Fourteen years after Rockstar released in 2011, the craze honestly has not faded. The film became a cult favourite, and a huge reason is its music. From “Kun Faya Kun” to “Phir Se Udd Chala,” every track feels like a masterpiece that people still replay, repost, and sing along to.
Do you know song “Hawaa Hawaa” has a hidden history? Here is a fun detail many fans miss. “Hawaa Hawaa” is not just a catchy street performance song set in Prague. It carries a full story inside it, and that story comes from European folklore.
How the lyrics were shaped
When director Imtiaz Ali briefed lyricist Irshad Kamil, A R Rahman had already composed the tune. Imtiaz also wanted to keep some quirky, gibberish-like words from Rahman’s early draft because they matched the playful vibe. Since the sequence happens in Prague, Rahman also gave the track a gypsy, string-heavy flavour, and even called it a “gypsy song” in interviews.
A folk tale inside the song
Imtiaz asked Irshad to adapt a Czech folk tale often linked to the old story of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” In the song, we hear about a queen who secretly escapes at night, wears out twelve shoes, and is watched by a spy hired by the king. The queen is even described as going to hell at night to dance with devils.
Why it connects with Heer
This folk tale mirrors Heer’s life in the film. Heer keeps running away from rules, family pressure, and a suffocating “perfect life,” just to feel alive with Jordan. Irshad also changes the queen’s ending and gives her emotion. She does not just get punished, she pleads for freedom, saying wealth and golden walls cannot give her happiness.
Irshad Kamil said it took him around 10 days to write this one, and Rahman said it was among the hardest to compose in the album. Maybe that is why “Hawaa Hawaa” feels so layered even today.
