The lyrics of Aarambh seem to be soaked in veer ras. What was your inspiration?
The scene was the inspiration. Ab jab marne, katne ki baat ho rahi hai toh, we needed something full of fire. I compose as I write so I’m not sure what was going on in my mind.

How many times did you hear the original Sahir Ludhianvi song (Pyaasa)?
Not once. I remembered the tune of Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye toh kya hai and used that one line. The composition is amazing but Sahir’s poetry is not that impressive. That song is all about helplessness and self-pity and has a defeatist tone, whereas Gulaal’s Duniya is full of fire.

You also reinterpreted Bismil’s Sarfaroshi ki tamanna for the film.
The challenge was to make Bismil’s poetry accessible to the MTV-Barista generation. Thankfully, I’m not a purist so there were no mental blocks. I had my reservations about whether youngsters would be able to connect with it. But I underestimated them.

And now you’re being hailed as the new-age Bismil?
(Laughs) Haan kuch logon ko lagta hai ki Bismil aur Bhagat Singh ke baad main hi krantikaari hoon. Can you imagine, people have been calling me to know what I think of Freida Pinto being the next Bond girl? My response to that one is that I think every girl is a Bond girl!

Any plans of joining politics?
Arre Ram ka naam lo! I have been offered a ticket by a political party. But I’m not keen.

... contd.