Chhaayaageet #79 - "Yeh pehenke mein dance kaise karoonga?"
The large crowd is in a frenzy and out of control. A police contingent has been called but they are not able to control the fans. Whose big idea is it to use this venue as the location for the shoot? It's sheer madness. They had just wanted a small crowd of extras to act as the audience. How did 20,000 people show up?
Between a few takes and cuts, a portion of the song is filmed. However, progress is very slow. The audience is cooperative whenever the camera rolls, even though they overflow out of their seats and look like they are about to jump into the arena. During takes, a section of the crowd gets rowdy after a fan is allegedly manhandled by the authorities. They start throwing things into the stadium. Now the situation is turning scary.
The leading lady is ridden with anxiety. She is newlywed and has been away from her husband for this shoot. Seeing the crowd going crazy, she is almost in tears.
"Why are you crying?", the superstar asks her.
"I want to go back to Bombay and be with my husband. I am missing him terribly", she replies.
The superstar pauses to think. Her going back to Bombay means they will have to shoot the remaining song without her. However, looks like they are not going to be able to shoot much of it today anyway.
He talks to the producer of the film. "Please have the air ticket ready for her to fly back to Bombay as soon as possible. I will manage the rest of the song by myself."
It's pack up for the day.
The superstar and the leading lady are ushered into a car amidst security trying to manage the huge crowd. However, it's pointless. The car is surrounded by fans, and unable to move an inch with a sea of people jostling around it, trying to get closer to their favorite stars.
"Sir, the car is not starting", the driver informs. From the frying pan into the fire. The car is a no-go, and getting out of the car is out of the question.
A police van is backed up right up to the car. Police officers offer to escort the superstar and the leading lady to the police van.
But then a miracle happens. The crowd, realizing that the car has broken down, lifts the car up. Imagine a car carried by a throng of people as a procession, making its way the short distance to the hotel.
With the leading lady gone back to Bombay, it is decided that they will shoot the rest of the song without her, and come back to the location and shoot it without any people in attendance.
One day the superstar is passing his time watching a Hollywood film. It's a Western comedy. He sees the leading man, playing a cowboy, wearing an interesting costume. He decides he wants a similar one for himself.
It is a jacket with tiny lights embedded all over it. He calls the producer and informs him. The costume department is given the brief to sew a number of tiny bulbs onto clothing. A few days later, the thing is ready for a tryout. It feels heavy and has a large number of wires attached to it.
"Yeh pehenke mein dance kaise karunga?" How will I dance wearing this?
And where will all the wires go and how will the whole apparatus be lit up?
The costume maker explains how the wires will be run from the jacket to the lining of the pants, around the shoes onto the floor, and eventually to an electric socket. There will be a switch in the superstar's hands that he will need to operate.
They are back at the venue to shoot the remainder of the song. No public in the audience. The empty seats are also adorned with bulbs and wired up.
The superstar is fearful and anxious to have an electric current flowing all over his clothes. One boy is stationed near the electric socket and switch.
"Mujhe dekhte rehna saara time. Agar aisa lage ki mujhe shock lag raha hai to jaldi se switch off kar dena", the superstar instructs the boy. Keep watching me at all times. If it looks like I am being electrocuted, shut the switch off immediately.
Amitabh wore the iconic costume of lights in Yaarana (1981) directed by Rakesh Kumar, with music by Rajesh Roshan, and lyrics by Anjaan. Kishore Kumar sang the dynamic number.
Neetu Singh appears in only half the song. She and Rishi Kapoor had just gotten married. She was missing Rishi Kapoor and wanted to be with him. So Amitabh arranged for her to fly back to Bombay.
Amitabh was inspired by Robert Redford's light jacket in The Electric Horseman. It was his idea to adorn a similar jacket for the rest of the song. It was also Amitabh's idea to shoot the song in the newly built Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium in Calcutta. During the second part of the song, where he wears the light costume, Amitabh skillfully managed to make the lights blink to the tune of the music.
Singer: Kishore Kumar
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Anjaan
*ing: Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh
Director: Rakesh Kumar
Film: Yaarana (1981)