The last time Prajakta Shukre sang for a movie was for the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi (2019). She went behind the microphone for the song ‘Dankila’. Coincidentally, her next stint as a singer will also be in a film starring Ranaut, Thalaivii (2021).
Shukre has sung the track ‘Tere Aankhon Mein,’ picturized on Ranaut and Arvind Swamy, who play movie stars-turned-politicians Jayalalithaa and MG Ramachandran, respectively. Armaan Malik is her co-singer while Irshad Kamil has penned the track.
Interestingly, Shukre was the lead vocalist in Irshad Kamil’s Ink Band. “Irshad sir has always loved my voice and it was he who referred my name for this song for which I’m really grateful,” she said.
But when she sang the number, Shukre did not know it was for Thalaivii. “I was simply told that I was doing the Hindi version of a Tamil love song from an era gone by," she said. "I was excited because the lyrics were by Irshad sir and I was getting to sing his words in a film.”
When Shukre learnt that the song was for a film starring Ranaut, she was excited. “I have met her only once, very briefly, at the music release of Manikarnika," she said. "I wouldn’t even call it a meeting because we just made eye contact on stage. I hope one day soon I get to really meet her, speak to her. Till then, I am happy singing for her. Kangana is amazing and I really admire her as an actor.”
Directed by AL Vijay, Thalaivii will be released in theatres on 10 September in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.