Aditya
Dhar's Dhurandhar is breaking the records in the box office, and so are the film's tracks. The movie's song Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan has become an overnight sensation, with the track's original Qawwali gaining praise from superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Recently, Ishq Jalakar – Karvaan singer Shahzad Ali spoke about his experience of lending his voice to the now-viral track. The track draws direct inspiration from Na Toh Karvan Ki Talash Hai from the 1960 classic Barsaat Ki Raat. Composed by Roshan with lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi, the original qawwali is considered a milestone in Bollywood music history. Running over 12 minutes, it broke conventional norms and proved that audiences would stay engaged if the music truly moved them.
Shahzad Ali on singing Dhurandhar 2 song Ishq Jalakar - Karvaan
In an exclusive conversation with
Zoom,
Shahzad recalled his journey of singing the song and shared that although he has been working in the film industry for nearly 15 years, this experience felt truly special. He explained, "
Main bade arse se kaam kar raha hu film industry
main 15
saalon se toh bohot saare kaam kiye isse pehle, but
ye experience
alag tha, platform
alag tha star cast
alag thi. Aur jis tarah se mujhe limelight
mili, I'm really thankful to God
- ye takdeer ki baat hai ki aapko saari cheezenin packaging
ke saath milti hai tab aapka naam hota hai. Jo composer
hai Shashwat Sachdev
, unhone badi mehnat ki mere liye, unhone fight bhi ki mere liye aur director Aditya Dhar
bhi bohot khush the, unka bhi dil yahi tha ki meri awaz rahe. Ye gaana unko meri awaaz main jyda soulful
lag raha tha. Ye sudden cheezein hui aur do din main ye finalise
hua then trailer
jab release hua - logon ne gaana pick kiya trailer
se."
ALSO READ: Dhurandhar And Its Resonance: How Ranveer Singh’s Film Broke The Fourth Wall With Real-Life Footage And Audio Recordings
(Translation: I’ve been working in the film industry for a long time—about 15 years—and I’ve done many projects before this, but this experience was different. The platform was different, the star cast was different. And the kind of limelight I received, I’m truly thankful to God for that. It’s a matter of destiny—when everything comes together as a complete package, that’s when your name truly gets recognised. Composer Shashwat Sachdev worked extremely hard for me; he even fought for me. Director Aditya Dhar was also very happy and felt strongly that my voice should remain in the song. They felt the song sounded more soulful in my voice. Everything happened very suddenly and was finalized within two days. And when the trailer was released, people immediately picked up on the song from the trailer itself.)
Shahzad Ali on Shah Rukh Khan’s praise for the Original Qawwali
Shahzad also reacted to Shah Rukh Khan’s appreciation of the original qawwali, saying he was unaware that it was SRK’s favourite. He shared,
"I didn't know that the original qawwali is Shah Rukh Khan Sir's favourite
, but
agar aap mera Instagram
dekhenge toh aapko pata lagega ki I'm the biggest fan of SRK Sir
. Maine apni zindagi jeena hi unse seekha hai, because
mere bade papa the, he also looked like SRK. He was also an actor in Ram Leela and he had by heart all the four vedas and Ram Charit Manas."
(I didn’t know that the original qawwali was Shah Rukh Khan sir’s favourite. But if you look at my Instagram, you’ll know that I’m his biggest fan. I’ve learned how to live my life by watching him, because my uncle looked just like SRK. He was also an actor in
Ram Leela and had memorised all four Vedas and the
Ramcharitmanas by heart.)
About Dhurandhar song Ishq Jalakar
Released in late November 2025 as part of
Dhurandhar’s promotional campaign,
Ishq Jalakar – Karvaan quickly took over social media, inspiring countless reels, edits, and reaction videos. The original featured an iconic lineup of singers, including Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, SD Batish, and Sudha Malhotra. Its poetic depth, spiritual resonance, and dramatic progression have made it timeless. Notably, the word "Ishq" appears 84 times, transforming the composition into a mesmerizing meditation on love, devotion, and surrender.