Shankar Mahadevan makes a big revelation about forgetting the lyrics to hit songs

Mumbai : Music composer Shankar Mahadevan has shared the reason behind the singers often forgetting the lyrics to their popular songs.

The composer recently sat down for a chat with Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, playback singer Shaan, and Meiyang Chang celebrating the 25 years of the timeless classic ‘Dil Chahta Hai’

In a special video for Spotify, when Shaan wondered why he forgets the lyrics to his songs, Shankar Mahadevan said, “I will tell you why. Because you have already sung that song. The song has become popular. It has become a super hit. And you have already moved ahead. So that’s no longer a priority. That’s already done. If it’s a new song, a new melody, a new set of lyrics, you will be 100% focused. And you will see to it like, ‘I shouldn’t make a mistake’. Then there will be no mistakes there”.

Shaan chimed in as he said, “I have a very funny story on this. During a session, I started making my own lyrics. And then I went to him Javed Akhtar sahab, very coy. And I asked him, ‘Is everything okay?’. He said, ‘You are writing it yourself’. So I didn’t understand what he meant. He said, ‘No, no, these are all your songs’. I said, ‘But these weren’t my lyrics’. He then said, ‘You made your own lines’”.

Meanwhile, ‘Dil Chahta Hai’, which recently clocked 25 years of its release, marked the directorial debut of Farhan Akhtar, and became a defining film of modern Hindi cinema, particularly for its portrayal of urban friendship, romance and youthful independence. Its Goa road trip turned into a cultural touchstone, inspiring generations to recreate the journey with friends.

The film’s visual language, casual fashion and conversational storytelling also influenced Bollywood’s depiction of contemporary urban India. The soundtrack was equally influential, blending rock, pop and Indian sounds.