Manoj Muntashir reveals the powerful thought behind 'Teri Mitti'; Says the song was born from a soldier's last moments
ETimes | June 29, 2026 7:39 PM CST
Lyricist and poet Manoj Muntashir will share the emotional story behind one of his most celebrated songs, Teri Mitti , in an upcoming episode of Tum Ho Naa - Ghar Ki Superstar. Hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal, the episode promises an intimate conversation about the inspiration behind the patriotic anthem from 'Kesari'.
During the interaction, Manoj opens up on the creative process that led to the song's lyrics. He explains that the composition was driven by a deeply emotional thought rather than just a cinematic requirement. According to him, he wanted to capture the emotions of a soldier making the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.
A song inspired by a soldier's last thoughts
Speaking about the idea that shaped the lyrics, Manoj recalled visualising the bravery of 21 Sikh soldiers who laid down their lives while defending a fort. That image stayed with him and became the emotional foundation of the song.
He said, "Aap zindagi roz jeete hain, tajurbe roz collect karte hain, aur jab woh situation aati hai, mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai, jab woh situation thi. Humare 21 jabaaz Sikh fauji jo ek qile ko bachate hue balidaan ho gaye, woh visual maine dekha. Aur woh visual dekhne ke baad mere dimaag mein sirf ek cheez aayi, when he takes the bullet to his chest, apne desh ke liye, and when he is bleeding to death, uske badan se khoon nikal raha hai, aakhri ke kuch lamhe bache hain, chetna shoonya hoti ja rahi hai, sab kuch doobta ja raha hai, toh aakhri ke kuch seconds mein sochta kya hoga woh?" (You live your life every day and gather experiences along the way. Then there comes a moment that stays with you forever. I still remember that moment vividly. I saw the image of our 21 brave Sikh soldiers sacrificing their lives while defending a fort. After witnessing that, only one thought came to my mind. When a soldier takes a bullet to his chest for his country, as he is bleeding to death, with only a few moments left and his consciousness slowly fading away, what must be going through his mind in those final seconds? )
He further questioned whether a soldier would regret choosing the Army or sacrificing his life. Manoj explained that his interactions with the families of armed forces personnel convinced him that pride, rather than regret, defines those final moments.
He added, "Kya uske mann mein yeh hota hoga ki fauj ki naukri kyun kar li, kuch aur kar lete? Kya uske mann mein yeh hoga ki 25,000 ke paycheck ke liye jaan dene ki kya zaroorat thi? Aur main pata nahi kitne faujiyon ke parivaar se mila hoon, woh zindagi ke aakhri lamhon mein itna proud hote hain ki yaar, marta toh har koi hai, jaan toh sabki jaani hai, meri mere desh ke liye jaa rahi hai." (“Does he ever think in his mind, ‘Why did I join the army, I should have done something else?’ Does he think, ‘Was it worth giving my life for a ₹25,000 salary?’ And I don’t know how many soldiers’ families I have met, but in those final moments of life they feel so proud, thinking that everyone dies anyway, but my life is being given for my country.” )
The thought process behind every lyric
Manoj explained that the entire song was built around imagining what a soldier might think during the final seconds of life. He said those emotions naturally shaped the lyrics that eventually became one of the film's defining moments.
He shared, "Toh yeh poora gaana iss thought process se likha gaya tha, ki woh aakhri ke jo kuch seconds hain, unmein humara fauji kya soch raha hai. Aur woh bas ek baat sochta hai, 'Ae meri zameen, afsos nahi, jo tere liye sau dard sahe. Mehfooz rahe teri aan sada, chaahe jaan meri yeh rahe na rahe.'" (“This entire song was written with that thought process in mind — what our soldier is thinking in his final few seconds. And in that moment, he only thinks one thing: ‘O my motherland, I have no regrets for bearing a hundred pains for you. May your honour always remain protected, even if my life does not survive.’” )
Host Rajeev Khandelwal admitted that Teri Mitti continues to move him every time he listens to it. He praised the emotional depth of the lyrics and revealed that a particular section of the song always leaves him teary-eyed. Reacting to Manoj's explanation, Rajeev said, "Har baar mere aansu aaye hain, woh panktiyan jab maa wali line thi usmein..." (“Every time I hear that line, it brings tears to my eyes, especially that verse about the mother…”) He further added, "Abhi bhi sunta hoon toh rongte khade ho jaate hain iss line pe." (“Even now, when I listen to that line, it still gives me goosebumps.” )
Released as part of 'Kesari', "Teri Mitti became" one of the film's biggest highlights and earned widespread appreciation for its heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices of Indian soldiers . Sung by B Praak and picturised on Akshay Kumar during one of the film's most emotional sequences, the track remains a favourite among audiences years after its release.
During the interaction, Manoj opens up on the creative process that led to the song's lyrics. He explains that the composition was driven by a deeply emotional thought rather than just a cinematic requirement. According to him, he wanted to capture the emotions of a soldier making the ultimate sacrifice for the nation.
A song inspired by a soldier's last thoughts
Speaking about the idea that shaped the lyrics, Manoj recalled visualising the bravery of 21 Sikh soldiers who laid down their lives while defending a fort. That image stayed with him and became the emotional foundation of the song.
He said, "Aap zindagi roz jeete hain, tajurbe roz collect karte hain, aur jab woh situation aati hai, mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai, jab woh situation thi. Humare 21 jabaaz Sikh fauji jo ek qile ko bachate hue balidaan ho gaye, woh visual maine dekha. Aur woh visual dekhne ke baad mere dimaag mein sirf ek cheez aayi, when he takes the bullet to his chest, apne desh ke liye, and when he is bleeding to death, uske badan se khoon nikal raha hai, aakhri ke kuch lamhe bache hain, chetna shoonya hoti ja rahi hai, sab kuch doobta ja raha hai, toh aakhri ke kuch seconds mein sochta kya hoga woh?" (You live your life every day and gather experiences along the way. Then there comes a moment that stays with you forever. I still remember that moment vividly. I saw the image of our 21 brave Sikh soldiers sacrificing their lives while defending a fort. After witnessing that, only one thought came to my mind. When a soldier takes a bullet to his chest for his country, as he is bleeding to death, with only a few moments left and his consciousness slowly fading away, what must be going through his mind in those final seconds? )
He further questioned whether a soldier would regret choosing the Army or sacrificing his life. Manoj explained that his interactions with the families of armed forces personnel convinced him that pride, rather than regret, defines those final moments.
He added, "Kya uske mann mein yeh hota hoga ki fauj ki naukri kyun kar li, kuch aur kar lete? Kya uske mann mein yeh hoga ki 25,000 ke paycheck ke liye jaan dene ki kya zaroorat thi? Aur main pata nahi kitne faujiyon ke parivaar se mila hoon, woh zindagi ke aakhri lamhon mein itna proud hote hain ki yaar, marta toh har koi hai, jaan toh sabki jaani hai, meri mere desh ke liye jaa rahi hai." (“Does he ever think in his mind, ‘Why did I join the army, I should have done something else?’ Does he think, ‘Was it worth giving my life for a ₹25,000 salary?’ And I don’t know how many soldiers’ families I have met, but in those final moments of life they feel so proud, thinking that everyone dies anyway, but my life is being given for my country.” )
The thought process behind every lyric
Manoj explained that the entire song was built around imagining what a soldier might think during the final seconds of life. He said those emotions naturally shaped the lyrics that eventually became one of the film's defining moments.
He shared, "Toh yeh poora gaana iss thought process se likha gaya tha, ki woh aakhri ke jo kuch seconds hain, unmein humara fauji kya soch raha hai. Aur woh bas ek baat sochta hai, 'Ae meri zameen, afsos nahi, jo tere liye sau dard sahe. Mehfooz rahe teri aan sada, chaahe jaan meri yeh rahe na rahe.'" (“This entire song was written with that thought process in mind — what our soldier is thinking in his final few seconds. And in that moment, he only thinks one thing: ‘O my motherland, I have no regrets for bearing a hundred pains for you. May your honour always remain protected, even if my life does not survive.’” )
Host Rajeev Khandelwal admitted that Teri Mitti continues to move him every time he listens to it. He praised the emotional depth of the lyrics and revealed that a particular section of the song always leaves him teary-eyed. Reacting to Manoj's explanation, Rajeev said, "Har baar mere aansu aaye hain, woh panktiyan jab maa wali line thi usmein..." (“Every time I hear that line, it brings tears to my eyes, especially that verse about the mother…”) He further added, "Abhi bhi sunta hoon toh rongte khade ho jaate hain iss line pe." (“Even now, when I listen to that line, it still gives me goosebumps.” )
Released as part of 'Kesari', "Teri Mitti became" one of the film's biggest highlights and earned widespread appreciation for its heartfelt tribute to the sacrifices of Indian soldiers . Sung by B Praak and picturised on Akshay Kumar during one of the film's most emotional sequences, the track remains a favourite among audiences years after its release.
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