Mujhe Sanjay Chahiye

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day

Friday, October 13, 2006

Sanjay Dutt recently recorded a song for Asha Bhonsle's music album, co-produced by her. Dutt also stars in the music video (directed by journalist-turned-director S Ramachandran), along with the songstress. The video was shot earlier this week at Sangeet Studio in Andheri.

Two to tango

It was an emotional moment for Sanjay because his father Sunil Dutt has also recorded a song with Asha over 40 years ago, for his home production Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke (1963).

The song, called Chahiye (lyrics by Vijay Akela), is a duet between Asha and Sanju and is one of seven songs on the album, titled Asha and Friends. The other songs will also be duets featuring personalities from different fields, including actors, cricketers and fashion designers.

Shammir Tandon, the album's music director, says, "Chahiye is a retro, fun song which goes something like this: Chahiye... aap ke dil mein thodi si jagah chahiye... chahiye chahiye chahiye.... It's got a light feel of the song Haal kaisa hai janaab ka and brings that kind of music alive."

Sanju was surprised

Anshuman Mahaley, the cinematographer of Kabul Express, has shot the music video.

Tandon says he was surprised by Bhonsle's choice of co-singers. "When Ashaji and I were toying with the idea of recording Asha and Friends, I asked her to decide which friends she wanted to sing with, and then we would short-list seven names from that list. To my utter surprise, instead of Kumar Sanu and Sonu Nigam, the first name she took was Sanjay Dutt.

She had been hearing his songs from Zinda and liked his voice," he says. The director remembers Sanju's reaction when he was approached for the song.

"He almost fell off his chair in surprise when I told him that Ashaji wanted to sing with him. He asked me if I was sure. I made Ashaji talk to him. He was stunned but agreed immediately. I gave him a recorded version of the song and he rehearsed at home. When he came for the recording, he did it in 15 minutes flat. That's how well he did his homework."

'Just like Kishoreda'

Tandon says that far from charging money to sing for the album, Sanjay insisted on doing it for free. "Not once during the course of our conversations did he talk about money. Sanju has done this out of sheer respect for Ashaji and his love for music."

Adds Ramachandran, "Sanju has sung and also spoken a few lines in the song. He shot the entire music video in one take in nine and a half minutes. Ashaji and he have this little dance together in the video."

Meanwhile, Tandon thinks Sanju is shaping out to be a good singer. He says, "I created three to four songs keeping in mind his limitations, but he wasn't as limited as I thought he was. Sanju has a great base voice and a unique singing style.

After Ashaji heard him sing, she said, 'I feel as if I am singing with Kishoreda. Kishoreda used to act and sign his songs the way Sanju does. Bahut accha gaya Duttsaab ne.' (Asha refers to Sanjay as Duttsaab, in the same manner in which she would refer to his father, Sunil Dutt). I won't be surprised if he's flooded with singing offers after people hear him in this track!"

Star-studded album

Other stars expected to sing on Asha and Friends include John Abraham, Jackie Shroff, Govinda and cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, among others.

Aamir Khan has also been approached for a duet in the album, but hasn't committed to doing it yet.