MUMBAI: Recreating an iconic song is not an easy task, and to make it go as viral as the original or maybe even more, is quite an uphill challenge. But Dharma Productions’ music supervisor Azeem Dayani achieved that feat by presenting a new and beautiful rendition of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’s ‘Dekhha tenu pehli pehli baar ve’ for the Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor starrer Mr and Mrs Mahi.

As soon as the song was released, the nostalgia hit the audience with them lapping up this soulful recreation crooned by Mohammad Faiz. The song has become a viral sensation on social media, with people ranging from the common man to celebrities like Alia Bhatt making Instagram Reels on it with their own twist.

Azeem is amazed by seeing all the success the song has received. “Whenever you are using something classic in a new way, there is always a fear of how it will be received, but the love that Dekhha Tenu has received and continues to get, just gives us the validation that we need for our work on the song. It's crazy to see how the country is giving their own take to it and interpreting the song in their own way to express their love. The song is about love and the love with which it has been received is just overwhelming,” he says.

Talking about his process of making the song, Azeem shares, "We've all grown up dancing on Shava Shava, and this special part in it always makes you be in awe of its melody. So, the idea of doing this song was a tribute from a fanboy and giving my own addition to it."

The music supervisor reveals that Jaani had come to him with the idea of making a cover of the song. "I told him instead of just four lines, let's make a whole song. While he was a little afraid initially, I just said let's be honest and do it as a tribute. He then agreed with me," he shares, adding that they wanted a new innocent voice to croon it. "When Faiz dubbed the song, we just felt we should back this young talent as there is a lot of feeling in his singing."

Azeem informs that instead of sending a recorded sample, the team played the song live in front of Karan Johar on a guitar with the recorded voice. "As he heard the song, he instantly fell in love with it, and that gave us the validation we needed," he says.

Dekhha Tenu is trending on number 2 in the Spotify India charts, showing its popularity. Not just that, but more songs from Mr and Mrs Mahi- Roya Jab Tu, Junoon Hain, Tu Hain Toh, Agar Tum Ho and others, have been receiving a lot of love from listeners and Azeem is just humbled and grateful for it.