New Delhi

As Vishal Bhardwaj's acclaimed film Omkara approaches its 20th anniversary, singer Rekha Bhardwaj has shared an interesting behind-the-scenes story about one of the soundtrack's most memorable songs, Namak Ishq Ka.

In a conversation with PTI, Rekha said she was initially hesitant to record the track, believing it was beyond her comfort zone. At the time, she was known for singing soulful and emotionally driven songs and did not see herself performing a bold, sensuous number.

She recalled that during the making of Omkara, Vishal Bhardwaj would frequently discuss his compositions with her and seek her feedback as the songs were being developed. Since her vocal practice was at its peak then, he often asked her to sing rough versions of songs, including tracks originally intended for male singers, to get a different perspective.

According to Rekha, the distinctive high notes that eventually became a highlight of Namak Ishq Ka were not part of the original composition. While casually singing an early version of the song, she instinctively added those notes, which impressed Vishal. He immediately recorded the rendition on his Motorola flip phone, fearing both of them might forget the improvisation later.

Despite that, Rekha remained unconvinced. She told Vishal that the song was extremely challenging because of its constantly shifting musical structure. She also felt uncertain about performing a track with such a provocative and earthy tone.

However, Vishal persisted, and the song eventually became one of the defining tracks of her career.

Released in 2006, Omkara featured a celebrated soundtrack composed by Vishal Bhardwaj with lyrics by Gulzar. Songs such as Beedi, Naina, O Saathi Re, Laakad, and Namak Ishq Ka continue to enjoy enduring popularity.

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Starring Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Bipasha Basu, Konkona Sen Sharma, Naseeruddin Shah and Deepak Dobriyal, Omkara remains one of Hindi cinema's most acclaimed literary adaptations. It formed the second installment of Vishal Bhardwaj's Shakespeare trilogy, following Maqbool and preceding Haider.