RD Burman abused Kumar Sanu after recording Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. Here’s why

Singer Kumar Sanu has revealed why 1942: A Love Story music composer RD Burman abused him after recording the film’s popular song Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. In a new interview, the singer recalled how the late musician asked him to sing each ‘jaise’ in the song in a different manner for it to become a hit. Kumar Sanu also said that after he followed that while recording, RD Burman ‘hugged, kissed my forehead and started abusing me’. (Also Read | Kumar Sanu calls interference from actors, directors big problem)

1942: A Love Story, released in 1994, was directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It stars Anil Kapoor, Manisha Koirala, Jackie Shroff, Anupam Kher, Danny Denzongpa, and Pran. While RD Burman composed music for the film, the lyrics were penned by Javed Akhtar. This was the last project of RD Burman, who died before the release of the film.

In an interview with Indian Express, Kumar Sanu said, “Pancham da (RD Burman, in his last film work) came to the singing room and told me, ‘See this song has a lot of ‘jaise’ word. Jaise khilta gulaab, jaise shayar ka khwaab, jaise ujli kiran, jaise ban mein hiran….’ There were many ‘jaise’ in just one mukhda. He told me, ‘Sanu, I want every mention of ‘jaise’ to be different from each other. They shouldn’t be similar sounding.’ He told me if I can sing each ‘jaise’ distinctively, then my song is a hit!”

He also added, “I tried hard singing the word differently each time it appeared and, the song became a hit! Pancham da’s thinking was great. He was a visionary. It was such an extremely creatively way to know how you would want a song to sound different. When the recording was done, he hugged me, kissed my forehead and started abusing me. So, if he liked something, if he liked how the recording went, he would abuse a lot. Mother, father, everything. When I didn’t know this initially, I asked someone next to me. ‘Why is he abusing me?!’ then I was told, ‘Because he really liked it!’”

For the song, Kumar Sanu won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer. Apart from this song, the singer also lent his voice to several other tracks in the film such as Rimjhim Rimjhim Rumjhum Rumjhum, Rooth Na Jana, and Kuch Na Kaho.

RD Burman composed music for many films including Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Padosan (1968), and Kati Patang (1970). He was also the music director for Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Sholay (1975) and Aandhi (1975), Gol Maal (1979), and Khubsoorat (1980) among many others.