Shot Tum Kya Mile song four months after giving birth, says Alia Bhatt

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt revealed that she filmed the song "Tum Kya Mile" for the movie "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani" just four months after giving birth to her daughter, Raha Kapoor.

The behind-the-scenes video of the song's shooting has recently been released, showcasing choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant guiding Alia and co-star Ranveer Singh through their dance moves in the snowy terrain. Alia was seen wearing Bollywood's quintessential chiffon sarees in the song. The footage also captures director Karan Johar interacting with the actors and ensuring their comfort in the chilly weather.

Describing "Tum Kya Mile" as a quintessential Yash Chopra-style love song, Alia Bhatt expressed her enthusiasm for the project despite the challenges of filming shortly after childbirth. She stated, "It is my first love song in snow, wearing a chiffon saree. I have seen the final result and I feel so happy that it is something I can proudly say that I did four months after having a baby. So I really prepped myself up to this. I really wanted it to be outstanding."

Ranveer Singh also shared his thoughts on the song, emphasising its lyrical essence and declaring it his favourite track from the film's album. He said, "Every Karan Johar movie just has to have that one sparkling gem of a love song. It is my favourite song on the album."

Prior to the release of the song, Karan Johar expressed remorse for having Alia Bhatt filmed in chiffon sarees in the snow. He acknowledged the challenging conditions and his subsequent illness during the shoot, calling it a possible karmic punishment. Johar posted a heartfelt message alongside a still from the song, apologising for the freezing temperatures and praising Alia for her dedication, noting that it was her first project after becoming a mother.

Karan Johar also shared his sentiments about the song on social media, stating, "This one's for you Yash uncle," paying homage to the legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra and his influence on romantic songs in Bollywood.

"In a few hours #tumkyamile will be yours…. I remember at the very onset my instinct was that I wanted to film a love song that would unabashadley pay homage to my guru Yash Chopra…. The thinking evolved mind would say “you can’t match it or even dare to emulate it “ but the fan boy and the ardent lover of snow , chiffons,the stunning locations of Kashmir and sheer romance got the better of me… Pritam Dada and I yearned for a song for the ages from the ages and it had it be unapologetic or it wouldn’t be true … My deepest gratitude to Vaibhavi Merchant who got the Memo better than I did and completely took charge and being a Yash Chopra lover herself … She gave her heart to our song… This is also the first shoot Alia did after the birth of her angel and I remain in apology for freezing her in Manish Malhotra chiffons … in sympathy I fell drastically ill through the shoot ( a karmic punishment perhaps) Ranveer was nervous as this was his first lip sync mountain love song but he was a real trooper…. So we are back to the valleys for a ishq wala lip sync chiffon saree song… I hope you feel the love as much as we felt the cold… This one’s for you Yash uncle," wrote Karan Johar on Instagram.

Alia Bhatt and her husband, Ranbir Kapoor, welcomed their baby girl, Raha Kapoor, in November 2022. The couple named their daughter Raha Kapoor.

"Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani," which also features Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, and Shabana Azmi, is scheduled for release on July 28.