Before 'Dunki,' revisiting SRK-Shaan's musical collaborations over years

What happens when stalwarts from two fields collaborate? A transformative cultural reset! The Hindi music industry is ornamented with several resourceful singers who have lent their voices to actors across generations, resulting in evergreen, classic songs. One such pair is Shah Rukh Khan and Shaan, who are set to reunite for a romantic track for Dunki. Before this, we revisit their past collaborations.

Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om is special in ways more than one. Who can ever forget the meta Bollywood song Deewangi Deewangi, featuring several A-listers from the industry, such as Kajol, Rani Mukerji, Salman Khan, and Saif Ali Khan! Shaan sang this groovy party number with Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal, and Udit Narayan, and his honey-laced voice rocked the hook line and how!

It is unlikely to listen to Daastan-E-Om Shanti Om and not instantly fall in love with the ingenuity of Shaan, lyricist Javed Akhtar, and composers Vishal and Sheykhar. The beating heart of the reincarnation drama, this story-within-a-song captures all the emotions the protagonists undergo in the film: love, passion, revenge, and anger. It narrates the tale spellbindingly, with pitch-perfect rhyming and rhythm.

Think Shaan can summon magic only through romantic songs? Well, think again. Shaan was the voice of the title track of Don (2006), a song that serves as the introductory guide for the titular character. It is remarkable how Shaan stepped out of his usual gentle, mellow song territory to deliver a number to remember for ages. The music was composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

It's the Time to Disco, from Main Hoon Na, is a party number that captured the sensibilities and emotions of a youthful India. Co-sung by KK, Vasundhara Das, and Loy Mendonsa, it was penned by Akhtar and composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. It's been nearly two decades since it came out, and yet, it enjoys a permanent spot in several playlists, thanks to its effervescent energy.