“‘Oh Jaanu’ Is a Bit of Time Travel to the Fun Disco Era”: Akriti Kakar on Her Nostalgic Collaboration With Palash Sen

Akriti Kakar and Dr. Palash Sen come together for Oh Jaanu, a vibrant independent single that blends retro pop, funk and the disco sounds of 70s and 80s Bollywood. Composed by Suvam Moitra and penned by Geet Sagar, the song combines nostalgia with playful romance, while its colourful music video pays tribute to some of the most iconic characters and personalities from Bollywood and Hollywood.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the sound, Akriti says, “I believe music should make you feel different emotions! This song’s intention is exactly that a bit of time travel to the fun disco era, celebrating icons who we have revered across decades. Sonically and visually, every time I create an independent song, I feel I need to make something different from the last one I made. Even though industry geniuses would say every independent artist needs to define themselves with one particular genre, I don’t believe in that. My voice is the genre.”

The visual sees Akriti and Palash stepping into several memorable avatars, including Marilyn Monroe, Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Basanti, Mastani and Manjulika. “Secretly, I’ve always wanted to do a Hollywood-Bollywood costume party forever! Imagine getting to do a whole music video doing just that lottery, I would say! I hope people don’t compare because we won’t even come close, but it’s done from a place of love, and we dressed up to pay tribute and respect to all these icons,” she shares.

Recalling the experience, Akriti adds, “It was insanely hard to do all these characters one after the other, but my team was beyond efficient and we nailed it alongside having too much fun.” She calls Palash’s transformations a highlight, adding, “Sheer icon himself!”