Key Highlights

• Akhil Sachdeva has composed 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming' from Emraan Hashmi-starrer 'Awarapan 2'.
• He revealed he specifically used his signature bass to build the intended sense of heroism.
• The song is a mix of Hindi and Punjabi, reflecting Akhil's natural style.
• He composed it imagining himself as a fan, going 15 years back to his pre-musician days.
• Akhil praised the makers for not changing a single word of his composition.

Music composer Akhil Sachdeva has opened up about one of the most talked-about tracks from the recently released Emraan Hashmi-starrer 'Awarapan 2' — 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming'. In a candid conversation with IANS after the film's release in Mumbai's BKC area, the composer offered a rare, unfiltered look into the emotional and technical choices that shaped the song — including his deliberate decision to lean on his signature bass to bring in a distinct texture of heroism.

'Whatever Comes From My Heart, That's What I Write'

Speaking about his creative philosophy, Akhil said his songs are almost always guided by instinct rather than external input.

"Whatever comes from my heart naturally, that's the song that I write. I never take anyone else's opinion on that unless a producer or a director tells me to change that. But I am glad that it could touch people. It's a mix of Hindi and Punjabi. But there are Punjabi words as well. It was just about heroism and a superstar," he told IANS.

That framing — heroism and a superstar — hints directly at where the emotional core of the song originates. He wasn't writing a mood. He was writing a moment.

Composing With a Fan's Heart

The most striking part of Akhil's process was how personally he approached the composition. He didn't approach it as a composer scoring a Bollywood song. He approached it as a longtime fan writing a musical tribute to a star he had grown up watching.

"My whole idea was that if Emraan Hashmi enters in front of me right now, what will I feel?" he shared.

That imagined moment — the emotional weight of seeing your favourite star walk into a room — became the foundation for the entire song's tone.

"I thought of myself as a fan while composing the song. I had to go 15 years back in time when I was not a musician. And I used to see Emraan Hashmi's films. So whatever he has done to those millions of fans, I wanted to write that emotion. My Punjabi comes naturally. And it suits my style, and that's how I presented the song," he added.

That's a rare and interesting compositional choice — writing not from the perspective of the character on screen but from the perspective of the audience watching that character on screen.

The Bass Choice: A Deliberate Signature

Perhaps the most technically interesting insight Akhil shared was around the vocal treatment of the song. He explained why he deliberately used his lower vocal range — his signature bass — to give the track its distinct emotional weight.

"I am glad that the makers didn't change a single word. I went with my gut feeling. I kept the scale of the song in such a way that I wanted to use my lows, the bass. It's a blessing of God that my bass is good. I wanted to sing it in a different way. The essence of the song is very intimate. Very hauntingly. It holds you. It ties you. I wanted to keep that. I wanted to present my voice," he said.

That description — intimate, haunting, one that holds and ties the listener — is exactly the kind of emotional register that Emraan Hashmi's cinematic persona has always thrived on. Akhil's vocal choice, then, isn't just a sonic decision. It's a thematic one, matching the film's emotional gravity and its lead actor's on-screen presence.

The Blending of Hindi and Punjabi

Akhil also emphasised how organically Punjabi finds its way into his compositions. That blend, in 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming', gives the track a warmth and rooted quality that many Bollywood songs of a similar tone tend to miss. It signals that the song wasn't stitched together to trend — it was written the way Akhil naturally hears music.

Why It Matters

For a music director, being trusted to compose a song for a lead actor of Emraan Hashmi's stature — in a sequel to a beloved film like 'Awarapan' — is a significant creative moment. What makes Akhil's approach stand out is the emotional honesty of his process. He didn't hide behind technique. He wrote from memory, from admiration, and from the specific emotion of what it feels like to have watched an actor's films for years and then be given the opportunity to soundtrack his return.

That, in many ways, is the ideal creative combination Bollywood keeps hoping for — an artist who respects the star, respects the audience and stays true to their own instinct.

The Emraan Hashmi Connection

Emraan Hashmi's fanbase has always shown up strongest when his films lean into emotionally intense storytelling. The original 'Awarapan' remains a cult classic among his fans for exactly that reason. In returning to that universe with 'Awarapan 2', Emraan is stepping back into a space that his fans have long asked for — and Akhil's track appears to be soundtracking that homecoming with the intensity the fanbase expects.

The Composer's Signature Style

Akhil Sachdeva has, over the years, built a reputation as one of the most emotionally honest voices in Hindi film music. His songs have often blended Hindi and Punjabi in a way that feels rooted rather than gimmicky, and his willingness to use his own vocal range as a compositional instrument has become a defining feature of his work.

'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming' now joins that catalogue as one of his most artistically deliberate creations.

Cultural Impact

Songs that are composed with the audience's emotional experience in mind — rather than only the film's narrative — often end up developing lives beyond the movie. Akhil's approach for 'Piya Ghar Aaya' — imagining what a fan feels when the star returns — sets the song up as more than just a film track. It could become a fan anthem for Emraan Hashmi's larger cinematic journey.

The Bigger Picture

In an industry that often prioritises virality over craftsmanship, Akhil Sachdeva's process behind 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming' is a reminder that some of the most memorable Bollywood songs are still born the old-fashioned way — from instinct, memory, personal admiration and deliberate technical choices. His decision to lean into his bass, to write in his natural mix of Hindi and Punjabi, and to compose from the seat of a fan rather than from the desk of a composer, gives the song an emotional signature that lingers well after the final note.

For Emraan Hashmi's fans stepping into 'Awarapan 2', that signature may well be what makes 'Piya Ghar Aaya - Homecoming' one of the most memorable soundtrack additions to the star's legacy in years. And for Akhil Sachdeva, the song stands as evidence of a rare creative truth — sometimes the most heroic compositions come from the humblest starting point of all: sitting still and asking, what would it feel like if my hero walked into the room right now?

Also Read: Akhil Sachdeva on Emraan Hashmi’s Brief for Awarapan 2 Song