The song Kala Chashma, which began in a small Punjab village and made its way to Bollywood has gone on to become a viral TikTok dance trend that has captivated everyone from RushTok pledges to Jimmy Fallon is based on an unusual beat.

The song, which was featured on the soundtrack for the 2016 Bollywood film Baar Baar Dekho, also features an unexpected lyricist: Amrik Singh Shera, a Punjab police constable who was only 15 years old when he wrote the song in 1990. Originally written and performed in Punjabi, the song gained popularity in Europe in 1991 after a Hindi version was featured on the soundtrack of the Bollywood film.

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Shera recieved 11,000 rupees (approximately $133 USD) for the song a few years ago. In the summer of 2022, it became a viral sensation. He claims that the recognition is sufficient compensation.

“We didn’t have much while growing up in my village. I couldn’t even imagine that something like this could happen to me. I am so grateful for the recognition I’m receiving now,” Shera said in a translated interview with NBC Asian America. “I’m seeing videos from all over the world where people are dancing to the song and it makes me so happy.”

Shera, 48, said as a teenager, he never imagined his song would end up in a Bollywood film, let alone thousands of videos around the world.

Shera stated that after writing the song, he realised it had the potential to be a hit and enlisted the help of singer and friend Amar Arshi in finding a potential artist for the song. Arshi recommended singing it himself during his own tour in England for his Punjabi album Fullan Vangu Ang Mehkde when he couldn’t find anyone.

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After Arshi met with Dr. Zeus, a heavily autotuned version of the song was put on Punjabi-English music producer Dr. Zeus’ 2008 album Kangana.

Shera claimed that over the years, he had earned little recognition for his song.

In a 2019 interview with BizAsia, Dr. Zeus apologised to Shera for not crediting him for the music, blaming it on a misunderstanding between him and Arshi, whom he initially thought was the lyricist.

Shera claims that in 2016, the Punjab-based music label Angel Records Entertainment approached him and asked for 11,000 rupees to buy the rights to the lyrics for use in a cement company commercial. Shera stated that he had no idea the song had been used in “Baar Baar Dekho” until a friend who had seen the film informed him.

The record company’s owner, Kamal Boparai, affirmed to NBC Asian America that Shera was paid that much, but he had no idea the song would be a worldwide hit or that it would end up in the film, and he also thought it would just be used in an advertisement.

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“If I had known this song would be a hit, I would’ve paid him more for it,” Boparai claimed. “You never know if a track will be a super hit or a super flop — it’s all luck.”

He stated that he sold the song’s rights to Dinesh Aulakh, the owner of Dinesh Production and Speed Records, who then sold them to the film’s production company. The transaction was confirmed by Aulakh.

Boparai stated that now that the song has become so popular, everyone is complaining that they did not receive enough money. “I even think that I didn’t receive enough money but I’m not blaming anyone, that was my decision,” he explained. “Everyone should just be grateful the song received international recognition.”

The trend introduced the song to a new and broad audience, giving it newly gained global recognition.

The initial TikTok, which was a small part of a choreographed dance performed by a dance troupe at a wedding in Norway, received over 4 million TikTok views and over 66 million YouTube views. The trend was inspired by the beginning of their dance to the song.