Lalit Pandit (of Jatin-Lalit duo)

How do you sign a film generally -- do you approach a producer or does the producer approach you?

It can happen either way. Often, the producer comes to us or, if we have worked with a producer earlier and have cordial relations, like in the case of Aditya Chopra and Aziz Mirza, we keep in touch. They know we have a bank of songs, and if they are planning a new film, they call us for a ‘sitting’ to discuss the music. We play a few ready tunes for them, sometimes with dummy lyrics or even without them, It starts from there.

When you were with Jatin, how was your work divided?

We would compose our individual tunes and then work on them together, mostly after playing the tunes to the producer/director. We do a demo recording of the approved numbers and have an interactive session. They’d tell us if they wanted any changes in the context of the song situation, story etc. After the director/ producer approved the tune, Jatin and I would give the finishing touches and play the final recordings with  the beats and other effects. Jatin and I have our positive points,we would blend them at work.

What do you prefer, composing a tune first and then getting the lyrics written or the other way round?

It’s easier to compose a tune if the lyrics are ready. But that is not necessarily the ideal situation. My best work has happened when I composed the tune first and then got the lyrics written. There is greater creative freedom if you are not restricted to pre-set lines.

Who chooses the lyricist? What is the criterion – merit, suitability or personal relationships?

Generally it’s the music director who chooses the lyricist. Our choice is mostly guided by a certain comfort level. Jatin and I used to love working with the late Majrooh (Sultanpuri) Saab, he was always our first choice. We also enjoy working with Javed Akhtar and Sameer. But there are times when we have to give in to the director’s or producer’s request,especially if they have had a tiff with a certain lyricist,or if there is a problem over remuneration.Under normal circumstances merit and rapport are the main criteria. Eventually we all want good work.

Who chooses the singer? The director or the music director?

It’s a joint decision as both the director and the music director have clear-cut expectations. The suitability of a singer for a particular song is the ultimate criterion.

What happens when you don’t agree with a director’s choice of a singer?

We try to convince the director. Eventually, it’s his confidence in us that works. For instance, Adi (Aditya Chopra) wanted Udit (Narayan) to sing the Fanaa number ‘Chand sifarish…’ because he felt that Udit's voice suited Aamir better, but Jatin and I wanted Shaan to sing it because, we felt, Udit would have sounded routine. Eventually, Adi gave us a chance to prove our point, and, as you know, the song became a rage and Shaan won almost every award for the best playback singer. In the same film, we gave in to the director, Kunal (Kohli), when he wanted Sunidhi Chauhan to sing the soft romantic numbers for Kajol, though we were keen on Alka singing them, because she is very good with melodious romantic numbers. Sunidhi was mostly singing vibrant ‘item songs’ at that point in time. But she surprised us with her brilliant rendering of the Fanaa numbers. Kunal was proved right in his judgment. It’s a matter of trust in each other’s sense of judgment.

How would you handle the situation if the difference of opinion gets serious and the director insists on a singer who you don’t think would do justice to the song in question?

I would go by the director’s choice, but would rehearse with the singer to ensure that he/she delivers. If I still feel that the singer is not right for the song, I would convince the director to change his mind. There have been occasions when we had to replace a singer even after recording the song because we were not happy with the result. Things are very professional these days and singers are not as touchy as before, they understand the demands on us. And no director will insist on going ahead with a song if it is not good enough.

How do you asses the suitability of a singer for a particular song?

The singer should be able to do justice to a song and the song should not sound awkward when the actor 'sings' it on screen. The audience goes more for the presentation of the song these days. So I look at it from that perspective. However,with actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan we cannot experiment too much with different singers as people are very familiar with their voices. In the case of Amitji (Bachchan), Sudesh Bhosle has been able to match his voice.So it has become a tradition and hence we would stick to the pattern.

These days two or three singers sing for the same actor in a film. Why does this happen?

It’s not the ideal thing to happen, but unfortunately, these days the emphasis is more on the popularity of a song than its suitability to a certain star on screen. If a music director thinks that a certain singer is best suited to sing a specific song he will opt for him even if his voice does not match well with that of the actor who renders it on screen. The emphasis is more on the long-term impact of the song.

Earlier actors and singers went in pairs by and large. Mukesh’s voice was identified with Raj Kapoor, Mohammed Rafi’s with Dilip Kumar, Kishore Kumar’s with Dev Anand and later Rajesh Khanna.

Thank God that doesn’t happen anymore. It has led to the discovery of many new singers. Otherwise it could have become very monotonous with so many films being made. Today the audiences are accepting newer singers readily. In the days of Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna, we are told, the actors would get very involved with their songs and the choice of singers. They would take a lot of interest in the music sittings and recordings. Luckily, these days actors aren’t that involved with the songs. Just as well, considering the speed at which we have to work.

Adnan Sami has a unique voice which stands out for its individuality. Yet he is made to sing for any actor from Akshay to Saif to Abhishek irrespective of suitability. How would you explain this?

Adnan Sami is a very popular singer and a great composer as well. His voice can lend a new dimension to a song. And there are certain songs which suit only his style of singing. Recently I recorded a song with him for a forthcoming movie Dulha Mil Gaya (starring Sushmita Sen, Shah Rukh and Fardeen Khan).It was filmed on Fardeen. Initially i was a little worried as Adnan has a tendency to swallow certain words while singing and it can become a problem if the lyricist is very  particular about the lines, like mine was. But Adnan did a great job of it. It was a hip-hop number which I was trying for the first time.

Do you feel that the quality of singers is declining as most veterans complain?

Many singers now-a-days are said to go off-key. But it doesn’t really matter these days. There are many kinds of advanced software which can rectify minor flaws in singing. If a singer is not able to hit a particular note then we achieve what we want technically. But this can affect the singer in the long run. Singers like Ashaji (Bhosle) and Lataji (Mangeshkar) used to understand the nuances well and would persist until they got the notes right.

Don’t you think that the orchestra invariably overwhelms the singer these days?

Yes, it often does. And it’s deliberate. Today all composers are targeting the youth as they form a major chunk of the audience. They are the ones who really matter. Young people usually prefer foot-tapping numbers and so the songs these days are more rhythmic with the orchestra going full blast.

Does a director make any contribution to a film’s music?

Yes, he does. Someone like Aditya Chopra is absolutely clear about what he wants. He expects us to stick to his brief. Even if we offer a composition which we consider 'better' he won’t buy it. Sanjay Bhansali was very passionate too about the music of his film during Khamoshi. Though it was only his debut film, he was very assertive about what he wanted. He would call us in the middle of the night and pour out his thoughts on the kind of music he was looking for. Such people are exciting to work with. There are others who would hum a tune from memory to give us the lead. It helps at times.

The music of certain films bears the stamp of their makers. Like all Raj Kapoor’s films had a certain musical style. It didn’t change even when Laxmikant-Pyarelal replaced Shanker-Jaikishen in Bobby. How does this happen?

Some directors have the ability to define their vision, and have the power to leave a stamp on their work. If a director is absolutely sure of what he wants and is convincing enough in his demand,  composers get motivated to work hard and give him the compositions he is looking for. The music in Yash Chopra’s films has a definite style too. In recent times Aditya Chopra has been responsible for it. Right from the Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge days he has been actively interacting with the music directors of all the films made under the Yash Raj Films banner and achieving the results he wants. You can feel the underlying link in the music irrespective who the director of a particular film is or the music director.

Of all the directors you have worked with, who did you find the toughest and the most exacting?

Mansoor Khan. He was the toughest. Adi Chopra and Karan Johar are also very demanding. I remember working with Adi (Mohabbatein) and Karan (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham) around the same time. The two were so demanding that it became almost impossible for us to cope with them simultaenously. So we had to request them to sit together and work out our time-table. We were right at the top at that stage and were being flooded with offers, but we had to decline many important ones because of the pressure.

Do actors interfere in the choice of singers?

No, they don’t, thankfully.

What is the role of an arranger?

An arranger would basically work on the interludes in a song. But with technological advancement and the various technical means available today, the arrangers have become redundant.