Chhaayaageet #207 - "You must create a situation for this song."
The story begins no differently than countless other stories. Young composer moves to Bombay with nothing but a flaming desire and dream to make a career in the Hindi film industry, plunging himself into all out efforts to get a foot in the door. Every day starts with a ray of hope that gets him doing the rounds from one studio to another, meeting people of real and perceived influence, and asking for a chance. The ears never tire of hearing No's in search of the elusive Yes. Every day ends with the belief that tomorrow will be different. Grit. Rinse. Repeat.
Dreams also are an unyielding, uncompromising lot. So when a filmmaker suggests the young man to become an assistant to a veteran music composer, the young man takes affront to it declaring he doesn't want to be nobody's assistant. A sign of a very clear, unfazed and determined person supremely confident of his own art.
One day Lady Luck smiles. A filmmaker decides to give our young composer his first break. He also gets to write the lyrics of the songs. He approaches a veteran playback singer to sing one of the songs. He tells the singer, "I am a composer from Calcutta wishing to come up. I have set a Bengali-music-type tune for this. You should hear it."
The veteran singer dismisses him by saying, "No need. Get ready for the recording." The composer is encouraged to hear this. A time is fixed for the next day to record the song in the studio. However, unexpectedly, the singer shows up at 9 'o'clock, even as the musicians are just getting everything ready. The composer is not sure if he should be upset or worried. The score sheets also haven't been handed over to the musicians yet. How did the singer show up this early well before the appointed time?
The singer approaches the composer, "Just sing the pallavi (first stanza) of the song for me." The composer does as instructed. After listening to the pallavi, the singer says, "Don't worry. Take your time. I will leave only after your song is recorded."
The composer is comforted by these words. The singer even cancels his other commitments to ensure the song is recorded properly. However, as things go in the industry, the film is shelved with not even a single scene being shot. The filmmaker wonders if hiring a first-time composer might not be a good omen. Grit. Rinse. Repeat.
A common friend puts a strong word on behalf of the composer to the filmmaker who finally relents. When the next film goes on the floors the filmmaker signs the composer again. Work proceeds at a good clip. This film looks like it will see the light of day. Big names are associated with it. Songs are composed. Today is the recording of one song, a duet. The hero and heroine are also in the studio to get the feel of the song before they have to film it.
The hero learns about this young man who is the music composer for this film. He learns the composer has also had a hand in the lyrics. A lot is riding on this film for the hero. He needs the film to be a hit and songs play a vital role in the outcome. The hero asks for a formal introduction and meeting with the composer. Pleasantries are exchanged.
The composer expresses his gratitude for the opportunity, adding, "Mujhe is film ke gaanon se kaafi ummeedein hain." I have high hopes from the songs of this film.
The hero asks about his background. The composer shares his struggles from the past few years trying to establish himself in the industry. "Kuch saal pehle ek film mili thi. Uske gaane record bhi kiye thay lekin film bani nahi." A few years back I had a film whose songs were also recorded but the film didn't get made. The hero, being well aware that this is quite typical, commiserates with the composer's misfortune.
The composer shares that a veteran singer had sung one of the songs. The hero is intrigued to hear the veteran singer's name. He asks if he can hear that song that didn't come on to the screen. Fortunately, the composer has the tape with him. He plays the song for the hero. The hero is stunned into silence hearing the composition and the singing.
He immediately calls the filmmaker and asks the composer to play it again. As soon as the song is over, the hero stresses that one way or another they have to get this song into their film. The filmmaker is in a quandary. There is no situation for this song. The hero doesn't take No for an answer. "You must create a situation for this song," he insists. He assures the filmmaker that people will remember this film by this song.
The filmmaker is not sure what to do. But the hero doesn't let go of things that easily. There is a sequence in the film where the hero is in prison. A fight ensues with a couple of other inmates. After the fight, they become friends and hatch a plan to escape. The hero and filmmaker decide that they will scrap the fight scene and instead have the hero sing this song, leading to the other inmates and the hero becoming friends.
Ravindra Jain wrote and composed Ghungroo ki tarah, sung by Kishore Kumar, and which became part of the film Chor Machaye Shor (1974), directed by Ashok Roy and produced by NN Sippy. The song was originally recorded for a film Yeh Silsila Pyar Ka, also an NN Sippy production, which got shelved. Chor Machaye Shor was Jain's second film as music composer, the first being Kaanch Aur Heera (1972). Chor Machaye Shor was released after Saudagar (1973) and Haathi Ke Daant (1974).
Sippy was not sure about signing Ravindra Jain again for Chor Machaye Shor, but Sanjeev Kumar insistently pleaded Jain's case to NN Sippy and that's how Jain got the chance.
Shashi Kapoor and Mumtaz were in the studio for the recording of another song, Le jayenge le jayenge. That’s when Shashi Kapoor listened to Kishore's rendition of Ghungroo ki tarah and insisted it be included in Chor Machaye Shor. The song is filmed in the prison scene with Shashi Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, and Asrani.
It is thanks to Shashi Kapoor that we get to enjoy this beautiful composition and song which otherwise would have remained hidden. Kishore da was so impressed with the lyrics and song that he used to call Jain in jest as ‘Ravindra Jain Tagore.’
The film became a superhit. Because of this, NN Sippy repeated the cast (Shashi Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, Asrani) along with Ravindra Jain in Fakira (1976) which also became a box office hit.
Chor Machaye Shor put Ravindra Jain on the map and he created one memorable score after another.
Music: Ravindra Jain
Lyrics: Ravindra Jain
Singer: Kishore Kumar
*ing: Shashi Kapoor
Director: Ashok Roy
Film: Chor Machaye Shor (1974)