Making music for the millennium

1999 belonged to him, with hit songs in Biwi No.1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Soldier (a late 1998 release), Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Baadshah and Jaanam Samjha Karo, whose audio broke current norms by selling very well despite the film’s failure. But Anu Malik’s been low profile of late. And that’s about as characteristic of him as David Dhawan doing an art film!

I seek an answer to this mystery with a quick sawaal-jawaab round in a chat with the music director whose 22-year innings is studded with Sohni Mahiwal, Mard, Sir, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi, Baazigar, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Judwaa, Border, Tamanna, Kareeb and Duplicate. He has composed songs that can be loved, admired, respected, treasured, disliked and detested. Now that’s what you call versatility.

Why are you suddenly so low-profile?
I have not really planned it that way. Things are really moving the right way for me, so I do not want to say anything wrong, or do anything I should not. I want my work to speak for me. I don’t want to make a splash any longer with statements and actions which will be noticed more than the work I am doing and will be doing in my films to come.

There are so many composers around, but if filmmakers are signing me, or reverting to me, I think it means that they find something special in my work. In the last few years especially, I think I have proved that I don’t compose to cash in on one trend, or have a fixed style. Filmmakers as well as fans are realizing my potential and have discovered that Anu Malik can give variety. Ustad Zakir Husain recently said that the only composer who often takes him by surprise is Anu Malik. I would love to get many more compliments like that from such illustrious musicians.

Which are the films you are doing?
I have just signed Rahul Rawail’s film with Kajol in a double role. There is Rakesh Mehra’s Aks in which Gulzar-saab has written some really good lyrics. There are Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza, both Ajanabee and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke with Abbas-Mustan, D.Rama Naidu’s new film, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega with Raj Kanwar, Jeetu-ji (Jeetendra’s) home production directed by David Dhawan, Tahir Husain’s kDil Dhoondta Hai and Vikram Bhatt’s Armaan. Among the older assignments there are of course Refugee and Josh.

With so many films, how do you claim to have reduced your load?
I am working my butt off 25 hours a day. Today I am in the mood to create. Music and my family are all that concern me, and my wife keeps asking, ‘What’s happening to you?’ because I am like a driven man. I don’t smoke or drink and there is no woman in my life other than my wife. I feel it in my bones that I am on the right track! When you hear my music in Josh, Refugee, Aks, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Fiza, you will say, “This is music!” Today, I am working on my own terms. I am not going to work with directors who want more than one composer. I can give a filmmaker every kind of song, work on a score for months with them, and I am prepared to have any amount of rehearsals with singers. In fact, I would advise some of my regular singers to rehearse, rehearse and rehearse and do 200 per cent better than what they are doing now. And speaking of workload, I will always be open to a good filmmaker. Because he will not expect me to deliver hits in a jiffy. He will spend time with me on a score.

When you give a score like Badal and it does well, what do you feel more as a composer - elation because of the success, or a feeling in the heart that you knew that it wasn’t up to the mark?
I have maintained right from my Sohni Mahiwal days that a music director must go with the director and give music which suits the temperament of the film. The same Raj Kanwar who has directed Badal has extracted extraordinary music from me in Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega. In fact, he’s a very musical director. The industry functions at a commercial level, which is vital for us to surive. You have to make sure that all kinds of songs are hits - and I think I am successful in that.

Who should take credit for good music more - the director or the composer?
The director, undoubtedly. Sooraj Barjatya, Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Subhash Ghai and even Shyam Benegal are so sure of what they want, so confident of themselves and of the music director they work with. That’s what gives extraordinary results. Bhansali can get excellent music from both big names like Jatin Lalit and a rank newcomer like Ismail Darbar.

Was this lack of conviction and confidence that went wrong with Mela?
I would not like to comment on specific films. But, let’s face it, the script and the director and his own conviction work more than the star. Today, I never ask my filmmaker, “Aapne kisko liya hai?” I don’t deny star power, but the script and director are supreme. And music is as big a star in getting an initial value as any big name actor or actress.

How do you get inspired when you don’t know which stars or newcomers are going to be in the cast, as in Dil Dhoondta Hai?
I jump into my past experiences. The inspiration and expression can come from anywhere, given the situation. I can imagine someone timeless like Madhubala or Raj Kapoor in the role and compose! But I confess that I am very much inspired by certain stars like the Khans or Anil Kapoor. Of late, I am very very inspired by Hrithik Roshan -with whom I am doing at least four films - and Abhishek Bachchan. Kareena Kapoor is the star to watch out for, and Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta are very inspiring too.

You seem to have the best of both worlds with Lata Mangeshkar and Alka Yagnik both singing for you?
If it were possible, Lata-ji would sing two songs in every film of mine. As for Alka, we have a fantastic tuning. She suits my compositions perfectly and is a long-distance runner. She has evolved amazingly over the last few years.

But you are neglecting our senior lyricists.
Look, I want to grow. I want to work with everyone - the more the merrier, whether they are singers, lyricists or filmmakers. Anand Bakshisaab is doing Rahul Rawail’s film. Gulzarsaab is there in two films; I would love to work with Majrooh Uncle. Some of my new films will have new lyricists. On the other hand, I am extremely comfortable with Sameer, who’s a cool person who also knows his own mind. Look, there is one year left to the beginning of the real millennium. And in this one year, I want to be called the music director of the millennium!

Rajiv Vijayakar