Naushad: Composer of the century
On the harmonium now, I urged Naushad to play, from Dil Diya Dard Liya, the Lata heart-holder, Phir teri kahaani yaad aayi (picturised on Waheeda Rehman). This was the song that was to inspire a Mahesh Bhatt telefilm of the same name.
"It's Maand, isn't it?" I asked. Naushad nodded gratified assent as I asked him to play a matching Lata Maand creation from M Sadiq's Shabab (1954). His spot pick was Jo main jaantee bisrat hai saiyyan on Nutan.
"But what about Mar gaye hum jeete jee from the same Shabab on the same Nutan?" I enquired. "Is it, in any way, a lesser Maand?"
"Put that way," remarked Naushad, "each one of my creations is my pet. Only I know how I have laboured to perfect each of these tunes. See how surpassingly I have Lata and Rafi harmonising in Man kee been matwaaree baaje from the same Shabab. Lata-Rafi come to you, here, in Basant."
"But, Naushadsaab, isn't Man ki been in Bahaar rather than in Basant?" I asked, daringly. 'Oh yes, it is," he replied, "now that you pinpoint the shading."
This was another great trait of Naushad's. A classical titan he doubtless was, yet he was always open to subtle correction. This is where the humility of the true achiever came in. Naushad would say it is the harmonium of Mohammed Ibrahim that did the trick for him in the Shabab quawwali by Rafi & Co, Mehalon mein rehne waale, set in compelling Shahana. Plus, always remember that Naushad was a past-master in background scoring, something he did so poignantly when Ghulam Mohammed fell ill while composing Pakeezah (above).
By this point, in 1971, as Naushad's films had begun failing in a stream during the 1960s, it was suggested, by envious rivals, that his stock was over.
"Is this a baniye ki dukaan (provisions store) or something for the stock to be over?" Naushad demanded. "Heroes and heroines change with generational advance and I am now in the process of adjusting to Rajendra Kumar from Dilip Kumar, among others."