Anu Malik: ‘Begum Jaan’ the toughest project I have worked on in 40 years

Music of ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ was a refreshing change from what Anu Malik has created for a long time. And thus, the track ‘Yeh Moh Moh Ke Dhage’ took many of us by surprise. Malik himself is aware of it. While talking to Mid-Day, he smiles at how his audience forgot his earlier melodies like ‘Virasat’, ‘Aśoka’ and more.

But, Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Begum Jaan’, he says, has been the most challenging work he has done, in a career spanning over four decades. That is primarily due to the film’s backdrop being a socio-politically crucial one.

“Having 1947 as the film’s backdrop was a bit of a problem, but the theme of women’s power drove me. This has been the toughest project I have worked on in 40 years. Before coming on board, I had put forth two conditions — I wanted to compose the entire soundtrack and didn’t want to see the original film ( Bengali film ‘Rajkahini’ ). I wanted the music to be fresh,” he says. (Also Read: Post surgery, Anu Malik likely to be discharged on Thursday)

Legendary singer Asha Bhosle also makes a comeback to playback singing with ‘Begum Jaan’, after four long years. She has crooned the number ‘Prem Mein Tohre’, which became an instant success.

“She came to my home studio and when I played the song, she said, ‘Anu, yeh gaana kab record karne waala hai tu?’ I said, ‘Whenever you say.’ She said, ‘Abhi kar lein? Yeh mera comeback hone waala hai.’ We met after a week and recorded the song in about four hours. She was so excited, she seemed like a child singing her first song. She is happy that the number is doing well,” the composer recalls.

With Vidya Balan essaying the titular role, ‘Begum Jaan’ features Gauahar Khan, Pallavi Sharda, Ila Arun among others in pivotal roles and is set to hit the screens on 14th April.

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.