Lending their voice to an AR Rahman track is probably every Indian singer’s dream. It’s also a test of their skills. Something that Vipin Aneja learnt as he went behind the mic for Tere Paas Main, the breakout track from filmmaker Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga. Recording the song, about the aching longing felt by two unrequited lovers, was a meticulous process under the maestro’s guidance that involved attempting multiple iterations, lyric changes, and different dubs.
A still from ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’. Pic/Instagram
The singer recalled, “He gave me two compositions, two different versions of Tere Paas Main, which I had to sing.” Before the recording began, Aneja was asked to perform the composition in front of Ali and Rahman at the composer’s Chennai studio. “I got an okay, that this voice fits the bill.”
Then began the process that showed Aneja the passion and dedication that goes into every Rahman song. The composer made the singer record both versions, which was followed by multiple additional sessions. “After that, there were three-four more dubs in Mumbai, where I had to [incorporate] lyric changes,” said Aneja, adding that Rahman continued refining the track over the next two months. “At the end, he handpicked the right pearl.”
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Ayushmann Khurrana recently sang the cover of ‘Tere Paas Main’