For singer Vipin Aneja, Tere Paas Main is more than just another song in his discography. The soulful melody, composed by AR Rahman for Imtiaz Ali’s Main Vaapas Aaunga, represents the culmination of a musical relationship that has quietly evolved over nearly two decades. As the song continues to win praise from listeners and industry peers alike, Vipin is reflecting on the journey that led him to what he calls a dream collaboration. “My association with Rahman Bhai spans nearly two decades,” Vipin says. “From touring with him during the Unity of Light & Peace concerts to singing the Tamil and Telugu versions of Simtaangaran for Sarkar, it has been a truly special journey.” The singer’s connection with Rahman has been built gradually through concerts, recordings and artistic collaborations. While he had previously worked with the Oscar-winning composer in multiple capacities, Aneja had long hoped for an opportunity to lend his voice to a deeply emotional Hindi melody. That opportunity arrived in an unexpected way. “More recently, while working on Dashavatar, which was premiered at NMACC, and during that time in the studio at around 2 am, I had the opportunity to sing a few ghazals for Rahman Bhai,” he recalls. “I believe those moments stayed with him, and when Tere Paas Main came along, a song that naturally belongs to my space as a singer, he remembered me.” The memory of those late-night sessions appears to have paid off. Rahman called Vipin to Chennai, where the singer recorded multiple versions of the track before the final rendition was selected for the film. “I was flown to Chennai to record multiple versions of the song, and I’m grateful that the final version made it to the film,” he says. “I had always hoped to collaborate with Rahman Bhai on a nazm-like, soulful melody, and Tere Paas Main is exactly that.”The song has emerged as one of the most talked-about tracks from Main Vaapas Aaunga, with listeners praising its old-world sensitivity and understated emotional depth. For Vipin, however, the response has been meaningful not merely because of the numbers or the visibility, but because of the recognition from fellow musicians. “The love and appreciation the song has received from artists across the industry has been overwhelming,” he says. “I truly believe that when preparation meets opportunity, something beautiful is created.” The singer views Tere Paas Main as a song with enduring appeal rather than fleeting popularity. “I’m deeply grateful to Rahman Bhai, and I feel Tere Paas Main is a timeless song that will stay with listeners for years to come, just like my song, Jaane Tere Shehar Ka for Irrfan Khaan.”
