For Lage Raho Munnabhai, director Rajkumar Hirani wanted a song that could capture the greatness and essence of Mahatma Gandhi. For many days lyricist Swanand Kirkire, music director Shantanu Moitra, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra would sit together and try to write a song on Bapu but nothing seemed to be fitting the greatness and stature of the man.

While going over various options at Vinod’s house one day, he asked Raju what kind of song he wanted as he just didn’t seem happy with any of the songs that they all were writing.  Raju replied that the man was great, an institution and that’s what he wants captured in the song. That’s when Vinod suggested, “How does Bande Mein Tha Dum, Vande Mataram sound…” Everyone was quiet for sometime before Shantanu picked up his guitar and started strumming the song. After that, the lyrics simply flowed into place and within minutes there were four men who all had tears in their eyes and Raju had his song….

Shantanu on his way home was on such a high after composing the song that he skipped a red light and only after he skipped it did he realise what he had done. This stayed on his mind till a time he reached a traffic police and went up to him and told him that he should be fined as he had skipped a red light some lights back. The cop was surprised and said that he has not skipped any light so why should he pay but Shantanu insisted….such was the effect of writing Bande Mein Tha Dum…Vande Mataram!