The title track of David Dhawan‘s upcoming film ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’, starring Varun Dhawan, was recreated and recorded in a remarkable 48 hours, just 10 days before the teaser went live. Music-composer duo Javed-Mohsin have now shared the fascinating story behind the making of the song.
David Dhawan’s Brief: Mass Appeal With a Modern Touch
The track draws inspiration from the iconic ‘Ishq Chandi Hai, Ishq Sona Hai’ hook line from David Dhawan’s own 1990 film ‘Biwi No. 1’, originally filmed with Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor.Lyricist Mohsin Shaikh told HT City that the director’s vision was crystal clear from the start. He said, “David sir’s brief was ‘sound aaj ke hisaab se ho aur mass ke liye lyrics-composition honi chahiye.’ His vision was to create a larger-than-life song which has mass appeal and at the same time focuses on today’s youth and Gen Z audience, along with nostalgia and a lot of live music. His vision was very clear of a grand festival celebration vibe, and so were the instructions.“
Mohsin Shaikh reveals Varun Dhawan spent two nights in the studio
The original track belonged to the hardcore Indian Bollywood genre with tabla and dholak, but Javed-Mohsin reimagined it in the house music genre, blending modern and traditional instruments. Varun Dhawan was deeply involved in the recording process.Mohsin further shared, “I requested him to come to the studio for a session, and he agreed. We recorded live brass section, string section, backup vocals, rap, and other music. Varun sat in the studio for two nights, and we did everything together to achieve this song. We went to David sir with the final version in the morning, and he was super happy.”He added, “80% of the lyrics (by Sameer Anjaan) are the same, and other portions have been written by me. Along with nostalgia, we also have rap in the song, which has been sung by Ranj and Earl Edgar. This makes the song very contemporary.”The voices of original singers Shankar Mahadevan and Hema Sardesai have been retained, and original composer Annu Malik has also been credited.
Mohsin Shaikh shares recreating a hit song is harder than writing a new one
Mohsin Shaikh offered a candid perspective on the pressure of recreating a beloved classic. In the same conversation, he explained, “It’s tougher to recreate a song than composing a new one. There is an advantage of previous popularity, but great risk and a lot of pressure, as one wrong thing and it can be a disaster.”His partner Javed added that they are “truly delighted” with the outcome of their collaboration. He said that the track is close to their hearts and they “believe the audience will love it.”
More about ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’
Apart from Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur, ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ also stars Maniesh Paul, Chunky Pandey, Jimmy Shergill, and Mouni Roy. The romantic drama is scheduled for the worldwide release on May 22.
