'We couldn't believe it': Nandita and Shuvo elated as AR Rahman shares their cover

When Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman shared their rendition of "Saanwariya Saanwariya" from the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Swades" on his Instagram Story, it was a moment that left musicians Sanzida Mahmood Nandita and Shuvendu Das Shuvo both stunned and deeply inspired.

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The song, which the duo recorded and uploaded under their musical project Mosey & Co. page two months ago, was something that wasn’t planned. Instead, it emerged organically from their shared love for a song that had long held a special place in their hearts.

"'Saanwariya Saanwariya' is one of those songs we both love," said Nandita. "The melody, arrangement and  lyrics inspire us musically. We also both love the film and its visual storytelling."

For Shuvo, the song was part of a much larger collection of music that has shaped the duo's artistic sensibilities over the years.

"We have countless songs that we love, and this is one of them," he said. "Most of what we do is very unplanned. Whenever a song feels right in the moment, we record it. It's really driven by our emotions and what the music makes us feel."

That spirit of spontaneity ultimately led to the recording. On a rainy day, as the two were heading to the studio, Nandita casually began humming the song. Shuvo revealed that he had also been thinking about covering it for quite some time.

"We recorded a very short version, about a minute and a half long," Shuvo recalled. "It was meant for social media, nothing more."
Nandita described the session as a creative escape rather than a calculated project.

"It felt like a breathing space for us," she said. "Shuvendu da picked up the guitar, I sang, and we harmonised together. We uploaded the short version on a rainy day without expecting much from it."

The response, however, exceeded their expectations. Fans warmly embraced the performance, with many listeners tagging AR Rahman and urging him to watch it.

"Our audience is quite niche — people who genuinely love music and even buy tickets to attend our shows," Nandita said. "Everyone received it beautifully, and many people were mentioning Rahman sir in the comments."

Then came the surprise neither of them saw coming.

One morning, Shuvo woke up to notifications informing him that Rahman had shared the cover on Instagram.

"At first, I didn't believe it," he said. "I went to his profile to check, and when I saw our video there, it was both surprising and incredibly inspiring."

Shuvo immediately sent a screenshot to Nandita, who was still waking up.
"Honestly, I couldn't believe it at first either," Nandita said. "It was both surprising and inspiring for us."

The appreciation did not stop there. According to the duo, the recognition from fellow musicians and artists proved equally meaningful.

"The response was overwhelmingly positive," Shuvo said. "Many artistes called and congratulated us personally. If I had to say who appreciated it the most, I would say fellow musicians."

For Nandita, the encouragement from artistes she has long admired has been one of the most rewarding aspects of their journey.

"Renowned lyricist Srijato Bandopadhyay personally messaged us to praise the work," she said. "Parambrata Chattopadhyay has been telling us from the beginning that he's a fan of what we do. Even Rabindra Sangeet artiste Jayati Chakrabarty left a beautiful comment on one of our recent songs. Receiving appreciation from people we respect is a huge achievement."

The story of Mosey and Co. itself mirrors the relaxed, organic approach that defines their music. Neither Nandita nor Shuvo originally set out to form a band. After years of working independently, they came together for an unplugged collaboration that unexpectedly resonated with audiences.

"Our first collaboration was a song called 'Yeh Raate Yeh Mausam'," Shuvo said. "The response was much bigger than we expected. That's when we felt maybe we should give this project a name and an identity."

That identity became Mosey and Co., a name inspired by both their easy-going creative process and the community of musicians around them.

"Music is never a solo effort," Shuvo explained. "The 'Co.' represents the larger musical family that performs and creates alongside us."

While reinterpretations of beloved classics have helped them build a loyal following, both artistes are now focused on the future.

"We're working on our first album of original songs," Nandita revealed.  We don't want to rush it because it's our first album. We want to give it the time it deserves."

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Shuvo echoed the sentiment, adding that the duo is currently developing several original songs but prefers not to set rigid deadlines.

Their ultimate goal, however, extends beyond viral moments and celebrity recognition.

"Our biggest dream," Nandita said, "is for people to know us through our original music."