Farah Khan Reveals AR Rahman’s ‘Masakali’ Was First Created for Shah Rukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om
Farah Khan has made a surprising reveal about one of Bollywood’s most beloved songs, ‘Masakali’. The filmmaker and choreographer revealed that the song, which became a big hit of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6, was originally made for her 2007 blockbuster Om Shanti Om (with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone).
Farah discussed the discovery during her latest vlog in which she visited music composer and singer Vishal Dadlani’s farmhouse. While recalling the making of Om Shanti Om and its music, Farah discussed her initial plans for the soundtrack of the film and her conversations with Vishal Dadlani.
As Farah described it, she had initially approached Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman to compose the music for Om Shanti Om. She told Vishal that if Rahman turned down the project, she would then bring Vishal and Shekhar Ravjiani on board to compose the soundtrack. The duo, who would become one of the most successful music partnerships in Bollywood, were also willing to work with Rahman if the need arose.
And it was during that conversation that Farah explained the origin of ‘Masakali’. Rahman’s first song for Om Shanti Om was the now-iconic track, she said. Farah admitted that she wasn’t quite sure where the song would fit into the story at the time, yet she fell in love with the song immediately and with the unusual name “Masakali.”
The story is even more interesting now. ‘Masakali’ found its home in Delhi 6, with Sonam Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan in it. The song was instantly recognized as one of the most popular songs from the film in 2009, with Mohit Chauhan’s energetic singing and Rahman’s unique composition.
Vishal Dadlani Recalls the Magic of Om Shanti Om
Vishal Dadlani also talked about the music of Om Shanti Om during a vlog. He suggested that the film’s soundtrack could have been successful even if Vishal-Shekhar had not composed it. But Farah was quick to recognize the contribution of the composer duo to the film’s memorable music.
Om Shanti Om was celebrated for its larger-than-life Bollywood aesthetic; it was all nostalgia, romance, comedy, and elaborate musical sequences. Some songs such as ‘Dard-E-Disco’, ‘Deewangi Deewangi’, ‘Ajab Si’, and ‘Dhoom Taana’ were huge hits and were so popular for so long that they didn’t stop playing.
Vishal also referred to the movie as one of the last examples of the traditional “masala Bollywood musical.” He recalled the elaborate visuals for sequences like ‘Dhoom Taana’ and how people remain fascinated with how such scenes were made before artificial intelligence became a part of mainstream filmmaking.
His comments also highlighted the scale and creativity behind Bollywood’s elaborate musical spectacles of that era. At a time when filmmakers relied heavily on practical production techniques, choreography, sets, visual effects, and post-production techniques as opposed to the AI-based tools of today’s films, songs such as those in Om Shanti Om were examples of cinematic ambition.
‘Masakali’ eventually became a Delhi 6 Classic
Although ‘Masakali’ was originally intended for Om Shanti Om, the song eventually became associated with Delhi 6. This song was released in 2009 and featured Sonam Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan, and the song’s free-spirited tone and catchy lyrics quickly won over the listener.
Its popularity continued for years, and ‘Masakali’ became one of Rahman’s signature Hindi film works. Mohit Chauhan’s vocals were especially popular, and the song’s unusual title and infectious melody made it so different from many Bollywood songs.
The song later received a new version ‘Masakali 2.0’ for Sidharth Malhotra and Tara Sutaria’s Marjaavaan in 2020. The new version was sung by Sachet Tandon and Tulsi Kumar and composed by Tanishk Bagchi.
However, the recreation was heavily criticized by Rahman’s fans who were very much attached to Rahman’s original. Many fans were not impressed with the new version in comparison to the 2009 track, and the response showed just how much the original ‘Masakali’ had been part of popular culture.
Farah Khan’s latest revelations provide fans with another reason to revisit the song. Had Rahman’s music remained in Om Shanti Om, ‘Masakali’ would have been remembered differently and was perhaps another major musical moment between Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. Instead, it was Delhi 6 that gave the song its own identity, and it has become a Bollywood classic in its own right.
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