Vedang Raina Reveals the Custom Playlist He Created to Define Keenu in ‘Main Vaapas Aaunga’: You’d assume it was all Punjabi folk, but Colonisation meant Western Music…

Vedang Raina is fresh off the success of his latest release, Main Vaapas Aaunga, and this romantic partition drama clearly displays the maturity in him as a credible performer. As Keenu, Raina touched corners of vulnerability, young love, youth and separation all while highlighting the roots of Punjab and a colonial Western backdrop.

But did you know that Vedang built a playlist around what Keenu would realistically listen to? “Given that Keenu’s coming of age took place through 1947, I built a playlist around what he would realistically hear and the music that would’ve played on the radio,” he says.

“Frank Sinatra was just getting big; there was Bing Crosby, a strong jazz influence, which is surprising if you think about Punjab at the time. You’d assume it was all Punjabi folk, and a lot of it was, but colonisation meant Western music had seeped in too. I also went deep into Kundan Lal Saigal and Alam Lohar,” he continues.

Admiring the Oscar-winning AR Rahman’s musical brilliance in Ishq Mastana, he mentions, “There’s a song in the film, “Ishq Mastana”, that reflects that sort of imbibed music. [AR] Rahman sir has somehow mixed Punjabi folk with jazz, which sounds bizarre on paper but is beautiful on record.”

Bringing such a deep level of investment into pulling off a challenging character highlights Raina’s mature approach in understanding his role. And honestly, this dedication proves he’s here for the long haul!