Here’s why the great poet Sahir Ludhianvi refused to work with Bollywood’s most successful music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal after a hit score for Yash Chopra.The film was Yash Chopra’s Daag in 1973, his first film as an independent producer-director after he broke away from his brother B R Chopra.
Yashji wanted only the best for Daag. He signed the reigning superstar Rajesh Khanna with Sharmila Tagore and Raakhee Gulzar. He signed the most successful composers of the 1970s Laxmikant-Pyarelal to do the music,and the great Sahir Ludhianvi to do the poetry.
L-P had worked with Yash Chopra’s brother B R Chopra once before in Dastaan.And Sahir had not enjoyed the process of writing the lyrics for L-P.However when Yash Chopra turned into an independent producer-director he insisted that his friend Sahir work with Laxmikant-Pyarelal one more time for his sake.
Sahir reluctantly agreed. But was left appalled and disillusioned by L-P’s poetic sense. According to sources the composers would ask Sahir to change words at their will.Which he refused to do. That they still came up with wonderful songs in Daag like Mere dil main aaj kya hai ,Jab bhi jee chahe nayee duniya and Hum aur tum tum aur hum speaks volumes for L-P and Sahir’s professionalism.
But after Daag Sahir put his foot down. Yash Chopra had to rope in Khayyam for Sahir to agree to write the songs on Kabhi Kabhie.
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