With Gulzar’s poetic lyrics, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s gripping tune, and Alisha Chinai’s seductive vocals, ‘Kajra Re’ quickly turned into a cultural phenomenon.
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Two decades ago, on May 27, 2005, Bollywood got itself a banger that still lives rent-free in every desi wedding playlist—“Kajra Re” from ‘Bunty Aur Babli’. Now, as the cult classic celebrates 20 years, choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant takes a walk down memory lane, revisiting the magic that went into creating the unforgettable number.
In a recent chat with ‘Indian Express SCREEN’, Vaibhavi let us in on the backstory of the glitzy song that brought together the iconic trio—Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai. But before the glam, the groove, and the on-screen chemistry, came a moment of uncertainty.
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Believe it or not, the initial vibe of ‘Kajra Re’ wasn’t pegged as a showstopper. “It was more of a slow burn,” Vaibhavi recalled, describing the sound as a fusion where “qawwali meets mujra.” A unique musical cocktail, no doubt, but not one that screamed instant hit.
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Enter Aditya Chopra, the man with a crystal ball when it comes to pop culture gold. While others saw a niche track, he saw a chartbuster in the making. “He said it had the ingredients of a massy number,” Vaibhavi said. “He predicted it would be a song revered for years to come.”
And oh, how right he was.
With Gulzar’s poetic lyrics, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s gripping tune, and Alisha Chinai’s seductive vocals, Kajra Re quickly turned into a cultural phenomenon.
The song also marked a couple of special firsts. It was the first time Big B and Abhishek Bachchan danced together onscreen, and it also happened to be the grand return of Aishwarya Rai after a brief hiatus from films.
The dynamic among the three was electric—but strictly professional, at least on the surface.
“Amitabh Bachchan is all business when he’s on set. No personal vibes, just pure character focus,” Vaibhavi said. “He doesn’t act like a father on set. He’s a thorough professional.”
Abhishek, though, brought chaos. “He’s the fun guy—always joking, always pulling pranks.” Aishwarya, on the other hand, was calm in the storm. “She came back with a different kind of energy—graceful, poised, and committed.”
And that, according to Vaibhavi, is what made ‘Kajra Re’ special. “The ‘masti’ in the song? That’s Abhishek. The ‘ada’? Pure Aish. And the ultimate swagger? That’s all Big B,” she said.
Looking back, what surprises Vaibhavi the most isn’t the song’s success—but what it sparked. ‘Kajra Re’ unknowingly set the stage for one of Bollywood’s biggest love stories.
“No one on set could’ve predicted that Aishwarya and Abhishek would eventually get married,” she said. “They were just professionals at work. Nothing else was brewing back then—or so we thought.”
But Vaibhavi hinted this wasn’t a one-off.
“Honestly, this isn’t the first time two people have started out as colleagues on my set and ended up together,” she laughed. “It happens more than you’d think! I should probably write a book about it.”
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