Did Shankar Mahadevan Really Sing 'Breathless' With A Single Breath?
Last Updated:
Shankar Mahadevan's 'Breathless' is as iconic as they come. But the song has every once in a while made folks wonder if the singer really sang the iconic number in a single breath.
'I have received some truly devastating news today. Noone talk to me while I go cry, (sic)" wrote a bamboozled user on X as their Google search delivered them a rude shock and shook their life-long perceived reality. The Google's answer? 'No, Shankar Mahadevan did not sing 'Breathless" in one continuous breath. It's true, it always has been. It's like learning that wrestling isn't real after years of religious watching and intently following all its plots and subplots. But the singer behind 'Kajra Re", 'Desi Girl", 'Noor E Khuda", 'Dil Chahta Hai", 'Bumbro", 'Maa", 'Sapno Se Bhare Naina", among many other melodious numbers hasn't ever shied away from letting us all know, the audiences, that 'Breathless" was, in fact, not sung breathlessly.
Still, the title of the song has safeguarded 'Breathless" as a track that was sung in one continuous breath for over two decades only for one of us to Google or check Reddit one day to debunk the myth.
Breathless
It was early in his career and Mahadevan was busy composing jingles and working in advertising. He then embarked on a journey to create an Indi-pop album. The year was 1998. The singer from the legendary Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy trio approached the lyrical genius Javed Akhtar to write for his album. The singer gave Akhtar saab the meter to pen the songs. What happened next left Mahadevan breathless. 'It looked like a magazine article," Mahadevan upon receiving '4 sheets of lyrics" from Akhtar. It looked like the newspaper, the singer admitted.
After handing him sheets for 'Breathless", the title track of the 1998 album with the same name, Akhtar suggested the singer go the route of English classical music. The song was devoid of any structure – it lacked conventional writing. The 2-minute and 53-second long song is devoid of stanzas, verses or breaks – the general structural pillars of a song.
'A song has a mukhda then music, antara and then music, that kind of a thing. But when we are improvising, it doesn't have a structure, so why can't we write something like that? A structure-less parabola as it is called in Physics– it goes up, it comes down, it is fast, it is slow, 'upar ke surr hai, neeche ke surr hai', so it is a very unstructured kind of a thing, but it has it's own structure," Mahadevan told the Indian Express.
Not Breathless
In an interview with Nation Next, Mahadevan was asked if the song was a one-take, one-breath wonder. The singer responded with a negative, implying that it was shot with breaks and chops. It was then stitched together masterfully to make 'Breathless" appear breathless. Genius.
Mahadevan also revealed that 'Breathless" was composed by him using a dictaphone in a taxi while he was travelling back to Navi Mumbai.
First Published:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
'They even dream in English': Javed Akhtar slams Bollywood filmmakers, says south cinema is succeeding because...
Is Bollywood losing its soul in the race for spectacle and scale? Veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar seems to think so. In a sharply worded critique, Akhtar has reignited the debate over Hindi cinema's identity crisis, questioning why it struggles to create depth, relatability, or rooted narratives. Meanwhile, he points to the roaring success of South Indian films, made for their local audiences by filmmakers who've stayed grounded in their culture and land. In a recent interview with The Lallantop, Akhtar didn't mince words. 'They dream in English,' he said of many modern-day Hindi filmmakers, blaming their lack of cultural connection for Bollywood's increasingly superficial storytelling. According to him, these creators—largely second-generation migrants raised in Mumbai's cosmopolitan bubble—have grown distant from their regional heritage. Their parents may have held onto their roots, but the new generation has swapped earthy storytelling for flashy action and pan-India ambition. How is South India succeeding Akhtar contrasted this with South Indian cinema—Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam—which he praised for its cultural clarity and local focus. 'South Indian movies are made by people from those regions, for those regions,' he noted. 'They haven't migrated. They're still working where they were born. That rootedness shows in the stories they tell.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Javed Akhtar on working with his children Javed Akhtar recently reflected on the challenges of working with his children, Zoya and Farhan Akhtar . He admitted it's tougher to collaborate with them than with other filmmakers, as they hold him to high professional standards despite their personal bond. He revealed that Zoya, in particular, is a tough taskmaster who expects nothing less than excellence. Javed also spoke about how the siblings, though both talented, have distinct cinematic styles. Farhan leans toward a different storytelling approach than Zoya, and vice versa. Their creative visions belong to entirely different schools of filmmaking, and according to him, neither could replicate the other's work. Still, he takes pride in the fact that both are thriving in their own lanes, carving unique paths in Indian cinema .
Hans India
10 hours ago
- Hans India
Free Fire Max Redeem Codes for June 4: Get Free Skins, Diamonds & More
Garena Free Fire Max has shared new redeem codes for June 4. Players can use these codes to get free rewards like new clothes, gun skins, diamonds, and other special game items. These codes work for a short time only, so it's best to use them as soon as possible. Free Fire Max Redeem Codes – June 4 HJKL56POIUYT MNBV34ASDFZX POIU90ZXCVNM ASDF67GHJKL9 BNML12ZXCVBN GFDS78POIUAS TREW23ASDFGH YUIO56BNMLKJ LKJH67QWERTB JHGF01LKJHGF CVBN45QWERTY QWER89ASDFGH YUIO34LKJMNB ZXCV23BNMLKP How to Use These Codes Go to the official Free Fire Max Rewards page: Log in using your Facebook, Google, VK, or X (Twitter) account. Copy and paste the code into the box. Press the Confirm button. If the code works, the gift will go to your in-game mail. For diamonds or gold, your balance will be updated. Important: Each code can be used only once per account. Codes may not work in all countries. Use them before they expire. Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for social media or a visual layout.
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
Amid entourage debate, Bollywood's biggest hairstylist says he charges Rs 1 lakh per sitting: ‘Plus Rs 18,000 GST'
Celebrity hairdresser Aalim Hakim, whose father was a renowned figure in the film industry as well, opened up about his hefty Rs 1 lakh per-session charges. He said that the price remains fixed regardless of the client, and that he makes sure to add an additional Rs 18,000 as GST as well. Aalim said that while he doesn't charge close friends, he follows proper paperwork when it comes to professional assignments, like movies and other projects. 'If they will earn through the project, then I have a right to earn as well,' he told Bollywood Bubble in an interview. Asked if his Rs 1 lakh per-session price was accurate, Aalim said, 'This is the price for everyone. This is the minimum price, actually. If a person wants Aalim Hakim to cut their hair, Rs 1 lakh is minimum. This is a per-sitting cost. If I'm called for 10 or 15 sittings, then the cost goes up to Rs 10 lakh or Rs 15 lakh. It's a metre down situation. It's not like I'm forcing anybody to pay, but this is my consultation fee.' Also read – 'My father died doing Amitabh Bachchan's haircut': Celebrity hairdresser Aalim Hakim reflects on losing dad at age 9 Aalim said that his clients would be willing to pay even Rs 3 lakh or Rs 5 lakh if he asked. 'They pay because they see the results on screen. If they weren't seeing the results, why would they pay? I'm not the only person in town. So many of my assistants have gone on to start their own businesses, and people hire them thinking that they've been trained by me. Everyone goes to school, but not everyone becomes iconic. If this were the case, everybody would become as talented as Amitabh Bachchan after watching his movies.' Aalim said that his clients could be poached, but his talent cannot be taken away. 'It has taken so much hard work,' he said, adding that the younger generation is often driven by ego. He said that he knows of several young hairdressers who turn down work for various reasons, but he doesn't mind when people criticise his work or keep asking for new iterations. 'Nobody remembers who the richest star was five decades ago, but everyone remembers Dilip Kumar,' Aalim said, noting that the money one charges shouldn't be a reflection of their skill. 'I want people to remember me for my work,' he said. Asked if he charges Rs 1 lakh to the average customer as well, Aalim said that he doesn't personally work at any of his salons, because then, people would only ask for him. If his services are required or requested, then he charges his quote. 'My salon is packed at all times, our prices start from around Rs 2500 and go up to around Rs 6000. It's not very expensive,' he said, adding, 'Think of it this way, would Manish Malhotra cater to every client himself?' Aalim said that he doesn't charge friends unless they're working on a project through which they stand to earn money themselves. Aalim's comments come at a time when there has been a debate around extraneous costs that go into the production of a film. The Indian Express has reported widely on writers and other technicians being paid less than hairstylists and makeup artists on films. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, John Abraham said that stylists charging Rs 2 lakh per day is 'mental' and urged actors to introspect on the dire condition of an industry that is 'bleeding.'
