Javed Akhtar and Shankar Mahadevan
Location: Sun and Sand, Juhu.
Your entire life has been immersed in music, words, melody and poetry…does the beauty of all this still attract you?
Javed: Origin music It always fascinates me. This is how humans must have found rhythm and melody in the universe – in nature, through birds, rivers, waterfalls, wind and so on. It is very interesting how humans all over the world discovered that there are seven notes. When I think about how music evolved in prehistoric times, it fascinates me. Music is inherent in human nature. I think music is the poetry of sound, and poetry is the music of language. So, of course, we should honor this day, but I think World Music Day should be celebrated every day!
ShankarMusic connects people in a beautiful and tremendously powerful way. Music evokes amazing emotions and is a wonderful means of communication. It is great to celebrate World Music Day, because the language of music is universal.
Tell us about your first memories of music – memories of learning, listening and being enthralled with music.
Shankar, When I was three and a half years old, I saw a musical instrument (harmonium). At that time, I didn’t even know what it was, and I started playing a bhajan that we used to sing at home. So that is my first memory of music. The mystery of the seven notes was revealed at once. I think the connection between music, notes and notes happened naturally to me.
JavedMy mother, who was from a middle-class background, taught in a college. But being a great music lover, she had a gramophone and a few records, a luxury that only rich people could afford at that time. In Bhopal, we lived on the first floor of a building and the owner lived on the ground floor. Obviously, he was richer than us because he had a radio, and whenever he played it, we would listen to it too. When I was about five years old, I remember my mother running to the balcony, because one of her favourite songs was playing on the radio. She would stand there, and I would follow her and watch how intently she would listen to this song (Mahal se ghabrab ke jo hum sar ko takraye toh achcha ho). So, that is my first memory related to music. Another memory is of my daughter, Zoya, who was about four months old, when she would react to only one song of Raja Jani. I always wondered why she was so fascinated by the tune of that song.
You two have worked together Composer-lyricist You have worked on over 250 songs. Tell us about the bond between you two and how it helps you create great music together?
ShankarI consider him a blessing from above. Javed sir is someone who has stood by me like a pillar of strength, he has been a guide and a true well-wisher for my entire family. I feel Javed sir is with me in the industry. When we make a song together, it doesn’t feel like work. One day Shabana (Azmi) came to the studio and said that if a producer sees the way you two work, he will never pay you. Javed sir’s biggest strength is his humour and because of this, even serious work gets done easily.
JavedShankar is very special to me. Recently I went to his house and we had a great lunch. Mahadevan is a foodie. Then we went to his music room and by evening we had completed a song. For us one sitting means one song. But this is not the case with every other composer. Our last work was Breathless. This idea was in my mind for 6-7 years. I had talked about it with different singers and music directors. Everyone liked the idea, but no one took it up. Then I met Shankar and he immediately agreed to do it and that’s how it started.
Did you always dream of becoming a musician?
ShankarI come from a simple, middle-class South Indian family. I could never think of pursuing music as a career. We were a simple family, we lived in a 1BHK (500 sq ft) house, so how could I think of making a living from music? It was far beyond my reach.
Javed sahab, you come from a family of writers, was writing always your passion?
My father had a singer friend who played harmonium. One day, he brought it to our house and for the first time I saw the harmonium and pressed its keys. And then it became my dream to play harmonium and learn music, but circumstances did not allow me to do so. Music and melodies have always attracted me. I have the talent and I feel that with a little training, I can become a musician. Writing, of course, was inevitable, because it was my heritage, it was in my genes. The last seven generations of my family were writers of a certain known status.
Creating a film’s soundtrack is a team effort, given your knowledge and experience in this field, how do you respond to the feedback that comes your way?
JavedThe director has certain requirements. Then, there are music directors, and often songs are written to the tune. So, he may say, ‘Sir, my tune cannot accommodate this particular sound or word. There is a murki here and this word is flat and will not allow a murki.’ It happens. But I refuse to accept unnecessary, non-creative suggestions. Sometimes, if the situation becomes impossible, I walk out of it. I have no hesitation in leaving a film. But, I will not write what I am not capable of doing. I will not write something that is obscene in any way. I will not write something grammatically incorrect. If you don’t know the language, I cannot be responsible for that.
ShankarI think the director is closest to the film and is the captain of the ship. For a film, we are not just composers, we are music designers. The director knows what works best for him. So, we take his inputs positively and design music that satisfies the director’s vision.
