#sukaina-majeed — Public Fediverse posts

Every Conversation Matters- 25 Years of Timeless Music

This 2026 World Music Day, there was another occasion to celebrate—the 25th anniversary of Lagaan. I sat down to listen to the conversation between the maestro A.R. Rahman, lyricist Javed Akhtar, director Ashutosh Gowariker, and producer Aamir Khan. They spoke about how the songs came into being in a time with no internet, no cell phones, no advanced technology, and no Dolby sound.

There was one discussion about Ghanan Ghanan, the first song that sets the storyline of the film. More often than not, it is interpreted as a call to the rain gods, filled with hope and a longing to rid the people of despair. Twenty-five years later, the song holds so much more meaning than just the wait for rain.

As I listened to the 6-minute-11-second composition, I was reminded of another song created by the same duo of A.R. Rahman and Javed Akhtar—Yeh Tara Wo Tara, which runs for 7 minutes and 11 seconds. Two iconic films by the same director, yet what stands out in both is the genius of composer A.R. Rahman and lyricist Javed Akhtar.

In the celebratory video marking 25 years of Lagaan, Javed Akhtar points out that what makes A.R. Rahman’s compositions special is their unpredictability. He uses Ghanan Ghanan as an example. In the same breath, I would also mention Yeh Tara Wo Tara.

Compositions like Yeh Tara Wo Tara stand apart because of the earthy feeling they evoke. Yeh Tara Wo Tara changes the chorus as the same was done with Ghanan Ghanan in Lagaan. This made me realise the magic of the music I grew up with, which focuses heavily on rhythm and a chorus that a regular listener can hum.

The song has been reprised over the years and arranged in different styles. But believe it or not, the majority of Hindi music lovers still go back to the original soundtrack.

It isn’t because they want to pay homage to A.R. Rahman or Javed Akhtar. The song, through its lyrics and melody, does exactly what its music video shows—it brings a community together. As listeners, we begin to realise the depth of its lyrics.

It definitely isn’t the Shah Rukh Khan fan in me speaking. Many people don’t like either film but absolutely love the music albums of both.

This celebration made me realise what A.R. Rahman and Javed Akhtar have been creating for us over the last 25 years. Five years after Lagaan, Swades was released. At the time, the film wasn’t fully understood. But what has remained timeless is its music.

Another aspect about the duo that remains special is that they didn’t dumb down or underestimate the listeners when it came to music. They flowed against the stream; they gave us song styles that are used to date, when it comes to composition.

Music Albums like these don’t just come one day. They have grown over many years of training, work, and well, staying honest to its core.

I am sharing the lyrics here of both the songs Ghanan Ghanan and Yeh Tara Wo Tara to understand what Javed Akhtar tries to say in this video.

Lagaan Music Album

Swades Music Album

Ghanan Ghanan Ghanan
Ghanan Ghanan Ghanan
Ghanan Ghanan Ghanan
Ghanan Ghanan Ghanan
Ghanan Ghanan Ghanan
Ghanan Ghanan Ghir Ghir Aaye Badra
Ghane Ghan Ghor Kaare Chhaye Badra
Dhamak Dhamak Goonje Badra Ke Danke
Chamak Chamak Dekho Bijuriya Chamke

Mann Dhadkaaye Badarwa
Mann Dhadkaaye Badarwa

Mann Mann Dhadkaaye Badarwa
Kaale Megha, Kaale Megha Paani To Barsaao

Yeh Tara Woh Tara

e taara woh taara har taara
Ye taara woh taara har taara
Dekho jise bhi lage pyaara
Ye taara woh taara har taara
Ye sab saath me jo hai raat me
Toh jagmagaya aasmaan saara
Ye sab saath me jo hai raat me
Toh jagmagaya aasmaan saara
Jagmag taare, do taare, nau taare, sau taare
Jagmag saare, har taara hai sharaara

his post is a part of ‘Mixtape Mood Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters blog hop series

Dear Reader: Scribbled and Sealed Blog Hop-ECM

As an avid reader and occasional writer across various spaces, this letter is naturally addressed to you, my fellow readers—writers included, for I’ve yet to meet a writer who isn’t a reader at heart.

Beyond that, this letter is about the beauty of community, the shared passion that binds us to plots, storylines, characters, and the endless wonders of literature.

Today, though, I want to dive into a weightier topic that lingers in our readerly world. As the great game show voice once declared, LET’S GET POLITICAL!

Dear Readers,

From the moment I began reading, literature has been steeped in controversy—debates over what’s being read, what’s suitable for kids, or what’s deemed “appropriate.” It’s tempting to blame the internet or claim these debates exploded during the pandemic, but the truth is, they’ve always been with us. They’ve simply evolved as we’ve moved through different stages of life, where sometimes it all feels like too much because we’ve seen it all before. Back then, we didn’t have tools like ChatGPT to amplify the noise, did we? 😄 

Today, I write to remind you, dear reader, of the privilege we hold—the ability to read. Never forget that countless people across the world lack this opportunity or the time to indulge in the kind of reading you and I cherish. Never forget that many writers today can freely share their voices, but years ago, those same voices were silenced—by society, by laws, or by circumstance. This letter is a call to remember that access to books remains a pressing issue when we wonder why books aren’t being bought. It’s not just a problem in one country or a matter of choosing coffee over literature. There are people who forgo new clothes or small luxuries yet still can’t access books—and no, I’m not talking about myself. 😛 

When you hold a book in your hands, whatever its format, pause to honor the unsung heroes behind it: the editors, proofreaders, beta readers, alpha readers, early readers, cover designers, sales teams, and so many others who bring that story to life. And dear reader, when you open that book, remember the countless writer’s blocks each author has overcome. A block isn’t always just “imposter syndrome.” Sometimes, it’s far bigger—systematic, societal, or deeply personal. 

So, I urge you to pause and consider every piece of literature that crosses your path. I know, I know—I haven’t mentioned celebrity authors. But let’s be honest: don’t we all instinctively reach for a book when a famous name is attached? My politics in literature will always champion the voices we overlook, the books we don’t instinctively pick up. 

This letter is a reminder to give literature the chance it deserves. Don’t shy away from discussing the politics woven into a story, for not separating the art from the artist is a choice which is a political stance that I strongly believe in.

But my politics also compels me to encourage you to explore anti-caste literature, to amplify voices that are searching for readers.

This letter is for you, the reader who understands the power of a voice and who refuses to stay silent when the marginalized need support. 

Dear reader, don’t just stop to smell the flowers—question WHICH flowers you’ve been told to admire. Too metaphorical? 😏 Well, that’s part of the package. 😛 

I hope you feel the heart of this letter and share your own thoughts—your political pennies, if you will—in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.

Always yours,  

The Reader Who Forgets to Read but Magically Writes Every Day 🙂

Every Conversation Matters:My Explore Page

Last night I was doom scrolling the reels section and I came across a reel which showcased a pretty funny advertisement about a husband looking down on his wife because she still uses paper for everything and the end is of course a hilarious one . I shared it with my friend with whom I often share reels and in return he shared a reel of a political personality giving a speech somewhere in India and I got miffed. Guess why? Oh no! I don’t love “hating” people just walking down the road. It’s simply because that particular reel ,that specific piece of content,that 5 seconds of reel in the process of being funny was an attempt to take charge of the algorithm. Not just any algorithm, but the algorithm of MY LIFE.   

Confused? I don’t think so . You know it, I know it. Your explore page ,the reels you watch,the content you consume (yes the shows you watch) are in charge of how you view the world. Don’t believe me?! because I have tried it. I have talked about various topics in private, in dm and the content that turns up in all my social media handles is abhorring and the funny part is they actually think they are right. It doesn’t stop at conversations by the way. It’s also the emoji you use in maximum quantity. 

No surprise when certain political leaders don’t turn up in my explore page of all social media apps. SHOCKING! One repeatedly keeps coming up and it’s laughable. It’s no longer sad. It’s funny and soon it would be so normalised that your next decision of who to vote will be based on who lands up in your reel explore page. 

My politics in all its sense of the word has been HIJACKED by the internet . This of course reminds me of the movie social dilemma and I remember people getting their minds blown and I remember thinking to myself “it’s just the beginning.” 

Remember that the Internet wouldn’t fix your city, wouldn’t give you education, stop getting influenced by reels. Stop taking it as a measure of taking decisions in your life. Your explore page is just that. For entertainment. I swear if it was helping build a bright future for your country,your city,or your community I wouldn’t be writing this piece because the internet is a black hole and once you start digging,there is no stopping. 

Just like me , don’t let your explore page let you form your ideology. I have seen “hate” in my childhood but this time around everyone is looking out for themselves. This time around you might just get your explore page filled with Canadian opportunities to work because you just saw a Shahrukh Khan movie(happened with me after I watched DUNKI)

“अब नहीं कोई बात ख़तरे की

अब सभी को सभी से ख़तरा है”-

Jaun Elia

This blogpost is part of Everything Is Politics Blog Hop hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed