MUMBAI: The Hindi film music industry is a strange beast. RJs have turned actors and composers are excellent cooks too. If your jaw has not dropped already, here are a few more facts stranger than fiction that make up this industry.
Lata Mangeshkar’s song ‘Ae Malik Tere Bande Hum’ from Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957) which was an original composition by Vasant Desai became such a rage that it was adapted by a Pakistani school as its school anthem.
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As the cinema industry was still considered a lowly profession in the 1940s, music director Naushad was introduced by his parents to his bride as a tailor. And ironically, the music that played in his ‘baraat’ was from Rattan (1944) – that had been composed by him.
Music director Madan Mohan, who was a very good cook, bribed Manna Dey with bhindi to make him sing one of his compositions, ‘Kaun Aaya Mere Mann Dware’ in Dekh Kabir Roya (1957).
Sunil Dutt used to be an RJ for Radio Ceylon and wanted to interview his favourite actress Nargis, but it had to be cancelled when he could not say a single word to her, he was that tongue tied. Later, when he worked with her in ‘Mother India’ (1957), they fell in love and got married.
The Khalnayak (1993) song ‘Choli Ke Peeche’ was protested against by at least 42 political parties.
In the songs ‘Dil Ne Yeh Kaha Hain‘from ‘Dhadkan (2000), title song of Deewane (2000) and ‘Neend Churayi Meri‘ from Ishq (1997) we see the coming together of arch rivals Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan.
The only time in the history of any Indian award, when the best female playback singer award was shared – was between Ila Arun and Alka Yagnik for ‘Choli Ke Peeche’ in Khalnayak (1993)
The song ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ in the film by the same name is the longest Hindi film song. The length of the song is 20 minutes and the song is featured in three instalments in the film.
‘Mere Khwaboon Mein Jo Aaye’ was the first song to be recorded for Dil Wale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995). Aditya Chopra rejected 24 verses by Anand Bakshi before approving the final one.
It was only in 2001 that Bollywood films started recording sound on location. Earlier, they were re-created in the studio.
In 1997, Asha Bhosle became the first Indian singer to be nominated for the Grammy Award, for ‘Legacy’, an album she made with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Udit Narayan Jha, popularly kown as Udit Narayan, a multi talented playback singer started his career with a brief stint with Nepal Radio. He used to sing Maithili, Nepali and Bhojpuri songs during the 1970s. He also acted in Nepali films ‘Kusume Rumal’ and ‘Pirati’. Udit Narayan has sung more than 15,000 songs in more than 30 different languages in more than 500 Hindi films.
The song ‘Masti Ki Paathshala’ from Rang De Basanti (2006) was quite a hit. When A R Rahman was handed the lyrics of the song, he was clueless as to how to set it to music. Just then, director Rakesh Mehra cleared his throat. “Uh-huhh-huhh”. And that is how the song starts!
During his career, Kishore Kumar has donned several hats like playback singer, actor, lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenplay writer and scriptwriter. His refusal to endorse the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi‘s 20-point programme resulted in him being banned from All India Radio and Vividh Bharati during the 1975-1977 Emergency period.
