Chhaayaageet #123 - “Now they are saying they don’t want the song anymore.”
The composer is distraught and on the verge of tears. He cannot believe his ears. He is meeting with the filmmaker and his team. They are discussing a song that has been composed for the film. It is a duet, a very peppy, energetic duet.
“We are not going to include this song in the film”, the filmmaker puts it across matter-of-factly.
“What? Why?”, the composer cannot believe what he is hearing.
Without waiting for an answer, he continues, “You had approved this song. I spent God only knows how many hours perfecting it, and my musicians arranging the music for it. We have already recorded it with both the playback singers. Why don’t you want it?”
“The hero doesn’t like it”, the filmmaker has only this for an explanation.
“Hero doesn’t like it? But you already approved. What do you mean he doesn’t like it?”, the composer continues the interrogation.
“Yes, but when we heard the tune in our earlier sitting, the hero was out of town. He listened to it yesterday after he got back. And he doesn’t want it. He thinks it does not suit his personality”, the filmmaker explains to the composer.
“Don’t worry, there are so many hit songs in this film. The music is going to be a hit”, the filmmaker tries to pacify the distraught composer.
The composer is on the verge of tears. All the hard work and time spent for what? Tunes don’t just fall out of air. Even if it feels like lightning strikes in a moment of inspiration, it comes after turning and twisting notes in all different ways. Serendipity takes practice. And once you have a tune, you have the tireless hours of effort from the lyricist, musicians, arrangers, singers all coming together to create a beautiful song.
And just like that, other people get to veto it.
The composer calls another hero, who is a dear friend of his. They have forged a bond, having worked together in many films. They are like two instruments with perfect tuning between them. They frequently get together after shoots at the end of the day in Bombelli’s restaurant in Breach Candy, where the composer would present his tunes to the hero, and the hero would “book” them. The hero would provide inputs based on his vast exposure to Western music of all kinds.
But today, this can’t wait until they get together in Bombelli’s. He finds out where the hero is shooting and shows up at the studio. The hero has one look at the composer and knows something is seriously amiss.
“Yaar I have already recorded this song, thinking they were going to shoot it soon. Now they are saying they don’t want the song anymore. It is such a beautiful song”, the composer shares his pain.
“Let me listen to it”, the hero suggests. The composer plays the fully recorded duet for the hero.
“Give this song to me. I am currently shooting a film. I will talk to the filmmaker to include the song”, the hero assures.
Next day, the hero shows up to his shoot, and impresses upon his filmmaker to include this song. The filmmaker also agrees. As days go by, one day the filmmaker tells the hero they can’t include the song. He is running into financial difficulties and this was not part of the original plan anyway.
Seven years after having recorded the song, the composer and his hero friend team up again for another film. They have a song already composed, recorded and ready.
Jaikishan, of the Shankar Jaikishan duo, composed the song Aaj kal tere mere for the film Brahmachari (1968), directed by Bhappi Sonie, produced by GP Sippy, and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri. The vocals are performed in playback by Mohammad Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur.
Shankar and Jaikishan would compose their tunes separately when they worked as a duo, except when they worked for the RK banner. Jaikishan had originally composed and recorded the song for Nasir Hussain’s Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (1961). Dev Anand felt this song did not suit his personality. And that is perhaps astute judgement on part of Dev Saab to pass on this song.
Jaikishan then took this song to Shammi Kapoor, who liked it immediately, and asked Manmohan Desai if they could include it in Badtameez (1966) which they were shooting at the time. Manmohan Desai agreed, but later reneged on it due to financial difficulties faced during the film.
Finally, this song came to be included in Brahmachari (1968), and the song came to the silver screen a good 7 years after it was recorded. The other songs of the film are all male solos by Rafi Saab. This is the only duet. During this period, Lata Mangeshkar had refused to sing with Rafi Saab. Hence the female playback in this song is sung by Suman Kalyanpur.
Brahmachari won the Filmfare awards for Best Film (GP Sippy), Best Actor (Shammi Kapoor), Best Music Director (Shankar-Jaikishan), Best Lyricist (Shailendra for Main gaoon tum so jao), Best Male Playback Singer (Mohammad Rafi for Dil ke jharonkhe mein), and Best Story (Sachin Bhowmick).
Music: Shankar Jaikishan
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Singers: Mohammad Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur
*ing: Shammi Kapoor, Mumtaz
Producer: GP Sippy
Film: Brahmachari (1968)