“‘Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar’ in Kaalia was composed by me” – Introducing music composer Amitabh Bachchan

By Subhash K. Jha -

May 11, 2018 - 10:43 AM IST

Everyone is talking about Amitabh Bachchan turning music composer with the racy Badumba track in the film 102 Not Out. However the ever-enterprising Mr B caught me by surprise by confessing that ‘Badumba’ was not the first song he had composed. Reveals the Big B, “I have been composing several songs in the past too. In my 1981 film Kaalia (directed by Tinnu Anand), the song ‘Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar Hai Meri Jaan Mujhe Khabar Hai’ was given by me to Pancham (composer R D Burman). Then Baghbaan had several of my compositions. Baabul too… I sang for Nishabd, did the Hanumaan Chalisa with my late much-missed friend composer Aadesh Shrivastava.”

“‘Jahan Teri Yeh Nazar’ in Kaalia was composed by me” – Introducing music composer Amitabh Bachchan

Though Mr Bachchan dismisses his singing and compositional abilities, he reveals big musical plans. “My compositions are of no singing value. I am quite hopeless. However I am in the process of doing some of my father (poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan)’s works and that is being designed for a platform to be released soon. I have already sung some verses from my father’s poetic work Madhushala where Aadesh Shrivastava did the musical arrangement. I played it too to a wonderful ballet presentation on my 70th birthday. More is being composed and developed and hopefully should be out presently. I am also remixing some of my other songs giving it my own musical interpretation. Let’s see how it goes.”

About the song he composed in 102 Not Out, Bachchan reveals, “‘Badumba Zumba Zumba’ was an afterthought by me. During the last day of the shooting on an open balcony it started raining and we just broke for a while to run to a shade. That is when I told Umeshji (director Umesh Shukla) we need to have a song for the film, because music is an attraction these days for films. Ours being and an old-age home kind of film, I felt it would enhance the positioning of the film.”

However, the director didn’t quite agree with Big B. “Umeshji said there was no space for a song. I said. ‘Ok, let me compose something and play it for you and then you decide.’ So I went into a studio, composed the song, arranged a rough music to it and sang it. When Umeshji heard it they all liked it, but because there was no space in the film we decided to use it as a promotional song. Subsequently now it is in the film.”

Mr Bachchan brushes off his musical journey. “There is no journey. It’s a wild ride off-track and off-note. Nothing special about it. I am no composer. Just an impromptu habit that I have.”

Also Read: ‘Thugs of Hindostan is a spectacle waiting to explode’ – Amitabh Bachchan