Gulzar, Vishal Bharadwaj create two songs on migrant workers

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Veteran lyricist Gulzar has once again collaborated with filmmaker-composer Vishal Bhardwaj. The duo has created the tracks "Marenge to wahin jaakar" and "O re bidesiya" that will feature in the upcoming documentary film "1232 KMS". The film is about mass migration of workers and underprivileged people when lockdown was announced last year.

While Sukhwinder Singh has sung "Marenge to wahin jaakar", the track "O re bidesiya" has been recorded in the voice of Vishal's wife, Rekha Bharadwaj.

"It is a very important film as it has captured a crucial event in the history of India. The journey of migrant workers as they traversed long distances to reach home had many ups and downs, and I wanted the songs to reflect their bittersweet stories. Both the songs depict that no matter how far one might travel, they always belong to their home, and that they can reach out to their village and loved ones during difficult times," Gulzar said in a statement.

The songs reflect the emotions of longing for one's home and encapsulate the story, as depicted in the film, of seven migrant workers who decided to return to their village in Saharsa Bihar, which is 1232 kilometres from Delhi.

"Gulzar saab has once again penned profound lyrics that perfectly capture the emotions that were prevalent amongst our countrymen during those tough days of lockdown. I wanted to compose a tune that enhances that feeling of home for millions of those migrant workers in India. The lyrics of these songs capture so many emotions that I had the liberty of composing not one but two renditions," said Vishal.

Said Sukhwinder Singh: "Gulzar saab and Vishal Bhardwaj are legends in their own right, and lending my voice to anything they have created is a huge honour. I can't even imagine the plight and journeys of all those men, women, children and families who were on the roads while all of us comfortably stayed in our homess," he says.

"The lyrics of O Re Bidesiya are filled with earnestness and raw emotion that only Gulzar saab could pen. The composition by Vishal is full of emotions, complimenting the lyrics and my singing. As a singer, my job is to use my voice to enhance the feelings that are being relayed in the song, and that's exactly what I have tried to do with my rendition of this song, which truly touched my heart," said Rekha Bhardwaj.

"1232 KMS" will stream on Disney+ Hotstar VIP from March 24 onwards.