Tuesday, June 23, 2009

My silence, music and Faiz

Forgive my long silence ...
Life was trying to catch up with me.
I am still walking ahead.
Let me break my long silence with the notes of music -- three of my new songs from two soon-to-be-released films ...

This is "Tere Bin Kahan Hamse" ... from the about-to-be released "Jashnn" from the Bhatts. It is composed by the hugely talented Sandesh Shandilya, and sung by Shaan and Shreya Ghoshal, one of the most talented singers in Bollywood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOlT2BrVH0k

The next two songs are really special to me. They are from "Sikandar", written and directed by Piyush Jha and produced by Sudhir Mishra and Big Films It is a gritty and eloquent film set in Kashmir.

I have covered Kashmir as a journalist for long long years and have enduring friendships there. It was pure joy to be able to write a song in a film set in Kashmir. You cannot imagine my excitement when my friends call me to say that these two songs are playing on the FM in Kashmir ...
There is an old tradition of Urdu poetry in which a writer pays a tribute to a master by taking the "mukhda" (opening two lines) of an iconic ghazal and writes a new song.
I love the ghazal so much that I wrote two!

This first version has music by Justin-Uday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSW5SxuDX8&feature=related

And this is another version, with different lyrics, composed by Sandesh Shandilya.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvE716Am18I&feature=related

When I wrote these two songs, and when they were recorded, I waited with the trepidation of a student before his exam for the verdict from across the border, from Dr. Salima Hashmi, daughter of the great poet himself ... she heard both the songs and said she loved them! It was so humbling, so rewarding, and such a great relief, above all ...
These are links to some of the comments she made about the song:
Indian Express
India Today
Hindustan Times
Screen

6 comments:

Puneet Bhardwaj said...

मुझे मोहित चौहान ने जो 'गुलों में गाया' है, वो बेहतर लगा। सर आप अब ब्लॉग पर काफी कम लिख रहे हो। और एचटी में भी अब आपकी रिपोर्ट्स कम आती है। काफी अर्से बाद, (26/11 वाले गाने के बाद) जश्न और सिकंदर में आपके गाने सुने। बढ़िया है सर। plz keep writing. सर, आप ब्लॉग पर अपने lyrics writing के experince के बारे में भी लिखिए। मैं जानना चाहता हूं।

Anonymous said...
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Abishek said...

I am proud yet obliged. I cannot believe that I worked with a man for a month, who written some of my favourite songs.
But I am ashamed also because I must know the lyricist the songs, which I sing day and night.
I pray to the God that for years I could hear your songs. You are simply great.
Kudos to you sir.

Ashish Sharma said...

Well nilesh. Buoyed by the voice of Mohit Chauhan i was just searching for more songs of his. And it is real serendipity to find a song like Gulon Mein. Heard another version by KK also. And i realised there is more in this song than splendid voices of these greats. I just made my way to your blog wanting to know whose writing is behind this.
Nilesh this is seriously God-level stuff. I am not able to get myself away from these 2 songs. My personal favorite are few lines from every song

"to thodi chandani chura ke laya gulshan","humne suna hai chote se haatho me chahe to samaaye saare jahan, hatheliyo me thaame hai hamaare buzurgo ki nai dua"...and i am tempted to write every line here as i am currently listening to your song...deeply impressed nilesh..what amazed me is the innocence that you so brilliantly recreated considering that the song is for a boy...the innocence that most of us grown-ups could never rediscover...wanted to know how you could do that
if you decide to write poetry book or something like that in hindi..i want to be the first one to buy...inspired by you even i want to take my writing seriously...and ofcourse looking forward to more of yours such innocent songs...

Ashish Sharma
ashish.sharma.mnit@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Anonymous said...

great read. I would love to follow you on twitter.

(All photos by the author, except when credit mentioned otherwise)