‘Mitti Di Khushboo’

So my next single also has the iconic word (at least for me) — ‘paani’ in it. It’s called ‘Mitti Di Khushboo,’ but the opening line has ‘paani’ mentioned in it. This didn’t strike me till the time some people pointed about the ‘intentional’ mention of the word. Of course not. It’s not a word that I am fixated with, but to think of it I believe I am obsessed with its demeanor and how it closely resembles mine. It’s colourless (nope — not coming down to odourless), but when something dissipates into it, it acquires its characteristics, surrenders completely and becomes just that. You take that out and it maintains its individuality. That’s how I am and that’s the soul of this song. No matter where life takes you, you for once want to head back to that pure undiluted you that existed at some time. That undiluted version could be your love, your roots, your village or your true existence. To sum up that’s the essence of ‘Mitti Di Kushboo’.

We approached Huma with the song to feature in the video, and she immediately loved it. The shoot was quick and fun. It was all in a day’s work. The rural set up was shot at Karjat (a few kilometers ahead of Mumbai), and nature helped us with the rain bit. Perfect mausam! But not so perfect bicycles! I think the production was trying to save on the cost, which is why perhaps the chain kept coming off of my cycle. The brakes of the other girl rider (shown as Huma’s friend) were not working. She was informed about it and was asked to be extra careful. But I guess the perfect mausam got the better of her and in her excitement she started riding the bicycle really fast. With the cool breeze blowing in her hair, she closed her eyes, with a faint smile on her face she let her feet off the paddle and went ‘weeeeeeeeeeeee’ and BANG! Into the bushes. At first we were all scared, but few seconds into the only ‘action sequence’ of our romantic song, we couldn’t help our giggles. That adventure was just in a day’s shoot where there was absolutely no scope of it being there, and yet she managed! Imagine more days of shoot… Actually maybe next time… Tee hee (devil’s horns on)

Coming back to the melody, Rochak composed it back in the day, but today has come to existence with a little help from another dear friend from college, Gurpreet Saini’s lyrics along with contributions from Rochak and another member of our drama club — Gautam Sharma. And for those who think its just music all the way for me, be rest assured — two movies of mine are coming soon, both scheduled release early next year. And at the same time I am working on my next two as well. So yes, I am an actor-singer and not the other way round. It’s just that I can’t take the music out of me; if it happens perhaps that’ll be my last breathing day! Music makes me breathe and acting makes me live.

So till I keep breathing, you keep listening!

Ayushmann Bhava

Originally published at ayushmannk.tumblr.com.