RIP Pankaj Udhas: When Ghazal maestro refused to sing 'Chitthi Aayi Hai' for Sanjay Dutt's movie 'Naam'
As the nation grieves the departure of this Ghazal maestro, various intriguing facets of his life have come to light. Surprisingly, Pankaj Udhas initially hesitated to lend his voice to the iconic song 'Chitthi Aayi Hai'.
FollowRenowned ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas, celebrated for his iconic melodies like "Chitthi Aayi Hai" and "Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein," passed away on Monday after battling a prolonged illness, as confirmed by his daughter Nayab. He was 72 years old. Udhas, known for his soulful renditions, also left an indelible mark as a playback singer in numerous Hindi films, including "Naam," "Saajan," and "Mohra."
According to a family source, he breathed his last at the Breach Candy Hospital around 11 am.
"With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness," Nayab wrote in an Instagram post.
The last rites will be held on Tuesday.
As the nation grieves the departure of this Ghazal maestro, various intriguing facets of his life have come to light. Surprisingly, Pankaj Udhas initially hesitated to lend his voice to the iconic song 'Chitthi Aayi Hai'.
Pankaj Udhas, initially approached for the song in the movie 'Naam,' unexpectedly cut off communication with the film's producer, Rajendra Kumar. The situation escalated to the extent that Rajendra accused him of unprofessional behavior. Interestingly, this rift stemmed from a minor misunderstanding.
During an interview with Lehren, Pankaj Udhas recalled the time and said, “This song has an interesting story behind it. In fact, I never wanted to sing this song.”
He further elaborated, "When this film was being made, I was considered for this particular song. Salim Khan Sahab had written the story. Mahesh Bhatt Sahab was the director of the film. Rajendra Kumar was the producer. They all felt that this song should be sung by a real-life singer and not an actor on the stage. The situation in the film is that there is a live concert and there’s a singer singing the song. Then there’s a change of heart as far as Sanjay Dutt is concerned and he comes back. So, they wanted a real-life singer. They needed a singer who was popular and known by the masses. So, they considered me. So, when the producer asked me to do this song, he didn’t tell me this idea. But instead, he said, ‘Pankaj, you have to appear in our film.’ And I got scared. He told me that the film features his son Kumar Gaurav and Sanjay Dutt and I’ll have to be a part of the film too."
“I got scared because I never was cut out to be an actor in the first place. And I never wanted to be an actor. My focus has always been singing. I told Rajendra Kumar ji that I’ll revert soon. But, I didn’t call him back. He really got mad then. Then he called my eldest brother, Manoj Ji. They are best of friends. He called Manoj Ji and said, ‘Your brother has no etiquette and no courtesy. Koi tameez nahi hai.’ Manoj Ji then called me and asked me, ‘What’s the problem?’ So, I told him that I can’t act in movies. So my brother suggested that if I don’t want to act in the film, I must call the producer and tell him. So, I called him, apologized and said that I don’t want to act in the film. He said, ‘Who asked you to act in the film?’ He then told me that he wants me to appear in the film as Pankaj Udhas," Udhas recalled in the interview.
Eventually, Pankaj agreed, and the rest became history. The film's soundtrack played a significant role in its immense success. 'Chitthi Aayi Hai' was honored as one of the 100 songs of the millennium by BBC Radio across the globe.
Listen to the iconic 'Chitthi Aayi Hai' by Pankaj Udhas below:
