MUMBAI: Aaliyah Qureishi, widely known by her stage name Jhalli, is a multitalented actor, singer, and songwriter from Mumbai, India. After her memorable performance as Janvi, one of Shah Rukh Khan’s core girl fighters in the record-breaking Bollywood blockbuster Jawan, Aaliyah is now set to captivate audiences with her next big project — the highly anticipated musical drama Bandish Bandits Season 2.
In this season, Aaliyah takes on a key role as a musician, showcasing her diverse talents. Making her debut as a songwriter and playback singer, she has contributed two soulful tracks, “You and I” and “You and I (Lo-Fi)”, to the show’s evocative soundtrack.
Speaking about her journey, Aaliyah shares that her career began as a singer-songwriter and musician, with acting emerging through persistence and serendipity. Her breakthrough came with Jawan, where her portrayal of Janvi earned widespread recognition. Increasing opportunities led her to the coveted role in Bandish Bandits Season 2, directed by Anand Tiwari.
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A Journey of Passion and Talent
Aaliyah’s academic background is just as accomplished. She graduated from the University of Southern California (USC), where she studied psychology and music while honing her acting skills. She later attended the prestigious Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, performing at iconic venues such as the Staples Center, Whiskey A Go Go, Silverlake Lounge, and Hollywood Live House.
Discussing how she became a singer-songwriter for Bandish Bandits, Aaliyah recalls:
“I was first cast as an actor, then as a singer-songwriter. This season features many musicians in the cast, and we often shared our musical talents on set. One day, I sang the French song ‘La Vie En Rose’ for Anand Tiwari, and he really enjoyed it. Later, I met Souumil Shringarpure, one of the soundtrack’s composers, at a dubbing session. After sharing some of my music, I received a call from Anand sir, saying Souumil wanted me to contribute a song. It was a dream come true!”
The Making of “You and I”
Speaking about her experience collaborating on “You and I”, Aaliyah explains:
“Working with the talented Souumil Shringarpure was a wonderfully unique experience. We wrote the song together with a clear brief from Anand sir about its message and imagery. It was fun yet challenging because, unlike my usual instinctive songwriting, we reverse-engineered the lyrics to fit a pre-determined narrative. Drawing from imagination, empathy, and the characters’ journeys, I crafted the lyrics.”
Recalling the creative process, she says:
“When Souumil and I came up with the lyric, ‘round and around, we’re planets in the sky,’ we literally high-fived! It perfectly captured the meaning and fit the meter seamlessly — moments like that are pure creative joy. Anand sir loved it so much he asked us to create another version, ‘You and I (Lo-Fi),’ which also features on the soundtrack.”
With the release of Bandish Bandits Season 2 on the horizon, Aaliyah Qureishi is poised to shine once again, cementing her place as a versatile musician and actor. Following the massive success of Jawan, this marks another milestone in her promising career.
Listen to Aaliyah’s song ‘You and I ‘ on Spotify :
https://open.spotify.com/track/6TNbGImjVYCfJObfxU1jNl?si=9DcEorBITACcsBW50lWxkQ
