Surbhi Chandna says ‘Ishtam’ was inspired by A.R. Rahman’s ‘Kehna Hi Kya’

Mumbai, April 12, 2025
Actress and producer Surbhi Chandna is set to bring a soul-stirring musical experience with Ishtam, which she says she wanted to blend Hindi and Malayalam lyrics, something inspired by her love for Oscar-winning musician A.R. Rahman’s track “Kehna Hi Kya.”

“Ishtam” is releasing on April 14 under her banner Feel Good Originals. The song blends Malayalam and Rajasthani musical elements.

“When we launched Feel Good Originals, I really wanted to blend Hindi and Malayalam lyrics, something inspired by my love for Kerala and A.R. Rahman sir’s Kehna Hi Kya,” said Surbhi.

She added, “That spark of an idea eventually became Ishtam.”

The journey of creating ‘Ishtam’ was as layered as the song itself.

Tagging it as a “passion project,” the actress said, “This has been a passion project since last year. Karan and I went to Kerala, learned some Malayalam, studied Kathakali, and immersed ourselves in the culture to bring authenticity to the sound. We even used live instruments like the violin and bagal bacha to capture the right emotion.”

With Vivek Dahiya and Anaira Gupta featuring and Surbhi leading the charge with a powerful team behind her, Ishtam will drop on April 14.

Surbhi is widely known for her work in Ishqbaaaz and in Naagin 5. She made her acting debut in 2009 with a cameo in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. She had her first major role in Qubool Hai.

The actress is also known for her work in Sanjivani and Sherdil Shergill. In 2024, Surbhi branched out to web shows with Amazon Mini TV’s Rakshak—India’s Braves. She was seen playing an army officer’s wife, Alka Singh, opposite Barun Sobti.

The actress married her entrepreneur boyfriend, Karan Sharma, in March 2024 after 13 years of dating in Jaipur.(Agency)