‘I don’t mind item numbers, but I do mind vulgar lyrics’

Dharma Productions’ latest offering ‘Kapoor & Sons‘ has been making the right noises for quite some time, and so have been its songs. And when we talk about the film’s songs, we can’t proceed without a special mention of the feel good song ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’. Penned by journalist turned lyricist, Abhiruchi Chand, the song will instantly get you in a peppy mood. It will not be wrong to say that the mood of the song absolutely mirrors its lyricist’s personality. Having written a number of jingles and lyrics for TV shows and films like ‘NH10’, she has come a long way in her writing career. In a freewheeling chat with Bollywood Bubble, Abhiruchi Chand shares an inspiring story of her journey from being a Bollywood journalist to a Bollywood writer…

How did you come to think about the big switch from journalism to writing for films?
It’s good to be at the receiving end of this question, for once! I used to write lyrics during long and boring meetings in the office. So Bollywood came calling when I realised that I can do all that while getting paid. But, jokes apart, Bollywood has always fascinated me. Even when I was a journalist who was writing features, I somewhere knew, that was not the kind of writing I wanted to spend my life doing. I wanted to write films and songs because stories and lyrics did come easily to me. I remember as a child, I would often be found telling anecdotes to a bunch of my friends, sitting in the middle like a ‘baba’ while they would patiently listen. Also, I remember picking famous songs and putting my own words to their tune. So once you have been bitten by the bug, you just want to find the way out. For me, the biggest decision was to quit my comfortable job in Delhi and move to the big, bad city Mumbai. Once here, I worked with a TV channel and then joined an advertising agency as a copywriter. After writing a couple of TVCs, radio spots and jingles, I decided it’s time to finally take the plunge and quit my advertising job.

 
We all have heard struggle stories of people in Bollywood. How easy was it, for you?
Well, I didn’t sleep on Marine Drive for starters. Neither did I come to the city with only Rs 500 in my pocket. I had to, however, make that difficult transition from an entertainment journalist to a writer. When you’re writing about break-ups and link-ups, people tend not to take you seriously as a film writer. But I was lucky to get some really good projects that kept me going. Even while I was working in the ad agency, I got a very interesting story to write dialogues for. That project actually was like my training ground. I learned quite a lot while writing that film. So, I wouldn’t say, the journey so far has been easy, but honestly it hasn’t been that difficult either.

So ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’ from ‘Kapoor & Sons’ has worked well and people are loving it. But don’t you agree that there is a lot of uncertainty in the industry? They say you are only as good as your last film. Are you ready to deal with disappointments?
If you’re only as good as your last film, then I don’t have to worry for some time at least! (smiles) ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’ has worked very well, and when what you write gets accepted and appreciated, it’s a different high altogether. But I think it’s also very important to experience failures. Success makes you complacent. Failure makes you bounce back. So, answering your question if I am ready to deal with disappointments or not… Well, the only option I have is to deal with it, isn’t it? It’s pretty much like life. You can’t always be happy, but you keep living.

Working with Dharma Productions is a big milestone in itself. How did ‘Kapoor & Sons’ land in your kitty?
Amaal and I met almost a year and a half ago and I shared the ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’ lyrics with him. It was just the mukhda that I had written then. I still remember how, right there, very spontaneously, Amaal came up with this beautiful melody. The song stayed with him for good two years. I had in fact forgotten about it when suddenly, few months ago, he called me saying Dharma (Productions) has loved it. And they want it for ‘Kapoor & Sons’. And the first thing I did was pinching myself! Dharma has always been my dream banner. And being a part of the same was absolutely a dream come true.

Tell us about your experience of working with Armaan and Amaal Malik.
I absolutely love both of them. They are super talented and chilled out to work with. Amaal also has a very fine sense of lyrics which really helps. The entire process of creating ‘Buddhu Sa Mann’ happened very organically and I think that shows in the song. I love Armaan’s magical voice and these two brothers together make such an amazing combo.

Who is your favourite lyricist? What is it that you like about him/her?
It’s a no-brainer. It has to be Gulzar Saab. As a journalist, I had the pleasure of interviewing him and what made me a life-long fan is that there is someone who can write about moons and stars so beautifully and yet be so grounded. I have learnt so much from him just by reading his works and listening to his songs. Who else could have written, ‘Woh yaar hai jo khushbu ki tarah, jiski zubaan Urdu ki tarah…’ or ‘Ek akeli chhatri mein jab, aadhe aadhe bheeg rahe the…’ Badi asaani se bahot badi baat keh jaate hain Gulzar saab. I am also quite fascinated by the writings of Majrooh Sultanpuri and Anand Bakshi. Among the current batch of lyricists, I think Prasoon Joshi, Irshad Kamil and Amitabh Bhattacharya are also quite amazing.

Come to think of it, there are a very few female lyricists in Bollywood. How does it feel being one of them?
I never looked at it that way and now that you’ve pointed it out, it feels awesome (smiles). On a serious note, I think the fact that I am doing what I absolutely enjoy is really wonderful. And that I am one of the very few women lyricists makes it even more amazing.

Recently, Shabana Azmi lashed out at the raunchy song ‘Fevicol se’ for its objectionable lyrics. Being a lyricist, what’s your take on item numbers?
I don’t mind item numbers. I do mind vulgar lyrics though. If it’s an item number that’s fun and makes you dance. I see no harm in that. However, a song that only objectifies women is not something I am particularly happy with.

Every writer has some or the other inspiration. How do lyrics come to you?
Mostly, they come when I don’t expect them to. Like while going for a meeting, or during my morning walks, and at times, even when I am asleep. But the biggest inspiration is the deadline. When you just have a day to deliver, you can’t really go to the Himalayas to seek inspiration. You have to catch it right where ever you are – in the traffic jams, in between those WhatsApp messages and FB pop ups, in between your kaam waali bai ki chikchik and pressure cooker ki seeti.

You have moved from Delhi to Mumbai. What is it that you like and dislike about the two cities?
I love both the cities. I started my career in Delhi and have some of my closest friends there. I find poetry in Delhi. From Defence Colony and Preet Vihar to Hauz Khas, they all have such distinct characteristics. And I don’t want to start the endless topic about Delhi food. I love Mumbai because now it’s home. This is where I found my true calling. Mumbai and I are very similar… we are always racing against the time, always chasing and missing deadlines. I absolutely love this city because it completely matches up with my madness. Although, I dislike the traffic jams jismein aapki aadhi zindagi guzar jaati hai!

Tell us about your upcoming projects.
Apart from writing lyrics, I also write films. I have written dialogues for a film which should go on floors in a couple of months from now. It’s a beautiful, slice of life kind of a story and I am truly excited about it. There’s another very fresh story that I am writing for one of most favourite directors Tanuja Chandra. Fingers crossed!

Also read: CHECK OUT RISHI KAPOOR’S CUTEST AVATAR IN ‘BUDDHU SA MANN’ FROM ‘KAPOOR & SONS’