Amaal Malik on his song 'Ja Janam Ja' from 'Inn Galiyon Mein': It has a quirky but important message

Amaal Malik

Amaal Malik describes Ja janam ja, the upcoming song from Vivaan Shah's film Inn Galiyon Mein, as a "mohalla" song. "It is a fun qawwali and performance-based track that features Vivaan and [actor] Avantika Dasani. The film's name is Inn Galiyon Mein, and this song is a performance [set in] that gali. It has a quirky but important message, and it is that kind of number I haven't attempted before," says Malik, adding that given that the song needed to be rendered in a nuanced manner, he couldn't think of anyone better than Sonu Nigam to sing it.

"He is a man of too many talents. He can sing a song like Kal ho naa ho, and Jeene ke hai char din too. A song that was a favourite at the time of its release, and continues to be so, is Tumse milke, which [had an element of] qawwali music. He did an amazing job with it. Furthermore, he knows how to enact for a character, even if it is being played by a young hero," recalls Malik, whose last collaboration with Nigam, Dholna 3.0, was appreciated.

Malik's attempt to bring Indian music to the fore and create music that was reminiscent of the folk genre associated with small towns reminded him of his work in Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017). "We wanted to create a melody that was simple and memorable. The second song, Patang ki dor, is about two hearts finding space for each other. Though the song is about love that lasts forever, it has a cheeky vibe and has a tint of masti and mazaak. This is new for Armaan [Malik, brother] too, who hasn't worked on such a number with me before. The language is also simple."

Over a decade since he made his Bollywood debut, Malik says today he is drawn to filmmakers who give wings to his artistic expression. "If I get the chance to work on good and honest music, I will take it up. It's always the intent of the director that matters. All composers are fighting for [justifiable deadlines] to make music. But if I see that the director wants me to make good music, I'll be part of the film."