Tu Yaa Main: Adarsh Gourav reveals recording Jee Liya was emotionally demanding

Adarsh Gourav considers himself a performer first, an actor later. That’s why his performance in the upcoming creature thriller, Tu Yaa Main, is not limited to his dialogues or storyline alone. The actor, who plays a popular content creator in Bejoy Nambiar’s directorial venture, has lent his voice to the rap number, Jee Liya, marking his solo playback singing debut. “I don’t see music as something separate from acting. It’s deeply connected to how I understand emotions and character,” started Gourav, who is a trained Hindustani classical singer. 

To the actor, expressing his character, a rising content creator from Nalasopara, through a rap track felt honest. The track, which is almost designed like a monologue, further reinforced that feeling. “It’s not a ‘song break.’ It’s the character thinking and processing in real time,” he added. 

Adarsh Gourav performed at the Lollapalooza India 2026

Jee Liya is co-composed and produced by Aditya Narain and Chakori Dwivedi. Before recording the number in June 2025, Gourav approached the track the same way as he does a scene — he spent time mapping the emotional arc of the song. “I broke the track down like a script. Where is he emotionally at the beginning? Where does the vulnerability slip in? Once I understood that arc, the flow started making sense,” he shared, adding, “Recording this track was as emotionally demanding as shooting a scene. I wanted the voice to sound lived-in, imperfect, and real, because that’s how the character is. For me, music is not an add-on to performance; it’s another layer of storytelling.”

As with any song, breath control formed an important part of singing. Diction and speech patterns were equally important. “I paid attention to how this character would naturally speak, where he clips words, where he rushes. Rap amplifies speech patterns, so that became character work,” he explained, adding that in keeping with his role’s background, he resisted the urge to sound polished. “He isn’t trying to impress anyone. We kept takes where the voice cracked slightly, where a breath landed awkwardly. Those imperfections carry his emotions.”

The actor with Shanaya Kapoor in ‘Tu Yaa Main’ 

Going behind the mic for his role has been both terrifying and fulfilling for the actor. Quizzed on the contrasting emotions, he said, “Terrifying because you’re exposed in a different way, and it’s fulfilling because it reminded me that performance has no fixed boundaries.”

Did you know?

As a child, Adarsh Gourav had participated in ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs’, but was eliminated early on

Adarsh Gourav’s previous collabs

Bechaini with OAFF Kho gaye hum kahan with Reuel Benedict and Josh