Monali Thakur is a prominent playback singer of India who has created waves in the Hindi film industry with her soulful singing. Her charming voice and appealing renditions have garnered her much popularity in the music industry. Some of the very popular songs of Bollywood have been sung by her including `Zara Zara Touch Me` from Race and `Sawaar Loon` from Lootera. Apart from Bollywood, her works as a singer also encompass Bengali film industry. This trained classical singer is also adept in a few dancing styles. Monali Thakur also works as an actress in Bengali as well as Hindi film industry.

Early Life of Monali Thakur
Monali Thakur was born on 3rd November 1985 in Kolkata, West Bengal. She belongs to a musical family as her father, Shakti Thakur, is a famed Bengali singer and mother, Mehuli Thakur Goswami, is also a renowned playback singer. She received her formal training in Hindustani classical music under the tutelage of Pandit Jagdish Prasad and Pandit Ajay Chakraborthy. Apart from singing her dexterity also encompasses the field of dance. She is a trained Bharatnatyam, hip-hop and Salsa dancer. Monali Thakur has indulged in the world of music at a young age when she used to sing in competitions at school and college levels. She was also a regular performer at local functions. At the tender age of 14, she received the Best Playback Singer Award at the Anandalok Awards for singing in the serial Sri Ramkrishna. She however gained popularity after acquiring ninth position in the singing reality show Indian Idol 2.

Career of Monali Thakur as a Playback Singer
Monali Thakur encountered a phase of tough struggle even after her appearance in Indian Idol for establishing herself amongst the prominent playback singers of Bollywood. She got a considerable recognition in the year 2008 with the Bollywood flick Race in which she sang the songs `Zara Zara Touch Me` and `Khwab Dekhe` for the famous music director Pritam Chakraborty. Originally she was offered only one song for the movie but her charming vocals impressed the film directors Abbas - Mustan a lot encouraging them to schedule her for another song. The song `Zara Zara Touch Me` became a huge success for the singer and during the first half of the year it was marked as the fourth most played song on Indian radio. The song also earned her nominations for IIFA Awards for Best Female Playback and Apsara Award for Best Female Playback Singer.This was followed by her various renditions in other movies. She rose to fame with her song `Sawaar loon` in the 2013 film Lootera which was a huge hit and earned her Filmfare Best Female Playback Singer Award. She has done playback singing for many other Bollywood movies including Golmaal Returns, Billu, Badmaash Company, Rascals, Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, I, Me Aur Main, Ramaiya Vastavaiya, Inkaar, Krrish 3, Gunday and many others.

Apart from Hindi, she has also ventured in Bengali film industry as a playback singer. For two years, she has also judged the Bengali music reality show Bengali Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li`l Champs. Monali Thakur has also been a part of Coke Studio and the Bengali show Key Hobe Biggest Fan.

Career of Monali Thakur as an Actor
Monali Thakur has also tried her hands in the field of acting. In her childhood, she appeared in a Bengali television show called Aalokito ek Indu where she portrayed the role of Indubala. Following this, she acted in a couple of telefilms. She stepped into the world of films with Raja Sen`s Bengali film Krishnakanter Will in which she essayed the role of Bhromor. As an actress she has also worked in Bollywood.