Chhaayaageet #63 - "Sirf iss gaane ke liye kya ab kissi aur singer ko bulayenge?"

That’s how it is nowadays. Nobody knows how it actually started. But that’s how it is. Every hero is paired with a specific singer. This is more common with male actors since with female playback, there are very few choices.

If you watch a song on TV with the sound on mute, you can correctly guess the singer based on the hero in the song. For example, imagine watching a Raj Kapoor song on TV with no sound. You can almost hear Mukesh saab's voice in the back of your mind. And if you hear a song on the radio, you can correctly guess the actor based on the singer's voice. For example, imagine a peppy number by Rafi saab coming on air, and you can visualize Shammi Kapoor dancing like no one's watching.

There is nothing different with this hero and singer pair. Their film destinies are intertwined. They have delivered many hits together. The hero is a superstar with a huge fanbase. The singer's voice suits him perfectly like hand in glove. There is an undeniable chemistry. It's magical. If the hero is cast in a film, the singer is automatically signed up. It's beyond question.

But today they are faced with a gut wrenching decision.

The composer duo have come up with a melancholy tune based on equally melancholy lyrics. The pitch of the composition is quite high. The superstar hero is at the recording studio listening to the tune. He cannot hide the worry on his face.

“Iss mein to bahut unche sur hain. Ye woh kaise gaayega?” This is a high pitch song. How is he going to sing this? He asks the composers. Did they not think about this?

One of the composers is convinced that someone else is needed. The other one is adamant about sticking with the regular singer.

"Sirf iss gaane ke liye kya ab kissi aur singer ko bulayenge?" You want to bring some other singer just for this one song?

There are six songs in the film. Five of them are to be sung by the regular singer. The opinion is split about this one song.

The hero is adamant. "Ye gaana usse nahin dekar mein hi jaanta hoon mere dil par kya beet rahi hai. Magar ye karna padega." He says, in reference to his regular singer, who is also his close friend. My heart breaks at the thought of not giving him this song. But we have to do this.

Both composers understand. Once the hero makes up his mind on something, there is no turning back. They are reminded of a similar episode that had happened earlier in the year.

That previous song was a qawwali. They had reached out to the regular singer for recording dates. He had flatly refused to sing it for his hero friend.

“Yeh to mein nahin gaaonga. Ye mera style nahin hai.” I won't sing this one. This is not my style. The composers had been taken by surprise. The composers had kept trying but to no avail.

When the hero had found out, he had decided to intervene. “Yeh kaise ho sakta hai? Mein usse baat karoonga. Wohi gaayega.” How can this be? I will talk to him. Only he will sing this song. Superstars don't take no for an answer.

After assuring the composers, the hero had gone straight to the singer's house. The singer knew why he was there. “Ye mera style nahin hai, yaar. Mein nahin gaaonga.” This is not my style, my friend. I won’t sing this song.

But the hero had prevailed upon the singer, who had ended up singing the qawwali, even though it was not his style.

Why is it so different today? Why does he not want his regular singer to sing this song? What if the pitch is high? It's not that difficult.

The hero convinces the composers. "Iss gaane aur uss gaane mein bahut fark hai. Mujh par vishwas rakho. Mein jaanta hoon mein kya kar raha hoon." There is a big difference between that song and this song. Believe me. I know what I am doing.

The composers finally agree and go with a different singer based on their hero's alternative suggestion.

The song is a super hit and brings tears to everyone in the audience.

Mohammed Rafi sang the song Nafrat ki duniya for Rajesh Khanna in the film Haathi Mere Saathi, music by Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Rajesh Khanna and Kishore Kumar were a regular pair in the film industry and very rarely you would have someone else provide playback for Rajesh Khanna. All the remaining songs of Haathi Mere Saathi were sung by Kishore Kumar.

On its 40th anniversary on 5 May 2011, Pyarelal recalled, "Laxmi (Laxmikant) and Devar got along fabulously well! Devar (producer) had an innate music sense and a feel for rhythm, and he loved our title-track. But the tussle came up over the sad song, Nafrat ki duniya, which was the only song sung by (Mohammed) Rafi saab in the film. I recall voicing my doubts. But Laxmi, the director and Rajesh Khanna were staunchly in favour of keeping that song. And the audience cried with the song and Anand Bakshi saab's lyrics."

The previous song where Rajesh Khanna was adamant to have Kishore Kumar sing the qawwali was Waada tera waada from the film Dushman. Kishore did not believe that he could sing a qawwali song but Rajesh Khanna had a strong conviction that he could not only do it but excel in his performance. The result was a foot-tapping qawwali number that would be played at dance parties.

Rajesh Khanna was a superstar that everyone knew for his acting but few knew him for his inclination to music and choice of the right singer for the right song.

Song: Nafrat ki duniya
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Singer: Mohammed Rafi
*ing: Rajesh Khanna
Film: Haathi Mere Saathi (1971)

Song: Waada tera waada
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Singer: Kishore Kumar
*ing: Rajesh Khanna
Film: Dushman (1971)