Vipin Aneja reveals AR Rahman's perfectionism; 'Tere Paas Main' took months to finalise; 'He gave me two different versions'

Singer Vipin Aneja has offered a rare glimpse into the creative process behind 'Tere Paas Main', one of the most talked-about songs from Imtiaz Ali's 'Main Vaapas Aaunga'. The singer revealed that recording under AR Rahman's guidance was a demanding yet rewarding experience.

Every stage of the song underwent careful refinement before the composer approved the final version.According to Vipin, the journey of bringing the song to life involved patience, repeated recordings and constant improvements. He said the process gave him a firsthand understanding of Rahman's commitment to musical perfection.

A memorable first meeting

Talking to Mid Day, Vipin recalled that his journey began at AR Rahman's Chennai studio, where he met both the legendary composer and filmmaker Imtiaz Ali.

Before stepping into the recording booth, he was asked to perform the song in front of them. The singer said Rahman had prepared two separate versions of the composition for him to try. Recalling the moment, Vipin said, “He gave me two compositions, two different versions of Tere Paas Main, which I had to sing.

” Following the performance, he received approval from both Rahman and Imtiaz Ali, allowing the recording process to move ahead.

Describing that reassuring moment, Vipin shared, “I got an okay, that this voice fits the bill.”

Several recordings before the final version

The work did not end with the initial recording sessions. Vipin revealed that both versions of the song were recorded before the team continued experimenting with additional takes. The singer later travelled to Mumbai for multiple dubbing sessions, where several changes were introduced. Apart from recording fresh vocals, he also had to adapt to revised lyrics as the song continued evolving.Speaking about the process, Vipin said, “After that, there were three-four more dubs in Mumbai, where I had to [incorporate] lyric changes.” According to him, AR Rahman continued revisiting the track over the following two months, carefully selecting the version that best matched his creative vision.

Rahman's search for perfection

Vipin described the composer's approach as one driven by patience and precision. Instead of settling for the first acceptable version, Rahman continued refining every detail until he was completely satisfied.

Looking back on the experience, the singer summed up Rahman's working style by saying, “At the end, he handpicked the right pearl.”

Ayushmann Khurrana's musical tribute

Meanwhile, 'Main Vaapas Aaunga' recently found itself back in the spotlight after Ayushmann Khurrana shared an acoustic cover of Tere Paas Main on social media. The actor dedicated the performance to filmmaker Imtiaz Ali on his birthday, celebrating both the director and the film.Imtiaz Ali later responded to the heartfelt gesture during an appearance on the Be A Man Yaar podcast. The filmmaker said he was genuinely moved by the tribute. He appreciated that Ayushmann's performance was not linked to any promotion or publicity. Instead, he viewed it as a sincere expression of admiration for the music and the film.