Remember Aamir Khan's hit number "Aati kya khandala" in Vikram Bhatt's "Ghulam"? Seven years later he's back at it with another full-fledged song in Rakeysh Mehra's "Rang De Basanti".

Aamir's singing was so good in "Ghulam" that even legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar had commented on how tunefully Aamir sang the Jatin-Lalit number.

The number in "Rang De Basanti", titled "Lalkaar", is a contemporary inspirational number written by Prasoon Joshi and composed by A.R. Rahman who has been closely associated with Aamir since the "Lagaan" days.

Talking about the song Mehra says: "Both Aamir and Rahman have been so closely associated with 'Rang De Basanti' from the start they know every heartbeat and rhythm in the plot. None of the 10 songs in 'Rang De Basanti' are items. They're all part of the narrative.

"Aamir's song comes at a critical juncture in the narrative. When we arrived at this song there was no hesitation - Aamir was the first and only choice. Rahman and I immediately thought of him. Aamir was the first and last choice for the 'Lalkaar' track. And it's turned out so beautifully."

Adds Rakeysh: "What makes the music of 'Rang De Basanti' as special as the music in my 'Aks' is that the 10 songs didn't just happen in the studio. They grew out of the narrative. We'd scrap tunes, find new ones, create and re-create the songs until they gelled completely with the situations. And yes, Aamir was a part of the film's musical journey."