MUMBAI: Lyricist Manoj Muntashir opened up on his journey in the film industry, stories behind some of his hit songs, his take on Kabir Singh and more at Sahitya AajTak 2019.
From Changing his name to changing his city, Manoj Muntashir has done it all for the love the writing and to keep that shayar in him heart and healthy. At Sahitya AajTak 2019, the lyricist opened up on his journey in the film industry, stories behind some of his hit songs, his take on Kabir Singh and more.
Father’s reaction when he changed his name from Manoj Shukla to Manoj Muntashir
I come from Amethi. My father is a Brahmin and a farmer. In a year, he does farming for six months and performs havans and shaadis for the rest six months. He had never heard the word Muntashir in his entire life. When I told him that I am changing my sir name to Muntashir, he asked me what I want from him. I asked for Rs 300 to buy a train ticket to Mumbai and pursue my dream of becoming a writer. He gave me Rs 700 as he was sure that I will fail and would want to return back. Now, Mumbai is my ghar, my town.
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Becoming a shayar
When I first encountered love, I was in class 12 and ‘mujhe bahut aacha khaasa ishq hua tha. Ishq aur heart break mein thoda waqt tha.’ The girl told me that her father didn’t like me. I told her, ‘Kiske Papa ko apne beti ka boyfriend pasand aaya hai.’ Tab pehle bar ek 12 class ke ladke ne aapne andar ka shayar discover kara.
How MS Dhoni’s song Kaun Tujhe came into being
One day, I was playing with my son and when I asked him who he loves the most – Mama or Papa? He said Mama. I then told him, “Kaun tujhe aise pyar karega jaise main karta hu.” Later, I used these lines for a song in MS Dhoni called Kaun Tujhe. However, our captain cool didn’t like the song. He said that he isn’t such a flamboyant personality like the song is portraying him to be. Then we decided that if not Dhoni, his girlfriend can say these lines to him. That’s how the song was made.
Teri Galiyan
Teri Galiyan was an important song. Somewhere shayari had gotten lost in songs and Teri Galiyan brought that back. It was a time when songs of Honey Singh were considered as shayari, Teri Galiyan reminded people what actual shayari is.
On Allahabad name changed to Prayagraj
It hurts because I have known Allahabad as Allahabad. It feels like somebody has changed the name of my mother. I can’t connect to it. I don’t know the reason behind the decision but till the time Allahabad ke logo mein Allahabadi maujood hai, all is well.
On Kabir Singh
Manoj has penned Kabir Singh’s hit track Kaise Hua. Speaking at the Lallantop Adda, the lyricist said that when he was being narrated the script of Kabir Singh, he could sniff trouble. “Maine jab Kabir Singh ki kahaani suni, mujhe tab hi laga ki is pe zabardast backlash honay wala hai. Aurat ka apmaan main kabhi support nahi kar sakta.” The lyricist, who is behind Kaise Hua, the chartbuster from the film, was also asked if he supported Kabir Singh the film. He replied,”I can’t support a film like Joker either. As long as you are showing a negative character – Gabbar, for example – in the film and then killing him off as justice, I am okay with it. If you are glorifying such characters, that is the problem. ‘I do not support films like Kabir Singh and Joker.’
