NEW DELHI: In an exclusive interview with the Executive Editor of The New Indian, Rohan Dua Javed Ali, the famous playback singer shared the experience of singing the famous song Arziyan from Delhi-6.
When the hauntingly beautiful Arziyan first echoed through cinema halls in Delhi-6, it instantly became a spiritual anthem—soaked in divine longing and reverence. But few know the story behind its creation and how the song came to define the life of one of its singers.
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Speaking in an emotional recollection, the singer narrates how the seeds of the song were planted long before the world heard it. “At my place, people sing qawwalis,” he says, suggesting that maybe A.R. Rahman sensed that Sufi spirit in him. He was called to record a scratch version of Arziyan—not knowing it would be a turning point in his career. “I sang the scratch version, and maybe Rakesh (Omprakash Mehra) heard it, but then there was a gap of six months. I remember thinking, man, I want a song like this in my life.”
That scratch recording made him feel something profound. “Just singing it made me so happy—you won’t believe it. I thought to myself, even if it doesn’t get recorded, it felt like God heard my prayer.”
Fate had other plans.
Months later, during the recording of another composition—possibly from Major Mohabbat—he crossed paths with Rahman again. Soon after, he was called to record Arziyan properly in Chennai. “Rahman Sir wasn’t present at the time—his assistant recorded it. I sang the full song. Later, Kailash Ji came in.” That recording would go on to become one of the most cherished of his life.
“No matter what kind of concert I go to, I always have to sing this song,” he shares. “Every artist has a few signature songs—this is one of mine.”
The lyrics, penned by Prasoon Joshi, elevated the composition to another realm. “What thoughts he must have had while writing this! He was so happy when I was recording it. I remember speaking to him over the phone from my hotel in Chennai—we were working on another song for Fan too. That one got recorded but never released. It was for a Rajkumar Santoshi film.”
Javed Ali’s bond with Rahman deepened through this journey. “He really loves his art. He told me he had composed Arziyan six years before it got recorded. Can you believe that? I hadn’t even met him then. I hadn’t even moved to Bombay.”
Reflecting on the lyrics, he breaks into the song:
“Maula, mere Maula… dararein hain kismat mein Maula… marammat muqaddar ki kar do Maula…”
“These words feel like a prayer,” he says. “They have such divine energy. It’s like a downpour of light—Noor ki barish.”
The song, for many listeners, is now an essential part of their daily routine. “Honestly, I feel like people can’t start their day without it. It’s woven into daily life—it just appears naturally.”
From a scratch track in a Chennai studio to becoming a spiritual lifeline for millions, Arziyan is more than a song—it’s a lived prayer
