‘I Owe My Career To Papa Kehte Hai’

‘When
Aamir
Khan
was
being
launched
in

Qayamat
Se
Qayamat
Tak,
Director
Mansoor
Khan
needed
a
young
vibrant
youth
anthem,
a
song
that
described
the
uncertain
adventures
of
the
young,
as
they
stepped
into
the
real
world.’

Aamir
Khan’s
60th
birthday
on
March
14
has
his

dost-voice
Udit
Narayan
exceptionally
revved
up.

“We
started
at
nearly
the
same
time,”
the
singer
tells

Subhash
K
Jha.

“When
Aamir
Khan
was
being
launched
in

Qayamat
Se
Qayamat
Tak,
Director
Mansoor
Khan
needed
a
young
vibrant
youth
anthem,
a
song
that
described
the
uncertain
adventures
of
the
young,
as
they
stepped
into
the
real
world.
They
wanted
to
make
their
parents
proud.”

“Majrooh
Sultanpurisaab
captured
the
essence
of
youthful
aspirations,
although
he
was
60-plus
back
then,”
recalls
Udit.

The
composer
for

QSQT
was
supposed
to
be
Rahul
Dev
Burman
but
Anand-Milind
did
the
needful.

“Producer
Nasir
Hussainsaab,
Mansoor’s
father,
had
always
worked
with
Panchamda.
He
wanted
Mansoor
to
work
with
Panchamda
too,
but
Mansoor
couldn’t
vibe
with
him.
He
opted
for
newcomers
Anand-Milind,
who
are
the
sons
of
the
late
composer
Chitragupt.
And
what
a
score
Anand-Milind
gave!”

Udit
gives
credit
for

Papa
Kehte
Hain
where
it
is
due.

“No
singer
can
lift
a
bad
composition.
It
is
because
Anand-Milind
came
up
with
such
a
winsome
tune
that

Papa
Kehte
Hain
became
so
special.
I
owe
my
career
to
that
song.
Interestingly,
later,
I
did
a
song
in
a
film
titled

Papa
Kehte
Hain.
The
song
was

Ghar
Se
Nikalti
Hi
and
I
am
very
fond
of
that
too.”

Recalling
his
long
playback
association
with
Aamir
Khan,
Udit
says,
“I
sang
a
number
of
hits
songs
for
Aamir,
like

Khambe
Jaisi
Khadi
Hai
in

Dil
and

Pehla
Nasha
in

Jo
Jeeta
Wohi
Sikandar.”

“In

Akela
Hum
Akele
Tum,
I
sang
for
Aamir
while
my
son
Aditya
sang
for
the
child
who
played
Aamir’s
son.

“Purane
zamane
mein
singer-actor

ka
rishta
bahot
gehra
hota
tha,

jaise
ke
Raj
Kapoorsaab
and
Mukeshsaab,
Rajesh
Khannasaab
and
Kishoreda.
I
would
like
to
think
that
I
shared
something
similar
with
Aamir.”