'Bosky tapped the softer side of me'

Once I knew Meghna had decided on me as composer, that was half the battle won. When you know the director has full confidence in your abilities and has not felt the need to look elsewhere, there is an amazing rapport that instantly builds between the two of you.

Only a woman can make a film with such depth and sensitivity. I expected the sound of the Filhaal compositions to make a lasting impression on a more human level.

Of course, setting music to Gulzarsaab's poetry is a dream.

Initially, I wasn't keen on Palash [Sen] singing -- I didn't know his range. But I gave it a shot when Meghna and Gulzaarsaab approached me to try him. When he came to the recording studio, both he and I had our reservations.

The ice was broken when I approached him on a one-to-one level and not as 'music director to singer'. Once we were comfortable with each other, it was easy to draw him out as a singer. He picked up the song very well and worked very hard at it. Considering it was his first film and his first situational song, he has done a fantastic job.

Palash is an unexplored singer. We are still unused to his voice and range -- that is his very charm. He is quick on the uptake and once he grasps the tune, he works very hard to perfect it. If he were to work a little harder I'm sure he would be very successful in playback singing to complement his pop singing career.

As for Bosky, she has tapped the softer side of me. She gave me the best compliment anyone can: My tunes for Filhaal were just the tip of the iceberg and that there was much more that I could give musically.

There are at least three songs that are very precious to me: Naya naya dhula dhula, a situational song. It comes when Tabu has just discovered that she is pregnant. She sees everything with new eyes; everything seems fresh and beautiful.

The poetry of Le chale doliyon pe is just superb and reminds you of the wintery sun. Chitra and Roop Kumar Rathod have done a fantastic job with this song.

The title song, Filhaal lamha jee lene de. That is, again, a superb composition.

You see, some albums are instantly popular. They catch the pulse of the public almost from the moment of their release.

But there are some that are situational; they begin to capture the imagination of the public only from the moment that the public watch the film. Those scores stay on forever.

With its melody and poetry, the Filhaal album will be heard over and over.

Anu Malik spoke to Shilpa Bharatan Iyer

Also read:
The music review of Filhaal