Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan was so floored by the performances of the Diljot Qawwali group and Ankita Kundu on the singing reality show Rising Star, which he judges alongside Monali Thakur and Diljit Dosanjh, that he's giving both the contestants a Bollywood break. On Thursday, Ankita and the group, whose members are between the age of 10 to 40, recorded a song for I Am Kalam's director Nila Madhab Panda's next film, Halka, revolving around children living in the slums.

“The Diljot Qawwalli group are a rocking bunch of singers who don't strictly sing qawwalis. They are always in perfect sync and always trying to improve themselves. Ehsaan (Noorani), Loy (Mendonsa) and I were composing a qawwali-style, peppy number when it struck me that the energy of these happy kids would only enhance it,“ Shankar said, adding that he believes Ankita can become a top-class playback singer if she continues with her passion. “She's a young kid but her voice is mature and she sings perfectly. If we are able to fulfill some of the dreams of these children, it will be great,“ he says.

About scoring for an off-beat film, Shankar says that the composer trio accords equal attention to both mainstream and small films that support causes. “We decided to do it the moment we heard the script which aims at spreading social awareness,“ he signs off.