Anu Malik is currently working with two well known figures from the film industry, Anupam Kher and Mahesh Bhatt, on their upcoming projects. He is collaborating with Anupam Kher on a play titled Jaane Pehchaane Anjane, and with Mahesh Bhatt on a film called Tu Meri Poori Kahani.
Talking about these collaborations, Anu Malik shared, “I hope I have justified the faith they have reposed in me!” His statement reflects his effort to meet the expectations of both filmmakers.
Anupam Kher, who has worked with Anu Malik earlier in films like Awaargi and Maarg, spoke about why he chose to work with him again. He said, “I just thought about who has the same passion, fire, and brilliance today as in 2002, and Anu was the only one who came to mind! He has made so many amazing songs over the decades, and I thought that the theatre audience would hear his songs for the first time and would love them! I have four songs that will come at different junctures, as they are all seven to eight minutes long. Shaan, Sukhwinder Singh, and Anandi Joshi are our singers.”
Kher also spoke about his preference for recording music in a traditional way. “Nowadays, I have heard that people send music to you digitally. But that does not make sense to me! I have attended so many recordings of Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji, and R D Burman that I prefer to hear songs live in a studio. And let me say, Anu has delivered!” he added.
Mahesh Bhatt also shared his thoughts on working with Anu Malik again. He said, “Anu Malik and I came together again for Sir and Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee at a time when he had hit rock bottom, after a phase when I was mainly working with Nadeem Shravan. And I have seen this again and again, when a person begins to feel the breath of extinction, something primal awakens. The survival instinct in a creative person often brings out their very best. It is not for nothing that despair has been called the womb of creativity!”
He further explained how the idea for the project came about. “When Tu Meri Poori Kahani was being filmed, I sat down with Vikram Bhatt and his writing team. The director was a bright young girl named Suhrita Das from Bengal, my protegee, and we had a gifted lyric writer, Shweta Bothra. The idea, in fact, came from Vikram. He felt that since this was a love story, the combination of Anu Malik and me could create something special,” Bhatt added.
Overall, these collaborations bring together experienced artists who have worked together in the past and are now joining hands again for new creative projects.