Shankar Mahadevan Reveals 21 Mixdowns Were Made for ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ Title Track, But Rough Version Made Final Cut

Mumbai, September 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)

Music composer Shankar Mahadevan has shared an interesting anecdote about the title track of the iconic film Dil Chahta Hai, revealing that despite 21 mixdowns, the original rough version of the song was ultimately retained in the final cut.

Shankar, along with fellow composers Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa and sound engineer Vijay Benegal, worked on multiple versions of the track. However, the scratch mix was liked the most by the filmmakers and members of the team, leading to its inclusion in the film.

In a special video for Spotify, Shankar sat down with Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, playback singer Shaan and Meiyang Chang to discuss the song.

“Benny did about 21 mixes of the song. And this, what you’re hearing is the rough mix. There was something, something magical about it,” Shankar said.

He revealed that the version listeners hear was actually the first scratch recorded by the team, featuring experimental bass lines, new samples and drums.

“We had some new samples and great drums, we experimented, and it paid off. People get scared of being minimalistic,” he added.

Shankar also explained why the team chose not to overfill the arrangement, saying that confidence in the melody, groove and bass line can allow a song to work with a relatively minimal approach.

“If you’re very confident about your melody, if you’re confident about your groove and your bass line and that minimal thing, you don’t need stuff,” he said, adding that a good engineer can make a minimal arrangement fill the sonic space effectively.

Dil Chahta Hai, directed by Farhan Akhtar in his directorial debut, became known for its portrayal of urban friendship, romance and youthful independence. Its Goa road trip also became closely associated with the film and inspired generations of friends to recreate the journey.

The film’s visual style, casual fashion and conversational storytelling influenced Bollywood’s depiction of contemporary urban India, while its soundtrack blended rock, pop and Indian musical elements.