Chhaayaageet #35 - "Filmon mein kyun kaam karna chahte ho?"
The filmmaker is in a bit of a fix. The singer that he has in mind to sing for his new hero is out of the country doing shows. Now what to do?
The music composer suggests a name. A singer who has been in the industry for 20 odd years, is a good singer, has sung some popular songs, but he isn't the #1 singer in the industry.
Already there are rumors on the street that the filmmaker might be in financial trouble because he's making a film with a relative newcomer and not a big name hero. And now he has to compromise and give up the #1 playback singer also? The rumor mill will really go into overdrive. He thinks for a little while, but has no choice. He agrees with the music composer's suggestion.
"Mujhe kiske liye playback dena hai?" The singer wants to know which actor he has to sing for.
"Ek naya ladka hai. Mehenti hai. Honhar hai." The filmmaker responds. He's new. He is hardworking. Has potential.
"Woh to theek hai, lekin pehle mein usse milna chahoonga." The singer wants to meet this new guy first.
And so, the new actor is summarily dispatched to the singer's house for a meet and greet.
It's not so much as a meet and greet, as the actor finds out. With the initial pleasantries out of the way, the conversation becomes an interview.
"Filmon mein kyun kaam karna chahte ho?" Why do you want to act in films?
"Shuru se, jab se maine hosh sambhala hai, mein hamesha se hi actor banna chahta hoon. Aur mein chahta hoon ki hazaron laakhon log hain, mein unki seva kar sakoon." Right from the beginning, I've always wanted to act in films. And I wish that I can be of service to hundreds of thousands of people.
The singer is not impressed with this answer. "Jab se maine hosh sambhala hai" and "logon ki seva kar sakoon" all sounds too filmy. This guy is already mouthing dialogues.
"Kis tarah ki seva?" What kind of service?
"Through entertainment. Saare hindustan mein filmon ke alawa aur entertainment hai hi kya? To agar mein drop in the ocean ka bhi kaam kar sakta hoon, logon ko entertain kar sakta hoon to mere se zyada bhagyashali aur kaun hoga?" For many Indian people, aside from films, what else is there for people to entertain themselves? So if I can be even a drop in the ocean and entertain people, I would be the most fortunate person.
The singer is pleased with this response. He warms up.
"Mujhe tumse milke khushi hui. Chaay piyoge ya coffee?" I am pleased to meet you. Will you have tea or coffee?
Up until then, for about half hour, the new guy hasn't been offered even a glass of water.
Turns out, the interview was just an excuse. The singer's intent was to study this new guy, his mannerisms, his style of speaking, texture of his voice.
Fast forward, the song is recorded, and it is filmed.
When the singer sees the rushes of the first song, he feels as if he is himself singing, as if two people have become one soul.
Mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu
Aayi rut mastani kab aayegi tu
Beeti jaaye zindagani kab aayegi tu
Chali aa tu chali aa
Aradhana was not Rajesh Khanna's first film, although it was the one that put him on the map and the path to being India's "First Superstar". Rajesh Khanna's first movie was Aakhri Khat (1966) which was also India's first official entry to the Oscars in the Best Foreign Film category. At the premiere of Aradhana, nobody paid much attention to Rajesh Khanna. But at the interval, he was mobbed. A superstar was born. From that point onwards, there was no looking back.
When the trade pundits found out that Shakti Samanta was making a movie with a relative newcomer, the word on the street was that Samanta had run into financial trouble and could not afford a big name hero. Shakti Samanta wanted to make another film with Shammi Kapoor after the success of An Evening in Paris. However Shammi had put on weight and asked for some time to shed some pounds. But Shammi kept on gaining weight instead. So Shakti Samanta decided to make Aradhana in between while waiting for Shammi. Destiny had other plans.
Aradhana is the first Indian film to run successfully for more than 100 days, with four shows a day in non-Hindi speaking areas of northeastern India and southern India.
Mohammad Rafi was the first choice playback singer, as he had sung for Rajesh Khanna in his earlier few films. However he was abroad doing shows. SD Burman suggested Kishore Kumar's name to Samanta. Samanta was not sure. He thought for a few minutes, and then agreed. The rest is history.
Mere sapnon ki rani was the first song of Rajesh Khanna in Kishore Kumar's voice. Aradhana was the first movie with this combination and it became golden. Kishore Kumar's remarkable rendition of this song indeed makes one feel that it is indeed Rajesh Khanna singing. Kishore's career also took off from here and he became the #1 playback singer.
During the filming of this song, Sharmila Tagore couldn't match her dates to be in Darjeeling for the shoot. So they recorded the song over four days with only Rajesh Khanna and Sujit Kumar driving along with the train in the jeep. Sharmila's scenes were shot in Nataraj Studio later where Samanta put up a set of an identical train bogey. He had shot some back projection plates in Darjeeling, which he used to simulate the passing Darjeeling landscape showing in the windows on the other side of the train behind Sharmila. Notice how shadows move across Sharmila's shots giving the impression that she is indeed in a moving train.
The Darjeeling toy train is a historic artifact, part of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. If you are interested to learn more about the wonderful history and old photographs, do visit the Government of India's Indian Culture web site here: https://indianculture.gov.in/stories/darjeeling-himalayan-railways-passage-through-time
The same train is used in the film Parineeta (2005) for the song Kasto mazaa hai railaima, filmed on Saif Ali Khan.
Watch Kishore Kumar performing live on stage in his inimitable fun loving dramatic style.
Singer: Kishore Kumar
*ing: Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore
Music: SD Burman
Director: Shakti Samanta
Film: Aradhana (1969)