Sukhwinder Singh was never meant to sing 'Beedi Jalaile', reveals how the song turned into a duet
Mumbai, June 14
Renowned singer Sukhwinder Singh made an interesting revelation during the latest episode of the singing reality show, "Indian Idol".
He revealed that he was never meant to sing the famous track 'Beedi Jalaile' from 'Omkara'.
Sharing how his small part in the song became one of the most successful duets of the Bollywood industry, Sukhwinder said, "Main iss gaane ka hissa hi nahi tha pehele. Main gaya tha ye 'Dham dham dharam dharaiya re, sab se bade ladaiya re, omkara hey omkara' gaane. (I was not a part of this song initially. I went to sing 'Dham dham dharam dharaiya re, sab se bade ladaiya re, omkara hey omkara)."
However, what happened next took the song to a completely different level. Sharing the incident in his own words, he recalled, "Gulzar sahab ne Vishal ji ko kaha ki, isko ek line de do, mere khayal se bass itna hi kafi hai, 'Naa ghilaaf, Naa lihaaf, Thandi hawa bhi khilaf Sasuri' bass phir vapis ek line aur 'Itni sardi hai kisi ka lihaaf lei lay, Jaa padosi ke chulhe se aag lei lay,' ye hai unke aur pass mai take bass, abb unhone kha ek kaam karo pura hi gaana ga do, to aise duet ban gaya. (Gulzar sahab asked Vishal to give me one line in the song, he thought that's probably enough, 'Naa ghilaaf, Naa lihaaf, Thandi hawa bhi khilaf Sasuri'. Then they added,
'Itni sardi hai kisi ka lihaaf lei lay, Jaa padosi ke chulhe se aag lei lay,'
Then he finally said, "Do one thing, just sing the whole song". and that's how this duet was made.)"
Moved by this, singer Shreya Ghoshal, one of the judges on the show, shared, "Sukhi ji ki awaz mai ibbadat hai voh jab gaate hai ishwar ke liye gaate hain bass. (There is devotion in Sukhi ji's voice; when he sings, he only sings for God.)"
Pitching in, another judge, Vishal Dadlani added, "Ye awaaz ibaadat karne layak hain (This voice is worthy of worship)."
"Indian Idol" airs every Saturday and Sunday on Sony Entertainment Television and also streams on SonyLIV.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Imagine if Gulzar sahab had just stuck with giving him one line only. We would have missed Sukhwinder's raw energy in that song. His voice has this rustic, earthy quality that fit perfectly with the film's setting. And Shreya Ghoshal's comment about ibbadat is so true - you can feel the devotion when he sings. 🙏
Interesting interview, but I wish the article had more about how Sunidhi Chauhan came to be part of this duet. Sukhwinder's part was clearly a last-minute addition, but what about her? The chemistry between them in the song is what made it iconic, not just the lyrics. Still, Gulzar's poetry remains unmatched. 'Naa ghilaaf, naa lihaaf' - such vivid imagery!
It's amazing how creative collaborations work in India. In the West, we usually have a fixed plan for a song, but here, even a legend like Gulzar can decide on the fly to give an artist the whole track. It shows how spontaneous Bollywood can be. This has definitely made me want to listen to the song again with new appreciation! 🎵
Honestly, this just shows how important it is for singers to be open to last-minute changes. Sukhwinder ji went to sing a totally different song and ended up with 'Beedi Jalaile'. And the way he tells the story is so humble, not taking any credit for what became a massive hit. Also, Vishal Dadlani's comment about 'ibaadat layak awaaz' - totes agree! 👏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.