An Assamese-born singer, Angaraag Mahanta, famous by the stage name Papon, is a prominent figure in the Indian musical scene, having won multiple awards. Despite such adorableness, the ‘Moh Moh Ke Dhage’ singer was not away from controversies.
During his time as a coach at The Voice India Kids, there were allegations that he kissed a minor- though it turned out to be a mistake of a fact of fatherly love.
Having said so, these false allegations won’t diminish his gentlemanly personality and the magic of his mesmerizing voice.
Active in the music industry since 1998, Papon is a famous Indian singer, composer, and record producer. Many people love him because he has sung in different languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Marathi.
Likewise, he has performed in various television shows, including The Dewarists, MTV Roadies, MTV Unplugged, and Wind of Change.
Due to his mind-blowing songs, Papon has also won awards like the Prag Cine Awards (2012), the 8th Mirchi Music Awards, and the 17th IIFA Awards.
How Old Is Singer Papon? Meet His Parents, Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta
Papon was born Angaraag Mahanta on November 24, 1975, to Khagen Mahanta and Archana Mahanta. The 48-year-old singer was exposed to music at a young age, as his parents were also engaged in the same field.
His dad, Khagen, was a talented singer and composer of folk and traditional music in Assam who contributed actively from 1958 to 2014. Khagen was known as the King of Bihu.
Being one of the most loved Amasamme musicians, Khagen was honored with various awards, like the Film Craft Award (1988) and the Shrimoy Award (1994). Sadly, he passed away on June 12, 2014, at the age of 71.
The actual cause of Khagen’s death remains unknown, but it was known that he was suffering from coronary and related ailments.
On the other hand, Papon’s mother, Archana, was a renowned folk singer. She made an enormous contribution to popularising and keeping Assamese folk music.
Together with her husband, Archana also performed and sang many duet hits. Their notable songs are Bhor Duporiya, A Phool Pah Halichha Jalichha, and Bhal Lagi Jai O.
The Mahanta family faced a tragic incident again on August 27, 2020, as Archana died at 71. Archana was also dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, and Parkinson’s disease.
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Papon’s Educational Background – All About His Musical Journey
The Assamese singer Papon completed his schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya Khanapara, Guwahati. Later, he attended Delhi University to get a degree in English Literature. He initially went there for Architecture.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Papon also disclosed that he used to hang around and then decided he didn’t want to do architecture. After that, he joined English (Hons) at Ramjas College.
On the other hand, all of his friends were in South Delhi. So, Papon decided to be with his friends and attended Motilal Nehru. Later, he again dropped out and couldn’t complete college.
Papon was mainly interested in music rather than studies. In 1998, he officially started his musical journey by releasing an Assamese song, Nasabaoh Sokule, from the album Snigdha Junak.
He released his debut album, Junaki Raati, in 2004. Papon started getting support from everyone, and finally, in 2006, he made his debut in Bollywood by performing a song named Om Mantra from the movie Strings—Bound by Faith.
The following year, Papon formed an electronic folk-fusion band, Papon and The East India Company. His band included Brin Desai, Hameem Kader, Jinti, Kirti, Dipu, and Tanmay.
Together with the band, Papon has performed at various stages, including the SAARC Music Band Festival in New Delhi. Later, they took a two-year break and released a solo album in 2011. Furthermore, Papon has also worked in television.
In 2013, he worked on a television show called MTV Roadies X: Battle for Glory, helping with the song Jajabor.
Songs For Films
Some other works of Papon are listed below.
| Year | Film | Song |
| 2006 | Strings – Bound by Faith | Om – Mantra |
| 2011 | I Am Kalam | Zindagi Aisi Waisi |
| 2011 | Dum Maaro Dum | Jiyein Kyun |
| 2012 | Barfi! | Kyon |
| 2013 | Bhal Pabo Najanilu | Xuworoni |
| 2015 | Khel: The Game | Tumake Kakhorote Pale |
| 2017 | Nijanor Gaan | Bohu Aasha |
| 2018 | Tritiya Adhyay | Hazar Bochor |
| 2021 | Prem Tame | Kacche Thako |
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Papon Is Married To His Wife, Shweta Mishra Mahanta: They Share Two Children
Singer Papon is happily married to his wife, Shweta Mishra Mahanta. They walked down the wedding aisle in February 2004. On February 28, Shweta posted a photo with her husband to mark their 20th wedding anniversary.
While sharing the post, she wrote, “To all the rides in the past and the future together. Happy 20th marriage anniversary to us!” The pair have been together for many years and have remained a backbone in each other’s lives.
After being married for many years, Papon and Shweta have also started a family. They are the proud parents of two children, a son named Puhor and a daughter named Parijat.
Papon and his wife have a strong presence on Instagram, and they often share family photos. They love exploring different places together. Meanwhile, Papon’s wife, Shweta, founded the Earthful Foundation.
Shweta’s NGO mainly focuses on solid waste management and awareness about it. They have conducted awareness programs in schools and demonstrated programs in Events.
Papon Controversy On The Voice India Kids
In 2018, Papon was involved in a controversy as a judge on the reality show The Voice India Kids. The dispute arose when the singer was on a Facebook live-streaming from his page.
At that time, he was seen putting Holi colors on an 11-year-old girl. Not only that but he was also alleged online to have kissed the girl. The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights made a complaint, and on February 24, the police lodged a case.
However, contestants seen on the video, guardians, and the parents of the same girl denied the allegations against the singer, saying that it was fatherly love. They also claimed that there was no kiss.
Due to the allegation, Papon even left the show. Later, a court of law found insufficient reason to charge Papon. So, the case was closed, and the court stated that the case had arisen due to a mistake of fact.
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