulful voice has earned him four National Awards and countless accolades. He has lent his voice to songs like Falak Tak Chal, Main Nikla O Gaddi Leke and Mitwa which continue to be timeless favourites.