Chhaayaageet #23 - "Meri tune achhi hai, iski vaat nahin lagana."
The composer and filmmaker cannot agree about who should sing this song.
The composer wants his go-to singer, who is almost like his disciple. After all, he has composed the song with the specific singer in mind. Now the filmmaker wants someone else?
The filmmaker's choice is a singer who was once asked to leave a recording because he was seen smoking. But the filmmaker still wants him.
Naturally, the composer is not happy. But that's where we are. Each one has his preference and no one is budging.
Some other singers are considered to break the stalemate. Nope, the filmmaker is adamant, it has to be his singer. The composer's assistant intervenes. He sides with the filmmaker.
Finally, the composer relents.
"Ok fine. Send him the lyrics and the tune. I will audition him over the phone."
Audition over the phone? Why over the phone? Why not just call him? Has the composer already decided to reject the singer and just going through the motions?
Trrrring....Trrrring
"Meri tune achhi hai, iski vaat nahin lagana", the composer instructs the singer. My tune is nice, don't butcher it.
"Koshish karta hoon", the singer replies. I will try.
Then the singer proceeds to sing the song over the phone.
Such softness in his voice. It's a voice you can actually feel, very tactile.
As if you have a fine silk cloth in between your fingers and feel it slipping away.
Or the delicate texture of a peacock feather as it caresses you.
You hold your breath until the song finishes, for even the slightest breath could interrupt this very real feeling.
The composer is spellbound. He realizes the singer is perfect for this song.
But now, the composer has a suggestion of his own for the filmmaker.
When the song is filmed, the hero must sing it over the phone to the heroine.
What?
"How can the hero sing this over the phone?" Now it is the filmmaker's turn to protest.
"Why? Have you never been in love?", the composer retorts.
Jalte hain jiske liye
Teri aankhon ke diye
Dhoond laya hoon wahi
Geet mein tere liye
Jalte hain jiske liye
Bimal Roy and SD Burman pushed each other to create this masterpiece. SD had composed this tune with Mohammad Rafi in mind. However Bimal Roy wanted Talat Mahmood. Jaidev, who was SD's assistant at the time, also suggested Talat saab.
It was Naushad who saw Talat Mahmood smoking once before a recording of his song and got so furious that he decided not to work with him again. They did collaborate after 17 years.
Sujata was nominated for the Golden Palm award at the Cannes Film Festival. It also won major Filmfare awards - Best Movie (Bimal Roy), Best Director (Bimal Roy), Best Actress (Nutan), Best Story (Subodh Ghosh). Bimal Roy made socially progressive cinema handling complex issues with remarkable finesse.
Talat Mahmood's singing earned him enduring glory as the king of ghazals. He was the first singer who started the trend of world tours. He was introduced to the American audiences of the Joe Franklin show in the 80s as the "Frank Sinatra of India". In West Indies, it is said that not even boxing matches had the frenzy for tickets as Talat saab's live concert. In Karachi, 68,000 people attended his live concert, 80% of them women.
Enjoy a live recording of Talat saab performing Jalte hain jiske liye live in 1979 in BBC Studios.
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
Singer: Talat Mahmood
*ing: Sunil Dutt, Nutan
Director: Bimal Roy
Film: Sujata (1959)
References:
* Remembering Talat Mahmood, the velvet-voiced singer who was called India's Frank Sinatra by Amit Upadhyaya (The Print, 9 May 2019)
* Talatmahmood.net
* Yaaden - Talat Mahmood YouTube video
* When SD Burman thought of leaving Bollywood - Rediff