It’s three decades to the release of the iconic drama Khal Nayak today but the one thing that continues to resonate with audiences even today is the song Choli Ke Peeche. Reminiscing about her experience of singing the song, singer Alka Yagnik says she “never thought it would become such a massive hit”.

Revealing that she wasn’t fully convinced about the song initially because of its lyrics that she found a “little strange”, the singer adds, “When I went to rehearse, they gave me only my lines, not Ila ji’s (singer Ila Arun). I only read, ‘Choli mein dil hai mera.’ I wasn’t aware of the other lines and it was only later that I discovered them.”

She says the recording process was quite unique, which only contributed to its charm. “We used to do live recordings. Along with composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal, (lyricist) Anand Bakshi ji and Ila ji, we worked on reacting to the lines. It ended up sounding like a playful conversation between two sisters or two female friends,” she says.

The 57-year-old admits that the song had a “little naughtiness”, and being someone “extremely shy”, she had her inhibitions. “I was still new. Ila ji really helped me in making the song memorable and enjoyable,” recalls Yagnik.

She signs off, “There was a lot of excitement. Choli Ke Peeche was mischievous, but nothing vulgar. It has now become an iconic song, and I feel so proud, and at the same time, grateful that I’m a part of it.”