Chhaayaageet #145 - “Aasaan likhna bahut mushkil hai. Mushkil likhna bahut aasaan hai.”
The lyricist is sitting in his house wondering what life has in store for him. This must surely be the worst year of his life. He has just returned from Benares, fulfilling the duties a son has to perform when the father passes away. His father was an esteemed lyricist in the industry.
In such difficult times, work can provide a distraction for the mind. However, that is also not the case for our lyricist. Work has dried up. The phone hardly rings anymore. The industry is going through some turbulent times after a big film and music producer was gunned down in broad daylight. One of the music composers, who the lyricist had a great collaboration with, had come under suspicion and fled the country. They had delivered many hits together. But now all the people in the orbit of the slain music producer are looked upon as untouchables. Sadly, that includes the lyricist too. When it rains, it pours.
One day the phone rings. It is a reputed filmmaker who heads a movie studio. After exchanging pleasantries, the filmmaker asks how he has been doing.
The lyricist is completely taken aback. Even though he has experienced moderate success, it’s always a pleasant surprise when the head of a movie studio calls you directly. He responds back and provides a depressing narrative of everything that has occurred lately with him.
“Arre, aap maayus na ho. Mein ek film bana raha hoon. Pehle socha tha ki Javed Akhtar saheb lyrics likhenge par unhone mana kar diya. Iss liye aap ke paas aaya hoon.” Don’t be disappointed. I am making a new film. Initially I thought Javed Akhtar would write the lyrics but he refused. That’s why I have come to you.
The lyricist accepts the assignment that has come unsolicited. He would be a fool to turn it away, especially, when there is no other work in the pipeline. Plus, who in their right mind would refuse an offer from this filmmaker?
Back in his mind, the lyricist still wonders - Why did Javed Akhtar refuse to do this film? There must be something. He decides to call Javed saheb.
“Javed saheb, kya haal chaal hai? Suna hai aapne phalana producer ki nai film mein likhne se mana kar diya. Aisa kyun?” How are you, Javed Saheb. I heard that you refused to write the song lyrics for this filmmaker's new film. How come?
Even though Javed Akhtar is known to have a way with words, he decides not to mince them. “Bahut hi ghatiya naam chuna hai film ka. Aisa bhi naam koi rakhta hai. Ko vulgar film lagti hai. Tum bhi ye film nahin karna.” They have selected a really bad name for the film. Does anybody make a film with such a name? It sounds vulgar to me. You also don’t do this film.
The lyricist finishes the call. He is in two minds. He has no work from anyone else. Surely he is not turning down this opportunity.
The filmmaker's son is making his directorial debut in this film. The son decides to choose the same star cast from a recent hit film where he was an assistant director. He meets with the lyricist and walks him through the story of the film. It’s a typical love triangle. Music is definitely the backbone of the film. The same composers from the earlier hit film have been signed on for this one.
The lyricist starts work on the set of songs. He tackles one song after another. There is a sad song that is complicated but words flow quite naturally and surprisingly he is done writing it rather quickly. Then comes the title song. For some reason, he ends up spending way too much time on it. Several days in fact. And in the end, he ends up writing very simple words, almost like a back and forth conversation.
A meeting is set up with the composers to review the lyrics. The lyricist zips through all the songs until they reach the title song.
“Iss ke lyrics to bahut seedhe saadhe hain. Aisa lagta hai ki koi baat cheet chal rahi hai. Iss mein thode deep meaning waale words daal sakte hain?”, the composers are not very impressed with the choice of simple words for the title song. The song’s lyrics are too simple. It’s like somebody is talking. Can you add some words with deep meaning?
The lyricist has been expecting something like this. He has spent so much time on this song. It has made him think hard about himself as a lyricist and compare himself with his peers who wrote similar songs with simple words.
“Jab aasaan lafzon mein bahut badi baat karni padti hai to aapko ek poora jeevan jeena padta hai. Ye mein hi jaanta hoon iss gaane ne mera kitna waqt liya hai.” One has to live an entire lifetime in order to communicate something deep in simple words. Only I know how much time this song has taken from me. The composers look at him respectfully. They have nothing to argue.
The lyricist summarizes and ends the conversation. “Aasaan likhna bahut mushkil hai. Mushkil likhna bahut aasaan hai.” It's hard to write simple lyrics. It’s easier to write complicated lyrics.
Sameer Anjaan wrote the lyrics of the film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The film was directed by Karan Johar, and produced by Yash Johar, and the music was composed by Jatin-Lalit. The playback was provided by Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik, and filmed on Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji.
Sameer’s career as a lyricist was wildly successful when he was working closely with Nadeem-Shravan. They delivered hit music and songs for films such as Ashiqui, Sadak, Saajan, Deewana, etc. They were on a roll until 1997. That’s when Gulshan Kumar was brutally shot dead by the mafia and Nadeem was suspected to be involved in that. As a result, Nadeem fled and left the country. Without Nadeem there was no Nadeem-Shravan and as a result there was no Sameer. The business just dried up for him. He also lost his father the same year. He claims that year was the worst year of his life.
Karan Johar worked as an assistant director alongside Aditya Chopra for the mega-hit Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. When he was ready for his own debut film, he tapped into Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Jatin-Lalit from DDLJ. For the lyricist, they decided to go with Javed Akhtar but Javed Saheb had a problem with the name of the film. That’s when Yash Johar decided to approach Sameer.
Sameer had an interesting epiphany during this film. He was able to knock out the complicated songs with lesser effort, such as the sad song Tujhe Yaad Na Meri Aayi. But when it came to the title song Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, it took him a lot longer. He did remember other songs from his peer lyricists such as Hum Tumhe Chahte Hai Aise by Indeevar and Sawere Waali Gaadi Se Chale Jayenge by Shailendra. All of these are simple lyrics but the meaning behind is very deep and it takes a big part of a lyricist’s entire life experience to write these.
Sameer won Filmfare nominations for two songs in the film. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Ladki Badi Anjaani Hai. He is also a Guinness World Record holder for writing the most songs.
Lyrics: Sameer
Music: Jatin Lalit
*ing: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji
Singers: Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
Director: Karan Johar
Producer: Yash Johar
Film: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)