Rapper behind Akshaye Khanna’s Rahman Dakait entry in Dhurandhar: who is Flipperachi?

WEB DESK: If you listen closely right now, you’ll catch an Arabic tune on ringtones, or someone scrolling through reels and if you are chronically online you would know that it points out to Bollywood actor Akshaye Khanna’s entry in Dhurandhar as infamous Lyari gang war leader Rahman Dakait. Bahraini rapper Flipperachi is experiencing a new wave of international attention after his track Fa9la exploded in India, thanks to its use as the entry theme.

In an interview with Radio One Interactional, he talks about the song’s deeper meaning, how Bollywood discovered it, and why global love often brings recognition back home.

‘Fa9la is a vibe — it’s the switch that makes you move’

Flipperachi begins by breaking down the central question every Indian listener has had: What does Fa9la actually mean?

“The word itself is about a vibe, that switch you flip when you want to do something wild,” he explains. The song, he says, is built around turning ordinary moments into dance steps. “I make a dance out of everything. Someone gets engaged? There’s a dance for that. Someone walks in with attitude? There’s a dance for that too.”

In Fa9la, this playful energy becomes a celebration of improvisation. “I just ask my friends, ‘I’ve got a vibe going on, do the dance!’ And everyone joins in. That’s what the song is about: movement, joy and switching into that fun mode.”

Bollywood discovered the track — and kept it untouched

Although Fa9la was already released and had picked up some attention regionally, it was Bollywood that catapulted it to a global audience.

According to Flipperachi, the film’s team reached out directly. “They told us they needed the license for the song. At first, they wanted to do their own version, same beat, different vocals. But because of time issues they were like, ‘You know what, the original hits hard. Let’s keep it.’”

He credits director Dhar and Khanna for recognising the track’s power during Rahman Dakait’s comeback. “He killed that entry. The whole vibe matched perfectly. They were humble, they gave shout-outs, and that means a lot.”

The rapper hasn’t met the cast yet, but discussions are underway with Billboard teams about a possible India visit and festival appearance.

Arab hip-hop finally getting its due

Flipperachi reflects on the regional reaction to his sudden popularity in India. “People in the Gulf region sometimes wait for outside validation. When a song blows up internationally, suddenly everyone back home is like, ‘Bro! Your track is huge in India!’” he laughs.

He quotes an Urdu idiom he recently learned, dal barabar, which describes exactly that phenomenon: local work receiving heightened respect after global recognition.

“That phrase is perfect for me. India loved the song first, and now the hype has doubled back here.”

Dream collaborations with Indian artists

Asked about Indian hip-hop, Flipperachi shares a growing list of artists he wants to work with: “I’ve talked to Syahi, and I really want to collaborate with Param, she drops Punjabi bangers. And of course, Badshah, that would be huge.”

He also reveals he’s currently hooked on one of Param’s recent tracks. “Her vibe is crazy,” he says.

How Flipperachi got his name

The rapper’s stage name comes from his childhood obsession with Busta Rhymes’ Flipmode Squad. “I always wanted to be part of that group, so I called myself Flip,” he recalls. The full name “Flipparachi” evolved in the studio when his friend and mentor J Outlaw jokingly stretched it out, and it stuck.

“People call me Flip, Fliparachi — all of it works. It’s the vibe.”

India, he says, is next

Before signing off, Flipperachi expresses excitement about visiting India soon. “I’m coming to Delhi and to every city that’s vibing with Fa9la. And yes, I’ll drop by the studios too.”