Chhaayaageet #213 - "Mein bahut khush hoon iss recording se. Ek aur recording karte hain."
He is quite new to the playback scene. The playback opportunities these days do come through so easily. Also, his voice quality leans more towards ghazal singing. That makes it a bit challenging. The first question from everyone - Do you have something I can listen to? A private album, perhaps. It’s not like he hasn't worked on any proof points. An album is in the works, but it hasn't been released yet. Until then, he is invisible to composers all around.
There is one opportunity for playback in an artsy film. The kind of film that nobody really watches, but it still ends up winning awards. The composer is known for slow ghazal-like numbers. The same composer took a chance on him and gave him a song in his last film, which was only a year back. This current film has only one bright spot. He is singing a duet, and the female voice with him is none other than the nightingale herself.
He arrives at the recording. Nervousness is literally dripping from his face. All this is quite new to him, and he doesn’t know what to expect. He is made to stand a few feet away from the legend in the same singing booth. Outside, there is a 60-piece orchestra that the composer and his assistant are managing. The constant trepidation about whether he will sound right, they may have to redo the entire recording not once but several times, the amount of 35MM film wasted in that process. All this is bothering him.
They are able to get a few rehearsals in before the composer decides to move forward with the first take of recording.
Hearing this, the male singer’s nervousness shifts to the next gear. His heart starts thumping. A layer of sweat breaks out on his brow. It’s hard for people around him not to notice.
The female singer finally can’t hold herself back. “Aap itne nervous kyun ho? Ab to rehearsal bhi ho gayi hai. Sab theek chal raha hai.” Why are you so nervous? Even the rehearsals went well. Everything is fine.
The male singer is barely able to speak but manages to get a few words out. “Mujhe bahut ghabrahat ho rahi hai. Ye meri pehli duet recording hai aur woh bhi aapke saath.” I am really tense. This is my first duet recording and also with someone legendary like you.
The female singer cannot understand what is the big deal. “Tum to itna acchha gaate ho. Tension mat lo.” You sing so well. Don’t be tense.
The male singer is surprised. “Aapne pehle mujhe kabhi suna hai?” Where have you heard me sing before?
The female singer replies with a smile. “Yaad hai TV par woh Aarohi program aata hai, tumne uss program mein ek baar gaaya tha. Mujhe yaad hai.” You remember the program Aarohi on TV. You sang once in that program. I remember you. The male singer cannot believe it. This was something he did years back, and she still remembers that. This infuses some confidence back into him.
The recording proceeds as planned and goes well. The male singer is relieved that the whole thing is over and starts to pick up his belongings.
The female singer has been around too long and knows the composer well. “Abhi packup mat karo. Abhi ye aayenge or bolenge ek aur recording karte hain.” Don’t packup yet. He will be here soon and will ask for another recording.
The male singer is totally confused. “Ye kya keh rahi hain aap. Itni acchi recording hui hai. Mein sab ke chehre dekh raha hoon. Sab bahut khush hain.” What are you talking about? This was an amazing recording session. I see that everyone is happy and satisfied.
The female singer is not amused. “Thodi der aur ruk jao. Dekho kya hota hai.” Wait for some more time and see what happens.
The composer is known for doing multiple rehearsals followed by numerous rounds of recordings. The composer and female singer go back and have delivered several super hit numbers. She knows his expectations when it comes to a quality recording.
He walks into the singing booth with a big smile. “Wah kya gaaya hai aap dono ne. Koi jawaab nahin. Bahut acchi recording thee ye.” Wow, you both sang so well. The recording went so well. The male singer is pleased. He feels that he was right when he thought this was the final recording.
The composer continues with his praises. “Mein bahut khush hoon iss recording se. Ek aur recording karte hain.” I am really happy with this recording. Let’s do one more recording. The female singer hears that and immediately smiles back at the male singer.
Lata Mangeshkar and Talat Aziz sang the duet song Phir Chiddi Raat in the film Bazaar. The music was composed by Khayyam, and the lyrics were penned by Makhdoom Mohiuddin. The song was picturized in the film on Farooq Shaikh and Supriya Pathak.
Bazaar, directed by Sagar Sarhadi, was a poignant drama that shed light on the disturbing practice of poor Muslim girls being married off to wealthy expatriates, particularly from the Gulf. Set in Hyderabad, the film explores themes of exploitation, poverty, and the commodification of women through the tragic story of a young girl sold into marriage by her family. Sarhadi was inspired to make the film after encountering a real-life incident of an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) who came to India seeking a bride and ended up marrying a 15-year-old girl. Despite its critical acclaim and emotional impact, Bazaar was Sarhadi’s only directorial venture, as his subsequent films faced several financial and distribution challenges.
Talat Aziz was born in Hyderabad, India, into a family that deeply appreciated fine arts. His parents often hosted mehfils at their home, inviting artists like Jagjit Singh and Jan Nisar Akhtar, which greatly influenced his early exposure to music. Initially, Talat was passionate about cricket and even trained under a national coach, but later pivoted to singing. This led him to train under several ustads and eventually with the legendary Mehdi Hassan. His transition to music solidified when he moved to Mumbai, following the advice of Jagjit Singh, who became his mentor and introduced him to the industry. Talat's first major break came when he sang for the 1981 film Umrao Jaan, performing the iconic ghazal Zindagi Jab Bhi, composed by Khayyam, which marked his successful entry into Hindi films.
Khayyam was nominated for the Filmfare Best Music Director award, and Supriya Pathak won the award for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress.
Music: Khayyam
Lyrics: Makhdoom Mohiuddin
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar, Talat Aziz
*ing: Farooq Shaikh, Supriya Pathak
Director: Sagar Sarhadi
Film: Bazaar (1982)