The PERFECT Pitch

Sajid: We had been nominated for the Star Screen Awards earlier for both Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Partner. We also felt that we at least deserved a nomination for Wanted last year. But time is what matters. Nadeem-Shravan struggled for almost a decade before Aashiqui happened and then there was no one to touch them for many years. Anand Bakshisaab also struggled for almost eight years.

Do you feel upset that Veer did not get noticed that way?
Sajid: The success of a film is very important for its music to click. Veer is a score that we are extremely proud of even today,and Inshallah,we hope to win the National Award for it!

Wajid: Honestly,we did hope that Veer was nominated at Screen too. But so much appreciation has come from all quarters,including from classical musicians. By the way,did you know that the House of Commons in Great Britain has invited us because they appreciated the score and want us to speak on Veer and on Indian music?

So we can plan our work but not the outcome,and we need someone who gives us a chance to do something so different and in-depth. It was Salman Khanbhai who insisted on us for Veer when others wanted a high-profile name,just as it was Rajkumar Hirani who saw a different potential in Sanjay Dutt. All we say is that we should never underestimate anyones capabilities. Everyone tries his best,but perhaps the right results come only when the power above decides.

Sajid,you could not make it to Screen Awards because of ill-health,and your brother got as emotional about the first award as about your absence on stage.
Sajid: I know. Did you know that I became a composer for my younger brother? I was into business for some years,and was doing well too,though our father,Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan,had prophesied that ghum phirke I will finally come back to music. Wajid was so passionate about turning a composer that when he decided to step into the field,I somehow felt that he would need me. So I thought that it was necessary for me to support my chhota bhai,who lives only for his music. Maybe in a way it was correct that only he was there to receive our first award! And maybe God made my brother the means to my embracing what was there in my blood music. After we were educated by our parents,I had the normal desire to lead a good life,and I thought that business was the best way to accumulate wealth,own big cars and have a great lifestyle! But now,as composers,there is nothing that tempts us. Music has never been a business for us. We want to sleep peacefully at night,content that we have worked well for works sake. Any car is good if it does what it is supposed to do take us to our destination! Fancy cars and palatial houses dont rank anywhere,we would rather spend and reinvest in music itself.

Wajid: All those years of consistent good work minus awards ceased to matter when Screen announced us as winners! We have composed Deewana,the T-Series Sonu Niigaam album that is still unbeaten in non-film music in sales. We pioneered the 28 Non-Stop Remix for T-Series. We have recorded albums with everyone from the Sabri Brothers to Rahul Vaidya of Indian Idol. We have done one,two or more songs for Salmanbhais films,before Mujhse Shaadi Karogi after Anu Malik quit and Partner saw us doing all the songs of his films,and have made sure that every movie of ours,with him or otherwise,had completely different music as per the needs. Even today,as with Anu Malik or Laxmikant-Pyarelal earlier,there is a surprise element in our music,where people are compelled to think,Oh,Sajid-Wajid can do this too?.

Sajid: Frankly,after our first award,there was such a sense of vindication that the subsequent wins did not give me much extra joy. I wanted to just see a trophy in my brothers hands,for his work,his talent and his passion deserved it on merit. We have never worked for winning awards. We never saw the need to manipulate and get films by playing politics. Logon ki mohabbat aur awaam ki izzat ke aage hamein kya chahiye? Within the industry too,we have received so much respect,and have never had quarrels or controversies with anyone. How can we forget the compliments by legends like Bakshisaab,Gul- zarsaab and senior musicians after working with us? There are musicians and singers who have refused payment because they have loved our songs.

You brothers share a unique bond.
Sajid: Let me tell you something that you must accept as a fact because I am saying it: this brother of mine is 10 times more talented than me! Iss pe kisiki nazar na lage. In all this 13 years he has never given me a moment of stress. And there was never a day when he was not serious about his work!

And yet,Dabangg as well as the awards must have made a difference.
Wajid: Yes,people who never looked at us or spoke to us,suddenly came up to meet us and praise our work.

Sajid:. But it is also important to know that we have sustained. In this line,jo nazar ke saamne hai is alive,otherwise you dont exist!

Wajid: Frankly,I have a different outlook from my brother in the matter of awards. I feel that even if you are nominated among the best five in a year when 150 films release,you have won every time! And now,accha music banayenge aur Inshallah,the awards will keep coming!

How is the equation with your parents? Your father Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan is an ace tabla maestro and there is a lineage of four generations.
Sajid: Though we now live separately,we have to meet our parents every single day. Just like we have since we were kids.

You two have never revealed how your relationship with Salman Khan began.
Sajid: Sohail Khan and I were part of a common group in college. I would struggle in the morning and we would meet in the evenings. Krishan Kumar of T-Series would also be with us. I did not want to exploit my dosti for professional gains. So I approached them on telephone as a struggling composer. When I first met Sohail at his house for work,he was surprised and said,What are you doing here? A similar situation happened when I first went to T-Series. Maybe they liked this attitude.

With Sohail,I made him listen to some of my compositions and he gave me a budget. The song our first in movies,was recorded for Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. When Salim Khansaab met us later,he too was surprised. He said that after listening to the maturity of Teri jawani badi mast mast hai he assumed that we must be in the 40-50 age group! And when Salman Khan first heard the song,he embraced both of us and told Sohail,Inn logon ko tu mujhe de de Give them to me! That was the beginning of a relationship that has truly grown to one that we cherish.

Wajid: In particular,we are thrilled that 13 years after that films release,our song is still remembered and played much more than the songs by other composers in that film that were hits when it was first released.

As part from your lineage,what influences have shaped your music?
Wajid: We understand the value of a composition. Our music is made to order,for a film,not to fill up space in it. Our songs share one point with old songs they are nuanced. The lines are simple and heartfelt,but a lot of thought goes into them. Our songs are original,as only such songs can live on. We are often asked by singers how we conceived or composed many of our songs,but then from childhood,rhythm,folk and classical are in-built as well as inculcated in us!

Sajid: Our father always told us: make something new,not something. He would say,Dekhiye,parakhiye aur seekhiye these were his three basic principles,that we must assess and learn from the work of others. It is important also to stretch boundaries,like a ghazal is normally in the semi-classical mould but we would give it a folk twist. In the title-song of Dabangg,Hud hud dabangg,there is a basic rhythm as well as folk and the classical murqi for the word aage is similar to the late Pandit Bhimsen Joshis vocal style! We also lay great stress on words and do not believe in just following trends blindly. With Dabangg we have proved that pure Hindi works even today,whereas the popular myth is that shuddh Hindi can sound only funny,like the use of priyatama or praaneshwari in comic songs. We have dared to use words like Saanchi that are considered defunct!

What films are you doing now?
Wajid: Among the older assignments are Chatur Singh Two Star and Office Office. We are now doing Tezz,our first with Venus and director Priyadarshan. Though it is a full-blown actioner,we have really worked hard on a very different kind of score. There is Tanveer Khans film that introduces Chirag Paswan. We have worked for the first time with Javedsaab and we are proud of our work in this film. There is this duet by Daler Mehndi and Mamta Sharma wherein you will realise what a good singer Mamta is,because she has matched Dalers brilliance.

Sanjay Dutt is producing the Satte Pe Satta remake and we will also be working on the remake of Chashme Buddoor. In both the films,we will unleash our own brand of melody and our own take on these unique subjects. We are not going to recreate any of the old hits. For Chashme Buddoor,we are giving an unplugged folk touch and have recorded a song with the great folk artiste Arif Lohar.

And the Salman Khan chapter?
Theres Kick,and hopefully Partner 2 and Dabangg 2 will also take off this year.

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