Dharavi gets an anthem: Prasoon Joshi and Shankar Mahadevan give the neighbourhood’s future a voice

MUMBAI: Every big transformation needs a soundtrack. Dharavi now has one. On Gandhi Jayanti, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis unveiled “Dharavi Ka Kal Bula Raha Hai”, an anthem dedicated to the neighbourhood, and the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) entered a new chapter. The announcement was made in Mumbai on October 5, 2026.

The pedigree is hard to beat. The anthem was written by poet, thinker and brand visionary Padmashri Prasoon Joshi, and composed and sung by Padmashri Doctor Shankar Mahadevan. It celebrates the people, enterprise and palpable energy of Dharavi. It looks ahead to the neighbourhood’s future while drawing on the lives and ambitions of those who call it home.

Joshi frames it as more than a song. “Dharavi is not simply a place; it is a living story of resilience, enterprise, aspiration and human spirit,” he says. “While writing ‘Dharavi Ka Kal Bula Raha Hai’, the thought was to capture that spirit and give it a voice that looks ahead without forgetting where Dharavi has come from. The song is about a tomorrow that is calling, but it is also deeply rooted in the people, energy and dreams that have always defined Dharavi.

For Mahadevan, the brief was rhythm. The composition was an opportunity to bring Dharavi’s own beat into the music. “Music has the ability to bring people together and communicate emotions beyond words. Dharavi has an extraordinary rhythm of its own, its people, its work, its energy and its dreams. The challenge and opportunity were to translate that spirit into music,” he says. “‘Dharavi Ka Kal Bula Raha Hai’ is our attempt to create an anthem that feels rooted in Dharavi while carrying the optimism of its future.”

The backers see the song as part of a larger argument. Pranav Adani says every great transformation begins with a vision people can see, believe in and participate in. “While planning and infrastructure will shape the physical transformation of Dharavi, it is stories, emotions and the shared belief that connect people to that future,” he says. “We are elated that Prasoon Joshi and Shankar Mahadevan came together to create an anthem that captures the spirit, resilience and optimism of Dharavi and gives voice to the aspirations of its people.”

The brand angle is spelt out by Ajay Kakar, head, corporate branding, Adani Group. “A brand is built not only by what it says, but by what people experience,” he says. “At Adani, ‘Hum Karke Dikhate Hain’ embodies this belief, and our communication has always sought to take people on a journey that is rooted in positivity, smiles, hope and the belief in a brighter future. ‘Dharavi Ka Kal Bula Raha Hai’ is a beautiful expression of that philosophy. The anthem captures the optimism and aspirations of Dharavi and invites people to look ahead with hope and confidence. It is about celebrating the spirit of the people, their dreams and the possibilities that tomorrow holds.”

The anthem sits alongside a physical project. As visitors move from the story of Dharavi’s past and present towards its prosperous future, the Dharavi Experience Centre seeks to turn an abstract vision of urban transformation into something that can be seen, understood and experienced.

The analysis is simple. Urban renewal is usually sold in bricks, budgets and blueprints. Here, the pitch also comes with a melody, a poet and a playback legend. Concrete shapes a skyline, but a song shapes belonging, and through “Dharavi Ka Kal Bula Raha Hai”, that future now has a voice.