Lyricist Mehboob Kotwal recalled how a fleeting moment on a rainy day gave birth to the timeless love song ‘Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan’ from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
‘Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan’ from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) remains one of Bollywood’s most exquisite expressions of silent romance.
With Mehboob’s tender words and Ismail Darbar’s soul‑stirring music, the love ballad captures a rare kind of purity that feels as fresh today as it did decades ago. On screen, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan breathe life into the melody with their magical chemistry.
Sometimes, the most unforgettable songs are born out of the simplest encounters, and lyricist Mehboob’s revelation, in a throwback interview with Bollywood Hungama, about how he conceived this timeless track proves that right.
Mehboob shared, “I wrote Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan casually, almost without planning. I was in Bandra, near my house, where there’s a college. At that time, word had spread that “Mehboob lives here.” As I was walking by, a girl passed by me. It was raining, and she opened her umbrella. She looked at me with respect and gave a gentle nod. I responded in the same way. That moment sparked the thought in my mind, ‘Aankhon ki gustakhiyan maaf ho, ek tuk tumhe dekhti hai, jo baat kehna chahiye jubaan..’ I wrote it down immediately, even completing the first verse.”
Days later, Sanjay Leela Bhansali invited him over for dinner to discuss ‘Nimbooda’ song.
“We had dinner, discussed Nimbooda, and finalized it. As I was leaving, Sanjay came to see me off at the lift. I told him, “Oh Sanjay, I forgot to mention that I’ve written a song.” He laughed and said, “You’re amazing. We sat together for two-three hours and you didn’t say a word. Anyway, let’s hear it,” the lyricist recalled.
As Mehboob recited the lyrics, Bhansali closed his eyes and listened intently. “Read it again,” he said. Mehboob repeated the lines. “Read it once more.” This went on seven times.
The lyricist hesitated, unsure how audiences would respond to two songs placed so close together—‘Nimbooda’ followed just five minutes later by ‘Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan‘. But Bhansali’s instinct proved right, and the song went on to become a huge success.
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam revolves around how a young woman, Nandini (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), torn between her first love Sameer (Salman Khan) and her husband Vanraj (Ajay Devgn), ultimately discovers the true meaning of love and sacrifice.
