Bollywood singer Shruti Pathak is no stranger to music lovers, having lent her voice to the festive banger ‘Shubharambh’ from Kai Po Che, the heart-wrenching ‘Tujhe Bula Diya’ from Anjaana Anjaani, and the high-energy dance track ‘Criminal from Ra.One. She started out in the industry with the hit track ‘Mar Jawaan’, produced by the music duo Salim–Sulaiman for the 2008 film Fashion, which also gave her her first break. Pathak has come a long way with her mellifluous voice, and now she is back with a new hit, ‘Hum Dono’, from the Kartik Aaryan–Ananya Panday starrer Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri. Written by Anvita Dutt, and produced by the popular music duo Vishal–Shekhar, the song brings back the nostalgic and lighthearted charm of the duo’s signature style.
Tell us about ‘Hum Dono’.
Vishal–Shekhar had called me last year and asked me to do a song with them. I went to the studio, heard it, and it was an instant click for me because the song has great recall value and a melody that really stays with you. The lyrics were absolutely beautiful, and Ankita, who is the writer of the song, was also there. We had a great time jamming together.
The song has the ability to transform into different styles, which I think is really special. The melody is very catchy and extremely hummable—even someone who doesn’t know how to sing can hum along. It has that youthful, infectious quality that really connects with listeners.
You have worked with the Vishal–Shekhar duo many times. How does collaborating with them on this track compare to your past experiences?
This was after a very long time that I was collaborating with them again, so it felt really special to have the same everyone back together. Vishal–Shekhar are very chill—they give you an open space to explore and play around. Their compositions are very catchy, and they have an incredible knack for understanding the pulse of the audience. When you hear a song, you instantly know it’s a Vishal–Shekhar track—they have such a strong signature style.
I’ve absolutely loved working with them on previous songs like Anjaana Anjaani, and Ra.One. All of those were wonderful experiences, and now Hum Dono adds yet another chapter to that journey.
How did you bring something of your own personality or experience into the vocal performance of ‘Hum Dono’?
If you give the same song to five different singers, each of them will bring something unique to it, simply because everyone has a different vocal texture. That texture alone makes every singer distinctive in their own way. Beyond the composition or the technical aspects of delivery, what really matters is how you emote the song. Every artist perceives and feels a song differently, and that personal interpretation is what comes through in the performance.
That’s what I try to express—my own understanding and emotion of the song. Ultimately, what makes one singer stand out is their vocal texture, personal singing style, and their ability to convey emotion honestly.
Looking back at your journey from ‘Mar Jawaan’ to ‘Hum Dono’, what have you learned about storytelling through music?
Over the years, I haven’t just gained experience as an artist—I’ve grown as a human being as well. From my very first song to now, it’s been a journey of growth rather than struggle.
When I entered the industry, there was a certain expectation from female singers—to sound a particular way or have a thin, delicate voice that was considered ideal. Trying something different in terms of vocal texture was quite new back then, and that’s something Salim–Suleiman really encouraged in me.
Mar Jawaan became a kind of floodgate for newer voices—mine, and many others—each with our own distinct textures. That was one of the biggest lessons right at the start of my career: the importance of having your own voice.
Whether it’s professionally or personally, especially as a woman, owning your voice isn’t always easy. But my very first song taught me to do exactly that—and that’s a lesson I’ve carried with me till today.
Having seen multiple phases of Bollywood music, what do you think the industry is getting right today—and what do you miss?
One thing I really miss is female-led songs. When I started out, my first song was a solo, followed by many more female solos. Today, those are quite rare. Even in duets, the female voice often gets just a few lines. That’s something I truly miss — because female solos were such a beautiful and important part of music in the mid and late 2000s.
Another thing I miss is the duration of songs. With social media taking over and attention spans shrinking, we’ve gone from three- or four-minute songs to judging music in the first 30 seconds. If a song doesn’t catch on within that window, it’s considered unsuccessful or “not viral,” and that affects how far it reaches.
As a musician, I feel this cycle needs to break. Music needs time to unfold and breathe, and I hope listeners regain that patience again.
With remixes and recreations dominating Bollywood, what is the role of original vocalists today?
From a business perspective, recreations make sense. When a song is recreated, it already has an existing audience who loves it, and then you’re able to reach even more people. But when it’s overdone, it loses its charm. There was a time when almost every next song was a recreation—whether it was a Punjabi track remade in Hindi or a 90s classic reused again. It became so repetitive that people eventually got fed up.
Thankfully, now there’s a shift back to original music. India has immense talent, and there’s no reason to keep recycling the same songs when so much originality exists.