Abhay Jodhpurkar shares experiences of working with AR Rahman in Gandhi Talks

Gandhi Talks is capturing hearts for its poignant storytelling and soulful music, and two songs in particular, Jara Jara Man Khulavate and Angai (Lullaby) from the Marathi version of the film, composed by AR Rahman, are making waves. Audiences are thrilled to learn that the versatile and soulful vocals behind these tracks belong to none other than the talented and renowned singer Abhay Jodhpurkar.

Both tracks have emerged as breakout hits from the film’s album, celebrated for their evocative intensity in one and romantic, heartfelt vibe in the other, with Abhay’s powerful voice adding depth to the film’s narrative and stealing the spotlight.

When Abhay Jodhpurkar met AR Rahman

Jara Jara Man Khulavate is a tender romantic ballad set against the quaint streets of Bombay, picturised on Aditi Rao Hydari and Vijay Sethupathi. The track beautifully captures the quiet intimacy of their secret romance, unfolding through gentle, unspoken moments and subtle emotions. With its soft, lyrical mood, the song adds warmth and depth to the film’s narrative. In contrast to the previous song and in a completely different mood, Angai (Lullaby) arrives at a poignant turning point in the film and carries a deep emotional undercurrent. The song weaves tenderness with an underlying sense of pain and longing. Soothing yet haunting in its tonality, the lullaby reflects the emotional weight of the moment, with poignant lyrics amplifying its impact.

After the humongous commercial success of the songs and his collaboration with AR Rahman, Abhay shared with excitement how it’s an honour to be part of such a beautiful and widely-celebrated project, especially with a maestro like Rahman. "I feel truly overwhelmed to see that both tracks are still trending and receiving so much love from audiences. I’m filled with immense gratitude for all the warmth and appreciation.

“It’s always a lifetime experience working with Rahman Sir. Every time I sing for him, I discover a new nuance about my own voice. Fortunately, I had the privilege of being launched by Rahman Sir back in 2013 with my Tamil debut in Mani Ratnam Sir’s Kadal. Ever since then, he has given me so many beautiful gems throughout my playback singing career. It was in early 2022 when I was called to his Mumbai studio to record for the background score of Gandhi Talks. We were jamming all night and recording scratches, and that’s when the lullaby happened. I had a sore throat that day, but somehow that husk added to the texture of the song, since it plays on the radio in the film”, he added.

Sharing his experience of working on a largely silent, narrative-driven film, Abhay adds, “Working with director Kishore Belekar was also a revelation because I had never worked on a silent film before. Since the music carries the narrative, the responsibility to do justice to the emotions felt even greater. But Kishore Sir’s vision was so clear that everything just flowed. I was given complete freedom to express myself as an artiste. It’s definitely one of the best working experiences of my life, and I’m really proud to be associated with this project. Gandhi Talks has a big place in my heart.”

Apart from the film tracks, Abhay also lent his voice to Sunhari Kirane for the audio launch of Gandhi Talks.

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