Chhaayaageet #169 - "We are never going to work with them again."
The lyricist is livid. Word has reached him that the composer duo has signed a film. How could they even think of signing a film that did not have him as a lyricist? And they did not so much as even inform him that they are taking on a film without him? High treason.
The composer duo, and the pair of lyricists have been part of a close knit family for a long time, brought together by a filmmaker. They have always worked together. They have great chemistry between them which was responsible for the creation of one hit award winning soundtrack after another.
But how could the composer duo break out of the family? The lyricist gets into the car and asks the driver to drive to the other lyricist's house. Rebellion is in the air. But the lyricist needs someone to back him up. So he has decided that the two lyricists together will storm the composer duo's studio and demand an explanation.
"Come with me", he almost orders the other lyricist.
"Where?", the other lyricist doesn't understand the reason for the temper tantrum.
"Famous Studios. I will tell you everything in the car", the livid lyricist says while almost walking out the door.
The other lyricist is brought up to speed in the car. How could they? What were they thinking?
"Now we are never going to work with them again", the livid lyricist proclaims. The other lyricist doesn't know what to say. But he is willing to go along for his professional brother.
The car reaches Famous Studios. The pair of lyricists storms out of the car and into the studio. It seems the composer duo are not in the building.
"Bring me a pen and paper", the livid lyricist orders an office boy, who duly procures the artifacts.
He scribbles two lines on the paper and hands it back to the office boy.
"When they come back, I want you to read this out to them. Not just hand it over to them. Read it out aloud to them, understood?" The office boy nods his head.
The pair of lyricists reach back into the car. "We are never going to work with them again", the livid lyricist mutters seethingly. "What do they think of themselves? It's a small world. Surely they will cross paths", he keeps thinking to himself.
Word of this tiff reaches the filmmaker. He has selected each one of these pearls to string together the necklace but now it seems the pearls can't stand next to each other. They want out of the necklace.
He summons a meeting. A message is sent to all four of them, the composer duo and the pair of lyricists, to assemble at Chowpatty Beach. At the appointed time, they arrive. The filmmaker is waiting for them, standing on the beach, looking into the ocean. They assemble around him. Nobody talks. The pair of lyricists and the composer duo can't even be bothered to make eye contact.
Finally, the filmmaker speaks. "I have decided to retire. I will not be making any films anymore." The words fall on their ears with a deafening effect. They cannot believe what they are hearing. What has happened for the filmmaker to take this step? How long has he been contemplating retirement? Surely, there's so much more fuel left in his creative tank.
"Why?" they all ask in unison. The only question binding them together in this moment.
"Well, I have made films only with all of you. Now that you have decided not to work with each other, I don't see myself making any films. I don't want to work with a new team", the filmmaker says matter-of-factly.
They are embarrassed to hear they are the cause for the filmmaker to take this disturbing decision. They plead the filmmaker not to retire. He stays mum, continuing to gaze at the ocean.
Then he demands a promise, "Only if you promise me never to break off from each other."
The lyricists look at each other. Then they lock eyes with the composer duo. The livid lyricist takes the lead in making the promise.
"We promise. We will never break off from each other." Everyone joins in. The filmmaker looks at them, finally removing his gaze from the ocean. He puts his hands around all four of them enveloping everyone in a bear hug. "Until our last breaths", he tells them. They nod. The pearls in the necklace are strung back together again, even more tighter than before.
Months later a new film comes on the floor. The livid lyricist, who is no longer livid, has to write a few songs. He makes his way to Famous Studios for a sitting with the composer duo.
The lyricist has been mulling the song situation in his head. The heroine is upset with the hero. He is trying to pacify her and win her back.
"I have already composed the tune for the mukhda. I need you to write the antaras and complete the song", one of the composers tells the lyricist.
Already composed the mukhda? The lyricist wonders as he has yet to put pen to paper for this film.
"What song are you talking about? I have not written any mukhda", the lyricist seeks to clarify his confusion.
The composer pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket. On it are only two lines. The lyricist looks at those two lines and recalls scribbling them and shoving the paper into the office boy's hands. He looks up from the paper at the composer. He sees a wide smile on the composer's face. They hug it out.
Shailendra wrote the lyrics for Chhotisi ye duniya for the film Rungoli (1962), music by Shankar Jaikishan, playback by Kishore Kumar, and filmed on Kishore Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. Shailendra was furious with the composer duo when they signed on to provide music for the film College Girl but which did not have Shailendra as the lyricist. So he took Hasrat Jaipuri along with him for the showdown with the composers which did not materialize.
Upon Raj Kapoor's intervention, who threatened to quit making films without them, the team reunited. When Rungoli went on the floors, Shankar decided to use the two lines written by Shailendra as the mukhda for the song. Hasrat Jaipuri also wrote lyrics for other songs in the film.
The song is also a female solo sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The way Lata ji sings the word "pehchane" is beautiful.
Lyrics: Shailendra
Music: Shankar Jaikishan
*ing: Kishore Kumar, Vyjayanthimala
Singers: Kishore Kumar (self), Lata Mangeshkar (Vyjayanthimala)
Film: Rungoli (1962)