‘Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara’: Pune Metro wakes up to evergreen hits on accordion

Urdhwareshe says he was travelling in the Metro with his wife when the “novel idea” struck them. What followed was ‘Accordion on Wheels’, as part of the ‘Celebration on Wheels’ initiative of Pune Metro.

Musicians Hemant Urdhwareshe, Ram Aswani and Chandu Kale all set to play classic Hindi songs all the way to the Garware Metro Station, about 15 minutes away, and back. (Express Photo by Pavan Khengre)

Listen to this article

‘Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara’: Pune Metro wakes up to evergreen hits on accordion

00:00

1x 1.5x 1.8x

IT’S 9 AM, there’s an unusual amount of hubbub at the Vanaz Metro Station in Pune’s Kothrud. Dozens of people are lined up, assembled at the concourse, all to see the morning’s act. Everyone is sporting caps that read “World Accordion Day.” And musicians Hemant Urdhwareshe, Ram Aswani and Chandu Kale are all set to play classic Hindi songs all the way to the Garware Metro Station, about 15 minutes away, and back.

Soon, “Yeh Mera Dil, Yaar ka Deewana” from ‘Don’, and “Mera Joota Hai Japani” and “Pyaar Hua, Ikrar Hua” from ‘Shree 420’, make the audience chime in with the lyrics. “The next number is very peppy so please come and dance,” the musicians call out as they break out into a medley of “Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche”.

“Yeh Mera Dil, Yaar ka Deewana” from 'Don', and “Mera Joota Hai Japani” and “Pyaar Hua, Ikrar Hua” from 'Shree 420', make the audience chime in with the lyrics.

Express Video by Pavan Khengre pic.twitter.com/UPYYgAjnc5

— Express PUNE (@ExpressPune) May 6, 2023

Sweeping over the neighbourhood of Kothrud, the Metro rings with applause as the three play their last song, the evergreen hit “Hai Apna Dil Toh Awara”.

Aswani says he has been familiar with the instrument for over 55 years now. “The accordion is a complete instrument. It gives you bass, rhythm, chords, as well as the right hand (playing). With other instruments, say the harmonium for example, you can only play the right hand,” he says.

“You can play Indian as well as western tunes. It’s a very dexterous instrument and you can carry it around,” says Kale with a smile. He is the senior accordionist amongst the three and started playing professionally back in 1976. “Globally, the accordion is well loved and is probably the most popular instrument after the piano,” he says.

“It (accordion) is quite complicated and takes a bit of time to master. But it is very popular, especially in European countries. Its tone is beautiful, you can play any kind of music,” says Urdhwareshe, a former engineer who has been playing the instrument for about four decades.

Urdhwareshe says he was travelling in the Metro with his wife when the “novel idea” struck them. What followed was ‘Accordion on Wheels’, as part of the ‘Celebration on Wheels’ initiative of Pune Metro.