The years have been great for Dil Chahta Hai and it is still one of the most-watched, relaxing films of Hindi cinema. Interestingly, the song album, which has now been revered across generations of listeners and incorporates various elements of world music for the first time, received a good response from the label at the time of its release. Music composer Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy revisited their ‘best work’, which also marked the trio’s arrival in the industry and shared why the songs have grown on people.
First thoughts on Dil Chahta Hai turning 20.
Shankar Mahadevan: We remember everything so clearly as if it was just yesterday that we composed all this music, the kind of energy we put together and having such a great time. It’s amazing how fast time flies and yet how fresh this film is.
Ehsaan Noorani: Whenever we perform music it feels very new. It seems that twenty years have passed and still no time has passed. We are still there. It was very new for the time and still is. Since then no film like DCH has come out. There hasn’t been any such soundtrack since. After composing the music ourselves, we could never live up to that level.
Loy Mendonsa: Sometimes filmmakers come and ask us for a track which is very different and new. But when you give them that, many times the way it is portrayed is still the traditional way. At DCH, everything he did was very refreshing. A whole new look at our music. It made a big difference.
What is the place of the DCH album in your career in the film industry?
Ehsaan: It was like a launching pad for us. We had done Mission Kashmir, Shool and Dillagi earlier but no one could turn their back on us. When the DCH album came out, it made such a big difference in terms of style of music. People had never heard this before. I am very proud to say that we are part of the history of the Indian film industry, which has single-handedly changed the music scene by introducing new sounds. This album gave us a face. People knew who we were. This launched us into the broader sense of the industry.
Shankar: When we came out with the album, initially the response was meager. Many music companies who were used to hearing a certain kind of sound said ‘Oh, it’s not like film music!’ But that’s why we were brought in so that it doesn’t sound like you’ve heard before. Anything fresh and pioneering met with resistance at first. The same thing happened with DCH Music. It sprouted like slow poison in people’s minds and our songs are still playing. The music has gone into the audience’s system.
What Makes DCH Soundtracks Timeless?
Loy: For anyone who is watching a movie or listening to the songs, this is a little flashback. It triggers some memories with your friends. Crazy things you used to do. Some of you are still in touch or some may have gone to other parts of the world. When you look back on those parts of your life, you’ll love living them again. Music is a way to look back, put on your headphones, and get into that zone. There is a ring in synchrony.
Ehsaan: Nothing on the album was familiar in terms of what was popular at the time. In the late 90s, AR Rahman had just come out. Others who were popular then were Jatin-Lalit, Nadeem-Shravan and Anand-Milind and there was a particular type of music they performed. DCH came and it was very different. This was the first rock guitar. Koi Kahe Kehta Raha has techno music, Jaane Kyun Log Beach makes way for African music, Kaisi Hai Yeh Ruth has ambient music and there is also Celtic music, which is featured in Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan. People took time to adjust but when they got used to it, it became like an addiction. It still is.
You have since been working with DCH Director Farhan Akhtar and family. How did the collaboration begin?
Ehsaan: Javed sahab suggests Farhan to contact us and see if things work out. He had heard some of our music. We met and found ourselves musical on the same wavelength. He was into rock, blues, classical and world music and whatever he wanted, we could do it together. The vibe was right then and continued till the storm. The whole family has a wonderful sense of humour. Also, Javed sahib has a way of putting deep thoughts into simple words. To start a song with a word like solitude, you’ve already shot an arrow into a person’s heart. It gives you the essence of the song. Who has shot a song for the one feeling lonely standing in the graveyard? It is almost poetic. It requires depth in person to visualize and shoot it that way.
Loy: There is a very good rapport between Javed sahab and Shankar. Sometimes the rhythmic references are very different but Javed Sahab will write the cut literally. There are very rare instances of him working with you that you have to modify anything. When you hear solitude and look at that stretch, you can feel pain. It is amazing how it has all these hustle and bustle together.
On selecting singers for DCH songs
Shankar: Every singer has something or the other that they bring to the table. When you are writing songs, some names keep flashing before your eyes. It’s exactly like casting actors in a role. When you hear Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan, Shaan’s voice fits so well, it seems as if Saif (Ali Khan) is singing himself. Their talking voices are also very similar.
Ehsaan: Udit’s (Narayan) voice is called Papa and was synonymous with Aamir Khan’s voice till Lagaan. Even Aamir suggested that it would be good to see Udit for his song (Jaane Kyun Log). Sonu (Nigam) however had very different choices for Tanhai. His voice was like a love song. But the way he delivered solitude, he actually came across as the right pick. Singing a song is not easy. You probably need some classical training to be able to sing a song like this that has a lot of modulation. When Sonu got the award for Tanhai, he thanked us for giving us the most vocal song in the album. This is one of the hardest songs to sing. He simply captured the emotion perfectly and sang it beautifully. How is Srinivas then it was a very good choice for Ruth. A South Indian, he has that slight tone in his voice. This is probably one of the most different songs he has sung. The song itself is very different in its structure. When he sang it, his senses were blown away.
Do you have any favorites on the DCH album?
A resounding ‘no’ from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
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