Notes for the <i>New</i>

Notes for the New

What comes to your mind when you think of hit songs from Yash Chopra films, picturised against the backdrop of lush landscapes? To be more precise, what can you hear playing in the background? Soothing, semi-classical, folk based melody by Shiv-Hari? In fact, the music by santoor exponent Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma and flautist Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia for films such as Silsila, Chandni and Darr worked so wonderfully, that you cannot think of these pretty frames without one of their haunting tunes coming to the mind. So when you hear that for his latest -- Hrithik-Kareena starrer Mujhse Dosti Karoge? -- Yash Chopra has asked Sharma’s son Rahul to score the music, your curiosity is instantly piqued.

Particularly since rumours have been rife that all’s not well between the music duo and Chopra (he and son Aditya had even got Jatin-Lalit to compose the score for their films in between, Dil To Pagal Hain and Mohabattein). And which is exactly why you zig-zag your way up Pali Hill to meet Rahul at the Sharma household.

As you take in every immaculate details of the themed-on-the-santoor interiors of the drawing room, Rahul Sharma walks in. "Since my father Pt Shivkumar Sharma and me spend a better part of our lives with the santoor, the interiors were designed keeping that in mind," he tries to inform the obvious, rolling up his sleeves. Cue to fire the first salvo: Does Yash Chopra’s approaching him to do the music for his new venture mean a patch-up between Chopra and the Shiv-Hari team? "Where is the question of a patch-up when there were no differences at all," insists Rahul, "there is simply no basis to these rumours. We’re very close family friends and that goes beyond the films my Dad had worked together with Yashji for." Pointing out how Adi (Aditya Chopra) and he have known each other since school, he adds, "If in between Yashji worked with Jatin-Lalit, it was simply because both my Dad and Hariji’s schedules for concerts and tours abroad were clashing with the film schedules."

Remembering how Shiv-Hari sat through the music of Dil To Pagal Hai, he narrates, "The plot kept changing so often that they wanted to be out of it." Rahul reiterates that the first priority with the Shiv-Hari duo has always been concerts and classical music. "It was a similar lack of dates that saw them opting out of Mohabattein," he says. So is the offer to compose music for Mujhse Dosti Karoge? a hand-me-down, actually meant for his father? He answers with a vociferous "no". "With all due respect to Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, this offer was made to me only. It isn’t because they were unavailable that I’m filling up the slot."

Yash Chopra attended on of Rahul’s concerts in London last year and liked what he heard. The offer fell on his lap immediately after that. "He has virtually seen me growing up. He has seen my involvement in the composition of the music for Chandni, Lamhe and Darr, Rahul informs, "I used to sit with Dad through his work and he used to often ask me to think up a tune." It was during one such sitting for Sahibaan (1993) for which Shiv-Hari had given music for a Ramesh Talwar project that the tune Rahul proposed for the title song Kaise Jeeyunga Mein Agar Tu Na Bani Meri Sahibaan was selected. "Though the credits said Shiv-Hari, I was thrilled about having composed the music for a song which was appreciated."

He, however, quickly clarifies that this does not mean Mujhse Dosti Karoge? is a cakewalk. "Quite the contrary, in fact. Unlike Shiv-Hari, I am doing this on my own."

But big daddy must be surely looking after him? "No. He hasn’t done that and I respect his decision to keep it that way. I am composing music which is totally me," he points out. Rahul is reluctant to talk about the kind of music he’s worked out for the Yash Chopra film. "The music will not tap the classical-folk genres. I only hope people don’t expect me to do another Shiv-Hari because what worked then will not work now. It will sound outdated," is just about what he lets in on the music. And then goes on to justify: "Hrithik Roshan singing a raga-based number will definitely look odd. I’m not here to sound different. I want the music to have mass appeal and work with the college-going crowd." Lending voices to what appear to be peppy, westernised music tracks are Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Alisha Chinai and Sonu Nigam.

On whether he will choose to compose music only for Yash Chopra films, he says: "Too early to talk about my future plans. But I’m very sure I will be open to working with all kinds of directors." He, however, makes it clear that he won’t take up more than one film a year. "Like my father, santoor and classical music will top the list of priorities." We’ll wait and watch.