How a grandmother’s belief, a Polish dancer, and a Ukraine–Russia connection shaped Rakhi R Nath’s 'Mihira'

Three years ago, singer Rakhi R Nath began nurturing a quiet but powerful idea—Mihira, an independent music album envisioned as a tribute to the primal forces that sustain life. From its very conception, ‘Mihira’ was meant to sound rooted and earthy, drawing from the rhythms of nature itself, and to be created entirely by women. It was not just a musical project, but a conscious, deeply personal statement—one that honoured both the earth beneath our feet and the creative strength of women.
‘Mihira’ grew organically from that longing, unfolding into a soulful composition that celebrates the elemental energies of nature, especially the sun and the earth. The album seeks to reconnect listeners with something ancient and universal—a sense of gratitude for the natural forces that nurture, heal, and sustain life.
For Rakhi, who broke into the film music scene with songs in ‘Kaanakkanmani’, ‘Loudspeaker’ and ‘Minnaminikootaam,’ the heart of Mihira lies in memory and inheritance. She credits her grandmother as the spiritual anchor behind the album, whose words and worldview continue to shape her artistic choices. “My grandmother always spoke to me about the power of the sun, the moon, and everything that is part of nature,” Rakhi recalls. “She believed the sun is the source of life, and that we should always remain grateful to the elements that make living possible.” That wisdom, passed down through generations, became the emotional and philosophical core of Mihira—a musical offering steeped in reverence, gratitude, and timeless belief.

While Rakhi lends her voice to the song, the lyrics were penned by renowned lyricist B K Harinarayanan. The music video was directed by Shruthi B Saranyam, who humorously remarked that she ended up shooting a song about the sun in a place where it ‘rarely makes an appearance.’ Referring to the rainy atmosphere of the UK, Shruthi joked that the sun seemed to ‘refuse to come out’ during the shoot. At the time the project came to her, Shruthi was based in the UK and unable to travel to Kerala, which led her to direct the video remotely from there.
During this process, she was introduced to Polish folk dancer Gosia De Jarzebak, who features prominently in the album. The visuals were shot over a coupe of days across several locations in the United Kingdom, including a few world heritage sites, with scenic landscapes such as lavender fields adding to the song’s ethereal quality.
Although ‘Mihira’ took nearly three years to materialise due to various challenges, Rakhi says the journey has been worth it. She received strong support from the album’s music composer Nandhu Kartha, a well-known name in the independent music space, who played a key role in shaping the project. The song stands out for its international collaboration, bringing together several acclaimed artists—predominantly women—from across the globe.
The composition features Ukrainian guitarist Sasha Svy, Oleksandra Svyrydenko, Russian cellist Maria Grigoreva, Malayali violinist Martina Charles, bass guitarist Niya Rose Manoj, and percussionist Charu Hariharan. Speaking about the process, Nandhu Kartha noted that the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine significantly delayed the project. “We had identified artists and shared tunes, but communication would go silent for days. At one point, they got back to us only after a week because of bombings and evacuations,” he said. He also mentioned that finding a suitable guitarist locally in Kerala proved unexpectedly difficult, further extending the timeline.

Music composer Bijibal who has been a powerful influence to Rakhi, throughout her career as a musician, launched the album at an event in Kochi, recently. The song is available on YouTube.