A quarter of a century ago, when Bollywood had a blockbuster of a year, came a film, Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein. The 2021 film by Gautham Vasudev Menon, a remake of his Tamil superhit Minnale, didn’t set the box office on fire, but its music won hearts. Over the years, the R. Madhavan-Saif Ali Khan-Dia Mirza starrer achieved cult status through television reruns. Finally, when RHTDM was re-released in theatres in 2024, it got a “hit” tag.
At the heart of RHTDM is the song Zara zara behekta hai. Written with heart by the hit-a-minute lyricist Sameer, it was composed by the Chennai-based Harris Jayaraj, in his early 20s then. The soul of the song is its voice, Bombay Jayashri aka Jayashri Ramnath, an acclaimed Carnatic vocalist. Harris, while composing the original Tamil track, Vaseegara, for Minnale, wanted Jayashri’s voice for its classical dexterity and texture. While recreating its Hindi twin, Harris stuck to his choice.
Jayashri, born in Calcutta in the early 1960s, left with her parents for Mumbai, then Bombay, as a kid — hence the name Bombay Jayashri — and finally settled in Chennai. The classical singer had sung a few Tamil and Malayalam songs before Vaseegara landed on her lap. Through Zara zara behekta hai, Jayashri found millions of new fans.
It’s a song of love with the salt of seduction and surrender. Jayashri’s low-pitched, husky and sultry rendition makes the longing unusually intense for a female solo track. It’s a song for daydreams on loop.
Cleverly, Harris composed this pop ballad inspired by the Carnatic raga Natabhairavi, noted for its wistful poignance. For instrumentation, he relies on the flute that flows like a great stream of water, with gentle percussion to anchor it.
Sameer’s words add to the intimate, dreamy vibe: Zara zara bahekta hai/ Mahekta hai/ Aaj toh mera tan badan/ Main pyaasi hoon/ Mujhe bhar le apni baaho mein (Bit by bit, my entire body gets intoxicated and blossoms. I am thirsty, hold me in your embrace).
We’ve come a long way from 2001, RHTDM’s lovestruck Maddy is now Dhurandhar’s intelligence honcho Ajay Sanyal. But there’s no denying that 2001 was memorable for chartbusters catering to all tastes. The year’s top movies, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Lagaan, Gadar and Dil Chahta Hai, are remembered even today for their music. The offbeat offerings — Aks, Daman, Indian, Lajja, Monsoon Wedding, Nayak, Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya, Zubeidaa — are no less compelling. A Bollywood playlist of 2001 is a buffet for the senses.
Amid all these, RHTDM’s Zara zara behekta hai holds its ground. Like a gentle drizzle that awakens the waft of petrichor.
