Producer Pahlaj Nihalani has the unique record of working uninterrupted with composer Bappi Lahiri from his first production Haathkadi in 1982 to Andaz in 1994.
Says Nihalani, “That’s right. It was a collaboration like no other.The great Raj Kapoor Saab who did all his classic films with Shankar-Jaikishan took a break in Jagte Raho to work with Salil Chowdhary. But I was with Bapii from Haathkadi. Then followed Aandhi Toofan, Ilzaam, Aag Hi Aag, Aandhiyan, First Love Letter, Shola Aur Shabnam , Aankhen and Andaz…I couldn’t think of any other music composer. I didn’t need to. Bappida would fill in the blanks in my films. His music played a very important in the success of my films.Whether it was a chalu song like Laal dupatte Wali in Aankhen or a classic like Milne se pehle bicchad jaayen hum kyon in Aag Hi Aag, Bappi would have a tune ready for every occasion. Hamara utha-baithna ek saath ttha. We met constantly for our recording sessions and for social occasions.”
The song Milne se pehle in Aag Hi Aag has an interesting history. Reveals Nihalani, “It was composed for Kishore Kumar. But when he came to the recording studio and heard the tune he shook his head and said, ‘Nah, yeh gaana sirf Lata gaa sakti hai, Ussko bulao.’ We persuaded him again. He came to sing the number again. Again , Kishoreda said , no get Lata. Then Bappida and I began thinking. If Kishoreda thinks it is for Lataji, it must be for her.’ She came, she sang all three parts of this birha song in no time at all. It was perfect, flawless. When she sings the words ‘Mitwa oh mitwa’ in the Bengali baul tradition we all wept in the studio. According to me this is the finest song on separation in love in Hindi cinema…Bappida also composed the music for a Bengali film I produced called Mandira. Lataji sang a beautiful love song Sab lal pathor in Bengali for Bappida.It was a song situation like Sheesha ho ya dil ho in Asha. And Bappi composed the perfect song. Bappida’s daughter Reema also sang in Bengali in Lal Pathor.”
Pahlaj Nihalani gets emotional about his long-time associate. “I bow to his versatility. Look at his staggering range in my films from Disco Station in Haathkadi to Jab se mile naina in First Love Letter.Speaking of Disco Station, Bappida gave me that mukhda. I went to the great Majrooh Sultanpuri with the mukhda saying I wanted a disco song set on a railway station. Majrooh Saab said it was impossible to write a song based on that mukhda. Finally he came up with the lyrics. I rushed to Bappida at 5 in the morning with the lyrics. That’s the kind of rapport I had with him.We kept 3 stanzas of Majrooh Saab out of 4.”
Pahlaj is all praise for Bappi the human being. “He was never greedy for money. Wohkaam ke pujari ttthe. He was a workaholic. He would ready my song for every situation in 4-5 hours. That was the genius of Bappi Lahiri.When we started working together he was doing small films where his music made more money than the films. My Haathkadi was his first big multi-starrer film.We did 16 films together. The songs that Bappida did for me with Lataji are most precious to me. Whether it was Milne se pehle in Aag Hi Aaag,Sab lal pathor in Mondira, Bandhan toote na in Paap Ki Duniya or Gaa mere sang pyar ke geet in Gunahon Ka Faisla, Lataji always gave something special to Bappi’s songs in my films.”
Concludes Pahlaj Nihalani, “Bappida was the rhythm king. When his son Bappa was just 2 years old he would come down to Bappida’s recording room and start playing the bongo whenever he heard music playing. That was the power of Bappida’s music.”