Chhaayaageet #134 - "Is gaane mein aap orchestra na istemaal karein."
It's the 1980s. Since the mid 70s, the industry is cashing in on the angry young man. Music is playing second fiddle. In this environment, a film is launched with a new hero and heroine, and top of the charts music. Then another film with yet another pair of new hero and heroine, and blockbuster music.
Seeing this trend, the filmmaker decides he is also going to do the same. His previous film was a multi-starrer action drama with big name stars. A musical would be a nice detour. He turns to his trusted composers. They assure him that the music of the film would be timeless.
Given he is planning to have a hero and heroine who each have one film to their name, this confidence boost is much needed. The hero did not even have his name in the credits for the bit role in his first film. Even calling him an actor might be a stretch, 'cause he has no clue about acting. And the heroine has decided to pack her bags and quit acting. The first film had come to her after she had won Miss India at the age of 17. But was she cut out for this?
Still, the filmmaker pushes forward convincing the hero that he can act, and convincing the heroine to do just one more film.
"Music sitting hai kal. Tu aake dekh kaisa hota hai", the filmmaker tells the hero. There is a music sitting tomorrow. You come and watch how it is done. The hero has grown up watching all these stalwarts and their films. He is just lucky to be there.
The composer is riffing on the piano. He plays some notes again and again and it seems like a very haunting tune. It hooks them. The filmmaker and the other composer both agree that it could be the signature tune of the film, repeating at critical moments in the story.
"Lekin ye piano pe nahin chalega", the filmmaker says. But it can't work on a piano. It needs to be played on a different instrument, something the hero can play on film. The composers agree. They settle on the flute. Given the script and the hero's situation, it is an instrument he can carry with him out and about. They decide to approach the flautist maestro to play it in the recording.
"Tu flute baja sakta hai kya?", the filmmaker turns to the hero. Do you know to play the flute? He can't.
"Tu unke ghar ja aur 15 din mein seekh le", he instructs the hero. You will go to his house and learn in 15 days.
"Kya bolta hai Baba. Apun 15 din mein seekh lega?", the hero is confounded. What are you saying Baba? Can I learn this in 15 days?
"Tu ek kaam kar. Woh dekh kaise bajate hain, kaise pakadte hain flute ko. Aur tu sar se baja", the filmmaker comes up with a workaround. You do one thing. You see how he plays, how he holds the flute. And you play with your head.
"Baba, sar se matlab?", the hero is still not out of the woods. Baba, what do you mean play with my head?
"Khali sar hila flute bajane ki acting karte samay, sab ko lagega tu baja raha hai", the filmmaker instructs. You only move your head when you act with the flute in your hand, everyone will feel you are playing it.
The tune is recorded by the flautist maestro. Now the songs are being discussed.
The filmmaker remembers a singer who he had heard at another filmmaker's party. She was born in Rajasthan, but during partition her family had moved to Pakistan. Still, she comes to India now and then to perform. The filmmaker had made a mental note at that party that one day she would sing in his film, and she would sing that very same song. He had liked the song and her voice so much.
Arrangements are made to bring her from Pakistan and to record that song. The date is fixed. On the day of the recording, she arrives with an earthen pot in tow.
She looks around the recording room. An orchestra of 80 odd musicians all at the ready. She requests the composers, "Is gaane mein aap orchestra na istemaal karein. Gaane mein kam se kam music rakhein". Please don't use your orchestra in this song. Please use minimal music in this song. An unusual request. They agree.
She sits down on the floor, the earthen pot in front of her. A few mics are placed in front. She starts singing the song while playing her hands on the pot. After a few practices, they start to record.
She starts again. As she hits a high note, inadvertently the earthen pot cracks under her knuckles as she plays, and it crashes to the floor. Everyone looks at each other, thinking they are going to have to record it again. Does she have another pot? What to do?
Then they realize, the singer is still singing, unfazed. The song is over. They keep the take. She doesn't have another pot.
Subhash Ghai launched Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri in Hero (1983), music by Laxmikant Pyarelal, lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The song Lambi judaai is sung by Pakistani singer, Reshma, while the iconic flute tune is played by the maestro, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Hero was acclaimed as a blockbuster at the box-office. It eatablished Jackie Shroff as a leading actor, and Meenakshi Sheshadri went on to become a leading actress of the time. It was after Hero, that Subhash Ghai made a tradition of only casting heroines whose names started with the letter "M" (Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Mahima Chaudhary), a tradition he broke with Taal when he cast Aishwarya Rai.
The haunting flute tune became extremely popular, so much so, that ever since the film, it is said that two men show up every Sunday outside Jackie Shroff's apartment and play the flute tune, regardless of whether he is in town or not. They just come, play the tune for some time and leave. They refuse any money, or food, or any compensation of any kind. They just come, play, and leave. Every Sunday. Rain or shine.
Both Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri debuted separately. Jackie Shroff had an uncredited bit role in Dev Anand's Swami Dada (1982), while Meenakshi was launched by Manoj Kumar in Painter Babu (1983).
Reshma is a very popular Pakistani folk singer, who has won many awards and honors, including the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's third highest civilian honor. She was spotted at the age of 12 by a television producer when she was singing the song "Laal Meri" (Dama dam masta qalandar) at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. He recorded her song for Radio Pakistan and she became an instant hit.
It was at Raj Kapoor's party that Subhash Ghai saw Reshma sing Lambi judaai. In the 1980s, the Indian and Pakistani governments were allowing artists to travel across borders. In 2006, she was one of the chosen passengers of the inaugural Lahore-Amritsar bus, the first such bus service since 1947.
Enjoy a live performance of Reshma singing Lambi judaai.
Singer: Reshma
Flute: Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
*ing: Jackie Shroff, Meenakshi Sheshadri
Director: Subhash Ghai
Film: Hero (1983)