Lyricist Prashant Pandey, renowned for the award-winning song “O Sajni Re” from Laapataa Ladies, has shared insights on how the film’s creators—Kiran Rao, Aamir Khan, and Ram Sampath—played a pivotal role in shaping the success of the song.
Creative Process Behind “O Sajni Re”
Prashant reflected on the genesis of the song, stating, “The process began with Ram Sampath, who gave me the initial brief for ‘O Sajni Re.’ I wrote the first draft instinctively, and it resonated immediately.” He emphasized Kiran Rao and Ram Sampath’s clear vision for the film, noting, “Kiran Rao ma’am and Ram sir were clear that the film spoke a simple, village-rooted language—honest, direct, and uncomplicated, without heavy metaphors.”
He described Aamir Khan’s vision for the bidaai song “Beda Paar”, highlighting the desire for it to feel “playful, hopeful, and forward-looking.” Prashant added, “Working with such clarity and trust on my first film was a huge learning experience, and writing simply became the biggest lesson.”
Emotional Impact and Industry Support
Discussing the song’s unexpected emotional impact, he shared, “I realised the song had truly connected with audiences when it began travelling beyond the film. That’s quite an overwhelming response, which made me feel I had written something honest, while always remembering that the song exists to serve the story first.”
Prashant expressed gratitude for the love he received for his debut song, describing it as a “beautiful, unexpected blessing, especially for a debut song that went on to receive recognition across top-notch platforms.”
Since the film’s success, Prashant has been actively working on various projects, saying, “After Laapataa Ladies, the response from the industry has been very encouraging. I have connected with several filmmakers and composers and have been working on regular briefs.”
He also mentioned his impressive portfolio post-Laapataa Ladies: “Since then, I’ve co-written ‘Humsafar’ from Saiyaara, contributed to Gutar Gu, and worked on multiple singles. I’m also writing for the independent film Ghar and collaborating on upcoming projects with TVF. I feel grateful for the trust I’ve received in such a short time.”
Personal Connection to the Film
Prashant concluded by expressing his deep personal connection to Laapataa Ladies. “Writing for the film felt very personal to me. I come from Suwasra in Madhya Pradesh, the same region where the film was shot, so the language, rhythms, and everyday life felt instinctive.” He elaborated, “I wrote these songs during Covid while living in my hometown, surrounded by familiar landscapes and people. Though I’ve lived and worked in big cities, my small-town sensibility stayed with me and deeply shaped my connection to the film.”
Prashant is also recognized for co-writing “Humsafar” from Saiyaara and “Naaraz” from Gutar Gu Season 3. Laapataa Ladies features a talented cast, including Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Ravi Kishan, and Chhaya Kadam. The film is directed by Kiran Rao, produced by Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, and Jyoti Deshpande, with music composed by Ram Sampath.