Dil Bechara musical tribute: AR Rahman, Jonita Gandhi, Sunidhi Chauhan, Mohit Chauhan remember Sushant Singh Rajput

Ahead of the OTT release of Sushant Singh Rajput's last film Dil Bechara (2020), composer AR Rahman has joined the singers of the film's album to pay a musical tribute to the late actor.

The film, directed by Mukesh Chhabra, is set to be released a month after the shocking death by suicide of its leading man.

Paying tribute to Rajput, Rahman says in the video's introduction, "The music of Dil Bechara will always remain special to me. The nine tracks I have composed for the film have a whole new meaning and life now. May the almighty give us hope and strength to brave these times. Dil Bechara is dedicated to the loving memory of Sushant Singh Rajput."

The musical tribute includes Mohit Chauhan, Sunidhi Chauhan, Hriday Gattani, Shashaa Tirupati and Shreya Ghoshal performing snippets of the songs that make up the Dil Bechara album.

'Dil Bechara', 'Taare Ginn', 'Khulke Jeene Ka', 'Maskhari' and 'Main Tumhara' are the key songs that feature in the tribute. Each song is preceded by a short tribute to the actor by the performers, with each song fitting in to a part of Rajput's personality.

The title track of Dil Bechara is a wonderful jazzy interpretation that is a true-blue Rahman number and is a refreshing departure from any staple Hindi film song.

'Maskhari' sees a more playful, mischievous turn in the voices of Hriday Gattani and Sunidhi Chauhan. Speaking of the song, Sunidhi says, "The song sums up the reel- and real-life Sushant. 'Maskari' is a reflection of the off-screen playful nature of Sushant." The song has good vocals but lacks a spark. The lyrics are a bit of a letdown but still fun enough for their oddball imagery.

The next song is the breezy 'Taare Ginn' by Mohit Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal. Reflecting on the song, Mohit connects it to Rajput's affinity for astronomy and the stars, saying, "Sushant was very passionate about the stars, space and astronomy. He would love to stargaze (sic). He also owned a telescope and had even bought a plot of land on the moon. This song is dedicated to Sushant's love for astronomy and his passion for the stars."

Describing the next song, 'Khulke Jeene Ka', singer Shashaa Tirupati says, "The song is a reminder of the many moments of happiness that are around us, but we miss out on them." The song's happy-go-lucky nature and tune capture that sense of joy that seems to be a theme of the actor's last film.

The highlight of the album, however, is the slow, poetic and wonderful 'Main Tumhara'. A romantic ballad, the duet sung by Jonita Gandhi and Hriday Gattani is serene. Describing the song, Gandhi says, "While Sushant might not be with us today physically, he will be with us forever in our memories." The song is beautiful with both singers adding to the wonderful arrangement, particularly a stellar flute solo in the middle.

The tribute concludes with Amitabh Bhattacharya's lovely poem Dil Bechara, which, in hindsight, feels as much about the actor as it is about his character and the film's story.

Disney+ Hotstar will stream Dil Bechara from 24 July onwards. Enjoy the musical tribute below.