I was feeling so down all day. Thanks for the article Navas :)
On 1/14/08, Shah Navas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This is a old interview and was posted already. > > http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/jun/02anu.htm > > 'Why can't we be original?' > > *Rajiv Vijayakar | *June 02, 2003 > > The year 2003 sees music composer *Anu Malik* complete 25 years in the > Hindi film industry. > > [image: Anu Malik]The man who started with the B-grade *Hunterwali 77*(1978) > went on to create great music in films like > *Ek Jaan Hai Hum, Sohni Mahiwal, Mard, Sir, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Ayee, > Baazigar, Imtihaan, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Vijaypath, Akele Hum Akele Tum, > Border, Virasat, Tamanna, Biwi No > 1<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/1999/may/29biw.htm>, > Fiza <http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2000/sep/07fiza.htm>, > Aks<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/oct/13aks.htm>, > Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/may/25mujhe.htm>, > Asoka <http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/oct/24asoka.htm>, > Filhaal<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/jan/31fil1.htm>, > Khushi <http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/feb/07khushi.htm>,* *Ishq > Vishk<http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/may/09ishq.htm>, > *and many more. > > That he has been accused of stealing tunes from the West has not affected > Malik's work list. This year sees him score the music for films like Sooraj > Barjatya's *Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon*, Apoorva Lakhia's *Mumbai Se Aaya > Mere Dost*, Madhur Bhandarkar's *Aan* and J P Dutta's *LoC*, among others. > In fact, the music of the first two films has already topped the charts. > > The music director promises *Rajiv Vijayakar* that this is only the > drizzle before the sizzle. Excerpts from an interview: > > *The Rajshris have only worked with (music director) Raamlaxman in all > their films. How did you manage to take his place?* > > I have always wanted to work with the Rajshris. When his first film, *Maine > Pyar Kiya *[*in 1989, starring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree*] released, I > was floored by the film. I approached Rajbabu *-- *Sooraj's father -- for > work, even though I had made it by then. But I was told that Raamlaxman gave > them good music consistently. > > After *Hum Saath Saath Hain *[*starring Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Monish > Behl, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam*]ΒΈ I requested Sooraj > to give me a hearing at least. He told me that he was busy with a script and > that I should call him after six months. > > We met after six months. I sang a tune that seemed to make his eyes > sparkle, but he did not comment. After 10 days I lost hope as that was the > time when my sittings with Karan Johar for *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie > Gham<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2001/dec/12k3g.htm> > * and Sanjay Leela Bhansali for > *Devdas<http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/jul/08dev.htm> > * failed. > > Then one day Sooraj phoned me and said, 'Welcome to the Rajshri family!' > My first reaction was 'Yessss!' > ** > > *How was he to work with?* > > His narration of *Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon* floored me. Sooraj would kneel > for four or five hours in a yoga posture and get carried away. It was like > watching the entire film through his eyes. At the very first narration, I > interrupted him with a tune, *Aaj main hoon, aur tum ho, aur mohabbat hai. > *This was filmed on Abhishek Bachchan. Rajbabu, who was also present, said > that in 25 years, he had never seen a composer who created a tune right > there in front of him. A lot of tunes were created during the narration > itself. > > Sooraj never made me feel that he was doing me a favour by giving me the > film, nor did he ever mention his past laurels. > > *How did you choose your playback singers?[image: Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik > Roshan in MPKDH] * > > I was told in 2000 that the music, which would be released after three > years, must sound fresh. I opted for Ranjit Barot for sound design, as we > had worked fabulously on Khalid Mohamed's *Fiza*, Rakesh Mehra's *Aks*, > and Santosh Sivan's *Asoka*. The singers were my suggestions for the same > reason. I think Chitra is at par with Lataji **[*Mangeshkar*] and Ashaji [ > *Bhosle*]. When I called Chitramaa -- that's what I call her -- she became > emotional, as she had never sung for a complete Hindi film before. > > I chose KK because he had been typecast in high-pitched songs, even by me. > I wanted to make him sing romantic numbers. As for Shaan, whenever I hear > him I feel that Abhishek Bachchan is singing. Sunidhi Chauhan came in for > the passion, as she understands me in such songs. > > *Your **Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost** has a riveting score too.* > > Yes. Can you believe that the film was planned as a songless one? > > *Your first spelling change proved lucky for you. But the second change > last year brought you bad luck. Is that why you have reverted to Anu Malik? > * > > Look, a man who is down experiments. But I have realised that only your > work matters, not the spelling of your name. > > *After **Aks, Asoka** and Meghna Gulzar's **Filhaal**, you went through a > dull phase...* > > The general scene was bad. But I think my albums, Anil Kumar's *Kucch To > Hai *and S J Suryah's *Khushi*, made profits for the music companies > concerned. > ** > > *During this phase, even Subhash Ghai moved away from you.* > > It was Subhash Ghai's choice to come to me or move away. I learnt a lot > from him. But if I am grateful to him for the work we did, I am also cool > when my filmmakers move away. If they return, like Umesh Mehra and Vinod > Chopra did, it's a high. During these years, I have seen it all. I am the > only composer who refuses films. I am talented enough to compose > internationally. > ** > > *Does the success or failure of a music score make any difference to you?* > > I do not worry about the past. I move on. I am confident that God will > help me create a new tune everyday. You may not believe me, but I do not > listen to my songs more than twice or thrice after they have been recorded. > If I brood on them, I will not be able to make a new tune. > > *Tell us about your forthcoming films.* > > Farah Khan's *Main Hoon Na* has amazing and variegated music, including a > qawwali. I am also doing Pooja Bhatt's next film. J P Dutta is my all-time > favourite. The music in *LoC* beats that of his previous films, *Border*and > *Refugee*, hands down. In Vinod Chopra's *Munnabhai MBBS,* I will create > magic with Shreya Ghosal [*one of the female playback singers of Sanjay > Leela Bhansali's *Devdas]. Madhur Bhandarkar's *Aan* and Rajkumar > Santoshi's *Khakee *are not musical subjects, but the challenge lies in > composing passable music. > > Gurinder Chaddha's *Bride And Prejudice* is my first international project > and I am very excited about it. This film is a musical that moves from India > to London to Los Angeles. The songs are in Punjabi, Hindi and English. > > *You spoke about going global. What are your plans?* > > [image: Lara Dutta, Abhishek Bachchan in Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost] I want > to write for big names like Whitney Houston and The Backstreet Boys. My > song *Chhamma chhamma* was used in Baz Luhrmann's *Moulin Rouge*, though I > was not credited. I will use this and Gurinder's film as a stepping stone to > go West. > ** > > *The music industry is facing its worst-ever recession now...* > > Let me tell you why! It is not downloading, nor technology like MP3, nor > piracy. It's just bad music! Why are we still seduced by The Backstreet Boys > and Whitney Houston? Why can't we be original? Why should people pay money > to listen to poor music? The pop element and the obsession with sound and > technology is a passing phase. > ** > > *Would you like to score music for period films?* > > Given a chance, I would do a great job for a *Bajirao Mastani, > Mughal-e-Azam*, or a *Lagaan*. But my image comes in the way. People > forget my music in *Asoka*. They will only remember my *Judwaa*. Some > composers have to prove themselves all the time. I am one of them. Besides, > I wear jeans and a T-shirt and appear flamboyant. Maybe if I wear a kurta > and pyjama and sport a *teeka*, or turn elusive and work at nights, they > will come to me! > > >
