Hyderabad: In our society, people often think whistling in public is rude or childish. But did you know that many of Bollywood’s most famous songs became special because of a whistle? Songs like “Chalte Chalte” from Mohabbatein, “Subhanallah” from Fanaa, or “Dhoom Again” from Dhoom 2 would feel empty without that one magical sound — and that sound comes from Nagesh Surve.
The Man Behind 1600+ Iconic Songs
Nagesh Surve is a professional whistler — yes, that’s a real job! Since 1975, he has whistled in more than 1600 Bollywood songs. His tunes are so smooth, many people even think it’s a flute. From Dil Toh Pagal Hai to Barfi, Munna Bhai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and many more – his whistle gave these songs their charm.
A Fun Prank That Changed His Life
Nagesh’s journey started with a prank. As a kid in Mumbai, he would copy the special whistle signals used by boys in his neighborhood. One day, he whistled every group’s signal and confused everyone! Instead of scolding him, the older boys were amazed and asked if he could whistle in tune — and he could!
Later, at a picnic with some musicians, he was just whistling for fun when someone asked, “Can you whistle for a song?” That was his first film break — for the song “Dil Kya Kare” in Julie.
Still Going Strong
Even with today’s technology, no machine can copy the natural beauty of a human whistle. That’s why Nagesh and his daughter Rupali still work together, adding whistles to songs the old-fashioned way.
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