Chhaayaageet #231 - "Miyan, aap jao apni peti bajao. Yeh tumhara kaam nahin hai."
Man, you go play your harmonium. This is not your cup of tea.
In the 1940s Hindi film industry, music composers and lyricists were salaried employees under contract by production companies. They didn’t operate independently. As a result, they worked exclusively for the filmmaker who owned the production company, and collaborated with the same group of people film after film. If a filmmaker wanted the services of a music composer or lyricist, he had to negotiate the release from the production company.
That’s exactly what our filmmaker plans to do for his upcoming film. He succeeds in negotiating the services of our music composer. The composer is of some repute having given music for silver jubilee and diamond jubilee films. So the production company could not but extend the flexibility to the composer to work outside their walls.
The filmmaker and composer commence work. The composer and singer are in the midst of rehearsals for the first song. The female playback singer is also essaying the role of the heroine on screen. The rehearsals go well. The filmmaker walks in just then.
Filmmaker: “Arre bhai hum bhi to sunein kya hua.” Brother, let me also hear what has transpired.
The composer requests the singer to do another rehearsal for the filmmaker. She obliges. The composer has a set way of working. He always understands the situation in great detail. That gives him a good idea of what music to compose, what lyrics to get written, and so on. He does not tolerate interference from any filmmaker once the situation has been explained to him.
But this filmmaker has some of his own ideas and quite vocal about his suggestions.
Filmmaker: “Dekho isey do dafe kar do. Yahan music ghata do, yahan badha do.” See, this should repeat twice. Reduce the music here, increase the music there.
The composer does not like it one bit. He is working with this filmmaker for the first time. But considering the filmmaker’s stature and out of respect, the composer obliges and makes the changes the filmmaker requests.
A couple of days later, the composer decides to meet the filmmaker at the studio where filming is in progress. He needs to get the filmmaker’s approval on the second song.
Composer: “Sahab, doosra gaana taiyaar hai. Aap apni kuch zareen raay dijiye.” Sir, the second song is ready. Please give your valued opinion.
Filmmaker: “Theher jao, dekho mein shot le raha hoon. Woh tumhara gaana hi picturize kar raha hoon.” Wait, see I am taking a shot right now. I am picturizing your song.
Then the filmmaker turns to his assistants and spouts some instructions.
Filmmaker: “Fardoonji, arre woh tasveer ka frame idhar lao. Light turn around karo. Ye off karo. Solar idhar lagao.” Fardoon, bring that photo frame over here. Turn around the light. Turn this off. Bring the solar here.
The composer decides to play a prank. He interjects.
Composer: “Sahab, mein bhi jhaank ke dekh sakta hoon camere se?” Sir, may I also look through the camera and take a peek?
Filmmaker: “Haan haan bhai dekh lo. Tumhara hi gaana picturize kar raha hoon.” Yes sure take a look. I am picturizing your song.
The composer thrusts his head into the camera to look through the lens.
Composer: “Woh tasveer ka frame jo rakha hai aapne usey bayein se dahini taraf hata diya jaye to zyada behtar hai. Aur woh light off karke yeh light on ki jaye to zyada achcha hai.” It would be better to move that photo frame that you have kept from the left side to the right side. And it would be better to turn that light off and turn this light on.
There is a pin drop silence on the set. The assistants and the crew stop whatever they are doing and look at the filmmaker. They know the filmmaker to have a hot temper. They wonder from where has the composer got the guts to advise the filmmaker.
The filmmaker does not take kindly to the composer’s suggestions. He grabs the composer by the neck and yanks him away from the camera.
Filmmaker, gesturing with his fingers in the air: “Miyan, aap jao apni peti bajao. Yeh tumhara kaam nahin hai.” Man, you go play your harmonium. This is not your cup of tea.
The composer gestures aadab with his hands touching his forehead and replies: “Huzoor, yakeenan yeh mera kaam nahin hai. Mera woh kaam hai. Woh aap ka nahin hai. Aap ka yeh kaam hai.” Sir, indeed this is not my work. That (music) is my work. That is not your work. Your work is this (filming).
The filmmaker is stunned to hear this comeback. Beads of sweat line his brow. He concedes.
Filmmaker: “Achcha miyan, mein jawab doonga iska. Mein shot le lun?” Ok man, I will give you a fitting reply to this. Shall I take my shot?
The composer is perplexed, unsure how the filmmaker is going to get back.
The filmmaker focuses on taking the shot. Everyone works around in silence, doing the filmmaker’s bidding. The composer stands to the side watching the filmmaker go about his work.
After the shot is canned, the filmmaker approaches the composer.
Filmmaker: “Haan miyan, kya aap keh rahe thay ki gaana taiyaar hai?” Yes man, what were you saying that your next song is ready?
Composer: “Haan doosra gaana taiyaar hai. Aap raay dijiye apni.” Yes the second song is ready. Please give your opinion.
The filmmaker smiles back: “Nahin woh tumhara kaam hai, mera nahin hai.” No that is your work, not mine.
Naushad Ali composed the song, Jawan Hai Mohabbat, and the music for the film, Anmol Ghadi, directed by Mehboob Khan. Lyrics are written by Tanvir Naqvi. The song is sung by Noor Jehan who was also the heroine of the film. The film has 12 songs, including other popular ones such as, Awaz De Kahan Hai, Tera Khilona Toota Balak, the latter being the first hit solo song of Mohammad Rafi.
The film became a musical hit, diamond jubilee and the highest grossing film of 1946. Naushad was under contract with Kardar Studios when Mehboob Khan approached him for Anmol Ghadi.
Mehboob Khan and Naushad worked together in many films after Anmol Ghadi such as Andaz (1949, starring Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Nargis), Aan (1952, Dilip Kumar, Nimmi, Nadira), Amar (1954, Dilip Kumar, Nimmi, Madhubala), and the blockbuster hit Mother India (1957 with Nargis).
In every film, Mehboob would never attend rehearsals, or song recordings, or even step into the music room of Naushad. He would always say, “Tum jaante ho apna kaam.” You know your work. Mehboob would say, “Music mein tumhara naam aayega. Mera direction mein aayega. Tumhari zimmedari tum sambhalo. Mein apni sambhalta hoon.” The music credits will have your name. My name would come in direction. You take care of your responsibility, and I will mine.
Mehboob Khan would make sure Naushad attended every story narration so that he understood situations in great detail and digested them. But he would never enter the music room.
When he would get the music from Naushad, he would ask, “Tumne ye beech mein music kyun daala hai? Jab tum ye music bana rahey thay, tab tumhare zahan mein kya tha? Woh likh ke do mujhe.” Why have you put this piece of music in the interlude? When you were making this music, at that time what was going through your mind? Write it down for me.
And Naushad would write it down, “Jab mein music bana raha thaa to mere zahan mein ye tha ki shama jal rahi hai, usko moam pighal ke ek ek katra gir raha hai. Sitar jo wahan rakha hai mere zahan mein ye tha.” When I was making this music, I was thinking of a candle burning, with its wax falling drop by drop. The sitar I have played there reflects what I had in mind.
And Mehboob Khan would say, “Bilkul mein ye shot loonga,” Indeed I will take that shot.
Some other time, Naushad would say that he composed some piece of music with the thought of waves rippling across. And Mehboob would ask him to write everything down and tell Naushad, “Jo mujhe achcha lagega rakhoonga, nahin to apna daaloonga,” I will keep what I like, otherwise use mine.
This just shows the humility of two veterans of their craft, recognizing the other’s greatness and leaning on each other.
Music: Naushad
Lyrics: Tanvir Naqvi
Singer: Noor Jehan
*ing: Noor Jehan
Director: Mehboob Khan
Film: Anmol Ghadi (1946)