Pancham Trivia

All the trivia are sourced from conversations with individuals, heard on radio or internet. I do not stake any claim for the authenticity. The intention is to relive the excitement of that time.

O Hansini
Shailendra Singh was the original voice of Rishi Kapoor after Bobby. So it was natural that he was chosen as playback for Zahreela Insaan. RD was composing a song for this movie when Kishore Kumar happenned to drop in. He was very impressed with the tune and asked RD who the singer was? RD replied it was you. Kishore was very happy and suggested that they get it recorded the next day. So while all songs from Zahreela Insaan were sung by Shailendra Singh, this one got sung by Kishore Kumar ... and it turned out to be the biggest hit. The song was O Hansini ...

Amanush
The music for this Shakti Samanta film was by Shyamal Mitra, but RD had provided his musicians, his recording studio and also his home for this movie!

J Om Prakash
Inspite of giving musical hits like Aap Ki Kasam and Aandhi, J Om Prakash never signed RD again!

Pyar Karnewale (Shaan 1980)
The origin of this tune lies in the title music for the film Laakhon Mein Ek (1971)! It is also believed that only four instruments have been used in Pyar Karnewale.

Kya Yahi Pyar Hai - Rocky
Bhanuda was strumming his guitar. That led to the creating the mukhda of this song. RD later gave a form to it and this song was sung by Amit Kumar in Bengali as jeona jeona. This became Kya yehi Pyar hai in Hindi!

O Mere Sona Re - Teesri Manzil
Asha bhosle was not satisfied after recording the song. Later she suggested to RD that the song ought to be recorded again. RD thought about the expenses of re-recording and told her to trust him. The song O Mere Sona Re was a hit!

Ijaazat
Gulzar finished reciting a song to him. RD replied "very good situation". Gulzar told him that its not a situation but a song. Set a tune. RD was so upset he replied," Yaar kal Times Of India laaoge aur bologe isko tune lagaa!" The standoff continued when Asha Bhosle suggested the tune for the words "lauta do". That did the trick. RD then went in reverse direction and set the tune for Mera Kuchh Saaman from Ijaazat!

Kitaab
Inorder to sound like an authentic school-children-singing-in-the-class the song, RD used real school benches as percussions for AA AAA E E masterji ki aayee chitthi!

1942 A Love Story
Drum sticks playing on a Tabla was the rhythm pickup used for the song Pyar hua chupke se.

Dosti
RD played the harmonica for Laxmikant Pyarelal in the movie Dosti.

Teri Kasam
Laxmikant appears as the composer in the movie Teri Kasam.

Sagar Kinare
The story goes that this tune was created by RD in 1958 (he must have been 19-20 years old then) then used again in Saagar. (So where does that leave Thandi Hawayein and Rahe Na Rahe Hum?)

Kya Jaanu Sajan
RD wanted a delayed echo to Lata's voice. The technology was not available then in 1967. What RD did was - he recorded the song, then removed the eraser head of the tape recorder and asked Lata to sing at the appropriate times. Sheer magic!

Chingari Koi Bhadke
The opening bars of the guitar were being played and by mistake another chord was plucked. this created a different sound. RD put this aberration to fantastic effect to create the opening strums on the guitar for Chingari koi Bhadke.

Satte Pe Satta
Annette (the singer) was gargling. RD heard her gargling and used it to create a sinister sound effect each time Amitabh (the villian) entered the scene.

Pyar Karta Ja - Bhoot Bangla
RD asked the five singers to the extreme corners of the recording studio inorder the mimic the echo effect. Digital effects was unknown then.

Deewar
At some point of time Shashi Kapoor had listed Deewar as a strong movie having worst songs. (Were Maine Tujhe Maanga & Kehdoon Tumhe turkeys?) Probably Yash Chopra too shared this sentiment and it was the last movie that RD worked with Yash Chopra. But surprisingly Gulshan Rai the producer selected RD over Kalyanji-Anandji inspite of the latter having given a superb musical hit in Johnny Mera Naam.

Vinod Mehra
He had put Yeh Kashmir Hai from Bemisaal as his least favourite song. His favourite was Tere Bina Jiya Jaaye Na from Ghar.

Anjaan
RD-Anjaan combination gave some excellent music in Mahaan and Zameen Aasmaan. But the movies had bombed. When Sameer was signed for Gurudev, RD hoped that atleast he can have success with Anjaan's son. But Gurudev too bombed.


Aati Rahengi Baharein
It is said that this tune was rejected by Nasir Hussain and Ramesh Behl grabbed it!

Bottles
The particular sound effect that appears at the beginning of Mehbooba in Sholay and O Manjhi Re in Khushboo is done bu blowing into bottles half filled with water. Try it. its not as easy as it may sound. It requires tremondous control over breath.

Tere Bina Jeeya Jaye Na - Ghar
RD used the Madal Tarang here. This was a fantastic innovation to the Madal. Madals tuned differently are played in an order so that the pitch increases as the song progresses.

Beeti Na beetayee Raina - Parichay
It is said that this song was composed in a hotel room extempore!

Namak Haraam नमक हराम
Both Amitabh and Rajesh wanted to die in the ending. Hrishikesh Mukherjee shot 2 endings: One in which Amitabh dies while trying to save Rajesh ... thus punishing his rich dad. The second ending, which was retained had Amitabh reaching late ... and then he gets himself convicted for Rajesh's death.

Kasme Vaade कस्मे वादे
Gulshan Bawra mentioned in an interview that the tune to this song was created while cooking. RD had cooked sarson ka saag. He called up Gulshan's wife Anju and told her, "Sarson ka saag banaya Anju, makke ki roti khilaana Anju". The tune that he said these words was used for the song Kasme Vaade!

Nikamma (Jaan-e-Jaan)
निकम्मा - जाँ-ऐ जाँ
There is a song in this movie - Tere Bina Main Kucch Bhi Nahi. The original tune can be found in the theme music for Khel Khel Mein. Ramesh Behl liked it a lot and asked RD to convert it into a song.

Shaam se aankhmein nami si hai (Dil Padosi Hai)
शाम से आँख में नमी सी है (दिल पड़ोसी है)
This song has four versions! Gulzar had mentioned this in one of the shows. He said that it was sung by Mukesh under the music of Salil Chaudhari. The song had the word nami twice in it for the sake of rhythm pattern. Other version was composed by Pancham and sung by Asha. Another version was sung by Jagjit Singh. Yet another version was composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Wow!