Lyricist Gilbert Chettiar’s new single “Rakh Lo” sung by Abhay Jodhpurkar and composed by Anshul Sharma, reminds us of the importance of having a pillar of support in siblings.
The ghazal-informed, tearjerker of a track unfolds over the course of a film directed by Bijoya Mukherji, starring actors Pracheen Chauhan and Ayushee Ghoshal as a brother and sister who are facing their own tribulations but come together to help uplift each other.
Gilbert, one of the lyricists on the rise in the Indian music industry who is making a difference with the kind of work he is doing also runs a label called Lafzon Music and has been writing lyrics since 2008, said in a statement, “We live in an age where people at different stages of life are facing different issues. At times people around us do not really recognize [them], that’s when our loved ones are the ones we rely on. ‘Rakh Lo’ is one of my projects that has a new perspective on life and is close to my heart. I’m curious to see how my audience reacts to it and how it affects them.”
The video explores a queer person working through her identity, even as her brother faces an impending divorce and fights to see his daughter. Abhay Jodhpurkar sings on the track, “Mere hisse ki Khushi, tum rakh lo na?” The lyrics weave metaphors of pain and sharing burdensome feelings together, even as the characters exchange knowing glances and smiles to brighten each other’s lives. Sharma’s tender composition work is brought to life by sarangi artist Shahrukh Khan, tabla and dholak artist Prashant Sonagra and guitarist Sid Paul.
Interweaving ideas of queer identity and “everyday social life,” the song picks up on a new kind of sibling relationship. The video ends with the message, “It’s a privilege for us to voice our support to the LGBTQIA+ community. Respect. Inclusivity. Acceptance.”
