Aashima Mahajan talks about her experience of working with A. R. Rahman in ‘Thug Life’

Mumbai:  Playback singer Aashima Mahajan, who has crooned the song ‘Jinguchaa’ from the upcoming film ‘Thug Life’, has spoken up on the process of recording the track, and working in tandem with the Oscar and Grammy-winning music composer A. R. Rahman.

Aashima has sung both the Hindi and Telugu versions of the song. The singer admitted that Telugu being a new language, posed a challenge for her as she required more takes to record the song compared to its Hindi version.

The singer told IANS, “For the Hindi version, we recorded two to three takes, and based on the requirement of the song, he chose the one he liked. The Telugu version was a bit tougher for me and took more time and effort”.

‘Jinguchaa’ is a vibrant and celebratory song that has captivated audiences with its infectious energy and star-studded visuals. Aashima Mahajan shares the vocals with Sukhwinder Singh, Ronkini Gupta & Vaishali Samant, adding to the festive spirit of this foot-tapping number. The lyrics are penned by veteran megastar Kamal Haasan and the video features performances by Silambarasan TR, Sanya Malhotra, and Kamal Haasan.

“Since I don’t speak Telugu, I had a pronunciation guide who helped me with the diction, learning how to pronounce the consonants and vowels correctly. I already knew the melody and emotions in the Hindi version, but switching to Telugu meant learning a new language, where even the word placement changes depending on the meaning. So, it was a bit of a challenge, but I really enjoyed the process. We ended up recording and had a lot of fun”, she added.

The word ‘Jinguchaa’ translates to ‘celebrations’. Aashima is an alumnus of A.R. Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory.

Talking about her experience of working with A.R. Rahman, the singer said, “It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of such a beautiful and globally acclaimed project, especially with maestros like A.R. Rahman and Mani Ratnam were involved. I feel truly overwhelmed to see that the track is still trending and receiving so much love from audiences. My heart is filled with warmth and gratitude for all the appreciation the song has received”.

“Working with A.R. Rahman Sir has been nothing short of a dream come true for any singer. He is a force of music, almost a celestial soul, yet his aura is both empowering and calming, he has a way of instantly putting you at ease. I will never forget the moment when, after listening to my album track, he said I have the potential to be the Indian version of Adele. That compliment means the world to me and I will keep that in my heart forever,” she added.

–IANS