Chhaayaageet #14 - “You will be the first non-Catholic guitar player.”
The day after his sister’s marriage, he quits his job. With no other family to support, it was the only reason to stay employed. Now it is time to pursue his dreams. Bombay Dreams. Find some work in the movies. With 600 rupees to his name, he leaves Calcutta.
Is he an actor? No. Is he a filmmaker? No. Ok.
Then, maybe he is a writer? No. Hmm. Singer? Nope.
And he is not a trained musician either? Right, he’s not. Then?
Does it matter? It’s a dream. A person possessed with one cannot be stopped.
He plays this one instrument that doesn’t quite fit in an orchestra ensemble. And he is insanely good at it. That’s his ticket to Bombay and the world of films.
It all started in Burma many years before with the Japanese fighting the British.
The Japanese need a translator. They have a few Britishers captured as POWs. He is conversant in English and Japanese, which makes him useful. The British POWs like this kid. He is fascinated by this small instrument that is popular with the Brits. They teach him how to play it.
Time flies.
He is now in Calcutta, working to support his sister. Cricket and music are favorite pastimes. He plays first division cricket with several future Ranji and Test players. Forced to make a choice between cricket and music, it is a no-brainer. Music is first love.
One day while commuting in the crowded local train in Calcutta, luckily he finds a seat. The person next to him sees this instrument in his bag.
Why don’t you play it?
Here? Now?
So what?
Yes, please do, the other passengers also chip in. Music is a welcome respite in crowded trains. They are used to beggars singing or playing this or that. If this guy can play something, that would be exponentially better.
He plays a few songs and they love it. The next day onwards, they make sure to save a seat for him. A small fan club starts forming.
Then this other day, he is at a movie theater with friends. He takes a restroom break in the interval. Casually whistling while going about his business. The person standing next to him is impressed.
Why don’t you come with me to this hangout later? We are a small group of casual music lovers that get together and enjoy a few riffs, strums, and beats.
Sure, why not?
They love this tiny instrument he plays. He plays several Bengali tunes and a few Western numbers like the Bumble Boogie. One has to listen to it to appreciate his mastery with this thing. With more fan followers and some private performances, he makes a name for himself in Calcutta music circles. That's when he starts dreaming big.
Thus the three of them come to Bombay - he, this tiny musical instrument, and his insane talent.
In Bombay, he is lucky to cross paths with a veteran Bengali music composer. At a music session, he is drawn to a dusty, broken guitar standing in one corner of the composer’s house.
“You want it? Go ahead and take it”, says the music composer1.
It needs new strings. He needs a manual. In six months, he masters the guitar. The Bengali composer hears him play and can’t help a few tears.
“You are going to create a bit of history. You will be the first non-Catholic guitar player.”
History indeed in the making.
After being in a few orchestras here and there, he finds a place in the ensemble of a young prodigy music director. A friendship develops. This gig might last forever.
One day the music director calls him over. They have to watch a scene that has been shot with no music.
It’s the magic hour, those few beautiful moments between day and night. The director has painstakingly shot the scene over 20 days just to get the lighting correct. 20 days to shoot 1 min of footage. They need to fill this scene with a tune of love.
No words. There is delicate tension between the hero and heroine, which comes from looking at each other from afar, just being aware of each other’s presence. The hero is at a distance playing an instrument. The heroine moves from one lamp to another putting out each flame. Is something brewing in his mind? What might be going through hers?
Sometimes words need a tune. Sometimes a tune needs words. And then there are times when neither needs the other.
“Pay careful attention to the timing”, the music director instructs him.
Bhanu Gupta played the Sholay harmonica tune to perfection, with RD masterfully aligning the score to match the shots in that sequence. To Ramesh Sippy’s credit, he shot this scene with no music playing in the background.
Bhanu played the guitar in the Sholay title track as part of RD's ensemble.
Bhanu also composed songs such as “Gulabi Aankhen Jo Teri Dekhi”, “Hum Ko To Yaara Teri Yaari”, and many others. When Lata heard the tune of “Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai”, she complimented RD on the beautiful tune. RD said, pointing to Bhanu, “Yeh is saale ne kiya hai” (it is this rascal’s composition).
1 Bhanu played the harmonica and guitar for several composers including Salil Chowdhury, who let him have his broken guitar.
Musician: Bhanu Gupta
Music Director: RD Burman
Director: Ramesh Sippy
Film: Sholay (1975)