Chhaayaageet #82 - "Wahan jao aur heroine ki tarah daudkar yahan tak aao."
Go there and just like the heroine come running here.
HMV Studios. The male and female playback singers, music composer, filmmaker are in a sitting to discuss the song. With the pleasantries out of the way, the male singer asks the filmmaker:
"Is gaane ki situation kya hai?" What is the situation of this song?
"Hero heroine ki raah dekh raha hai. Raat ke ek baje hain lekin woh abhi tak aayee nahin hai. Aur hero ne sharaab pi rakhi hai. Aur heroine ka wait kar raha hai." The hero is waiting for the heroine to arrive. Its late at night, past 1 am. But she still hasn't come. He has had a few drinks. And he is waiting for her.
"To yeh gaana aap mujhse kyun gawa rahe hain? Maine na aaj tak sharab pee hai, na peeta hoon, main to cigarette bhi nahin peeta. Aap ye gaana kisi aur se gawaiye." Then why are you asking me to sing this song? I have never touched alcohol, I don't drink, I don't even smoke a cigarette. You should have someone else sing this song.
The filmmaker panics. Is the singer serious or is he just in a jovial mood? The filmmaker stares back at the singer, who has taken his glasses off, and put one side of the frame in his mouth. That act is a dead giveaway. Whenever the singer is in a fun mood, he does that.
The filmmaker tries to steer the conversation back on point.
"Nahin nahin, gaana to aap hi ko gaana hai." No, no. The song has to be sung only by you.
The singer looks around the room. His eyes meet the female singer. What is she doing here?
"Is gaane mein heroine ka kuch kaam hai?" Does the heroine have anything to do in this song?
"Haan, woh pehli manzil se aise bhagti hui hero se aakar milti hai", the filmmaker explains. Yes, she comes running down the first storey, and meets the hero.
The singer looks at the female singer.
"Aisa karo, tum zara wahan jao aur heroine ki tarah daudkar yahan tak aao", he requests the female singer. Why don't you go over there, and like the heroine, come running towards us.
Everyone laughs. Then he realizes, it's not a proper request to make to her. So he directs his attention back to the filmmaker.
"Aap zara wahan jaiye, aur daudkar yahan tak aaiye. Mein zara gaane ko feel karna chahta hoon", Why don't you go and run towards us like the heroine. I want to feel the song.
The female singer interjects, trying to bring some sanity back into the sitting.
"Dada, ab bahot der ho chuki hai. Mazaak band karo aur gaana record karte hain", Dada, it is quite late. Let's stop joking, and let's get this song recorded.
The male singer turns his prankster gaze at the filmmaker.
"Jab aadmi sharaab peeta hai, to khada nahin rehta, baith jaata hai, mein so ke gaaunga", When a man has enough to drink, he doesn't stand, he sits down. I will lie down and sing this song.
Lie down and sing? What is going on? Who lies down horizontally and records a song in the studio?
"Ae Bappi, ek bada sa table lekar aa", the male singer now issues an order to the music composer. Go get a long table.
A long table is found from somewhere and brought into the studio.
The male singer summarily lies down, with his head resting on his left palm, and his torso spread out on the table, the mic in his right hand. And the music starts.
Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle sang the immensely popular song, Inteha ho gayi, for Prakash Mehra's Sharaabi (1984), music by Bappi Lahiri. Kishore Kumar created a record of sorts, for being the only singer nominated in the Best Male Playback Singer Filmfare Award and all for the same film, Sharaabi. He was nominated for: Manzilein apni jagah hain, De de pyaar de, Inteha ho gayi, Log kehte hain. He won it for the soulfully rendered Manzilein. This record still stands. Bappi Lahiri won the Filmfare for Best Music Director.
Sharaabi would be the last film that Kishore Kumar sang for Amitabh Bachchan.
For the part of the song when Jaya Prada makes an entrance, Bappi Lahiri was inspired by the song Three Degrees by the band, The Runner. Give it a listen!
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle
Music: Bappi Lahiri
*ing: Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Prada
Director: Prakash Mehra
Film: Sharaabi (1984)