Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 30, 2020)

On Sunday, June 28, Subhash Ghai rang in the 40th anniversary of Karz, tweeting that his first production had released in 1980 amid heavy rains. “We were looking 4 audience to come. Very few came. Disappointed.”

This confession from the showman about the film that he also directed, came as a surprise, because given the popularity of the chartbuster “Om Shanti Om”, one had always believed that Karz was a blockbuster. “Yeah, everyone believes that,” Subhash ji acknowledged, sighing that the downpour had washed away all their expectations. “Or maybe, as many of my distributors and exhibitors pointed out, the film came 10 years before its time.”

Conceived in the filmmaker’s living room of his two-bedroom apartment, which served as his office, he had ambitiously shot the entire film in cinemascope. But at the time of release, several distributors from Bengal, UP and other centres turned it down pointing out that out of the 200-odd theatres then, only 10 were equipped for cinemascope. “So, I had to spend more money converting it into a 35-mm print. Dejected, I hosted a preview show for some industry friends, among them Jeetendra and Salim Khan, who enjoyed the film but expressed doubts about whether it would be widely accepted given its subject and treatment.”

On Friday, June 27, 1980, Subhash ji and his assistant directors arrived at Bandra’s Galaxy cinema half an hour before the 3 pm show, expecting huge crowds. There were only a handful of people at the ticket window while Feroz Khan’s Qurbani, which had released a week earlier, ran to full houses. “We opened with 20 per cent collections,” he reminisces.

It got worse the next day, when his Delhi distributor admitted that the masses were not coming in as the characters were too urban and spoke more angrezi than comprehensible. The biggest shock came when the manager of a Uttar Pradesh theatre shared that people were walking out during the songs, even “Om Shanti Om”, put off by the psychedelic lights.

“It’s a good film, but people can’t understand why Rishi Kapoor needs to avenge Raj Kiran’s death. We know Monty is Ravi Verma reborn, but till now, in all Hindi reincarnation dramas, the hero returned with the same face. By going with another actor in the next life, you have merely compounded the confusion of rebirth,” he was told.

Subhash ji had tried calling his ‘hero’ on Friday and Saturday, but Rishi Kapoor didn’t answer the phone. “On Sunday, I learnt that he had been admitted to the hospital for depression. He had worked hard on every scene and was so proud of the film, requesting several preview shows for his friends before its release. The no-show came as a shock and I had to get Raj saab (his father Raj Kapoor) to reassure him that we’d made a good film irrespective of its commercial failure,” he flashbacked.

Collections picked up marginally on Sunday in cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad and many more after the Qurbani craze abated. But Subhash ji himself admits with refreshing candour that by 10-15 weeks, Karz’s run was over. “We stretched its life span in certain theatres so it could celebrate a silver jubilee, but paisa kuchh nahin banaye. It was Vidhaata with Dilip Kumar and Sanjay Dutt, followed by Hero with a new boy Jackie Shroff, that saved my production house,” he states.

Ironically, over the years, Karz , which was Tina Munim’s second film, attained cult status and four decades later, “Om Shanti Om” still reverberates in our collective memory. Its maker reveals that the song was always a part of the script and marked a turning point in the story. After his untimely death, Ravi Verma’s mother (Durga Khote) goes to the mandir and asks Kali Maa to give her son back. Soon after, pop star Monty is on stage singing “Om Shanti Om”. “As he stretches out the word ‘Om’, the oldest sound in human existence, which connects straight with the divine, he swoons and falls to the ground. In the hospital, he admits to seeing visuals of someone being killed, going on to realise that it was him in his previous birth. Since reincarnation is the work of God and not a human effort, I thought a song like ‘Om Shanti Om’ would be apt,” Subhash ji notes, adding that instead of a devotional bhajan during aarti, he worked with his composers, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, to make a pop song out of it. “Pyarelal ji gave me five-six haunting tunes from which I selected my theme music.”

Among its many hatke twists, Karz had a female antagonist at a time when villains were male and in the Gabbar Singh mould. “I decided on a love story which ends with the girl, Kamini, murdering the boy and going on to become Rani Sahiba. I wanted Simi ji (Garewal) to play her because she’s no ordinary vamp, but a sophisticated lady in a negative role. She finally agreed because I begged, but wondered if she was doing the right thing. It was only after watching the film, that she hugged me. Karz today is one of her most memorable performances,” says Subhash ji.

Rishi saab and he didn’t do another film but remained good friends. Today, Karz and “Om Shanti Om” are instantly associated with the late actor. “Even though Karz wasn’t a blockbuster, eventually it made us all proud,” he concludes.


Subhash Ghai, his leading man, Tina Munim and Simi Garewal at the film’s mahurat with Gulshan Rai, NN Sippy and Shatrughan Sinha, who gave the ceremonial first clap

Mithoon's offerings may be few and far between, but his die-hard fans don't mind waiting. He tells lyricist Manoj Muntashir why
Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; March 30, 2020)

Manoj Muntashir complains that he often finds his social media inbox littered with pleas from Mithoon's female fans, seeking an interaction with him. He is set to prepare an invoice for the job to present to the composer, who does every bit to evade questions pertaining to his romantic interests, despite Muntashir's repeated attempts. Here's all that the duo discussed in an interaction at Muntashir's vibrant Andheri office in early March, before they departed with the promise of creating a music piece for the "emotional" ending of Tom Hanks' Cast Away.

Manoj: How did you save yourself from being entangled in this wave of re-creations?
Mithoon: I am always tempted to create original songs. Six years ago, I had recreated a song called Aye mere hum safar, which did well. But, I missed the happiness that one derives [while working on original compositions]. Even in the credits roll, [original composers] Anand-Milind's name was placed before mine. So, it wasn't guilt [that bothered me]. But, there was no joy. Many people say composers are not celebrated enough. But they don't understand the joy we derive when a newspaper seller sings our song at a signal.

Manoj: There are few composers whose names are used by directors as a selling point. They are proud to say: 'Mithoon is composing for us.' But, people also complain that you take too long to finish a song. Do you feel insecure about not meeting deadlines?
Mithoon: Like they say, ignorance is bliss. I don't know much about [how a delay in meeting a deadline can affect me]. And I prefer that it remain that way. I want to be consumed by music. In the Bible, it is written that the lord made the world in six days. On day one, he said, 'Let there be light.' And yet, he made the sun and moon on day four. So, I interpret this as the lord referring to the light within us, that is brighter than sunlight.

Mithoon: What went behind the making of Teri mitti [Kesari], which, according to me, is the best written song?
Manoj: At times, all we need is a trigger. Sometimes, our directors and the people around us turn out to be blessings. They elevate us from being ordinary writers. Kesari's director Anurag Singh was responsible for it. The tune was already established by Arko. Anurag referenced Kaifi Azmi's words in Kar chale hum fida, and asked me that if it had to be represented in today's scenario, how would [I do it]. I kept that brief in mind. If a soldier is shot, and knows that he will die within the next 10 minutes, what will he think in the interim? Will he be sad, upset or happy? So, the song was written from that point of view. If you see [a soldier] dying, you'll notice him smiling. Death is a painful process. But that smile comes from the joy of dying for the country. More worthy than any award for me was when I got a call from Punj, from a soldier who was a zamindar. When people would ask him why he was becoming a soldier, and choosing a job with a Rs 25,000 salary [despite being wealthy], he never had an answer. My song, he said, gave him the words he needed to do so.

Mithoon: [How important] is it for a musician to stay away from formulas and templates?
Manoj: There's absolutely nothing that I can say with as much certainty as I can this — setting a template implies death of music. We should be thankful that we don't have a formula. Every song has a journey, and if you begin to search for the roadmap that led to its making, [that isn't right]. None of the people who have made it big, have a roadmap. If you do, you'll be a one-film wonder. A good way to [approach your work] is to leave ego behind. Don't carry the weight of your laurels. Be the student you were when you started, each time you work on music.
Manoj: You received much acclaim for your song in Kabir Singh, which is Tujhe kitna chahne lage. There's something I noticed about it. If you study Kabir's character, who is aggressive and angry, it is tough to fathom how this spiritual song, which is all about surrendering, suits him. But that song helped the film tremendously. Many people have complaints against the character, and rightfully so. But what made Kabir relatable was his simplicity and vulnerability. And it is your song that gave us a peek into his heart, and made us see how weak in love he is. I don't think there's anyone who is as weak as a lover, just like there is no one who is stronger than him.
Mithoon: As much as I've never seen it that way, that's true.

Manoj: You don't have a social life. In fact, the people who love you will, for your own good, never invite you to a party.
Mithoon: As a teenager, I would feel everything that a man who is in love feels, but, that excitement would be to meet Pyareji [Pyarelal Sharma, of Laxmikanth-Pyarelal]. At 16, I was assisting my father [Naresh Sharma], who worked with orchestras for films. In the studio, every musician would have a different viewpoint, and as a young musician, I would want to hear each one, so that I could learn. But there was one voice that [mattered the most], and that was of Laxmikant-Pyarelal. He [Pyarelal Sharma] is my tayaji. But, I never [exploited that] relationship. I was passionate about learning from him. He is among the most passionate artistes that this industry has seen. He wouldn't tolerate mediocrity. I wanted to experience him in that form.

Manoj: You have few releases in a year, and keep your fans waiting for them. Is it a calculated move to keep them eagerly anticipating what's next?
Mithoon: The truth is that I celebrate and respect my music first. If I play something on the piano, and like it, I respect that bar [of music]. I won't simply tell my team to [work on] it and send it off to a client who is calling repeatedly for a song. My laptop is kept in my locker, because that's my wealth. I value it so much. For me, my music is a revelation. It must be kept on a pedestal. It is valued, because I value it first.

Pyarelal is set to pay a tribute to his friend with a live performance on a music show
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 8, 2019)

Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma, who composed music for films for over 35 years with Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar, will pay tribute to his late friend with a live performance on the live music reality show Rising Star over the weekend. While he will be accompanied by a 30-piece band, the special episode will see contestants sing some of the duo’s chart-toppers.

Before the episode, Pyarelal interacted with the contestants, advising them to be original and to only seek inspiration from legendary singers instead of imitating them. “What I liked was that most contestants have trained in Indian classical music and have good knowledge of folk traditions. But no matter how much you study it, there is always more to explore and they are willing to learn. I would like to interact with them even after the episode,” Pyarelal told Mirror.

Laxmikant and Pyarelal had met as students at Sureel Kala Kendra, a music academy for children run by Lata Mangeshkar’s family. “I am nothing without Laxmi. Whenever I’m performing on stage I believe that he is with me. We have done so much work together and his contribution has been immense. Whatever I do for him will be less,” Pyarelal added. Laxmikant passed away in 1998, ending their run at the movies. 

Alka Yagnik tells the story behind the yesteryear hit to interviewer Neeti Mohan
Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; July 9, 2018)

While Neeti Mohan is in awe of her senior, Alka Yagnik, the veteran is all praise for the young star and how newer singers are confident about their skills. As they settle for an interview peppered with music at a Juhu five-star, they walk each other through their musical journeys. Edited excerpts from the tete-a-tete:

Neeti to Alka

You redefined how singers carry themselves. Before you, few female singers would pay attention to dressing.
I am fond of good clothes and accessories, and I like to dress up. Earlier, for almost 15 years, my life was limited to home and studio. I would record five songs daily, and do stage shows occasionally. Later, when I started getting a little more time for myself, main apne shauk poore karne lagi.

At stage shows earlier, singers were only expected to perform well, with little attention paid to their dressing. But today, the spotlight is also on your appearance when you perform live.
Earlier, media was not so active and you wouldn't be clicked wherever you went. I did several shows with Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. They taught me how to conduct myself on stage. Gradually, I started speaking to the audience. Back then, so much importance was not given to outfits, background dancers and presentation. I was a shy person. I could let go of my inhibitions only when I was in front of the mic. Now, I am a changed person on stage. I make the audience laugh.

(Mohan adds)
I experience something similar when I perform live — mere andar ki diva unleash ho jaati hai.

Do you feel singers are also actors?
Absolutely! Performing arts are always connected. You have to be an actor to be a good singer. When I sing a song, the actor in me comes out as I emote for the track. Actors also have a singer in them. Unless they have an idea of rhythm and sur,how will they dance to a song?

You said you would record five songs daily. How did you take care of your voice?
I had tonsillitis since childhood. My doctor suggested not to get it operated as my tonal quality would change. So, I had to live with tonsillitis attacks. The good thing was that the more I would sing, meri awaz utni hi khulti thi. Some artistes get tired after singing a couple of songs, but my voice used to blossom.

Do you remember recording a song with a bad voice?
When I had to record Ek Do Teen [Tezaab, 1988], I could barely talk. The song required strong throw, and we didn't have technical help those days. Mehboob Studio was filled with musicians that day — there was a 45-member chorus and around 100 instrumentalists. I told Laxmiji [of Laxmikant-Pyarelal] that I was not in a state to sing. He said, “Aap socho hi mat uske baare mein, aur bas gaao.” Though we had to finish recording before 12 am, we hadn't had a single take till 11.30 pm because balancing all the instruments was taking long. Finally, when it was all set up, Laxmiji said, “Alkaji, sing a rough version today. We will dub your voice again.” I belted out the number in one go. But that dubbing never happened. He was so happy with the song that he said, “Agar aapko lagta hai is gaane mein aapka gala kharab hai, to aap mera har gaana kharab gale se gaao.”

I read that when Osama Bin Laden's Abbottabad house was raided in 2011, hundreds of your song recordings were found.
Somebody had told me when this was reported. I felt weird. I think maybe he too had an artiste inside him (laughs).

Have you ever thought of teaching music?
Music cannot be taught. Either you are a singer or you're not. I always guide singers who need help. Over the years, I've done so many reality shows, and the participants often send me their works or come over to my home for suggestions.


Alka to Neeti

Do you plan to get married?
It has been on my mind of late. I hope to get into a relationship now.

(Yagnik adds)
I feel artistes should not get married. An artiste's life is erratic and most of them are moody. In such cases, the partner has a tough time adjusting to his/her moods and schedules. Even Ashaji [Bhosle] often says kalakaaron ko shaadi nahin karni chahiye.

(Mohan)
I have been in a relationship with my music and career. I am so busy that I don't have time for a guy in my life.

(Yagnik)
I got married early and my daughter [Syesha Kapoor] was born within a year. It was around the same time that Ek Do Teen and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) released, and my career took off. I used to feel guilty that I wasn't able to devote time to my husband and her.

What kind of songs are your forte?
I don't know my forte yet. As a kid, I used to sing a lot of Hindustani classical songs and bhajans. When I went to a boarding school in Pilani, Rajasthan, I learnt folk music. I was there for seven years and would hear local women sing Marwari songs.

Did you always want to become a singer?
As a kid, I loved being on stage - be it acting, singing or dancing. I could never pick one, so I would often be in a fix. We used to have an hour-long extracurricular class daily. My dramatics, music and dance teachers would fight over me for their respective sessions. I struggled to figure out what I enjoyed the most. Eventually, I realised that when I sing, I get to do all three things - sing, dance and act - together. That's when I decided to participate in a singing reality show. I recently performed with A R Rahman sir in Kochi. I sang Jiya Jale Jaan Jale live and put up a Bharatanatyam act for it. It was fulfilling.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 8, 2018)

When Lata Mangeshkar and S P Balasubrahmanyam were recording “Hum Tum Donon Jab Mil Jayenge, Ek Naya Itihaas Banayenge” for K Balachander’s 1981 tragic romance Ek Duuje Ke Liye, under Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s baton, little did they know that they were on their way to creating box-office history. Even though Vasu and Sapna’s prem kahaani did not have the happily ever after ending, it still resonates in our collective memory 37 years later.

His Bollywood debut, bagged SPB his second National Award, after K Viswanath’s Sankarabharanam in 1980, and Pyarelal bhai confides that whenever the singer came home, his wife would request a song or two from the Telugu musical. Buzz is, Carnatic vocalist-musician-composer-actor M Balamuralikrishna was the first choice for the male playback given the score’s largely classical content, but composer K V Mahadevan had insisted on SPB.

Reports suggest that in the case of Ek Duuje Ke Liye too, it was Balachander who pushed for the singer despite L-P’s initial misgivings. Pyarelal bhai refutes this gossip strongly, pointing out that despite being die-hard Kishore Kumar fans, they had convinced Do Raaste’s leading man Rajesh Khanna to move away from Kishore’s voice which after Aradhana had become synonymous with his, and experiment with Mohd. Rafi’s. “And after listening to 'Yeh Reshmi Zulfen' Khanna sahab acknowledged that we’d made the right choice,” the music director reminisces, pointing out that SPB too had been their choice even though like Kamal Haasan’s character Vasu, he barely knew Hindi at the time. “He would do exactly what they told him to and his accent and pronunciation added to the credibility of the character.”

Ek Duuje Ke Liye was a remake of K Balachander’s 1978 Telugu film, Maro Charitra, and revolved around Vasu, a Tamil boy, who woos Sapna, his neighbour in Goa, with “Mere Jeevan Saathi Pyaar Kiye Jaa”, an innovative medley of Hindi film titles. The song was picturised in the cramped elevator of a five-star hotel in Chennai and Rati Agnihotri who at 16 was too young to understand the wild passion that sweeps the lovers along, simply surrendered to her director who gently steered her through the emotional highs and lows. “The only problem was that I didn’t speak a word of Tamil so when Balachander sir suddenly veered from English to Tamil while explaining a scene to me, I’d look at him blankly till Prasad ji (producer L V Prasad) took over as interpreter and guide,” Rati informs with a laugh.

There’s an interesting story behind how Anup Jalota came to sing “Solah Baras Ki Bali Umar Ko Salaam, Pyaar Teri Pehli Nazar Ko Salaam”. Pyarelal bhai recalls that while they were rehearsing, L V Prasad came into the studio and delighted with the lyrics, offered his salaam to Anand Bakshi. Smiling at their exchange the composer stepped out and found Madan Mohan’s daughter waiting with a young man whom she introduced as a good singer, Anup Jalota, who wanted to see a song being recorded and Pyarelal bhai invited them inside. The Lata melody was preceded by a two-line doha-— “Koshish kar ke dekh le dariya sare nadiya sari/ Dil ki lagi nahi bujhati, bujhati hai har chingari” — and the composers wanted a voice other than SPB’s for this prelude. “Laxmi ji suggested we record it with Anup whose father, Purshottam Das Jalota, he knew to be a respected bhajan singer,” he informs.

The film was a blockbuster and made Kamal Haasan, Rati and Madhavi, household names across the country. Rati continued her star trek, going on to feature in a number of hits, including Farz Aur Kanoon, Coolie and Tawaif. Kamal Haasan moved from strength to strength down South with films like Moondram Pirai, Nayakan, Pushpak and Thevar Magan.

“Around five-six years after Ek Duuje Ke Liye, he came to us for a film he wanted to produce. The film had great scope for music but we weren’t sure if the pan-India audience would accept a classical Indian dancer for a hero and pointed it out to him. That film was never made but Ek Duuje Ke Liye or as Sapna explains to Vasu in the film, ‘We are made for each other, samjhe?’ proved that love, like music, speaks a language of its own that’s universal and timeless,” Pyarelal bhai sums up.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 31, 2017)

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 27, 2015)

Subhash Ghai reveals that Karz was conceived out of a need to retaliate against a comment he'd heard from the film fraternity that while he was an excellent director who could make blockbusters of crime thrillers like Kalicharan and Vishwanath, he had no sense of music. The observation haunted him and was the inception for this musical thriller which, 35 years after its release, still has six year olds crooning, "Om Shanti Om."

With the thought of a musical in his mind, Ghai stumbled upon a 1975 American supernatural suspense thriller, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, directed by Cafe Fear maker J. Lee Thompson. "I didn't understand the film but I liked the idea of a mother recognising her son's soul even in a different body," reminisces the filmmaker, who, holding on to the thought, took off to Ooty alone, returning after 20 days with the first draft of Karz, which he narrated to his screenplay writer Sachin Bhowmick.

"Sachinda thought it was a good murder mystery in the mould of Vishwanath and Kalicharan. He was surprised when I told him I wanted to make it like a musical thriller. When he suggested I stick to doing what I was good at, I told him that I was good at many things, people just didn't know it. He smiled and asked for a second draft," recalls Ghai, who went back to Ooty to figure out how to integrate a musical theme into the plot and found his answer in Om.

Having studied Vedic science, he knew that Om was one word which vibrates in the soul. In a moment of epiphany, he decided to create a musical note which would be the soul of the film.

After completing the second draft he narrated the story to Laxmikant-Pyarelal, telling them he wanted them to compose the music. "But you are known for your traditional Indian scores, I want a more westernised orchestration," he told the duo, who accepted the challenge and came up with the first song, "Dard-E-Dil, Dard-E-Jigar", a ghazal penned by Anand Bakshi, which Rishi Kapoor aka Monty sings when he sees Tina (Munim) and falls in love with her at first sight.

"While we were recording this song, I asked Pyarelalji to give me some theme tunes. He played six of them for me on the piano. I picked number three, a haunting tune which played through the film as the script and music travelled together," says Ghai.

Besides music, he also used Hindu mythology and the concept of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh being reborn as different avatars to tell a story of intrigue and murder, revenge and retribution which continues beyond death, into another life to climax at the same Kali temple where Part 1 ended. Rishi was Ghai's choice for Monty, the reincarnation of Ravi Verma, because "he's a great dancer and lover, and one of the best actors we have".

He was paired with an innocent Tina Munim. Ghai named her character Tina and told her to simply be herself.

The biggest casting challenge was Kamini. "I didn't want a conventional vamp to play the sly princess... the elegant countess, I wanted Simi. But she wasn't ready to accept a performance-oriented role because it had grey shades. It took two months to convince her," he admits.

Three decades later, Karz is unforgettable for Simi's class act and Rishi Kapoor's cult song, "Om Shanti Om". Ghai wanted to travel through Om to the film's theme and while his music directors loved the idea, they were at a loss to come up with a happy song about a man in love which began with the words "Om Shanti Om" and moved to "Mere Umar Ke Naujavanon" in the second line. But like their director and lyricist, they proved equal to the task and were rewarded with the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. The trophy vindicated Subhash Ghai whose innate sense of music was never questioned again.

In 2008, Karz was remade by Himesh Reshammiya as Karzzzz. Quiz Ghai on it and he says once he sells the rights of a film, he never contributes, interferes with or even sees the remake. "It's a deal between two companies, my job is over once I sell the rights," he reasons, admitting he has never wanted to remake any of his films. "But a sequel to Karz is a definite possibility."

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 28, 2014)

Sanjay Dutt's career got off to a Rocky start in '81. Following a battle with drugs and a series of flops, it had hit a dead end five years later. In these testing times, his buddy who became his brother-in-law, Kumar Gaurav, not only stood by him but was determined to make a film that would bring him back into the race. This film was Naam.

The idea of two half-brothers came from Mahesh Bhatt, who during his growing up years was haunted by the ghost of his own illegitimacy. He sketched out the story of Ravi and Vicky to the two young actors and instantly, impulsively, Kumar Gaurav decided to turn it into a film under his banner.

His father, Rajendra Kumar, wasn't convinced, having spotted the dangers inherent in the script. "Even though it was a two-hero project, Rajendra Kumar knew that the audience's sympathies would eventually swing from Kumar Gaurav's character Ravi to Sanju's bad boy Vicky," reasons Bhatt who went on to direct the film.

Naturally, no father would want his son to get over-shadowed in a film he was producing but Kumar Gauarv stood his ground and insisted he wanted to make this film and none other.

Eventually his dad gave in.

Bhatt then took his idea to Salim Khan. After the split of the Salim-Javed jodi, Javed Akhtar was the one getting the plum offers and it was being said that Salim had been just the business component in the partnership that had given Bollywood blockbusters like Sholay, Zanjeer, Trishul and Seeta Aur Geeta. Naam brought Salim Khan back into the spotlight as a scriptwriter and he gave it all he had. "He added box-office sparkle to my offbeat story of two half brothers and turned it into a blockbuster. Naam was my first golden jubilee," reminisces Bhatt.

Sanjay Dutt, he remembers, was like a bhakt who surrendered himself completely to the film with single-minded dedication and boundless energy. "I never saw that kind of focus in Sanju again. With his stunning performance, he broke people's heart. We became a lifelong friend and years later, on the eve of his departure to the Yerwada Jail, I remember sitting with him and feeling as helpless as Kumar Gaurav's character in Naam because there was so little that I could do for him," he sighs.

There's a word of praise for Amrita Singh too who played Sanjay's wife and the mother of his unborn child for whom he finally decides to give up his life of crime and return home. It was like waking up to a new day after a long dark night and was beautifully expressed in the song, Chhiti aaye hai.

"Laxmikant-Pyarelal scored some beautiful songs for the film, but this is the one people still want to talk about whenever I travel to the Middle-East," says Bhatt, recalling how when Rajendra Kumar first heard Anand Bakshi's lyrics he innocently asked about the mukhdas and the anatras, convinced that a song that strayed from the traditional format would not work. Bhatt was far more accepting and Bakshi told their producer, "That's why you have put a younger director in charge. He understands my language, you don't," Once again, Rajendra Kumar gracefully gave in.

Pankaj Udhas, a popular ghazal singer in the '80s, not only recorded it but it was also picturised on him. "Pankaj would shoot for us during the day and sing at concerts at night. He struck a chord with the Indian and Pakistani diaspora," points out Bhatt, adding that Salim saab had stressed on the bonds of brotherhood between the two countries through the friendship of Sanjay and Aakash Khurana, his Pakistani neighbour who stands by him when he is imprisoned in Dubai.

As he signs off Bhatt adds Naam's misguided search for identity would not have had the emotional impact it did without its mother figure. He says, "Nutan wasn't keeping well at the time but she instantly agree to do the role and would come on the sets an hour-and-a-half early to get into the skin of the character. As always she was outstanding!"