Singer M.G. Sreekumar fondly recalls the serendipitous turn of events that led to his contribution to the iconic song "Jiya Jale" from Dil Se, composed by A.R. Rahman and sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

M.G. Sreekumar had accompanied lyricist Gireesh Puthenchery to Rahman’s studio in Chennai after discovering that Malayalam lines were being written for a particular song. Knowing Rahman personally, he had tagged along casually—only to be asked if he was free later that night to record, at around 1 AM.

Sreekumar returned and recorded his part—just eight lines—in ten minutes. Curious about how his brief contribution would fit into a larger Hindi film song, he left the studio, only to see Lata Mangeshkar waiting outside. He greeted her respectfully, and though introduced merely as an upcoming Malayalam singer, she responded warmly. That brief moment marked the beginning of a few cordial encounters over the years, including at airports, where she would sweetly ask how he was doing—always remembering him.

The Malayalam lyrics in the song—“Punchiri Thanchi Konchikko… Muthiri Mutholi Chinthikko…”—were danced to perfection by debutant Preity Zinta and the ever-charming Shah Rukh Khan.

A Revered Chapter

The song’s impact truly hit M.G. Sreekumar during a holiday in Sun City, South Africa. When a Hindi-speaking family didn’t recognize him, his wife mentioned his work. After listing several films to no reaction, the mention of Jiya Jale changed everything. The family lit up with excitement, took photos with him, and even invited them to breakfast the next day. It showed him how one song could transcend language and create lasting connections.

Reflecting on it, Sreekumar says that while he may have sung several hundreds of songs, the chance to sing with Lata Mangeshkar is one of the most treasured moments of his life—so meaningful, it felt like winning a Padma Shri.