As Navratri brings back the familiar sounds of garba, Falguni Pathak’s hit songs are once again finding their way onto playlists.
Actor and model Himani Shah, who featured in the singer’s 1999 music video Maine Payal Hai Chhankai, has joined the nostalgia with a playful social media post about her appearance in the iconic track.
Sharing a clip from the music video, Himani joked that she may have reached the peak of her career back then. She wrote, “I fear I already peaked,” and added in the caption, “You guys listen to Falguni Pathak during Navratri. I have receipts.”
Her post prompted a wave of nostalgic reactions from fans, with many recalling their childhood memories of the song. One user called her their “Childhood Crush”, while another wrote that mimicking Himani had been a favourite pastime both in childhood and even now. Others praised her look, with one fan commenting, “Baddie before the term was coined.”
Himani played one of the key characters in Maine Payal Hai Chhankai, a music video set around a college arts event and puppet show. The story follows a popular girl who mocks a simpler girl performing puppet shows alongside Falguni Pathak. Anita Pradhan Kharkar played the latter character, while Vivan Bhatena appeared as the male lead.
Bhatena later became a familiar face on television and appeared in films including Dangal (2016), Judwaa 2 (2017) and Raja the Great (2017).
Apart from the music video, Himani was known as an MTV India VJ and model. She also made a cameo in the 2001 film Yaadein and appeared in the 2005 film Rehle Rehle Na.