Lost Indian Idol, now Deepali Sahay is the viral voice of ‘Tere Paas Main’. Interview
Singer Deepali Sahay talks about scoring Tere Paas Main with AR Rahman and re-watching Indian Idol. He said that the song symbolizes years of perseverance and reflects his effort to change views on Bhojpuri music.
While the audience is searching for the voice of Deepali Sahay I am with you From i will come backThe singer sees the song as the result of years of patience and hard work rather than a delayed reward. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, Deepali reflects on her mission to find success, working with AR Rahman, why reality shows are not a guarantee of a career, and changing the perception of Bhojpuri music.
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Reflecting on the response to one of the most emotional songs from Imtiaz Ali’s film, Deepali said that she feels it came to her at the right time, when she was mature enough to understand and portray its emotional depth. Comparing it with love, she shared that life experiences have given her a deeper perspective, making her better equipped to take on the responsibility of the role.
The first sign that something extraordinary was about to happen came unexpectedly when AR Rahman started following her on Instagram. The story became even more surreal as the message came on a date that already held significance: her birthday, which she shares with the music maestro: “I got a message from his team that Rahman sir wanted to record your voice for a song. I went to Chennai and recorded it, and then we made some changes to it over the following weeks. Little did I know that the song would eventually become mine because I have heard stories that singers are changed overnight.”
However, a night before the trailer launch, he was called back and asked to sing the song on a completely new scale. The song became a chartbuster as soon as it was released and helped Deepali realize one of her biggest dreams.
When Deepali heard the song for the first time, she said she couldn’t control her emotions. “I am a very emotional person. When I heard the story, when I heard where it was coming in the film, I started crying. And I remember Hiral, who is from Rahman sir’s team, told me, ‘You don’t need to cry. You have to make people cry’,” she said, smiling.
Here is the song of I Will Come Back:
Watching the song on the big screen also became an emotional experience. She told how her husband captured the moment when she was crying. Deepali said that she could not relate to the voice because the story was so entertaining that it felt as if the character was singing. She also mentioned how lucky she felt to have found a composition that perfectly matched the quality of her voice and tone. A long-time fan of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle’s classic Hindi tunes, she said the track resonates deeply with her musical tastes, making the occasion even more special.
Another emotional moment came when AR Rahman mentioned him on Indian Idol, the same show that introduced him to the audience two decades ago. “I didn’t know about it. My brother-in-law sent that video to me and I kept crying for half an hour,” she said.
As far as working with the musical talent is concerned, Deepali Sahay said it reinforced everything she had heard about the Oscar-winning composer. “He is the face of perfection. And when Imtiaz sir and Irshad sir also come together, it is magical. I have always been a fan of Imtiaz Ali, and he keeps making such amazing films. brightI thought, what could be better than this? And look what he’s created now.”
Sahay said that despite the popularity of the song, work offers have not started coming in yet. However, he is encouraged by the appreciation he has been receiving, including support from Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonu Nigam as well as messages from lyricists like Manoj Muntashir, Swanand Kirkire and Raaj Shekhar.
Deepali’s journey also reminds that reality show fame does not guarantee opportunities in the music industry. Looking back he realized that many reality show contestants misunderstand the purpose of these platforms. Deepali said that after Indian Idol, she believed that her struggle was over because everyone knew her name. However, the reality was very different.
He said, “No one will come for help; you have to make your own way. All the people from the industry who were on shows came and went back. You have no way to reach them, but you have to find a way to show them your work. That’s when I started posting on social media and also made sure that I only sang live, so that musicians could know my real voice.”
Beyond film music, Deepali has spent the last three years working to change perceptions about Bhojpuri music through her YouTube series, Bhojpuri Classics with Deepali Sahay. Starting with just three subscribers and now with over 80,000 subscribers, the channel showcases the rich literary and musical heritage of the language.
He concluded with a smile, “People think that Bhojpuri is always commercial and vulgar, but it is not so. My vision was to change this misconception. We have beautiful words, we have beautiful songs. Please come and listen, and make others listen too.”