Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Only when the words touch a chord can he compose, says Ismail Darbar
Behind the fresh, catchy music of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is an intense love affair with the violin. But a violin in the Western Classical symphony genre. So how did fledgling musician Ismail Darbar get into Hindi films?
quot;Music is in my blood. I come from a family of musicians from Surat. My father, Hussain Darbar, was a struggling Qawwal singer. The family had its own band. Back then, I was not at all interested in music. My family had almost given up on me, when my dad decided to bring me to Mumbai where he was then living. I was lured into it, thinking I would make music for films one day. I just kept chasing the dream.quot;
quot;I was rejected by big names in the industry, such as Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Mukul Anand, to name a couple. But the faith never died. Finally, Sanjay Leela Bhansali hadthe ear for it.quot;
The rest is history. Darbar has recently composed two songs for a play as well.
Written by Javed Siddiqui and directed by Nikhil Sharma, it8217;s called Shyam Rang the quot;truthquot; behind the Radha-Krishna myth, screened at the Prithvi Festival. quot;When Siddiqui saab asked me, I couldn8217;t refuse. The most challenging job was to compose for the lyrics of Gulzar. It is a wonderful script. The lyrics are powerful and intense.quot;
But was it any different from composing for a film?
quot;Not really. Once a music director grasps the situation the writer has in his mind, it becomes easy.quot; In fact, Darbar composed the music for Shyam Rang in a very short span. quot;The words touched a chord somewhere.quot;
That8217;s Ismail Darbar8217;s thumb rule. The music has to well up from inside. Like it did for Sanjay Leela Bhansali8217;s story?
quot;Initially, it was the other way round. I had recorded a song with KK for a Mukul Anand film, around the time I had met Sanjay. Things ended rather bitterly between MrAnand and me, although the recording of the song had been over. I promised KK that I was going to use the song at some point.quot;
The song was Tadap Tadap8217; Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and it turned out to be just perfect for Bhansali8217;s film. quot;In fact, he was overwhelmed when he heard it.quot;
Darbar seems to be completely in sync with Sanjay Leela Bhansali8217;s sensitivity. Is this partnership for keeps?
quot;Certainly.quot; At the moment though, Darbar is busy with a few other films Afzar Khan8217;s Mehbooba, Vashu Bhagnani8217;s Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya and Nitin Manmohan8217;s Deewangi. And in all, he hopes to quot;compose from the heartquot;.
