The Radio Head

What began as a half-hour programme in December 1951 turned into a rage in 1952. First it was called Binaca Geetmala,then Hit Parade and finally Cibaca Geetmala which was how it was known for the longest time. “I was always engrossed in letters,some requesting songs and others from female fans who would liberally sprinkle romantic adulation,” laughs Sayani. He got introduced to radio at the age of seven when he took part in children’s programmes for AIR. On December 8,1951,he hosted the first show of Geetmala for Radio Ceylon and got a pay packet of Rs 25. Radio Ceylon became the main broadcaster of film songs in India as AIR had banned film songs in the 1950s.

“Somehow,the programme was not only mass entertainment but also a unique way of national integration. It also helped spread Hindustani,which India needed in the years after independence. I used simple language and people connected with it,” says Sayani.

There will be four sets of Geetmala Ki Chaon Mein,with musical gems from the 1940s,’50s and the ’60s,with a liberal mix of romantic songs,rakish RD Burman hits and fast-paced fun numbers. It also has Sayani’s interviews with Burman,Madan Mohan,Kishore Kumar,Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. Sayani’s memorable Lata se darte darte show,where he asked the very serious and extremely private Mangeshkar some personal questions,is also part of this series. “That one was scary. Asking Lataji why she did not get married and why she had a tiff with Burman and Rafi wasn’t easy. But she was kind and dignified while answering these questions,” says Sayani,who was friends with both Burman and Rafi.

Another audio treat is an interview with Bhosle where she talks about not getting right the song Chod do aanchal in her first take and Burman being amusingly persuasive about it and telling her to sing it as if her husband was holding her in public. “Ashaji said she felt shy but got it right in the next take,” says Sayani.

And then there was the interview with Raj Kapoor where the filmmaker opened up on Nargis. “He was not only a big star and director but also a great friend. After a long time he agreed to an interview. It was one of the most heartfelt,sober and dignified sound bite by him on Nargis. He talked about how giving she was and how one could so easily confide in her. She was already married to Sunil Dutt then,” he says.

Sayani’s interest in Indian and western music helped him in pointing out plagiarism in the Indian music industry,though not in a very serious way. “I loved pulling the leg of a music director. When Percy Montrose’s Oh my darling Clementine became Ye hai Bombay meri jaan,I could not help mentioning it to the listeners,” he laughs.

His own love story happened at the radio station where he met his future wife. Sayani,who lives a busy life in Mumbai,recording syndicated radio-shows,likes listening to today’s numerous FM channels. “I like the chatty tone these new kids have but they get boring after a while. They don’t know when to stop,” he says.