Anu Malik on his latest score
The man is back with a vengeance. His Jaanemann is rocking the charts and so are his other albums including Jai Santoshi Maa and Zindaggi Rocks. We spoke to the busy music director Anu Malik whose next music release will be Umrao Jaan. The man seemed high on the success of his albums and is eagerly awaiting his forthcoming compositions.
The
music
of
Jaan-e-mann
has
opened
to
great
reviews
and
is
already
topping
on
the
charts.
How
does
it
feel?
It
feels
great.
One
feels
elated
that
something
for
which
you
worked
really
hard
is
recognized
by
people
who
love
good
music.
I
have
got
news
that
the
music
is
on
top
of
the
charts.
I
feel
good
for
myself
and
good
for
my
producer
Sajid
who
has
always
had
faith
in
me
right
from
the
days
of
Judwaa
and
Har
Dil
Jo
Pyar
Karega
and
this
film
as
well.
Also
for
the
fact
that
I
did
not
let
my
director
Shirish
Kunder
down
because
this
is
his
first
film.
Another
reason
is
that
Salman
Khan
and
I
have
always
been
good
for
each
other.
It's
an
emotional
feeling
because
I
have
been
working
really
hard
on
my
music
for
the
past
2
years
and
when
the
results
come
out
and
give
you
not
just
an
'A'
but
an
'A+'
it
really
feels
good.
Tell
us
something
about
the
music
of
Jaanemann.
The
music
of
Jaanemann
is
not
something
that
you
would
put
in
any
genre
like
alternative
music
or
hip-hop
or
jazz.
According
to
me
it
is
just
plain
great
music.
What
is
important
for
the
listeners
to
understand
is
that
the
music
director
should
understand
the
script
of
the
film
and
give
the
music.
The
script
of
Jaaneman
is
very
good.
It
is
an
emotional
film
and
has
a
lot
of
new
things
to
offer.
After
hearing
the
script
I
told
Shirish
that
there
should
be
great
melodies
that
haven't
been
heard
from
me
so
far.
The
song
'Ajnabee
Shaher
Hai'
has
caught
the
fancy
of
the
audience.
There
is
another
emotional
number
'Sau
Dard
Hai'
and
there
is
a
very
dancy
number
for
Salman
'Ud
Jana'.
There
is
also
a
marriage
song
as
well.
When
you
say
marriage
song
you
expect
it
to
be
a
very
typical
marriage
song
but
it
is
not.
It
is
a
very
out
of
the
box
song.
I
was
ably
assisted
by
Gulzar
saab.
When
you
have
someone
like
him
things
really
take
a
turn
for
the
better.
So
it's
melodic,
not
only
in
terms
of
mukhdas
but
also
in
terms
of
sound
production,
in
terms
of
the
way
I
have
composed
the
antara,
the
way
my
singers
have
sung.
It
is
one
music
that
stays
in
your
heart
and
you
don't
want
to
let
go
of
it.
There
are
many
ways
to
describe
Jaanemann
but
I
wouldn't
say
that
I
have
stuck
to
one
genre.
I
believed
that
I
must
stick
to
the
script.
You
have
to
move
with
the
script
and
deviate
from
it.
The
results
are
mind-boggling
and
I
think
I
have
lived
upto
my
director's
expectations.
How
involved
was
director
Shirish
Kunder
in
the
music
of
the
film
I
have
come
to
know
in
all
these
years
of
my
work
that
when
you
have
a
director
who
understands
music
it
makes
your
task
all
the
more
easier.
Shirish
Kunder
is
one
director
who
knew
from
day
one
what
he
wanted.
He
knew
the
situations
by
heart
mainly
for
the
reason
that
he
wrote,
directed
and
edited
the
film.
He
is
very
focused
and
doesn't
let
go
of
his
emotions.
You
don't
even
know
what
he
is
thinking.
There
was
a
time
when
I
used
to
record
15
tunes
for
him.
He
never
reacted
but
just
put
it
in
his
laptop
and
came
back
telling
me
what
he
liked
and
what
he
didn't.
He
wasn't
the
guy
who
goes
like
'wah
wah
kya
gaana
banaya'.
I
felt
that
he
relates
to
a
great
melody
and
I
grew
to
understand
him
once
as
time
passed.
He
always
said
that
he
wanted
a
new
sound.
He
said
that
he
wants
something
that
will
be
Anu
Malik's
music
but
will
be
different
at
the
same
time.
Therein
lies
the
beauty
of
the
director
when
he
knows
what
he
wants.
He
knows
what
melodies
to
take
and
what
not
to
touch.
I
am
very
happy
to
work
with
Shirish
and
especially
for
his
first
film.
How
is
it
that
you
always
come
up
with
a
chartbuster
album
for
Sajid
Nadiadwala?
I
think
it
is
a
Karmic
connection.
Sajid
and
I
have
a
beautiful
understanding.
He
has
a
keen
sense
of
music
and
we
understand
each
other.
We
are
there
for
each
other
and
look
out
for
each
other.
Another
filmmaker
with
whom
you
have
never
gone
wrong
is
JP
Dutta.
Are
you
expecting
another
National
award
with
Umrao
Jaan?
For
me
J.P.
Dutta
is
not
just
a
producer
or
a
director.
For
me
he
is
more
than
family.
If
I
look
back
in
the
situation
I
was
in,
the
only
person
who
stood
by
me
was
him.
He
backed
me
and
believed
in
my
music
whether
it
was
Border,
Refugee
or
LOC.
Umrao
Jaan
takes
the
cake
as
far
as
believing
me
is
concerned.
He
said
that
he
is
planning
Umrao
Jaan
and
that
I
was
the
music
composer.
That
really
hit
me.
The
earlier
Umrao
Jaan
had
some
great
melodies
in
the
film
and
the
time
when
he
chose
me
was
the
time
when
people
were
rethinking
about
Anu
Malik.
Moreover
Dutta
never
mentioned
the
earlier
Umrao
Jaan.
He
wanted
it
to
be
Anu
Malik's
Umrao
Jaan
and
the
way
I
would
want
to
compose
it.
I
hope
I
come
5%
closer
to
the
earlier
Umrao
Jaan
then
I
will
be
blessed.
From
a
contemporary,
youthful
composition
in
Jaanemann
to
a
classical
composition
in
Umrao
Jaan,
you
have
two
extremely
different
genres
of
music
releasing
back
to
back.
Do
you
think
u
can
deliver
the
best
in
both
worlds
of
music?
This
proves
that
I
can
give
all
kinds
of
music.
For
example,
people
thought
that
Anu
Malik
was
a
man
who
could
only
compose
a
Judwa
but
they
forgot
that
I
also
composed
a
Josh.
There
was
a
time
when
I
was
working
on
Virasat,
Josh,
Har
Dil
Jo
Pyar
Karega
and
Border
at
the
same
time.
This
time
also
I
was
composing
for
Jaaneman
and
doing
Umrao
Jaan
as
well
as
judging
for
Indian
Idol
2.
It
did
take
the
beating
out
of
me
but
I
also
felt
this
was
a
test
for
a
composer
to
prove
that
you
are
not
just
making
a
song
which
is
to
be
played
in
clubs.
The
music
has
to
become
popular
and
take
the
film
forward.
The
music
of
Zindaggi
Rocks
has
also
released
and
is
doing
well
for
itself.
I
would
stress
on
the
fact
that
Tanuja
Chandra
has
a
keen
sense
of
music.
I
especially
like
the
number
Humko
Choone
Paas
Aayiye
and
Lets
Rock
the
Charts
Baliye.
There
is
another
song
which
has
not
been
mentioned
but
is
a
big
hit
called
Ek
Din
Fursat
Mein.
Zindaggi
Rocks
music
is
absolutely
justifying
the
word
Rocks.
Its
meant
to
rock.
But
I
didn't
want
any
music
which
was
loud.
I
wanted
a
combo
of
rock
sound
and
melody.
So
there
is
a
perfect
balance
of
rock
and
melody.
The
music
is
selling
very
well
and
the
song
Meri
Dhoop
Hai
Tu
is
a
hit.
When
you
hear
the
music
of
Zindaggi
Rocks
you
realize
that
the
music
grows
on
you.
Also
the
movie
is
amazing
and
has
been
made
very
well.
So
the
music
gels
with
the
film.
Jai
Santoshi
Maa
is
also
on
the
charts.
Don't
you
think
Anu
Malik
and
a
devotional
album
don't
go
together?
I
feel
deeply
honoured
and
lucky
that
I
have
been
chosen
to
compose
for
Jai
Santoshi
Maa.
There
are
numerous
composers
around
so
why
me?
As
a
kid
I
grew
up
listening
the
music
of
Jai
Santoshi
Maa
and
let
me
tell
you
something
-
I
have
seen
the
film
and
it
is
beautifully
made.
It
was
a
challenge
making
the
Aarti
as
the
earlier
Aarti
was
a
huge
hit.
People
who
have
heard
my
Aarti
loved
it.
So
I
am
very
excited
about
the
music
of
Jai
Santoshi
Maa
and
I
see
the
blessings
of
Maa
because
this
will
be
my
first
film
to
release
followed
by
Jaanemann,
Umrao
Jaan
and
Woodstock
Villa.
So
I
have
a
lot
of
films
coming
up.
You
are
composing
the
background
score
for
a
film
after
a
long
time
with
Umrao
Jaan?
What
convinced
you
to
do
that?
Why
had
you
stopped
composing
I
was
always
busy
with
composing
music.
I'm
a
guy
who
composes
music
but
J.P
Dutta
insisted
that
I
not
only
compose
the
music
or
arrange
it
or
just
record
the
songs.
He
wanted
me
to
be
totally
committed
to
the
project.
When
I
was
doing
the
third
song
I
too
felt
that
I
should
do
the
background
song
and
so
I
also
hinted
a
bit
and
J.P
saab
said
that
I
must
do
the
background
music
of
Umrao
Jaan.
He
said
that
he
needs
100%
commitment
the
way
I
gave
him
commitment
when
I
was
composing.
I
finished
the
background
and
I
worked
equally
hard
on
it.
There
was
a
different
tune
for
Abhishek
and
Aishwarya
and
the
whole
gamut
of
great
actors
in
the
film.
So
I
am
open
to
doing
the
background
score
for
movies
but
you
need
the
motivation
and
the
time
from
some
one
like
J.P
saab.
Your
daughter
Anmol
has
sung
for
the
film.
Was
it
your
idea?
Does
she
plan
to
take
singing
or
music
as
a
full
time
profession
in
the
future?
Anmol
is
not
only
a
natural
born
talent
but
has
also
been
learning
music
from
a
very
young
age.
She
loves
learning
and
creating.
She
writes
her
own
songs
in
English
and
leans
more
towards
western
music.
Actually
she
is
capable
of
speaking
about
herself
more
than
me.
J.P.
Dutta
heard
her
when
we
were
in
London.
He
kept
that
in
mind
and
told
me
that
he
wanted
her
to
sing
for
the
young
Aishwarya.
I
asked
her
if
she
would
like
to
sing
it
and
she
was
all
game.
She
finished
the
song
in
16-17
minutes.
It
is
a
very
tough
song
for
a
young
girl.
There are great singers around and you cannot compare and I am not saying this as a father, I'm speaking purely as a composer when I say this - she has a very pure tone - a tone that touches you. She has a lot of expressions and warmth in her voice and that is what I love. She sings with a lot of heart and feel. When Javed Akthar heard the song he burst into tears. He loved her voice as well as the composition. I think that is a great composition for my daughter and I hope with the blessings of the people watching and reading this interview that Anmol becomes a great singer one day and makes a bigger name than her father.
You
have
also
composed
music
for
some
English
films
like
Bride
and
Prejudice.
How
different
is
it
as
compared
to
composing
for
a
Hindi
film?
Any
more
English
projects
on
hands?
Well,
it
depends
on
director
to
director.
Gurinder
Chadha
has
her
own
style
of
digging
out
music.
It
was
a
wonderful
experience
working
with
Gurinder.
It
was
something
which
was
a
learning
and
a
humbling
experience.
Bride
and
Prejudice
music
had
a
different
flavour.
If
you
remember
songs
like
No
Life
without
Wife
or
the
marriage
song
or
the
song
Show
me
the
way,
take
me
to
Love.
Every
song
had
a
beautiful
flavour
to
it.
Apart
from
that
film,
my
song
Chamma
Chamma
was
included
in
the
Hollywood
film
Moulin
Rouge
starring
Nicole
Kidman.
So
these
are
great
highs
in
my
life
and
I
really
thank
God
for
it.
Today
you
are
undoubtedly
one
of
the
most
prominent
and
prolific
music
composers
of
Bollywood.
But
not
many
might
know
that
you
had
debuted
in
around
1980.
Do
you
remember
the
first
film
that
you
composed
for?
My
first
songs
lyrics
went
as
'Zulmo
Sitam
Par
Itranewale'
from
the
film
Tu
Bhi
Toh
Ek
Din
Mit
Jayega.
This
was
sung
by
Ashaji
(Bhonsle).
She
was
a
great
help
and
she
was
the
one
who
motivated
me
in
my
early
days.
She
agreed
to
sing
and
I
was
lucky
because
today
she
is
huge
and
those
days
were
her
hey
days.
I'm
blessed
that
she
sang
my
song.
Later
on
I
went
onto
do
the
film
Ek
Jaan
Hai
Hum.
Ashaji
was
in
the
film
again.
Then
there
was
Dil
Chahe
Aasman
Pe
Likhdoon
Naam
Tera
which
was
followed
by
Yatri
which
was
a
big
hit
and
then
came
Soni
Mahiwal.
Now it was a big thing then because I was just 18 or 19. There was Manmohan Desai's film Mard starring Amitabh Bachchan. These are my landmark films. I then sang a song Julie Julie which became a huge hit as well. Others include Ganga Jamuna Saraswati and Toofan. And then things didn't work out and I didn't have any work. I would say my comeback vehicle was in the form of Mahesh Bhatt's Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi. This album too turned out to be a huge hit. Then again something went wrong and again I didn't have much work. Then came Baazigar. The film became a huge hit and so did the music. I got my first Filmfare award and from then on again I had my highs and lows. Again the last two years things started going wrong for me again. New people came on the block and producers who I had given the best for ran away to something that was new. And it was a huge fight back for me this time that I had to give something unusual. Like they say good is not enough anymore especially when you have many players in the market. I worked my heart out and the result is there - Jaaneman became a huge hit. I would say that this is a huge innings start for Anu Malik. Jaaneman's music has taken the world by storm. I have been getting calls from overseas and lots of messages as well. So this is a new beginning for Anu Malik starting with Jaanemann.
Your
father
Sardar
Malik
was
a
renowned
music
composer
of
his
time.
Did
the
music
bug
come
into
you
through
him?
Not
only
the
fact
that
he
was
a
composer
but
also
had
the
fact
that
I
was
brought
up
in
an
atmosphere
where
music
was
always
there.
I
inculcated
the
sense
of
melody
from
my
father
and
that
has
stayed
with
me
till
today.
My
father
always
told
me
'Be
Sureela'
and
come
out
with
a
song
that
you
can
hum.
The
fact
that
he
never
made
it
was
a
hurting
thing
for
me
but
also
a
motivating
thing.
I
told
him
that
when
I
grow
up
I
will
become
big
and
the
industry's
top
producers
will
work
with
me.
Apart
from
God
and
very
few
people
like
J.P.
Dutta,
I
am
a
self
made
man
with
a
little
bit
of
success.
Whatever
bit
of
success
I
have
gotten
is
through
my
own
efforts.
My father just passed away last year after being sick for about a year before that. I was all alone in the last two years and there was a father-son sense in there. No one could understand the pain I was going through. I saw my father slowly die and instead of breaking me I took a vow that dad I won't let go. Two things can happen to you - one you can break down and completely get lost. Two you can submerge out of it and become a stronger person. Like the saying goes - when the going gets tough the tough gets going. I really pulled up my socks and I knew this was it. This is what my father would want me to do. This is what he would expect me. When he was extremely sick he could sense the pain I was going through when things started going wrong professionally for me. He could sense it and always gave me the thumbs up sign. He would catch my hand and say don't worry. I think that stays back with me and I have learnt my music from him. I have learnt how to be a stronger person and today when I have Jaanemann which is doing very well I'm sure he is around listening somewhere. He is not gone but he is hearing my music.
You
had
been
composing
very
good
and
popular
tunes
throughout
the
80's.
Still
you
got
your
first
film
award
very
late
in
1993
with
Baazigar.
Do
you
think
the
industry
took
a
long
time
to
give
you
your
due
recognition
as
a
good
music
director?
I
don't
blame
the
industry.
I
think
'bhagya'
(fate)
is
a
very
big
thing.
The
industry
has
been
kind
to
me.
It
has
always
been
with
me
someway
or
the
other.
Look
at
it
this
way.
Awards
or
no
awards,
the
fact
that
producers
signed
me
up
right
from
the
earlier
days
was
a
big
thing.
We
go
back
to
F.C.
Mehra
to
Harmesh
Malhotra
to
Mahesh
Bhatt
to
the
Venus
family
who
gave
me
Baazigar
to
audio
companies
like
Tips
or
T-Series.
They
were
always
there
for
me.
I think my producers and directors want me to give in my best. When they saw me not on my best they started running away and now they have started coming back. Awards came a bit late but they did come to me. I look at the positive side of life and don't grumble. There are people who did great work and have been ignored. I got 3 Filmfare awards, 2 Screen awards and 1 National award for Border. I just thank God and say that I want to work and work harder.
Which
musicians
from
the
past
have
really
inspired
you?
Who
are
your
all-time
favorite
musicians?
The
best
thing
about
me
is
that
I
don't
live
in
the
past.
When
I
was
a
kid
I
was
a
fan
of
The
Beatles
and
Elvis
Presley.
When
I
grew
up
I
got
inspired
by
Shankar-Jaikishen
and
then
I
fell
in
love
with
R.D.
Burman's
music.
As
time
passed
I
started
hearing
other
people.
I
was
really
inspired
by
the
movie
'The
Sound
of
Music'
and
I
really
liked
the
music
The
Bee
Gees
created
for
John
Travolta's
'Saturday
Night
Fever'.
That
was
huge
and
in
terms
of
melody
and
harmony
you
cannot
define
it.
And
now
there
are
many
groups
from
the
west
as
well
as
over
here.
Music
is
something
which
you
take
and
learn.
I'm
a
great
fan
of
Pandit
Bhimsen
Joshi.
I
listen
to
him
in
times
of
stress
and
I
think
he
is
fabulous.
Who
from
the
current
lot
of
music
composers
in
Bollywood
do
you
think
is
good
at
his
work?
Let's
put
it
this
way.
When
I
entered
the
industry
there
were
5
composers.
You
can
count
the
greats
on
your
fingertips.
Laxmikant-Pyarelal,
R.D
Burman,
Kalyanji-Anandji
to
name
a
few!
Today
there
are
50
thousand
composers
and
I
think
each
and
every
composer
is
doing
a
marvelous
job.
I
can't
pinpoint
and
say
this
particular
music
director
is
my
favourite.
Who
are
your
favorite
singers
male
and
female?
On
certain
occasions
it's
K.K,
on
certain
occasions
it's
Shaan
and
on
certain
occasions
it
Sonu
Nigam.
When
they
sing
for
my
song
at
that
time
they
become
my
favourites.
I
don't
play
the
favourites
game.
I
do
believe
that
when
I
record
a
song
I
want
the
song
to
be
sung
very
well
because
it
is
my
baby.
I
want
it
to
be
nurtured
well.