Indian Idol 16 episode: The stage of Indian Idol turned into a celebration of timeless melodies as legendary composer duo Anand-Milind reflected on the unforgettable legacy of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Moved by contestants Anshika Chonker and Tanishk Shukla's soulful rendition from the film, the duo opened up about the album's unexpected journey from being dismissed by distributors to becoming one of Bollywood's most iconic soundtracks.
Deeply moved by the performance, Anand ji said, "Main bhi flashback mein chala gaya. Pehli baar aisa laga ki yeh gaana khatam hi kyun hua? Aur chalna chahiye tha. Itna achha laga mujhe. Jab 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' release hui thi, main Bandra ke Gaiety-Galaxy theatre jaakar dekhta tha ki logon ka reaction kaisa hai aur unhe film pasand aa rahi hai ya nahi. Dusre, teesre, chauthe, paanchve aur baarahve hafte tak bhi shows housefull ja rahe the. Maine dekha ki kuch young students sirf gaane dekhne aate the aur phir theatre se bahar nikal jaate the. Maine poocha, 'Yeh log kaun hain?' Toh pata chala ki yeh National College aur doosre colleges ke students the. Unhe pata hota tha kaunsa gaana kab aayega. Woh sirf songs dekhne aate the aur phir chale jaate the." ("I was transported back in time. For the first time, I found myself wondering, 'Why did this song end? It should have gone on longer.' I enjoyed it so much. When Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was released, I would go to Gaiety-Galaxy Theatre in Bandra just to see how audiences were reacting and whether they were enjoying the film. Even in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and twelfth weeks, the shows were still running housefull. I noticed that some young college students would come to the theatre just to watch the songs and then leave immediately afterwards. I asked, 'Who are these people?' That's when I learned they were students from National College and other colleges. They knew exactly when each song would play. They would come only to watch the songs and then head out.") Recalling the film's difficult journey before its release, Anand further revealed, "Main ek baat batana chahta hoon. Film complete hone ke baad distributors ke liye trial show rakha gaya tha taaki woh film kharid sakein. Lekin kisi ne film kharidna hi nahi chaha. Har distributor ka kehna tha ki film ka music bahut weak hai, bahut thanda hai aur yeh nahi chalega. Uss waqt sabko lagta tha ki sirf loud aur energetic music hi chalega. Aakhirkaar, Nasir Hussain sahab ko film Mumbai mein khud release karni padi." ("I'd like to share something. After the film was completed, a trial screening was held for distributors so they could decide whether they wanted to buy it. But not a single distributor was willing to purchase the film. Every one of them felt that the film's music was too weak, too mellow, and wouldn't work. At the time, everyone believed that only loud, high-energy music could become successful. In the end, Nasir Hussain sahab had to release the film himself in Mumbai.") Curious about their journey, Badshah asked, "Sir, hum log toh aapke gaane sunte hue bade hue hain. Itne saalon tak industry mein rehna, itna timeless music banana - us waqt music create karte hue kitni excitement aur kitni difficulties thi? Aur ek aur zaroori sawaal - melody ke bina India mein kuch nahi hai. Hum sab melody sunte hue bade hue hain. Aapki inspiration kaun thi?" ("Sir, we've all grown up listening to your songs. You've spent so many years in the industry and created music that has truly stood the test of time. When you were composing those songs, what was the experience like? How exciting was it, and what challenges did you face? And one more important question India is nothing without melody. We've all grown up listening to soulful, melodic music. Who was your biggest inspiration?") Answering the question, Anand shared, "Meri pehli inspiration mere pitaji, Chitragupt ji, the, kyunki hum unka music sunte hue bade hue. Uske baad 1960s ka daur hamare liye sabse badi inspiration tha. Woh Hindi film music ka golden era tha. Aap kisi bhi sangeetkar ka naam lijiye, S. D. Burman, Madan Mohan aur uss daur ke sabhi composers ne kamaal ka kaam kiya. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak mein humein isliye bhi achha mauka mila kyunki sab kuch naya tha, naya hero, nayi heroine aur naye director. Music banane mein humein bilkul dikkat nahi hui. Mansoor Khan khud drummer the aur piano bhi bajate the. Jab director ko music ki samajh hoti hai, toh usse bahut farq padta hai." ("My first inspiration was my father, Chitragupt ji, because I grew up listening to his music. After that, the 1960s became my greatest source of inspiration. It was truly the golden era of Hindi film music. You can name any composer from that time-S. D. Burman, Madan Mohan, and every music director of that era created extraordinary work. With Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, we were fortunate because everything was new-a new hero, a new heroine, and a new director. Composing the music came very naturally to us. We didn't face any difficulties. Mansoor Khan himself was a drummer and also played the piano. When a director has a good understanding of music, it makes a world of difference.") The heartwarming exchange offered viewers a rare glimpse into the making of one of Bollywood's most iconic musical albums, proving that timeless melodies often overcome the toughest odds to create cinematic history. Don't miss this special episode of Indian Idol, airing every Saturday and Sunday on Sony Entertainment Television and streaming on Sony LIV.More Articles