When business is a pen 
By Screen Weekly, October 1, 2008 - 09:31 IST
He has business in his genes and much verse on his mind. Screen chats up the MBA Irfan Siddiqui who is writing lyrics for top-line setups, with Fashion as his latest outing
What's an MBA from IIPM doing writing lyrics for Hindi films?
Not only that, I hail from a business family that is fairly conservative. I developed an interest in writing poems when I was a teenager in college life.
Was that because you fell in love?
No. I was always crazy about film music and an addict of Chitrahaar, the television show. I started practising writing different lyrics to existing songs to the same concept or situations and asking myself, "Is it somewhere near the original?" This helped me understand metres, especially if the songs were complex, like Chhaiyaa chhaiyaa was.
Most original lyricists, as opposed to mere wordsmiths, need a literary background and also a deep insight into life to write well.
I understand that. But for me it's been a process. I started learning on the job. Coming from a traditional Muslim family, I was very conversant with Hindi and Urdu all through. Unlike most lyricists of my generation, I can read Urdu even if I am not good at writing it. I think that writing songs cannot be taught or learnt. I guess it is a gift from God - that's the simple, straight truth.
Traditionally, songs here are written right there in front of the composer, director and so on. Are you comfortable with that?
Yes, I usually do write songs on the spot. For most of the time, the melody rather than just the situation inspires me. But there are melodies that I record and take home too, for a few songs take time to write. My song Aashayein from Iqbal was written to a melody heard on the telephone. I sms-ed back the words and Salim (-Sulaiman) and I met for this song only at the time of the dubbing!
Your song Mar jaava from Fashion has become popular. But there was no situation in the real sense. Is such a song easier or more difficult to write than a situational number?
It's both in different ways. I gave them several options for the mukhda. Salim and I worked hard on something that would have an identity of its own and get audience attention because the sequence was going to be so strong visually that no one would be really interested in the song playing in the background. And we have succeeded.
I believe you were a model yourself in college. Did Madhur Bhandarkar, who directed Fashion, know about this?
No. Apart from walking the ramp, I had even choreographed some shows in my college. That was another of my interests. But I could not grow there.
But for someone who has no contacts or mentors within the industry you have made good progress.
I guess I have been lucky, though I have a long way to go. Choreographer Rajiv Goswami and I have been childhood buddies and we would jam and make songs together. I wrote all the songs except Mujhe mere yaar se in his debut album and Salim-Sulaiman arranged it. That's how I got to know the duo and they called me for Ashayein in Iqbal. Apart from their films Fashion and Chain Kulii Ke Main Kulii I have worked with them in Karo ya maro, the IPL song for the SetMax channel, the first IPL anthem Dil pe le liya, the finale song of Voice Of India and the lead track of Shrradha Pandit's album Teri Heer. I also wrote the title-track of Rafoo Chakkar - Fun On The Run and about 20 songs for the Hindi dubbed versions of High School Musical and High School Musical 2.
Which are your films to come?
I am writing for Karan Johar's Rensil D'Silva-directed film starring Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor and all the songs for his Kootchie Kootchie Hota Hai directed by Tarun Mansukhani. I am doing Ken Ghosh's film with Shahid Kapoor, a song in Mumbai Chakachak that will probably be composed by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Teen Patti with Amitabh Bachchan directed by Leena Yadav, the video made by Sony for the Indian Idol finalists and also the dubbed Hindi songs for Walt Disney Productions' Camp Rock.
What do you feel about the excessive use of Punjabi and English in today's songs?
I would not like to follow this trend for the heck of it. Look at Anand Bakshisaab and Gulzarsaab who used Punjabi in a very classy way - I would like to emulate that. I want to make a mark with good songs like Ashayein, which is still loved. Today there are lots of hit songs, but few that really make a mark or have a shelf-life. Genuine gaane hi chal jaate hain and I too would not like to compromise because I give that 101 per cent to each song.
Screen India
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Post the success of Fashion, Bhandarkars visit Vaishno Devi
