Aanandi Joshi on Working with A.R. Rahman Back-to-Back, “Being Part of a Song by Rahman Sir and Javed Akhtar ji Gives Me Goosebumps

Mumbai:The multifaceted singer Aanandi Joshi is thrilled to work with her Guru A.R. Rahman back-to-back, this time on the song Dekhiye Jahaan Jaiye Kahin from the recently released film Batwara 1947, written by Javed Akhtar and sung alongside Javed Ali and Rabbani Mustafa Khan. The song beautifully captures the warmth of Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta and their daughter welcoming Shabana ji into their family, embracing her as one of their own despite the divisions created by Partition. The collaboration holds a special significance for Aanandi, who has long considered Rahman her Guru and now finds herself part of a composition by two of the most celebrated names in Indian music.

The collaboration comes after Aanandi’s association with Rahman for Gandhi Talks for the song Jara Jara Man Khulavte, where her song received a strong response. Being part of a Rahman-Javed Akhtar composition is particularly special for the singer, given the duo’s lasting impact on generations of listeners. Interestingly, the journey of Dekhiye Jahaan Jaiye Kahin also coincided with a deeply personal chapter in Aanandi’s life, as she first recorded the song shortly after learning she was pregnant and completed the final corrections while in her ninth month. With her baby now arrived and the song also released, Aanandi feels the entire journey has been nothing short of a blessing.

Sharing how she came to be a part of the track, Aanandi says, “Last November, I had gone to Rahman sir’s studio to record something else, and after finishing that, I was asked to try this melody. At that point, I didn’t know much about the song because the track was still taking shape and was yet to be produced. When I finally got the news after six months that the song had been finalized in my voice, I was over the moon. What is very special is that almost 80-90 per cent of what you hear in the final version today is from the first version I sang in November. Being part of a song composed by Rahman sir and written by Javed Akhtar ji still gives me goosebumps. This is an extremely important song for me, and I feel incredibly grateful and beyond thankful to be a part of it.”

She further added, “I consider Rahman sir my Guru. His music has helped me understand life, and every second with him is like constantly learning. I had just got the news that I was pregnant when I got the opportunity to record this song, and by the end of my pregnancy, I got to know that the song was coming in my voice. Later, when I was in my ninth month, there were two lines that had to be recorded again because of lyrical changes. I wanted to do it at the earliest because I was worried that if I went into labour, I wouldn’t be able to do the corrections. When I shared this, Sarthak and Rahman sir were both very sweet and immediately called me and made it possible for me to record the lines the very next day. After recording them, I also got to speak to Rahman sir, which was a very special moment for me. Now my baby has arrived and the song is also out, so it truly feels like the journey of this song happened alongside my pregnancy journey. It feels like a blessing.”Aanandi Joshi is a versatile multilingual playback singer who has lent her voice to several notable Bollywood projects, including Malaal, Gandhi Talks, and now Batwara 1947. Her Bollywood debut, Zara Suno from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Malaal, was followed by her recent work on Jara Jara Man Khulavte from A.R. Rahman’s Gandhi Talks, and now Dekhiye Jahaan Jaiye Kahin from Batwara 1947. Among her many accolades, Aanandi is a recipient of the Maharashtra State Film Award, Filmfare Award Marathi and Mirchi Music Award. She has over 350 songs to her credit across Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. She has also delivered several memorable Marathi tracks including Kiti Sangaychay Mala, Dhaga Dhaga, Mann Kesar Kesar, and Anandghana, establishing herself as a prominent voice in the Marathi music industry. Known for her soulful and expressive vocals, Aanandi continues to explore diverse languages, genres and musical collaborations, with Dekhiye Jahaan Jaiye Kahin adding another meaningful chapter to her evolving musical journey.