Sameer Anjaan on RHTDM: wrote all 10 songs in one day
Synopsis
Sameer Anjaan wrote all 10 songs of 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' in a single 10-hour session — from 10 am to 8 pm on one Sunday — because he refused to leave Mumbai for more than a day. On 'Indian Idol', he revealed the logistical battle behind one of Bollywood's most beloved soundtracks, now celebrating 25 years of enduring popularity.
Key Takeaways
Lyricist Sameer Anjaan named 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' as the most challenging film he has written for.
He wrote all approximately 10 songs in a single session lasting from 10 am to 8 pm on one Sunday.
The challenge arose because music director Harris Jayaraj was based in the South and would not travel to Mumbai.
Sameer agreed to travel only on the condition he return to Mumbai the same night .
The film's soundtrack, released in 2001 , remains widely popular 25 years after its release.
The revelation was made on an upcoming episode of the singing reality show 'Indian Idol' .
Legendary lyricist Sameer Anjaan has revealed that 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' was the most challenging film of his career to write for — not because of the words, but because of the logistics. The disclosure came during an upcoming episode of the singing reality show 'Indian Idol', where Sameer offered a rare behind-the-scenes account of one of Bollywood's most enduring soundtracks.
The Challenge Behind a Classic Album
Sameer recalled that at the time of the film, he was simultaneously working on a large number of projects with producer Vashu Bhagnani. The complication arose because music director Harris Jayaraj was based in the South and was not willing to travel to Mumbai. Bhagnani conveyed to Sameer that since the film featured newcomers, the lyricist would need to make the trip south instead.
Sameer was initially firm in his refusal. 'I said, there's no question of that. I was so busy that even if I stepped out of Mumbai for an hour, ten songs would get missed,' he said on the show.
A One-Day, Ten-Song Marathon
A compromise was eventually worked out. Sameer agreed to travel on a Sunday morning, on the condition that he return to Mumbai the same night. What followed was a gruelling but historic single-day writing session.
'From 10 in the morning till 8 at night, I completed all the songs and returned to Mumbai the same night,' Sameer said. The film contained approximately 10 songs, all of which were written in that single sitting with Harris Jayaraj in the South.
25 Years On — The Music Still Resonates
Reflecting on the outcome, Sameer said the effort proved worthwhile. 'Looking back today, it feels like the effort on that album paid off, because its music is still as loved today as it was 25 years ago,' he noted.
Released in 2001, 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' — featuring R. Madhavan and Dia Mirza in their breakout roles — became a cult romantic film, with its soundtrack widely regarded as one of Harris Jayaraj's finest works in Hindi cinema. Songs like 'Dil Ko Tumse Pyaar Hua' and 'Zara Zara' remain staples on nostalgia playlists decades later.
Sameer on Indian Idol
Sameer Anjaan's appearance on 'Indian Idol' is part of the show's tradition of featuring celebrated industry veterans who offer contestants and viewers alike a window into the craft behind iconic Hindi film music. His account of the RHTDM sessions adds a new dimension to an album that generations of listeners have grown up with.
Point of View
Under logistical duress, raises an interesting question about whether constraint fuelled rather than compromised the album. The RHTDM soundtrack's 25-year shelf life suggests it did. What mainstream coverage of this story misses is the subtext: Harris Jayaraj's refusal to move to Mumbai was itself a marker of South Indian music directors beginning to assert their own terms in Hindi film collaborations — a dynamic that has since reshaped the industry considerably.
NationPress
10 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which was the toughest film for Sameer Anjaan to write lyrics for?
Sameer Anjaan has said that 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' was the most challenging film of his career to write for. The difficulty was logistical — music director Harris Jayaraj was based in the South and would not travel to Mumbai, forcing Sameer to make a single-day trip to complete all the songs.
How many songs did Sameer Anjaan write for 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein'?
Sameer Anjaan wrote approximately 10 songs for the film, completing all of them in a single session that ran from 10 in the morning to 8 at night on one Sunday. He returned to Mumbai the same night.
Why did Sameer Anjaan initially refuse to travel for the film?
Sameer was working on a large number of films simultaneously with producer Vashu Bhagnani and said that stepping out of Mumbai even for an hour would mean missing recording sessions for around 10 other songs. He agreed to travel only after negotiating a same-day return.
When was 'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' released and why is it still remembered?
'Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein' was released in 2001, featuring R. Madhavan and Dia Mirza. Its soundtrack, composed by Harris Jayaraj with lyrics by Sameer Anjaan, is widely regarded as one of the finest Hindi film albums of its era and remains popular 25 years after release.
Where did Sameer Anjaan reveal this story?
Sameer Anjaan shared this account during an upcoming episode of the singing reality show 'Indian Idol', where he appeared as a guest.
