Classic Revival

Set in London,the movie deals with adultery. Bharadwaj,who has assisted directors like Shyam Bengal,Gulzar and Govind Nihalani,says,“I grew up listening to songs of films like Arth. I had heard Shujaat bhai’s music and knew that he would do justice to my dream venture. In the past few years there has been no ground-breaking music composed for ghazals and I wanted an old-world feel.”

The album opens with Ajnabee Aakhein,a ghazal sung by Roop Kumar Rathod and ends with the qawwali Maula by Richa Sharma. Among others is the romantic ballad Behoshi Nasha by Shreya Ghoshal and Khan has lent his voice for Ai Khuda. “I have a raw,uncultured voice and it has worked in my concerts. I just gave a shot with Ai Khuda,” says Khan.

The composer confesses that classical musicians have been a little “snobbish” about venturing into Bollywood. “Classical music is complicated and there is a certain level of rigidity,so the composers do not enjoy making simple film music. Things are now changing because Bollywood is looking for new sounds,” says Khan,who got a Grammy nomination for his album The Rain and collaborated with The Rolling Stone saxophonist Tim Ries for concerts across India earlier this year.

And unlike other classical artistes,Khan was happy about being given a detailed brief by the filmmaker. “I like working with a blueprint,it enables one to work according to the requirements of the movie,” says Khan.