My father tells me everyday, 'Bete, ghar aaja. Do din ke liye aake mujhe dekh to le'-Nadeem Saifi
7:51 AM
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; June 9, 2017)
It's been over 17 years
since Nadeem - of the famous composer duo Nadeem-Shravan - left India,
after being accused of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar's murder. Though
living in exile, first in the UK and now in the UAE, he says that he is
in tune with Bollywood's ever-changing music scenario. In a chat with
BT, the music director, who is back with Suneel Darshan's Ek Haseena Thi
Ek Deewana Tha, spoke about his life away from India, the filmmakers
who've supported him in his years of turmoil and how he would give up
anything to return home to his ailing parents. Excerpts...
You have been away from India since 2000. How do you stay abreast of the changes in the music industry?
I am passionate about music and I always make an effort to stay abreast of the developments in the industry. If you listen to the songs of films like Dabangg, you'll realise that those compositions are somewhat in the space Shravan and I had created. So, I may not be in India physically, but my style of composing has never gone out of fashion (laughs). And it's not just about composing; I watch a lot of music reality shows on Indian television, and the talent blows my mind. It inspires me to create a platform for these youngsters to build their career. As I said, I am very much in touch with what's happening.
You have been away from India since 2000. How do you stay abreast of the changes in the music industry?
I am passionate about music and I always make an effort to stay abreast of the developments in the industry. If you listen to the songs of films like Dabangg, you'll realise that those compositions are somewhat in the space Shravan and I had created. So, I may not be in India physically, but my style of composing has never gone out of fashion (laughs). And it's not just about composing; I watch a lot of music reality shows on Indian television, and the talent blows my mind. It inspires me to create a platform for these youngsters to build their career. As I said, I am very much in touch with what's happening.
What's your take on how Bollywood music has evolved over the years?
We have some very talented composers, but they don't display consistency in their work; they do one or two good films and slip into oblivion. They need to be more out there, doing multiple albums on their own. Pritam is one of the best composers in this generation, but he doesn't go beyond two-three albums a year. Baaki 200 albums ka kya hoga? Every album deserves a good composer. Also, most films have seven, eight and sometimes even 10 composers. It means that we either lack capability or we lack the confidence to do an entire album on our own.
Let's rewind. You had stopped working after leaving India. How did you start composing all over again?
I was eager to get back to work, and I found some genuine friends in the industry. I have worked hard to stay connected with my country and the audience. It has been a hard battle. I have to admit that initially, it was a task to record the songs. I had no idea of how the internet worked or how to record songs using online tools. With time, however, I became attuned to the technology.
Suneel Darshan was among the filmmakers who didn't give up on you. You've composed for nearly all his films in recent years, including his upcoming film. What is his brief to you and how much time does he give you to create the score?
When Suneelji explains a song's context to me, he reminds me of filmmakers like Raj Kapoor, who knew what they wanted their tracks to convey. I have worked with 150 filmmakers and created over 1,000 songs, but he's one person who has played a major role in my career. I have immense respect for him, he showed the courage to work with me when no one else did. I remember, he had given me a single night to come up with the score for Ek Rishtaa: The Bond Of Love (2001).
You may have been out of sight, but you are definitely not out of mind as far as the industry is concerned...
It's like my family. Rakesh Roshan and Jeetendra visited me recently. I regularly chat with Rishi Kapoor. In fact, I try and keep in touch with everyone who wants to stay in touch. Whenever someone I know from the industry travels to the UAE, they make it a point to call, and if possible, even visit me. I'm sure the only reason I don't get as many films as before is that I am not in India.
Did you miss your partner Shravan in all these years?
For me, we're still like brothers and I miss him. We were very close, but we drifted apart. It happens with so many close relationships. We couldn't help our circumstances. He was trying to build his sons' career. And when I was away, grappling with life, he took up albums and started composing on his own. Slowly, I moved on, too. Even today, we occasionally send out greetings to each other. And if an opportunity ever arises, I'd be the first one to say 'yes' to team up with him.
So, what stops you from coming back?
If I am assured absolutely no foul play, I'd run to the airport now in my pyjamas. India is my home, I have ailing parents there. My father speaks to me every single day and says, 'Bete, ghar aaja. Do din ke liye aake mujhe dekh to le.' Imagine my plight, I can't fulfill his wish. I'm broken inside, but I am a fighter and I will continue to fight. I have urged our Prime Minister Narendra Modi through several channels, saying that my innocence was proven in court. Why then do I have to go through this grind? I have nothing to hide, I was never afraid. Gulshanji (Gulshan Kumar) was my brother. I used to call him Papaji out of respect. Boney Kapoor is witness to our last meeting. I was flying out and I had requested him to procure some music for me, which he did. His demise hurts me the most. It left a void and changed the course of my life. I belong to India and I don't leave any chance to knock at any door that can bring me home. Maybe, in this lifetime, I will get to see India once more.
We have some very talented composers, but they don't display consistency in their work; they do one or two good films and slip into oblivion. They need to be more out there, doing multiple albums on their own. Pritam is one of the best composers in this generation, but he doesn't go beyond two-three albums a year. Baaki 200 albums ka kya hoga? Every album deserves a good composer. Also, most films have seven, eight and sometimes even 10 composers. It means that we either lack capability or we lack the confidence to do an entire album on our own.
Let's rewind. You had stopped working after leaving India. How did you start composing all over again?
I was eager to get back to work, and I found some genuine friends in the industry. I have worked hard to stay connected with my country and the audience. It has been a hard battle. I have to admit that initially, it was a task to record the songs. I had no idea of how the internet worked or how to record songs using online tools. With time, however, I became attuned to the technology.
Suneel Darshan was among the filmmakers who didn't give up on you. You've composed for nearly all his films in recent years, including his upcoming film. What is his brief to you and how much time does he give you to create the score?
When Suneelji explains a song's context to me, he reminds me of filmmakers like Raj Kapoor, who knew what they wanted their tracks to convey. I have worked with 150 filmmakers and created over 1,000 songs, but he's one person who has played a major role in my career. I have immense respect for him, he showed the courage to work with me when no one else did. I remember, he had given me a single night to come up with the score for Ek Rishtaa: The Bond Of Love (2001).
You may have been out of sight, but you are definitely not out of mind as far as the industry is concerned...
It's like my family. Rakesh Roshan and Jeetendra visited me recently. I regularly chat with Rishi Kapoor. In fact, I try and keep in touch with everyone who wants to stay in touch. Whenever someone I know from the industry travels to the UAE, they make it a point to call, and if possible, even visit me. I'm sure the only reason I don't get as many films as before is that I am not in India.
Did you miss your partner Shravan in all these years?
For me, we're still like brothers and I miss him. We were very close, but we drifted apart. It happens with so many close relationships. We couldn't help our circumstances. He was trying to build his sons' career. And when I was away, grappling with life, he took up albums and started composing on his own. Slowly, I moved on, too. Even today, we occasionally send out greetings to each other. And if an opportunity ever arises, I'd be the first one to say 'yes' to team up with him.
So, what stops you from coming back?
If I am assured absolutely no foul play, I'd run to the airport now in my pyjamas. India is my home, I have ailing parents there. My father speaks to me every single day and says, 'Bete, ghar aaja. Do din ke liye aake mujhe dekh to le.' Imagine my plight, I can't fulfill his wish. I'm broken inside, but I am a fighter and I will continue to fight. I have urged our Prime Minister Narendra Modi through several channels, saying that my innocence was proven in court. Why then do I have to go through this grind? I have nothing to hide, I was never afraid. Gulshanji (Gulshan Kumar) was my brother. I used to call him Papaji out of respect. Boney Kapoor is witness to our last meeting. I was flying out and I had requested him to procure some music for me, which he did. His demise hurts me the most. It left a void and changed the course of my life. I belong to India and I don't leave any chance to knock at any door that can bring me home. Maybe, in this lifetime, I will get to see India once more.
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