Chhaayaageet #48 - "How can I sing this song? This doesn't go with my voice or singing personality."
The filmmaker is on a tight schedule. Already the film has been three years in the making. It's a big budget multi-starrer, big stars, big egos. It's been a nightmare just getting everyone's schedules aligned. On top of that, big name actors and actresses had dropped off the project for one reason or another, and filming had gotten delayed. Now, finally, he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Only one song is remaining to be filmed along with the climax at the end. But the song is not ready yet.
The filmmaker is in the composer's studio. The lyricist has come there with the lyrics. The filmmaker is supervising, like a teacher making sure children complete their homework.
The lyricist opens his notebook. He recites the first line. It has four words, rather, it has the same word four times. The filmmaker doesn't get it. What word is this?
"What is the meaning of this word?", he asks the lyricist. The composer is also curious.
The lyricist looks at them sheepishly. "Actually", he says, "I heard this word in another old song, and I couldn't find another rhyming word so I just thought of using it. If you really want to know the meaning, I'll have to go ask the lyricist who wrote that other song."
The filmmaker shakes his head. He is not quite sure where this is headed. He leaves the two to figure the song out, with specific instructions that shoot has been set for a certain date, and the song must be ready before then.
The lyricist and composer dutifully get the song written and set to tune. It is a duet. Two heroes singing and dancing in the villain's den, creating a distraction, while the third hero goes deep inside wherever he needs to go.
The composer has decided he is going to provide one of the male voices. He approaches a veteran singer for the other male voice.
"Saab, I want you to sing this song with me", he requests.
"How can I sing this song? This doesn't go with my voice or my singing personality. I never sing such songs", the veteran singer is shocked.
The composer persists in persuading him. The veteran singer is still hesitant.
"The pitch is a bit high. In my younger days, I would have sung this with ease. But I am not keeping good health. At my age and in this health, do you think I can sing it properly the way you want it?"
"Only you can sing it properly. You are my only choice and my only hope", the composer pleads.
The day of recording is fixed. The filmmaker is breathing down their neck. The song has to be recorded today. The composer comes down with a scratchy throat. His voice is not in its element.
"Saab, my throat doesn't feel good. But we have to complete the recording today itself", the composer explains his predicament.
"Let's record a rehearsal version and send it for shooting. Then we can record the final version later", the singer accommodates the composer's request.
They record one rehearsal. The composer is not too happy with how he has sung it, his voice sounds a little thin. But not to worry, they will send this recording to the filmmaker for his shoot to proceed. The final version will be recorded again in the studio later.
They never get to record the final version. The singer suffers an untimely heart attack and succumbs to it, leaving a big void. The rehearsal version ends up in the film.
Mohammad Rafi and RD Burman sang the duet Yamma Yamma in Shaan (1980), lyrics by Anand Bakshi, directed by Ramesh Sippy, produced by GP Sippy.
Anand Bakshi wanted a word to rhyme with "samaa" and had heard the word "yamma" in a song from the movie Chinatown, performed by Helen. The lyrics of that song were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Bakshi saab asked Majrooh saab what the word "yamma" meant. Majrooh saab told him that it didn't mean anything! It was a made-up word.
Shaan was Ramesh Sippy's blockbuster multi-starrer which he made after Sholay. While Sholay was inspired by a Western and set in a village, Sippy wanted to make Shaan in an urban setting as a Bond-inspired film. The opening credits with the song Doston se pyar kiya sung by Usha Uthup is very much Bond-esque. RD Burman's music heightens the drama. The characterization of Shakaal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) and his fortress den are based on a Bond villain. Sippy spared no expense to make the film including hiring foreign technical talent. Shaan won the Filmfare for Best Cinematographer awarded to SM Anwar. RD Burman was nominated for Best Music.
Mohammad Rafi Saab passed away in July 1980, an untimely demise that shocked his many fans. He was only 55 years old. Shaan was released in December 1980. Yamma Yamma is the only song with RD Burman and Mohammad Rafi singing together. If you listen to this song with your eyes closed, you can feel in some places how Rafi Saab has sung it differently from his normal style.
Singers: Mohammad Rafi, RD Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Music: RD Burman
*ing: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor
Director: Ramesh Sippy
Producer: GP Sippy
Film: Shaan (1980)