Still on the beat
ANUJ KUMAR
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Rajesh Roshan unravels the mystery of his music.
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All about passion (from left) Rajesh Roshan and stills from “Kaho Na Pyar Hai” and “Julie”, two films that won him the Film Fare Award for the best music director.
‘I sailed with the course of destiny…jaisa bahav ata gaya main bahta gaya.’ This defines Rajesh Roshan who has managed to remain relevant for more than three decades in an industry where music changes with season. Kid
s jive to “Idhar Chala Kabhi Udhar Chala”, oldies still wait for FM stations to play “Chookar Mere Man Ko Kiya Tune Kya Ishara” once more and the remix herd keeps on thinking how to tinker with “My Heart is Beating” once again.
Son of the exemplary Roshan, Rajesh, seen these days as a ‘mahaguru’ on Zee TV’s “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007”, never tried to copy his father known for his exquisite quwwalis like “Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai.”
“My father used to compose in the classical mould while my style has been light music, easy but lasting. As for quwwalis, I never got such a subject to compose,” he says.
In the early ’70s when Rajesh was trying his luck in the industry, R.D. Burman, Kalyanji Anandji and Laxmikant Pyarelal were in command. “It was difficult to break in. I don’t consider that I was too talented but was certainly mad about music. To me, eating, drinking, sleeping was secondary.” And he did come up with something novel. He composed a hijra song for the very first film he did. Yes, we are talking about Mehmood’s “Kunwara Baap” and the song is the all-time hit “Saj Rahi Gali”.
“In the beginning everybody laughed about the idea but the song is so touching. Mohd. Rafi was also a little apprehensive but when Mehmoodji introduced me as the son of Roshanji, he relented. Finally, Mehmoodji picturised it so well that it became a raging success,” he relates.
Sensational score
Soon came “Julie” and Rajesh delivered a sensational score which won him his first Filmfare Award and a place in the all-time greats of Hindi film music. “It was a passionate subject that stirred my imagination. Also, at that time, India was slipping under the Western influence and my earlier generation had not been able to tap it. I had a slight advantage here. I was inspired by a number of Skeeter Davis and wanted to create a similar effect. This resulted in ‘My Heart is Beating’.”
Then Rajesh accomplished another first when he made Amitabh Bachchan sing for “Mr. Natwarlal”.
“It was a difficult decision. We had an unusual song where the hero narrates a story. Anand Bakshi, producer Vimal Kumar, Mohd. Rafi and I sat together and decided that Bachchan’s voice has the required base that will give the depth to this story-song and attract the kids. It worked.”
When directors like Basu Chatterjee started telling tales of the middle class India, Rajesh came up with songs like “Uthe Jab Sabke Kadam Ta Ra Rum Pum Pum.”
“I have always worked according to the taste of the generation and what the director has in mind and never ever delegated my responsibility to my assistants. With each and every song I am involved from its birth to execution,” says Rajesh. “These days”, he continues, “I listen a lot to my younger colleagues like A.R. Rahman, Himesh Reshammiya and Vishal Shekhar. I don’t have a condescending attitude towards their music. The moment you have it you start slipping away without you even knowing it. They have a following so there must be something in their work. I try to pick up good points.”
Best for Rakesh?
As for his longstanding association with his brother Rakesh and the charge that he reserves his best for him, Rajesh says this is a wrong perception. “It is just that among the directors I am fond of working with, only Rakesh is making successful cinema. And in the late ’90s and particularly after 2000, only the music of successful films is remembered.” He points out songs like “Ghar Se Nikalate Hi” from “Papa Kehte Hain”. “Some songs like ‘Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye’ from ‘Jurm’ are exceptions and give a good feeling.” Talking of Rakesh, he says, “He is one director who acts out the situation to me and show me some visuals that he has shot to help my imagination work. Like in ‘Idhar Chala’ he himself showed me how Hrithik will dance on screen,” he laughs. He is busy composing music for Rakesh’s next, “Krazzy 4”.
Someone who launched Lucky Ali as a playback singer in “Kaho Na Pyar Hai”, these days Rajesh is scouting talent as ‘mahaguru’ on Zee TV’s talent hunt show. “Listening to the youngsters I feel the days of soulful music are going to come back. I feel if one is not versatile, he or she should be able to sing one genre of songs soulfully. And some of the kids on the show have proved it. I think in future, film albums won’t have names of just one or two singers. Every song will have a different singer. If I have can have one regret today, that is Mohd. Rafi is not there and Lata ji is not singing much. For long, we have been getting our work done with the likes of Kavita Krishnamurthy and Alka Yagnik. I hope the wait gets over.”
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