To Catch a Star: Anu Malik regrets copying 'Macarena'

Video

Click to play video

Anu Malik is is the quintessential enfant terrible of Hindi film music. A veteran of more than 250 films, one National Award, several film awards and a clutch of controversies, Malik has given some of Bollywood’s most enduring and memorable film music in recent times.

Rajeev Masand: Anu, 2007 was rather a dull year for you. It was more a year for your rivals – Pritam, Himesh, Vishal-Shekhar. What, for you, was the best music of 2007 and why didn't we see enough of you in 2007?

Anu Malik: Well, let's put it straight that I am a firm believer in destiny. I am a firm believer in what's yours is yours, what's not yours is not yours. After having said that, right from the time I was 16, when I started work in this industry, till the position I've come in, I've always seen these highs and lows in my life and they don't actually effect me - it's no big deal. It's actually no big deal.

2007 was maybe for the people who didn't hear about me – where is Anu Malik? To me, I was very much there, working and planning things for 2008.

Rajeev Masand: Let me ask you a question – what was for you the best soundtrack of 2007?

Anu Malik: I would say yes, I did like Guru very much and there was something very unique about that track. In fact, I liked all the tracks. I liked, for example, what Jab We Met had to offer. I liked a particular song by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy – 'Maa' – from Taare Zameen Par. It really was very, very well-composed and sung. I liked what Farah did with Om Shanti Om. I liked everything. In fact, everyone has done such great work, and I thought, are you guys missing me or not? But the fact that you called me over today means people are missing me also, so I probably will come out with that kind of work.

Rajeev Masand: Let's take off from what you just said about Farah Khan. You composed such a popular and such a successful soundtrack for Farah Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for Main Hoon Na. Why didn't they come to you for Om Shanti Om?

Anu Malik: You got to really, really call Farah to this show and just ask her why she –

Rajeev Masand: I'm sure you've asked her.

Anu Malik: Oh, I didn't ask her in that way. We – I'm very close to her. I love her as a person. In fact, the very fact that she took me for her first film was something very nice because she could have taken any guy, any person for the music of her first film. And we really gel together, we even vibe very well today and Farah ko sau khoon maaf hain (I can forgive Farah anything). So, if she has taken somebody else, no problem, she did a good job, no problems.

Rajeev Masand: Tell me, what did you think of the soundtrack of Om Shanti Om by Vishal-Shekhar?

Anu Malik: I think they did a good job. I would give a lot of credit to Farah also because I remember the time when we used to work on the tracks of Main Hoon Na, she came up with these whacky-whacky ideas. I remember the time when she came and said, "Anu, let's work on a qawwali" and I said, "God! I don't want to compose a qawwali - it's pretty tough!" She said, "Nahi, nahi, tereko qawwali banani padegi!" ("No, no, you will have to create a qawwali!") I said, "okay, but I'll do it my way." She said, "Okay, what do you want?" I said - the first word I said - "WICKED!" *makes percussion noises*.

The best thing about Farah was - Javedsaab was sitting there - "Anu, compose something - those guys on the campus are playing violins!" So Javedsaab said, "Arrey, violins kahan se aa gaye qawwali ke andar?" ("How do violins come into a qawwali?") And I said - *Makes sounds of strings*. And Farah said, "Javed uncle, is pe koi likhiye." ("Javed Uncle, please write something on this.") And he said, "Main nahi loonga, itna khatarnaak meter hai! ("I won't take this up, it has such a deadly meter!") and I said, "Likhna padega aapko." ("You will have to write.") And then he wrote, 'Dekho pyaare, yeh nazaare' - the qawwali became a cult! So, she knows what she wants and we gel together and I I think she knows that I love her so much, she's forgiven for not giving me a second film - no problems!

Rajeev Masand: Let's move on from film-makers who haven't repeated you to a film-maker who always chooses to work with you. I think you know who I'm talking about.

Anu Malik: I know the man! The only one! The man who's believed in me so much, so often, and I owe a lot to him - J P Dutta.

Rajeev Masand: Of course, J P Dutta.

Anu Malik: The fact, you know, that he's taken me for all his films, speaks a lot about that man and his love for music and my music.

Rajeev Masand: You did some really different kind of music for Umrao Jaan in 2006, a soundtrack that didn't, unfortunately, become as popular as it deserved to have, perhaps because the film was a dud?

Anu Malik: I won't call the film a dud, Rajeev. I know that you and a lot of people have said that the film didn't work, fine. I mean, the public weren't taken by the film. But I must tell you that I loved the film. I gave it all, as far as music is concerned. In fact, Khayyam sahib, who really did a fabulous job in the earlier film admitted that "Anu tried his best," which is a huge compliment, coming from a legendary, great composer like him.

Rajeev Masand: Your collaborations with Sonu Nigam for J P Dutta's films are legendary. You did, of course, 'Sandese Aate Hain' for Border, and you did 'Panchhi Nadiyan' for Refugee. You've really given Sonu some of his best tracks in JP's films, specially -

Anu Malik: Yeah sure, because Sonu is a terrific singer. In fact, today he is one of the best we have. But I remember the time when he was called to sing 'Sandese Aate Hain'. I think 'Sandese Aate Hain' was the song that gave him a boost in his career. I remember the time when he was singing for me. There was a line with Roopji and Sonu, there was a particular line I remember - 'Aye guzarnewali hawa, bata mera itna kaam karegi kya'. Nobody knows, it was originally supposed to be sung by Roopji. Roopji is a terrific singer. But I just felt that this guy who is singing this song could just carry it off. I went up to him and I spoke to JP sir - "Can we interchange the lines?" - I gave it to Sonu and Sonu was game for it, and the way he sang 'Aye guzarnewali hawa bata', I would say that set off a relationship that was to last for a long time, as far as our professional relationship is concerned.

Rajeev Masand: It's said that Himesh Reshammiya is the new Anu Malik. He is supposed to be as flamboyant as you are. He is seen as much as he is heard, he's a real music star, much like yourself. Do you feel that he's taken a few lessons from you?

Anu Malik: One, everyone knows I am still around so I'm the only Anu Malik. Two, if he's the new Anu Malik, that's a compliment to me and it should be because he's taken my caps. Now the world knows I used to wear my caps, I was the guy who started the beat trend, I used to get loads of caps. I remember I used to write 'Anu' on the caps, so many things. And, if I've set a trend and people follow it, why not?

Rajeev Masand: Sure. You know, I think most people tend to remember the instant hit songs of yours. What they tend to forget are your old hits - Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayegi, Asoka, the melodies.

Anu Malik: You know, that's a lovely question and I would like to answer it through my harmonium, through my tunes. For example, even the janta will understand - people who write sitting in the studio and people who are watching me if you compose a song like 'Chale Aayein' or, in the same breath, say, a song like 'Janam Samjha Karo'. Now what I am saying is that you have a song like 'Chale Aayein' and you have 'Janam Samjha Karo', or you have a song 'Hai Re Mera Dil', or 'Aisa Lagta Hai', or 'Roshni Se', or songs like 'Sau Dard Hain', or a song like – I mean, a song which people laugh at or have fun with – like 'Chalti Hai Kya Nau Se Baarah' – or 'Tumhari Mehfil'.

What I'm trying to say is the person who has given a Refugee, a Border, a Judwaa, who's given Asoka - I do have a lot of versatility and I am very proud of it.

Rajeev Masand: Sure. Tell me, do you feel like you have managed to shake off that "copycat" label?

Anu Malik: I think that out of a 100 tunes, my 99 per cent original tunes have been ignored. Has anyone heard 'Roshni Se', or 'Hai Re Mera Dil', or 'Mere Khayalon Ki Malika', or 'Aisa Lagta Hai', 'Sandese Aate Hain', 'To Chalun, To Chalun' - so, this question bores me because I think I've got so much of me to offer, I've done so much original work, so much original work I'm going to do in the future, then I think this was created by some people. And let's talk about the other composers also. How many composers who have actually blatantly lifted? There are some composers right now who have got loads of films, and every song – out of 10 songs they have composed, nine are absolute straight-lifts! So, why talk about it to a man who has given such good work?

Rajeev Masand: Anu, this is the rapid-fire round, where I ask you a bunch of quick questions, and you come out with quick answers –

Anu Malik: And you come out with all those naughty, dangerous questions –

Rajeev Masand: - All the naughty kind of questions, the questions will get you in a little trouble but you're not allowed to take too long to think, just quick answers.

The one film you wish you'd scored music for?

Anu Malik: I'm a great fan of Raj Kapoor. The film that is very close to my heart is Bobby. I love creating romantic songs and I love music. I wish I'd got the chance to compose music for Raj sahib for any of his films.

Rajeev Masand: The one thing Himesh Reshammiya has that you don't have.

Anu Malik: At the moment he's got my caps. And I am without my cap.

Rajeev Masand: And the one thing that you have that Himesh Reshammiya doesn't have.

Anu Malik: I wish that I had my caps back.

Rajeev Masand: The one international artist that you would like to collaborate with?

Anu Malik: Alicia Keyes, definitely, and Justin Timberlake. They're the two guys whose voices I adore.

Rajeev Masand: Tell me which one's better: your song 'Chamma Chamma' or A R Rahman's song 'Chaiyya Chaiyya'?

Anu Malik: For me, of course, 'Chamma Chamma', but I love Shah Rukh in 'Chaiyya Chaiyya'. Both the songs are very close to my heart and both the songs have international recall value because 'Chamma Chamma' was in Moulin Rouge and 'Chaiyya Chaiyya'. I think we are very close, the C is very strong – Chaiyya and Chamma.

Rajeev Masand: The one song you didn't want to copy but were forced to copy?

Anu Malik: God! Don't even remind me of it! I was forced - actually forced - to copy it and it set of all these questions of originality was that 'Macarena' number. I hate that number with passion.

Rajeev Masand: Which you used in Auzaar.

Anu Malik: Oh God! I was told "Kar lo, kar lo." ("Do it, do it.") So, kar liya. Yaar, ab mujhe pata laga rights leta to achha tha. (So, I did it. Now I realise it would have been better to buy the rights.) Because of that one song, people question me for all my original work!

Rajeev Masand: The one film score that you composed that should have done better but didn't.

Anu Malik: There are lots of them, but there is one film that is very, very close to my heart and that is Asoka.

Rajeev Masand: Okay. And finally, Himesh Reshammiya. Better actor, better singer or better composer?

Anu Malik: He's taken after me if you say he's the new Anu Malik on the block and I am still around, so we both are very good, we both are damn good actors, rock stars and - I wish Himesh all the best and Himesh "really rocks" - in his words.

Rajeev Masand: Now, to go back to the fact that 2007 was a bit of a dull year for you, do you think it is also because, maybe, music is constantly changing. Do you feel a lot of the stuff that worked a couple of years ago may be outdated now?

Anu Malik: I just answered this in my own way - you're the greatest by your latest. There is no point in thinking what you did in the past. I may have done more than 250 films but that's over. But I do feel that because of my melody, I'm still around. And I am adapting myself to this new sound -

Rajeev Masand: So really, what are you doing to re-invent yourself?

Anu Malik: It's a good question and I've already done that because the films I am doing are with young directors, who are really happening. For example, Toonpur ka Superhero. It's an animation film with Ajay and Kajol. I think it's a great challenge because Kirit knows what he wants from me. There is Love Story 2050, which is actually 48 years ahead –

Rajeev Masand: Pretty futuristic.

Anu Malik: - say, 2005 they meet, 2050 they go ahead. So, the sound does change and I work with different people. I learn so much from people, I learn so much from other composers doing some fabulous work and there are so many new directors who've come in, so many new people who want to work with me.

Rajeev Masand: They keep you youthful.

Anu Malik: Absolutely. I'm very youthful, excuse me!

Rajeev Masand: Let's ask you to give us a song that really woke people up to your talent, a song that really made people stand up and recognise you - the song from Border.

Anu Malik: I would thank Mr J P Dutta for giving me such a wonderful film and let's go for the song.

Rajeev Masand: A song that never fails to moist up one's eyes..

Anu Malik: Absolutely. It moves you even today.

Rajeev Masand: Let us hope that you continue to entertain us as you have all this while. Thank you so much for being on our show.

Anu Malik: Thank you very much. The pleasure's been all mine for being here.