Chhaayaageet #280 - "Mere picture ki heroine Hema Malini ya Rekha nahin hai."
My film's heroine is neither Hema Malini nor Rekha.
The filmmaker is launching his next film. He feels drawn to a subject that challenges tradition and patriarchal authority. It is a romantic film. Songs have been composed, and rehearsals and recordings are in full swing.
Today, everyone has gathered in the studio for the rehearsal of a solo dance number that will be filmed on the heroine. She is merely 13 years of age.
The hero and the assistant director are brothers, and sons of the filmmaker. They behold their father in tremendous respect, bordering on fear. They are also in the studio today. When the filmmaker arrives, they stand up, and make way for him to take his seat in the music room, along with the composers, behind the mixing equipment.
During a break in the rehearsals, the assistant director, AD as that profession is called, shares a story from his past, of the important lesson he had been taught by the illustrious father. He points to the violinist.
“Aapko to yaad hoga yeh kissa”. You must remember this incident. The AD says to the violinist.
A similar music recording was going on. The assistant director, then a young man who just accompanied his father to sets and studios, was also there. After the recording got over, the young man had gone and sat in the car, waiting for his father to come, so that they could head home.
After some time, the filmmaker and the violinist had come out towards the car. Upon seeing the son seated comfortably in the car, the filmmaker had reminded the young man who he was, reminded him who the violinist with him was, and had told him,
“Aap gadi se utariye. Aage bus stop hai vahan se Chembur ki bus milti hai. Aap bus se ghar aayenge. Jab is gadi mein baithne ki haisiyat ho jay tab baithenge.” You will get out of the car. Just ahead is a bus stop from where you can get a bus going to Chembur. You will get on that bus and come home. When you earn the right to sit in this car, then you will sit.
The break ends. Rehearsals resume. It is a song in Raag Bhairavi. The 100-piece orchestra is bringing the song together. The composers love their musicians, but they are exacting in their demands. An instrument that comes in a little late or a little early earns a stern look from the composers towards the musician. Just a look. No words. The musician would already know he had made a mistake. But the look made it worse.
After a couple of hours, they take another break. The musicians keep their instruments aside and gather around the brothers, the hero and AD. The hero starts narrating something from his childhood. He points to the violinist again.
“Yeh kahani bhi aap ko yaad hogi.” You must remember this story as well.
“Us din Chembur mein ghar par sitting thi. Sahab upar baithe hain, aankhein band kar ke dhun sun rahe hain. Shankar Jaikishan hain, Shailendra hain, sab baithe hain. Mein kamre mein aa gaya aur gaddi par sab ke aage baith gaya.” That day the sitting was in Chembur. Sir is sitting with his eyes closed and listening to the tunes. Shankar Jaikishan are there, Shailendra is there, everyone is there. I entered the room and sat on the mattress in front of everyone.
The hero is a good storyteller.
“Sahab ne aankhein kholi aur haath uthaya. Sab ruk gaye. Mujhe bole - Mein Raj Kapoor hun, yeh Shankar hain, yeh Jaikishan hain, yeh Shailendra hain. Aapki abhi haisiyat nahin hai yahan baithne ki. Aap yahan se uthenge aur darwaaze ke paas baithenge.” Sir opened his eyes and raised his hand. Everyone stopped. He said to me - I am Raj Kapoor, this is Shankar, this is Jaikishan, this is Shaliendra. You are not deserving as yet of sitting here. You will get up and go sit near the door.
Everyone is in awe just hearing these stories of the filmmaker being a strict disciplinarian towards his children.
The break ends. Rehearsals resume. Another couple of hours go by. It is now 8pm. It has been a long day.
The filmmaker suddenly turns towards the composers. He asks:
“Arre bhai, violin kaun baja raha hai?” Who is playing the violin?
The composers beckon the violinist. The violinist bows in his waist slightly as he meets the filmmaker, saying:
“Sahab, mein baja raha hoon.” Sir, it is me playing the violin.
“Zara bajaiye,” the filmmaker requests. Please play it.
There is a solo violin piece towards the end of the song. The violinist plays it emphatically with the same gusto as he has been playing it in the rehearsals.
The filmmaker listens to it with closed eyes. When the violinist stops, he opens his eyes, and says to the violinist.
“Mere picture ki heroine Hema Malini ya Rekha nahin hai. Agar Hema Malini ya Rekha hoti to yeh piece bahot kamaal ka lagta.” My film’s heroine is neither Hema Malini nor Rekha. If it was Hema Malini or Rekha, then this piece would be wonderful.
The filmmaker continues.
“Lekin mere picture ki heroine ek teraa saal ki bachhi hai. Abhi kamsin hai. Umar mein aayi hai. To uske thumke bahot chhote lagenge. Is piece ko aap kaise baja sakte hain?” But my film’s heroine is a thirteen year old child. She is still very young. She has come of age. So her dance moves will appear quite small and delicate. How would you play this piece?
The violinist decides to play the piece very simply and delicately.
The filmmaker likes it immensely, “Wah, yeh meri zaroorat hai.” Very nice. This is what I need.
He continues, “Aapko kya aata hai woh mujhe nahin chahiye. Mere gaane ko kya chahiye woh aap is waqt mujhe de rahe hain.” I don’t want everything that you know. What you are giving me just now is what my song needs.
The violinist is dumbfounded. After an entire day of rehearsals, at 8pm, this man calls a musician aside because he cares deeply about how a 13 second solo piece sounds? Now he has a story of his own to tell the brothers.
Raj Kapoor produced and directed Prem Rog (1982), starring a 13-year old Padmini Kolhapure in the lead role, along with Rishi Kapoor. Rajiv Kapoor was the AD, and he also performed as Rishi Kapoor’s body double in some scenes.
The song Yeh Galiyan Yeh Chaubara and the music of the film are composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, with lyrics by Santosh Anand, and playback by Lata Mangeshkar.
Amar Haldipur played the violin solo that comes at 4:35 to 4:48 in the song, which you can see in this YouTube video. He also played the violin solo at the beginning of the song Dard-e-Dil in Karz (Chhaayaageet #68) and also composed music for the film, Shahenshah (Chhaayaageet #234).
Prem Rog is rated very highly as one of Raj Kapoor’s very consequential films on social themes. It came in second at the box office after Subhash Ghai’s Vidhaata, also starring Padmini Kolhapure and Shammi Kapoor.
All the songs of the film were extremely popular, including, Bhanware Ne Khilaya Phool, Main Hoon Prem Rogi, Meri Kismat Mein Tu Nahin Shayad, Mohabbat Hai Kya Cheez.
The film won Filmfare Awards in many categories: Best Director (Raj Kapoor), Best Actress (Padmini Kolhapure), Best Lyricist (Santosh Anand for Mohabbat Hai Kya Cheez), Best Editing (Raj Kapoor). It was also nominated for: Best Film (Raj Kapoor), Best Actor (Rishi Kapoor), Best Supporting Actress (Nanda), Best Story (Kamna Chandra), Best Music Director (Laxmikant Pyarelal), Best Lyricist (Ameer Qazalbash for Meri Kismat Mein To Nahin Shayad), Best Male Singer (Suresh Wadkar for Mein Hoon Prem Rogi, and Meri Kismat Mein Tu).
Padmini Kolhapure was 17 years of age when Prem Rog released, and is the youngest Filmfare Award winner in the Best Actress category. She had been doing child artist roles, but her career as an actress took off after Prem Rog.
A new version of the song, sung by Padmini Kolhapure herself.
Director: Raj Kapoor
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Violin: Amar Haldipur
Lyrics: Santosh Anand
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
*ing: Padmini Kolhapure
Film: Prem Rog (1982)