Chhaayaageet #262 - “Ye bees seediyan chadhne ke liye, mujhe bees saal lag gaye.”
It took me 20 years to climb these 20 steps.
39th Filmfare Awards, 1994
The lights at the Filmfare stage are blinding. The composer is slowly climbing the steps. One after another. Ok, so this is how the audience looks like from the other side when you stand on the podium. The composer accepts the award, turns around, and reaches for the microphone. He is soaking in the moment. This has been quite a journey.
“Ye bees seediyan chadhne ke liye, mujhe bees saal lag gaye.” It took me 20 years to climb these 20 steps.
Twenty steps. Twenty years.
The applause begins, but he is no longer there. He drifts back to the evening it all began.
Juhu Beach, 1992
The Silver Disc function at the Juhu Centaur Hotel is winding down. All the music greats are there, and the best among them are being felicitated. The composer stands at the edge of the room, watching. He is newly married. His father, the great composer at one point, is now without work. Legacy does not pay bills. The composer has done some great work in the past, but the music in the 90s is very different. It is a dry spell for him.
He notices one of the producers is walking towards him. Not just a producer but also a music mogul. He puts his hand on the composer’s shoulder and begins to speak. He has a new film in the works. A new male and female actor. A thriller. A bit dark with the lead actor being the antihero. Unlike anything Bollywood has seen.
“Kya meri film ka music doge?” the producer asks. Will you compose music for my film?
The composer has a puzzled look. He has enough connections in the industry to know that there is already a composer selected. In fact, they are the hottest duo composers of that era. One hit after another.
“Maine suna hai ki aapne kissi aur music director ko sign kar liya hai.” I have heard that you have signed someone else as a composer. The composer wants to confirm before he says yes or no.
The producer is expecting this question. “Haan, kiya to tha par unke saath kuch jama nahin. Ye film thodi hatkar hai aur tumhare jaisa hi koi composer chhaiye.” Yes, we did sign someone, but it didn’t work out. This is a different kind of film, and we need a composer like you.
“Theek hai. Aisi baat hai to main tayyar hoon.” If that’s the case then I am ready. The composer wants to hide his giddiness. It’s been so long since he has done any meaningful work, and now this opportunity, and that too working with this music mogul.
The composer decides to leave and break the news to his wife quickly. He looks at the front gate of the hotel, and there is quite a big crowd there. That reminds him of the traffic on Juhu Tara Road at this hour. His apartment is just 20 minutes away. But can you even get an auto at this time, and how long will it take him? He looks on the other side. Just a wall and a beach behind. He could just run along the beach. He decides to do that. A quick jump over the wall. He lands on the sand.
The Arabian Sea is spread out before him. The night wind hits his face. He starts walking, almost running, towards home. The title of the film has been bothering him a bit. There will be a need for a title song composition. He assumes. But the word. It has three syllables. Not friendly enough for a melody.
He begins playing in his head. Not a melody yet. Just the word. A single word in a rhythmic form. He says it in different tones. Another part of his brain is playing the dholak or the virtual beats as he mutters the word. Slowly, the melody starts taking shape. He is humming now, loudly, not caring who hears him on this empty beach. He is composing a song while running on the beach for a film story he has not yet read, for an actor and actress he has barely met.
He reaches home. His wife opens the door. Before she can speak, he says, “Ek nayi film mili hai.” I just got a new film.
He can’t even look at her straight, his eyes hunting for the harmonium. Finally, he sees it. The maid must have moved it from its regular spot while cleaning. He sits down and begins to play.
A few days later, the composer sits across from the producer and the duo-directors. He plays them the composition. The same melody that came to him on the beach.
The two directors exchange a look. The kind of look that passes between two people who have been working together long enough to speak without words. The producer says nothing for a moment. And then he smiles. He knows he did the right thing.
39th Filmfare Awards, 1994
The applause dies down. The composer looks content. He is on top of the world.
Anu Malik composed the song Baazigar O Baazigar and the rest of the songs for the film Baazigar. The film was produced by Ratan Jain and directed by Abbas-Mustan. The lyrics were penned by Nawab Arzoo. The playback was provided by Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu. The song was picturized on Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.
Deepak Tijori initially proposed to Abbas-Mustan to make a Hindi remake of the English film A Kiss Before Dying. He had hopes that they would cast him, but Abbas-Mustan had other ideas. Abbas-Mustan went to every big hero of the time - Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar, but all said no. They couldn’t risk their hero or romantic images. They narrated the story to Shah Rukh Khan and expected him to come back after a few days, but he agreed immediately.
Initially, Nadeem-Shravan were brought in as the composer after their big hits with Ashiqui, Saajan, and Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin. But they had an issue about doing this film with Kajol due to some prior differences. Abbas-Mustan had already decided on Kajol, so instead they decided to replace the composer. This is where Ratan Jain, one of the founders of Venus Music, who was also the producer of the film, reached out to Anu Malik.
Anu Malik’s career was going up and down like a roller coaster, and at that point was at its lowest point. He was struggling to get films as a composer due to the popularity of the new style of music that Nadeem-Shravan and Anand-Milind were able to deliver.
The mukhda of the song Baazigar O Baazigar was composed while Anu Malik was walking back home through the beach route. He had an issue with the word Baazigar since it was hard to use as a word in a melodies but managed to come up with a composition that enthralled both Abbas-Mustan and Ratan Jain.
Anu Malik won his first Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Baazigar.
This is Alka Yagnik and Kumar Sanu singing the song in a live concert.
Lyrics: Nawaab Arzoo
Music: Anu Malik
*ing: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol
Singers: Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu
Director: Abbas-Mustan
Producer: Ratan Jain
Film: Baazigar (1993)