When Lutt Le Gaya plays in Dhurandhar, it doesn’t feel like just another film song, it lands as a moment. Sung by Simran Choudhary, the track from the recently released film has won hearts and how!
What makes its success even more remarkable is the fact that the song was conceptualised, created and finalised barely 10 days before the film’s release.
For Simran, the experience of working on Lutt Le Gaya was intense, instinctive and unforgettable. “Shashwat, as we all know, is a true genius. He’s a musical prodigy,” she says of composer Shashwat Sachdev. “Working with him on the song felt nothing short of magical. I still remember how he’d called me at 1:30 am, and from 2 am to 9 am we were sitting together and building the entire song from scratch; brainstorming the composition, shaping the melody, writing the lyrics, arranging everything within just six hours.”
The experience of creating Lutt Le Gaya, she says, she’ll carry for life. “Because Shashwat truly understands music, respects artistes and he’s always welcoming of ideas. That’s something I really love about working with him.”
Interestingly, the song that finally made it to the screen wasn’t what she initially set out to create. “The brief I was first given was completely different,” Simran reveals. “But the song I ended up creating actually fits another situation, which is much better.” Her approach, however, remained clear. “I wanted it to be a full-on party track with easy-going, instantly understandable lyrics that blend naturally with the music.”
At the same time, certain lines had to hit home. “Those key lines, ‘Haye sajan, meri akhaan tarasdi’ and ‘Haye imaan, menu lutt le gaya’, needed to land with impact. When you watch the film, the moment these lines come in and the way they hit… it all makes perfect sense.”
That balance between instinct and structure has long defined Simran’s musical journey. Classically trained in Hindustani music and raised in Chandigarh, she believes her roots are her greatest strength.
“Classical music forms the foundation for any kind of music you want to learn,” she says. “With that base, I’ve always been fascinated by folk, culture and heritage. Naturally, my music started becoming a reflection of the things I love.”
This sensibility is most evident in her EP Folkin’ Rani, where she brings folk textures into a contemporary pop framework without losing their emotional core. The EP celebrates nostalgia, belonging and cultural memory, themes that recur across her independent work.
Her collaboration with composer Amit Trivedi on Sunn Husna Di Pariye further reinforces that identity. “Amit sir is such a free soul,” she says. “He gives you a canvas and says, ‘Paint whatever picture you like.’ That kind of trust gives an artiste the space to be honest.”
Growing up listening to folk and Sufi music in Punjab made fusion feel organic rather than deliberate. “Blending folk with contemporary music feels instinctive to me. It’s just what comes naturally because it’s what I know best.”
That rootedness, she feels, has helped her navigate a demanding industry. “My Guruji always told me that jo ped apni jadon se juda rehta hai, usko koi bhi aandhi ya toofan kabhi nahi hila sakta,” she says. “When your foundation and grammar are solid, no matter how many trends come and go, you can always adapt.”
As audiences continue to hum Lutt Le Gaya long after leaving the theatre, Simran hopes her music does what it always has… feel familiar, honest and deeply personal. “I want people to feel that it’s their own,” she says. “That someone from among them is telling their stories.”