AASHIQUI 2 COMPLETES 10 YEARS
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 26, 2023)

Mithoon’s father, Naresh Sharma, was responsible for the sound arrangement for the 1990 hit Aashiqui. Destiny played its part, and 23 years later, Sharma’s son, music composer Mithoon, came on board to work on the music of Aashiqui 2.

Mithoon initially did not tell his father about his involvement in the project. “That gave me a lot of space to work [on my own and not feel any more pressure than what I was already feeling] to recreate the magic with the second instalment. When the basic idea of the song was ready, I went up to him and told him about the news.”

So what did his father say? Mithoon shares his father “gave a very understated reaction”: “That’s because he is also my guru, and I can’t get very pally with him. However, after a few days, when he heard the final version of Tum Hi Ho as well as the instrumentals in the film, he called up Mohit Suri (director), who was in South Africa at that time, and said, ‘What my son has done for your film is better than the work of my entire career’.”

Mithoon says it was an extremely emotional moment, not just for him but also for Suri, as the entire team needed that pat on the back from someone as experienced as his father.

Tum Hi Ho went on to become a massive hit, with its popularity enduring to this day. When asked what makes the melody timeless, the composer says, “It’s the intention to not create history. All I tried was to work on an emotion I connected to.”

Mithoon, who is often requested to perform the song during his live shows, calls it the “most honest moment with his audience.”

“When all the barriers between me and my audience are broken and we are one, that’s when I perform Aashiqui. I never see it as a mere presentation to impress people. This song is beyond streaming numbers and awards for me, and when I perform it, I let people know that I am sharing a piece of my life with them,” he ends.

AASHIQUI 2 COMPLETES 10 YEARS
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Soumya Vajpayee (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 26, 2023)

Composer Jeet Gannguli worked on six songs in Aashiqui 2 and he says the film changed the way music was perceived in Bollywood.

“Aashiqui 2’s music was a revolution of sorts. I had six songs in the film, including Piya Aaye Na, Chahun Main Ya Na, Milne Hai Mujhse Aayi, Hum Marr Jayenge and Bhula Dena Mujhe. While working on these songs, I wanted to make sure that besides the arrangement, the lyrics and melody were top notch. I believe that’s why it received so much love and continues to be enjoyed even now,” says Gannguli.

The composer adds that the success of the film’s music contributed to how Aashiqui 2 fared at the box office. “When the soundtrack of a film becomes successful even before a film’s release, it does wonders to the project. Music acts like a magnet that forces people to hit the theatres. Aashiqui 2 was not just a musical hit, but also a blockbuster because of how the film was. The film’s music took singers Arijit Singh, Ankit Tiwari and Palak Muchhal to new heights. The film’s music was like magic. It brought about a new wave for music in Bollywood. I am glad I could work on Aashiqui 2,” he ends.

The music of Aashiqui 2 was like magic: Jeet Gannguli