Legendary Kannada actor Rajkumar’s classic song gets a hip-hop twist

Few Kannada film songs have captured that curious relationship between time and memory like ‘If you come today’, from the 1978 spy thriller Operation Diamond Racket, starring celebrated actor Rajkumar. Composed by G.K. Venkatesh and written by Chi. Udaya Shankar, it was sung by Rajkumar.

The actor, known for his deep love for Kannada, broke convention with a song peppered with English lyrics. Resplendent in a pink vest and matching bow tie, he delivers the lines with an infectious conviction: “If you come today, it’s too early; if you come tomorrow, it’s too late... you pick the time. Tick tick tick tick tick...

darling!” The playful words, buoyant composition and Rajkumar’s spirited rendition turned the song into a cult classic. Nearly five decades later, the song continues to fascinate social-media users, amuse listeners overseas and intrigue those who dissect its bizarre English lyrics and possible meanings. Musicians, too, have found new ways to reinterpret it through remixes, hip-hop and rap.