Chhaayaageet #19 - "If you don't sing with high energy, they are going to remove the song, you, and even us from the film."
The recording studio is in Fort, the upscale part of south Bombay. It's quite a haul, especially in Bombay traffic, if you have to get there from the northern suburbs.
An hour ago, the singer said he was "just ten minutes away." Abhi dus minute mein pahunchta hoon. If you know Bombay traffic, you know what that means.
"Ten minutes" have come and gone many times over.
The singer was supposed to be here at 2pm. It's already past 3pm now. What's going on? They are all waiting for the singer to show up.
The veteran filmmaker, acknowledged as one of the greatest romantic filmmakers of the land. He's a perfectionist. He knows every passing minute adds cost. You have to pay the studio, staff, musicians, for every minute longer than they need to be there.
The entire production team is also waiting to see the song getting recorded. The music composers, who are brothers, and their music arranger, and orchestra of musicians, all waiting.
This is the first film the music composers are signed to do for this filmmaker. They are excited at the opportunity. Only if the singer would show up.
It's 4pm now. 2 hours late. No sign of the singer.
"Where are you? All of us are waiting", the music composer calls the singer on the phone.
"I am almost there". Bas, pahunch hi raha hoon. We all know what that means too.
Two more hours go by. It's nearly 6pm now. The filmmaker is really upset.
"Yaar, where are you?", the composer calls again.
"I am downstairs in the building, waiting for the elevator."
Finally he shows up, 4 hours late. The atmosphere is tense.
"Kya yaar, you crossed all limits today." Hadd kar di yaar aaj tumne.
"I am sorry yaar, you know how it is in Bombay traffic."
A little back and forth happens. Words are said. Displeasure voiced. Excuses, excuses. Unacceptable.
Ok, let's get going now. A quick rehearsal, and let's record.
The singer takes the mic, but he just can't sing properly. This worsens everyone's mood even further.
It's flat. There is no energy. Perhaps the long commute and the traffic have drained the singer of every ounce of energy he has.
The filmmaker wonders that they should just get a different singer.
"Let me talk with him", the composer attempts to pacify the filmmaker.
The music composer takes the singer to the side.
"Look, this is a high stakes situation. You know this is our first film for him too. This song is very energetic. If you don't sing it with high energy, they are going to remove the song, you, and even us from the film."
Dire warning.
The composer explains the situation of the song again.
"The hero is pretending that he doesn't know anything about music. He makes a fool of himself when he plays the piano. The heroine is not impressed, she is anyway upset with him. Then he starts playing a soft tune on the piano, gets up on the floor and knocks the socks off everyone with his passionate and energetic song and dance. You *have* to bring that electric energy into your singing."
"Ok give me a few minutes please."
The singer locks himself in a room. He is nervous, scared, stressed all at once. It's a high stakes pressure situation. Experts advise that when you are under pressure, listen to music. It reduces anxiety, calms the nerves, and you can perform well under stress. But what if you have to create music under stress?
He comes out of the room, and walks up to the filmmaker.
"Please give me one last chance", he pleads. The filmmaker kindly agrees.
And then the way he sings that song, he knocks the socks off everyone in that recording room. The long song with three antaras is recorded in one take. The composer wraps him up in a big hug.
Ruk ja o dil deewane
Poochoon to mein zara
Ladki hai ya hai jaadu
Khushboo hai ya nasha
Yash Chopra was kind enough to give Udit Narayan one chance, and Udit Narayan did not let him down.
Asha Bhosale recommended Jatin-Lalit to Yash Chopra. He signed them for DDLJ after they sang Mehndi laga ke rakhna for him.
The piano before the song is played by none other than Aditya Chopra himself, who directed DDLJ.
At the end of the song, Shah Rukh Khan drops Kajol. Aditya Chopra did not tell Kajol that she was going to be dropped. He wanted to get her genuine reaction. This was the only song that Farah Khan choreographed in the film.
After the film was made, Aditya Chopra saw the first cut, and told Yash Chopra, "This is my Deewar." And boy was he right!
DDLJ swept the Filmfares at the 41st Filmfare awards - Best Film (Yash Chopra), Best Director (Aditya Chopra), Best Actor (SRK), Best Actress (Kajol), Best Supporting Actress (Farida Jalal), Best Performance in a Comic Role (Anupam Kher), Best Lyricist (Anand Bakshi for Tujhe dekha to), Best Screenplay (Aditya Chopra), Best Dialogue (Aditya Chopra, Javed Siddiqui), Best Male Playback Singer (Udit Narayan for Mehndi laga ke rakhna), Best Supporting Actor (Amrish Puri), Best Music Director (Jatin-Lalit).
Music: Jatin-Lalit
Singer: Udit Narayan
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Director: Aditya Chopra
Producer: Yash Chopra
Film: Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995)