Yash ji’s expertise took my music to another level, says Uttam Singh
As Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) clocks 25 years today, composer Uttam Singh talks about the film’s music and why working with the likes of filmmaker Yash Chopra and singer Lata Mangeshkar was special. Excerpts:
How did you come on board for the film?
When I started working on the songs, they were not meant for Dil To Pagal Hai. They were for a TV project by Yash ji’s production house. I made a lot of new tunes and he kept placing them in different parts of the film. It was much later that he told me that the music was for his film.
Were you happy with the way the songs turned out?
Creating new sounds was my passion and this film gave me a platform to deliver. The way the songs were picturised was great. Yash ji’s expertise took my music to another level.
Which is your favourite song from the film?
I would play Are Re Are at the end of every sitting. I did that for six months, but nobody really liked it. One day, Uday (Chopra; actor-Yash Chopra’s son) heard the track and he loved it. That’s when everyone’s perspective about the song changed. When it came to penning the song, Anand Bakshi (lyricist) saab heard the tune and immediately went to the washroom. I thought he didn’t like the tune. But when he came out, he said, ‘Are Re Are Yeh Kya Hua, Maine Na Yeh Jaana’. The song was loved so much that it played throughout the film.
The film’s music was a mix of modern and old-school...
I recorded with 150 live musicians. I could have recorded the flute on a synthesiser, but I called a flautist from Chennai to record it. There was a balance between acoustic and electronic sound.
Why did you have Lata Mangeshkar sing most of the songs?
Lata didi had the prowess to pull off any genre. While most of the songs were sung by her, Asha ji (Bhosle; singer) sang Dil Le Gayi and Hariharan (singer) sang the title track,
Ek