EXCLUSIVE: Hanita Bhambri on writing and singing ‘Toxic’ with Vishal Mishra: “Getting to bring my own writing into a film of this scale was a very special opportunity”
Independent singer-songwriter Hanita Bhambri is making her entry into mainstream cinema with Yash-starrer Toxic, for which she has contributed as both a lyricist and singer to the film’s English track.
Bhambri was initially approached by composer Vishal Mishra’s team to write the English lyrics for the song. The opportunity, however, expanded when Mishra heard her voice during a presentation and encouraged her to record the track herself.
Ina n exclusive quote given to Bollywood Hungama Bhambri said, “I was initially brought on only to write the lyrics for the song but during the presentation, Vishal Mishra liked my voice so much that he encouraged me to sing it."
She also recalled how the song eventually reached director Geetu Mohandas, who heard Bhambri sing during a call with Mishra.
“He called Geetu maam and put her on speaker and I sang the song out loud to her. Upon hearing my voice, she was happy to have me record it,” she added.
For Bhambri, being able to contribute her writing and vocals to a film of this scale was a significant experience. As an independent musician, she said the opportunity allowed her to bring her own songwriting into a mainstream film and described her initial response as a combination of excitement and disbelief.
“As an independent artist, getting to bring my own writing into a film of this scale was a very special opportunity,” she said.
The singer-songwriter said the song’s brief called for a dark, seductive and dangerous mood while maintaining a grand cinematic quality. The track was also intended to have an international appeal, which suited Bhambri’s musical sensibilities.
“I’ve always been drawn to music that explores the messier, more complicated sides of human emotions, and Toxic gave me a lot of room to play with that,” she said.
While recording the track, Bhambri focused on capturing the personality and mood of the song. She said the vocals required confidence, playfulness and an element of danger. In some sections, she used a more conversational style to create a sense of teasing the listener rather than simply singing directly to them.
Her work with Vishal Mishra also became an important part of the recording process. Bhambri said the collaboration showed her how small vocal decisions can have a noticeable impact on the emotion and delivery of a song.
“One of the biggest things I learnt was how much can change through tiny decisions in a recording, whether it’s the way you pronounce a word, where you breathe, how much attitude you put into a line or how restrained you choose to be,” she said.
Despite the scale of Toxic and Yash being the lead actor, Bhambri said she tried to stay focused on the music rather than getting overwhelmed by the size of the project.
“Honestly, I was in disbelief. It took the longest time for me to register that I’m getting to be a part of this film,” she said. “At the same time, I tried not to overthink the grandiose nature of the project while recording. I focused on what the song meant to me and I tried to give my best both while writing the lyrics and singing the song.”
Bhambri also discussed the role of English-language songs in Indian cinema and how they can add another dimension to a film when they fit naturally within its story and characters.
“An English song can bring a slightly different texture, attitude and cultural flavour to a film, especially when the story itself has a certain global, international or contemporary aesthetic,” she said, adding that Toxic does not feel like an English song simply inserted into the film but one that reflects the personality of its characters and world.
As an independent artist, Bhambri said she also wanted to retain elements of her musical identity while adapting to the requirements of cinema. Instead of attempting to replicate her independent work, she focused on finding a connection between her own artistic approach and the creative world of the film.
Her album Shoharat, released a year ago, explored dark-pop sounds and vocals. Her independent catalogue of around 40-45 songs has also allowed her to explore themes such as obsession, heartbreak, anger, desire, revenge and complicated relationships.
“My own fascination and love for dark pop made this feel like a hand-in-glove situation,” she said.
Bhambri said the creative freedom offered by Vishal Mishra and Geetu Mohandas was another important aspect of the collaboration.
“I got the complete creative freedom to write and express my artistry in the song. It takes another level of trust and I couldn’t be more grateful to both Vishal and Geetu for creating space for me to bring a piece of me to the song,” she said.
The singer-songwriter hopes the growing connection between independent music and mainstream cinema will open more opportunities for musicians with distinct voices and songwriting styles.
“I really hope so. The lines between independent music and mainstream music are becoming much more fluid, which is really exciting,” she said.
Following Toxic, Bhambri hopes to continue exploring both independent music and film projects while experimenting with different genres and forms of storytelling.
“I want to continue writing and making music that feels distinctly mine, while also exploring different worlds and collaborators,” she said. “It could be dark pop but it could also be rock, or blues or anything, as long as it is still me and comes from the heart. Excited for my new era.”
Also Read : Vishal Mishra makes history as first Indian musician on Amazon Music’s The Zach Sang Show; says, “All my big songs are made in 15-20 minutes”
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