Chhaayaageet #81 - "I feel like writing a story around these songs"
He knows what, why and how music sells. He has been doing this for a long time. He had a small company that initially sold pirated Bollywood songs, prior to releasing original music. Back then, the Indian audio cassette market was small, with widespread piracy, but there was a growing demand for cassette music. Over time he established himself as a legal entity and is now known as the “Cassette King”. He has single-handedly created another market for music albums.
He is working with a new lyricist, a rookie duo composer team, and a couple of lesser-known singers. The lyricist is cranking out songs like there is no tomorrow. The composers are trying to keep up and coming up with one tune after another. Some of these are duets and some singles. The plan is to put all these songs in a music bank. As per the album producer and his music bank concept, songs are recorded, stored, and perhaps retrofitted into films if needed.
The lyricist does not want to stop here. He is interested in taking the songs further.
“We should try to put these songs in a movie. I think they will work out well.“ He makes his request to the album producer.
“Let me see. I can talk to a few producers and if they agree, then I can think of using these songs as part of the movie.” He just wants to get the lyricist off his back. He has no plans to use these songs in a movie.
They are almost done recording all of the songs in the album. One of the leading filmmakers happens to be passing by the recording studios. The lyricist and composers are busy wrapping up the final song.
The filmmaker can’t help himself but listen to the recording. “This sounds really nice. Can I hear the rest of the album?” He asks the composers.
They didn’t realize that this veteran filmmaker has been standing nearby listening to their music and now is asking to hear their composition.
“Sure, Sir. We will play the rest of the songs for you. Please sit.” The filmmaker closes his eyes and listens to all the songs one after another. The composers and lyricist are impressed that he is listening to the songs so attentively. Typically filmmakers are not known for that trait. But he is different.
“These songs, the tunes, and the lyrics are too good. I feel like writing a story around these songs.” His giddiness comes through loud and clear.
“Will it be ok if you and I work together in synergy towards a musical film in which there would be roughly about 8-9 songs I guarantee you, we together would set the nation ablaze. The music will be in every home and heart.” The lyricist seals the deal with the filmmaker.
It is decided that these songs belong to a movie. Imagine a movie being created to support a bunch of songs. But who will produce it? The unanimous decision is it should be the album producer. But who will convince him? He just wants to keep these songs in a music bank until who knows how long.
The lyricist and filmmaker decide to go to the album producer’s house to convince him to produce the film.
“NO”. His first response is a solid NO. He is not convinced that these songs should be in a movie.
The filmmaker is disappointed but not ready to give up. “If the film becomes a hit and if the songs do wonders, it will be the best thing to happen in the history of your music label.”
“I don’t think the audience will connect with the movie. The music composers are new. You are going to take fresh new actors. I don’t see a future for such a movie”, the album producer is not convinced about the best thing to happen!
“How about this? I won’t show the new hero and heroine’s faces on the poster”, the filmmaker has a creative spark.
“But what if it is still not a hit.” The album producer is coming up with every reason to not finance this film.
“Then I vow never to direct any film in the future if that happens.” Whoa! That’s a bold bet. Everything is on the line now.
The film is completed and the poster is released with both hero and heroine covering their faces with a coat. Who cares? The songs are a super hit.
Sameer Anjaan worked with Gulshan Kumar as the producer, Mahesh Bhatt as the director, and Nadeem Shravan as the composer to come up with the songs of Aashiqui. Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudwal provided the playback for all the songs in the movie. Gulshan Kumar was known as the Cassette King and went on to release several music albums. He was convinced by Mahesh Bhatt to produce Aashiqui and market it. Mahesh Bhatt believed strongly in Gulshan Kumar’s marketing powers where he could take a thousand MBA Graduates and teach them lessons in Management.
Upon release, Aashiqui received positive reviews and emerged as a commercial success. The soundtrack album was rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks". It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release. At the 36th Filmfare Awards, the film received 7 nominations and won 4 awards with a sweep in the music categories including Best Music, Best Lyrics, Best Male Playback, and Best Female Playback. The soundtrack album sold 20 million units making it the best-selling Bollywood soundtrack album of all time.
Singer: Kumar Sanu, Anuradha Paudwal
Music: Nadeem Shravan
Lyrics: Sameer Anjaan
*ing: Rahul Roy, Annu Aggarwal
Director: Mahesh Bhatt
Producer: Gulshan Kumar
Film: Ashiqui (1990)