You may react with disbelief or amusement when you learn that Irshad Kamil, the man who wrote songs like ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ ( Tamasha ), ‘Sadda Haq’ ( Rockstar ) and more, started off as a dialogue-writer for Hindi soaps.
The Sahir Ludhianvi-admiring PhD holder in modern Hindi poetry says he always knew song-writing was what he wanted to do.
Soon, he jumped from the small screen to the big and despite the initial struggles, today, he has become one of the leading lyricists in the country.
Irshad was at the recently-held Bengaluru Poetry Festival where he performed with his poetry band, Inkband. In an interview, he talks about his writing process, his friendship with Imitiaz Ali, AR Rahman and more.
Excerpts
What is the difference between writing a poem and a film song?
When you write a film song, you have to balance commerce and art. You have a zone where you do not care about what others say. Poets belong there, not lyricists.
Your lyrics are usually rich in philosophy. Do you worry that people might not get it and, hence, it might affect the song’s commercial aspects?
The commerce aspect is registered in my subconscious. I know that I need to write songs that people enjoy. But while I am working, I put myself in the shoes of the film’s characters. For this to happen, I read the script more than once. Then, the director and I go back and forth on why the character behaves in a particular way at a given moment. It helps me understand the psychology of the character.
In Tamasha , for instance, ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ wasn’t there in the script. I told Imitiaz (the director), that ‘there should be a song here’. If I am not becoming the character, the lines will not ring true. And, if they are not true, they will not reach your heart. Listeners are intelligent people.
They know the difference between fake and real.
What according to you is a complete song?
If the song is able to make you feel the same emotions that I felt while I wrote it, then, I think it is complete.
You have produced some great songs with Imitiaz Ali and AR Rahman. What makes this union special?
I think it is because we enjoy each other’s company. Imitiaz and I look forward to go to Chennai, sit with Rahman sir, have a cup of coffee and chat about anything under the sun. We discuss sports, cinema and finally our own movie. The conversation is not always about work. We look forward to each other’s company.
- In Rockstar , Janardhan Jakhar (played by Ranbir Kapoor), an aspiring musician but a loafer in the eyes of his family, is expelled from home for a crime he did not commit. He then sits on a pavement, emptily gazing at speeding vehicles, his guitar in hand. Music is all he’s left with. He ends up at Nizamuddin Dargah. A qawwali, ‘Kun Faya Kun’, ensues. It captures the transformation of the hitherto happy-go-lucky youngster, Janardhan, into a profound artiste, who calls himself Jordan.
- Of the song, Irshad says: Imitiaz told me there was going to be a qawwali . I asked him if we could use the phrase ‘kun faya kun’ (be, and it is) from the Quran . We consulted a scholar because it is a sacred phrase. It had been in my mind for two-three years. And, I found it appropriate to use in this situation. It was around 8 pm when we started recording at Rahman sir’s studio in Chennai. Mohit Chauhan (the singer) was also there. Around 12 am, we got into the mood. I could feel that something special was happening even as it was being recorded. At 2 am, I called Imitiaz, who was in Delhi to come right away to Chennai to listen to it.He caught the next flight and was there at 7 am. He heard it. And the rest, as they say, is history.
After 15 years of writing songs for films, do you now have an idea of what works and what does not?
More than what works, my concern is what is right. There is a way Irshad Kamil talks. It is not the same way a share broker would talk. So, everyone has a way of speaking. It is about finding that voice for the characters. Sometimes, you won’t get it at the first attempt. You have to rewrite. ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho’ was the fourth version.
What are your thoughts on today’s songs?
I feel there are two types — ones that are played in cars, hotel and other places and won’t mean anything to you.
Then, there those that you want to hear over and over again. Those are the songs that live with you. They will live even after you. There are a lot of emotions which you might not convey to your friends or family. But when you are in a room, listening to these songs, you convey the emotions to them.
When you hear the song, it feels like someone is with you. I try to write these kind of songs…
