Chhaayaageet #130 - "You've done it. The song is yours."
The veteran music composer is admitted to Bombay Hospital. Amidst failing health, he is stricken by paralysis. His close friends and acquaintances are coming to the hospital to visit him. An orchestra musician and his 9 year old daughter come to the hospital one day. To them, the veteran composer is a father figure. It is a very close bond.
The girl has a very good voice. The composer asks the girl to sing something. She sings one of his songs. He listens to it with his eyes closed. When she finishes, he opens his eyes and they are filled with tears. He takes the little girl's hand in his hands.
"Mein tumhein koi achha gaana nahin gawa saka", he says to the girl, expressing regret. I couldn't get you to sing a nice song for me.
The veteran composer continues, "Magar ye tumhara bhai gawayega". But this brother of yours will have you sing for him. He points to his son as he says this. The son is also in the patient room standing to one side.
He turns to his son. "Tum issey iski zindagi ka behtareen gaana dena", the composer tells his son. You will give her one of the finest songs of her life.
"Baba, aap theek ho jao na, phir hum baat karenge", the son tries to change the topic. Baba, why don't you get well first, then we can talk.
The veteran composer recovers just enough to return home but he is now in the twilight of his life. The son makes a mental note of the promise his father tried to extract from him. Some day she will sing for me. She is still only 9 years old and in school, though.
A few years pass. The composer son, who we shall refer to as the composer for the rest of this story, is in Film Center, in the midst of the throes of recording songs for a film. It is a duet. But the lead female singer has not arrived yet. They decide to wait for her. But there's not much time. The filmmaker will be in the recording studio soon, and it will not be a good look to tell him that they haven't recorded the song yet. Nobody will say anything to the female singer, for she's the nightingale. The filmmaker's disappointment will be directed at the composer.
The composer makes a phone call. A young woman picks up the phone.
"Tumhari behen ko Film Center le aao. Ek gaana hai uske liye. Lata ji gaane wali hain, lekin woh nahin aa paayee", the composer requests the young woman. Bring your sister to Film Center. There is a song for her. Lata ji is to sing this song, but she has not been able to come.
He will get the little girl, who is about 11 years old by now, to dub the song using her dummy voice. Then they can dub it again with the nightingale. At least the film schedule will not be held up due to him.
The little girl makes her way to Film Center, chaperoned by her elder sister.
The song has two different versions in the film, one is a male solo which has been already recorded, and a duet, which we are talking about. The male singer is taking a nap on a sofa in the singer's cabin. The musicians are also taking a break since there's time to kill.
The little girl is made to listen to the male solo version for a few times. A few rehearsals are conducted. The composer does not give her any feedback. Not a single, 'sing it this way, not that way', none of that. In fact he does not say a single word through all the rehearsals. Then they move to rehearsals on the mic. Not a word of feedback from the composer.
Perhaps, somewhere at the back of his mind, he is aware of the promise made to the girl by his father, that he would give her a song she would be remembered by. It's not an easy weight to carry. Perhaps that is weighing on his subconscious.
He decides to record a take. The male singer is woken up. He looks at the little girl. What happened to the nightingale? Wasn't she going to sing the duet? He is brought up to speed.
The musicians are back in their seats. The singers take their positions in the singer's cabin. The song is completed. There is no word from the composer, no reaction. The musicians are also not putting their instruments down, nor leaving their seats. The singers don't know what's going on beyond the glass door. Did the take happen properly? Do they need to record again?
The male singer tries to boost the little girl's confidence, "Don't worry, it will be fine." She doesn't know what to say. She is among stalwarts, this wisp of a little girl, only 11 years old.
After a while, the composer comes into the singer's cabin. The male singer asks him, "What happened?"
The composer informs, "I was waiting for the filmmaker. Until he gives the ok, how can I give the ok? He came a little while back. He listened to our little singer here. And he said - 'She is singing so beautifully. This voice goes perfectly with the character in the film. Now there's no need to call anybody. Just ok this take with her."
The composer hugs the little girl. He has tears in his eyes. The weight of the world off his shoulders. “You’ve done it. This song is yours”, he tells her with pride. One of his father's last wishes fulfilled.
Sushma Shreshtha was 11 years old when she sang the duet, Tera mujhse hai, with Kishore Kumar, for the film Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), music by RD Burman, lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. The film was directed by Manmohan Desai, starring Shashi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore. It became a hit at the box office. Manmohan Desai regards this film as his best film.
This film achieved cult status in Algeria, where it is known as Janitou, for Jaane tu refrain in the song.
Sushma Shreshtha received her first and only Filmfare nomination for Best Female Playback Singer for this song. She became the youngest nominee for this award at age 11. Her father, Bholanath Shreshtha, worked as a musician with all the popular Hindi film music composers. He was highly regarded by all the composers, including SD Burman.
A young Sushma recorded her first song, Hai na bolo bolo for the film Andaz (1969). She was the first successful child singer in Hindi films. Prior to that, all child songs were sung by female singers. She continued to sing for RD Burman who gave her many memorable songs such as Ek din bik jayega mati ke mol, Yaadon ki baaraat, Teri hai zameen tera aasman and Kya hua tera waada. She also had a successful career as an adult with the name Poornima, singing popular songs like Chane ke khet mein, Tututu tutu tara, Itni shakti humein dena daata, among others, singing for some of the most popular actresses in the industry.
Sushma Shreshtha singing the song in a live performance.
Music: RD Burman
Singers: Sushma Shreshtha, Kishore Kumar
*ing: Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Director: Manmohan Desai
Film: Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973)