For two decades, music composer Ismail Darbar has largely stayed away from the spotlight. Now, the Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam composer has returned with a new song, Main Pyaar Hoon Tera, with his son Zaid Darbar helping him navigate the industry and bring his music back to audiences.

Having started working with Ismail seven months ago, Zaid says he realised that one of the challenges his father faced was managing the business side of his work without professional support. “My father didn’t have a manager for 30-35 years. When I started working with him, I understood what went wrong because he was the only person handling everything. The only thing he knew was how to make music,” he shares.

Zaid has since stepped in as a producer to help release his father’s work. “Right now, I am getting his music out. I am producing it, I directed a song and I also feature in it. I am happy that my father has made a comeback after 20 years,” he says.

Zaid says his father’s prolonged absence from work took an emotional toll, though Ismail rarely let his family see him struggle.

“The phase was emotionally challenging, but he always stood like a lion. He never showed us that he was low. He didn’t work for 20 years. When we don’t work for 20 days, we go crazy,” he says.

He also hopes the new release will mark a fresh chapter in his father’s career. “He is so strong that after 20 years, he had the energy to make a new song and I couldn’t be happier,” he adds.