Sukriti Kakar is ready to rock your world

It’s 5:59pm on a Tuesday. I have one AirPod on—the other safely tucked away in its case—streaming Aa Zara, the Kakar sisters’ latest single. I’m waiting for our cover star to join the Zoom call. Anticipating a delay—thanks to her chock-a-block schedule—I’m unabashedly swaying to the upbeat track, when suddenly, a voice chimes in. “Hi!”

It’s Sukriti, bang on time. “I’m looking forward to this,” she adds. A minute into the song, I understand why she has got a grip on the generation. But I also know it’s her endearingly unpretentious demeanour that puts her in a league of her own. Sukriti Kakar has the mic—and the moment. 

It’s her inherent star power that underscores her remarkable success in the industry—but it’s also Sukriti’s brand of high-tempo, melodic music that has you hooked. There’s no stopping her...she’s en route to mega stardom.

And, she is also forthright by her own admission. “You need to keep it real with me. I’m super straight up, and sometimes very blunt.” Unbeknown to her, this revelation takes me off edge as I proceed to my questions, expecting candid and succinct answers. 

Cosmopolitan India: Tell us about your early musical influences. 

Sukriti Kakar: Backtrack to the early 2000s, we had incredible indie pop artists, the likes of Alisha Chinai, Shaan, KK, and Sonu Nigam, who were curating independent music beyond mainstream Bollywood...the ultimate dream. I also recall imploring my mum to buy me an MP3 player so I could keep tabs on the global music scene. Britney Spears, Madonna, Spice Girls—they were my first encounters with Western music. With no Google back in the day, I’d pen down all the lyrics and sing it aloud. My life was all about music. 

C: And how do you make music that resonates with listeners across generations? 

SK: That’s the hard part. You see, I’m smack in the middle of millennial and Gen Z. But having a solid friend circle beyond the industry has helped me gauge the pulse of the audience. My favourite thing to do? Grab their phone and pull out their playlist! What better way to learn what people are vibing to? 

C: Your debut song, Pehli Baar from Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), catapulted you to overnight fame. Was that the moment you knew you had ‘made it’? 

SK: Salim Merchant once told me, “When you think you’ve made it...it’s the end,” and that kind of stuck. If you begin to feel like you’ve made it, consider it your retirement. Pehli Baar came out when I was just 20-years-old, and once the song shot to fame, I was like, “What next?” 

At the time I was singing for ad films, jingles, and background scores—just making enough pocket money—so it was very overwhelming. I, then, dropped out of college and began performing live at bars and restaurants over the weekends. So it’s been a hell of a journey for Prakriti and I...music has been very rewarding for the both of us.

C: Speaking of Prakriti, if you could trade places with your twin sister for a day, what would you do?

SK: I would skip the gym! Prakriti is blessed with a supercharged metabolism. 

C: Would you say you’ve both influenced each other’s growth as artists and, perhaps as individuals?

SK: Prakriti and I have a world of our own. Early on, we both realised that we wanted to perform together, and being a duo [SuPra] positioned us within a more niche segment of the industry. She is the yin to my yang. We bring out the best in each other. 

C: Could you share something not many people know about you. 

SK: I’m an over-feeler and an overthinker, even though I might come across as ‘sorted out’. I’m super straightforward, and appreciate it when people don’t sugarcoat things. Everyone in my inner circle just has to keep it super real. 

C: Would you say your experience in the entertainment industry has taught you things about your craft—or yourself—that you didn’t already know? 

SK: I just completed a decade in the music industry, and what I’ve learnt so far is that change is the only constant. If you embrace change, you’ll be just fine. It’s also imperative to keep up with the times. Amid the rise of independent artists, playback singers, and social media, you’ve got to be the full package.

C: When do you feel most inspired? 

SK: There’s no set formula, or a particular moment when inspiration strikes. It could happen in the shower, when I’m feeling down and out, or on holiday. But it certainly won’t happen when I’m overwhelmed. I’m afraid many of us abide by the hustle culture, and while I’d call myself a hustler too, I need to clear my head for inspiration to hit. My creative juices flow when my mind is at ease.

C: And how do you maintain your artistic integrity under the weight of expectations? 

SK: Funny story...when I was handed the lyric sheet for Pehli Baar and learnt that I was singing for Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma, I began spiralling. Zoya [Akhtar] had communicated that the song required a fun, young energy, so I went behind the mic, did my thing, and a year-and-a-half later the song came out. I had a similar experience with Jhoome Jo Pathaan from Pathaan (2023).

You’ve just got to do your thing, and then leave it to the music gods. Cross your fingers and hope for the best. People will always tell you what to do, what not to do, but you have to be true to yourself...become your biggest cheerleader.

C: As a musician, is there a legacy you hope to leave behind? 

SK: It’s only been a decade for me in the industry; the thought of leaving a legacy is too far-fetched. I feel I’ve just begun...there’s so much that I want to achieve. When people hear my name, a voice should follow in their head—that’s the goal. 

C: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your music? 

SK: Every time a fan says that my music has helped them heal, it really hits home. It reaffirms why I do what I do. That’s my real purpose. 

C: If your life had a soundtrack, which three songs would be on it? 

SK: Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, Hero by Mariah Carey, and Hum Tum, a song Prakriti and I co-wrote in 2021. 

C: And if you could manifest a dream collaboration, which artist are you picking? 

SK: AP Dhillon. And Diljit Dosanjh, of course.

C: In today’s digital age, how do you keep it real on social media? 

SK: Oftentimes social media feels like a chore, especially when you’ve not signed up to be an influencer. Don’t get me wrong, I love Instagram...I’m pretty active, too. But everyone has those days when you crave a digital detox. 

C: Lastly, how do you rise above the noise? 

SK: I feel I have grown up in front of the media. Being in the public eye has taught me how to wrap my head around the cancel culture. The more you share, the more the unsolicited opinions [come]. While everybody is entitled to one [opinion], I tend to use this amazing Instagram feature called ‘Hide’. I do my best to steer clear of negative energy.

Editor: Pratishtha Dobhal (@pratishtha_dobhal)
Digital Editor: Sonal Ved (@sonalved)
Interview: Diya J Verma (@diyajverma)
Photographer: Sarang Gupta (@saranggupta)
Stylist: Surbhi Shukla (@surbhishukla)
Cover Design: Mandeep Singh Khokhar (@mandy_khokhar19)
Editorial Coordinator: Shalini Kanojia (@shalinikanojia)
Makeup Artist: Richelle Fernandes (@makeupbyriiiiii)
Hair Artist: Bhakti Lakhani (@bhaktilakhani)
Set Design: Janhavi Patwardhan (@theartnut_j)
Assistant Stylist: Lehan Devadhia (@lehandevadhiaa)                       
Assistant Hair Artist: Isha Kothari

On Sukriti: Floral skirt set, Summer Away (@summeraway); earrings, Radhika Agrawal (@radhikaagrawalstudio); cuff, Isharya (@isharya); shoes, HEYDUDE (@heydude)