Hindi cinema has a long history of embracing Bhojpuri language elements, with legendary actors from Dilip Kumar to Aamir Khan delivering dialogues in the language on screen. However, many fans might not know that one of the biggest chartbusters in Govinda career was actually the Hindi adaptation of a traditional Bhojpuri folk song. Bringing this catchy track to the silver screen involved the keen musical instincts of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar and the lyrical craftsmanship of lyricist Sameer Anjaan, who reshaped the rural tune for mainstream audiences.
How Gulshan Kumar Discovered The Tune In A Village In Bihar
Lyricist Sameer Anjaan revealed the fascinating backstory during an interview, recalling a time when he visited the home of T-Series head Gulshan Kumar. Gulshan Kumar took him to a corner of his bedroom and hummed a few lines of a folk song in the Bhojpuri language. Sameer noted that Gulshan Kumar had an exceptional ear for music and instinctively knew that the song he had tracked down had massive potential. The lines he played were jab se sipahiya se bhail havaldar ki nathunie se goli maare. Gulshan Kumar then requested Sameer to craft a Hindi version of the folk number suitable for a wider commercial audience.
Joining Forces With Anand-Milind And The Film Dulhe Raja
Following the request, Sameer shared the core line of the folk tune with the composer duo Anand-Milind. The musicians immediately liked the premise, and during a collaborative sitting, the Hindi version of the track took shape. When the song was completed, it was featured in the 1998 film Dulhe Raja starring Govinda and Raveena Tandon. The track turned out to be apne dewaane ka kar de bura haal ki ankhiyon se goli maare. Raveena and Govinda electric dance routines and expressions etched the song permanently into pop culture memory. A film bearing the same name was later produced, though it failed to recreate the massive magic of the original song.
The journey behind the microphone also holds an interesting anecdote. Sameer Anjaan shared in the same interview that singer Altaf Raja was initially approached to record the track. At the time, Altaf Raja song Tum Toh Thehre Pardesi had achieved massive mainstream success, prompting the singer to increase his performance fee. Because of this change, the song slipped away from him and eventually reached Sonu Nigam. Today, the track remains etched as one of the defining hits of Govinda cinematic journey.
