Bharadwaj says it was his fascination with the filmy dhan te nan sound that made him use it. “We’ve all grown up on dhan te nan. It’s very retro and a simple expression that I knew would appeal to everyone,” he explains.

For the audience, the oddity of the lyrics and the theme make it an anthem. Abha Ahuja, a research student, insists that she’s been hooked to the track since she first heard it: “Songs like Dhan Te Nan and Ghulam’s Apun bola mock the norms of making music, like Dev.D’s Emosanal Atyachar. It connects with the rebellious streak in all of us — be it a rickshaw driver, an urchin, a college student or a geek like me.”

The cult status that the Kaminey track has garnered up in a matter of two weeks is evident from the number of repeats it has on music channels and radio stations. Despite bearing resemblance to the popular Pulp Fiction theme, says Malini Agarwal, programme manager, Radio One, it’s being played once every few hours.

The video contributes equally to the success of the track. Filmed on Shahid Kapoor and Chandan Sanyal in a crowded, dimly-lit discotheque, the song is free-spirited in terms of dance moves.

Choreographer Ahmed Khan says: “When you have a good dancer like Shahid, it’s very tempting to stylise the moves. When Shahid first played the track, I could only think of retro Hindi movies, so we decided to give one signature step and let the 80 professional dancers, including Shahid and Chandan, dance as if nobody’s watching,” says Khan. It would be unfair to assume that the track’s popularity is limited to film buffs. It has an ardent admirer in renowned playwright Ramu Ramanathan.

... contd.