On Lata Mangeshkar’s 92nd birthday (September 28), her fans will receive a surprise gift from Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar — a song. This unreleased number, called Theek Nahi Lagta, was sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the 1990s, penned by Gulzar, and composed by Vishal. The romantic song was supposed to be for a film that Vishal-Gulzar were working on at the same time as Maachis (1996), and was to be filmed on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film eventually got shelved and the song was never released. Vishal tells us the story of how the song, which was recorded when he was just starting off in the industry, was lost and found.

In the ’90s, when Vishal was new in the industry, he started as a composer, and was working with veterans like Lata Mangeshkar and Gulzar. “Along with Maachis, I was doing another film which was also written by Gulzar saab, but the film never got made. Maachis release ho gayi, aur main busy ho gaya,” he tells us, adding that it was for this shelved film that the song was recorded. When we point out that the song reminds one of Maachis’ music album, Vishal says, “Maybe because I was in that zone at that time.”

Sharing the story behind the song, he says, “I always used to think that that song was very good. Uss zamane mein cassette hua karte thay toh kahan release karte? Baat hoti rahi ki film banegi, and before I knew it, 8-10 years had passed. Phir woh gaana kahin kho gaya. Then, around 10-12 years ago, I started looking for that song. Lata ji ne gaana bhi kam kar diya tha, so that was another reason to find that song, ki unka gaaya hua hai. Maine bahut dhundha, par woh mila nahi.”

Continuing the story after a pause, Vishal adds, “Then two-three years ago, I got a call. It was from a studio that was about to be closed, and they said, ‘Aap ke naam ka ek tape mila hai, agar aap ko lena ho toh le lijiye nahi toh humlog fenk denge.’ There were many songs in that tape, and this song was among them. I retrieved Lata ji’s voice from that song and usko contemporarise kar liya.”

About his plans for the song, he says, “We will be releasing this song on Lata ji’s birthday. Later, I will use it (in a film). Some of the musicians who have worked on this version were not even born when it was originally recorded.”

Vishal says that one of the reasons he created his label was to find old gems and contemporarise and release them. He says, “I’ve been hunting for several such songs which have been lost. One of the songs which is really close to me, which I recorded when I was just 19, was with Manas Mukherjee.”

He pauses to ask, “Do you know who Manas Mukherjee is? He is Shaan’s father. Asha ji sang that song. Then there was a duet of Lata ji and Asha ji. Since they sing very few songs now, those songs are more precious. I have been looking for it for years. Kai aise gaane hain jo kho gaye hain.”

Vishal says that he wants to retrieve those voices to contemporarise them. He says, “We have the technology to retrieve even Begum Akhtar’s voice from her recorded songs. So, technology-wise, we have come really far. How musicians and singers work has also changed over the years. Now, every musician has their own studio, but in those days, musicians had to wait for dates of studios, and then the orchestra, singer and everyone used to come together to create music. Ab hardware toh sabke paas hai lekin woh collective energy missing hai. We’ve definitely lost that spontaneity.”

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Vishal explains that even 25-26 years back, Lata Mangeshkar was not taking on many projects. When he sent her the song he didn’t know if she would agree to sing it. He recalls, “Lata ji sab ke liye gaana nahi gaati thi. First you had to send the song and then wait to hear back. I still remember when she called and said,‘Theek Nahi Lagta toh theek hi lagta hai’ (laughs!). Lata ji jab bhi phone karti hain toh hamesha ek joke sunati hain. Unke pass hamesha joke hota hai. Phir baad mein woh gaana jab release nahin hua, she would tell me, ‘Theek Nahi Lagta aaya nahi ye theek nahi hai’ (laughs!).”

He adds, “Now when I sent her the finished song, tab bhi unhone ek joke sunaya. Unko gaana bahut pasand aaya aur unhone kaha ki ise agar kisi film mein lein toh aur bhi achha hoga.”