Currently in Bollywood after Gulzar Saab if there is any lyricist who knows his craft well and can effortlessly weaves magic with his words then it is one and only Irshad Kamil. He is the man who wrote beautiful songs for films like JAB WE MET, LOVE AAJ KAL, SULTAN, AASHIQUI 2, COCKTAIL, ROCKSTAR, among several others and undoubtedly the songs of these albums are something which will be played for the years to come.

Irshad who gave us some unforgettable and soulfully melodious songs in the recent past is back post a small sabbatical. In an exclusive conversation the celebrated lyricist reveals from where he draws inspiration to write the soulful songs he is known for.

He also speaks about how it is the character of a given film who writes the song while he is just a medium. Kamil opened up about his belief of becoming a director and how photography and football keep him charged.

Here are the excerpts:

IRSHAD KAMIL

Your song 'Buri Buri’ from DEAR MAYA was a very ‘new generation’ peppy kind of song peppered with few English words, which is something you are not known for. So tell us how did you come up with it?
Every film has its own requirement; every character has its own requirement. Earlier also I have used English words in my songs and I used it again in the mentioned song as well because the characters featuring in this song are school girls who are teenagers and since they study in boarding schools who have this strict mandate of ‘speak only in English’ so that’s why I used English words to make it more realistic.

What was the brief given to you when you were asked to pen this song?
Actually I have worked previously with Sunaina when she was Imtiaz’s assistant. We have worked together in JAB WE MET, LOVE AAJ KAL and ROCKSTAR. So when you have worked with a team and if one of the members from the team decides to be a director then you should always support that person. I know Sunaina since last 10 years so when she asked me to write songs for her film DEAR MAYA I readily agreed. Sunaina narrated the script to me and the story of the film became my brief.

You used to write script and dialogues earlier. Why have you stopped it now?
Yes in my initial days I had written script and dialogues for Television and talking about if I will write for this medium again then yes definitely I will, as I want to write good scripts and evolve eventually.

Do you wish to become a director someday?
I don’t ‘wish’ to become a director as I have full ‘faith’ that I will definitely direct someday. I have already started writing the script and whenever I will be ready with my script I will make it.

So will writing lyrics take a backseat?
My first love is lyrics writing and honestly speaking lyrics writing is not work for me it is something I can’t live without. This writing is a very vital part of my existence. Meri Wajood Issi Se Hai

What are your views on the new age songs which are utterly meaningless and sometimes even demeaning?
Firstly I don’t hear such songs and secondly everyone has their own taste so what kind of song they prefer to listen is their personal choice.

From the current lot of lyricists who do you think has the spark to become next Gulzar saab or Irshad Kamil?
I don’t know Mujhe lagta hai saare hi ache log hain. Writing jo hai woh time ki channi se jab usko chanenge na toh unme se jo log bachenge woh sahi log honge aisa mujhe lagta hai. Because writing is not something which you can learn in short span. When we listen to old songs it’s not like we listen to all of them, there are hardly like 100-150 old songs which are still popular. Likewise in the coming 25 years whichever few selected songs will be left; the lyricists of those songs will be the deserving one.

What’s your opinion on rehashing old classic songs?
Personally, I don’t find any kind of creativity in this trend. It’s like commercially trying to befool the listeners.

But then you have written lyrics of ‘Raabta’ song which is a recreated version of a song originally written by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
There is only one line ‘Kuch toh hai tujhse Raabta’ which was written by Amitabh Bhattacharya apart from that line the entire song has been reworked even the composition of that song has been re-created by Pritam dada. So we have only taken the hook line from the original and rest everything has been reworked.

Do people approach you for writing item songs?
If I sign deal with someone for an entire film and if that film requires an item number then I will write one. I have written ‘Tune Maari Entriyaan’ for GUNDAY. And yes while I may write an item song but I will never write a vulgar or a demeaning one. In earlier films all the club songs or the cabaret songs those were also in a way an item song but still they were so melodious and meaningful which is something so hard to find these days.

You share a great equation with Imtiaz Ali. So tell us how is he as a friend and as a filmmaker?
As a friend he is good and as a director he is too good. As we have worked so much together there is a comfort zone between us. We discuss any kind of situation very openly among ourselves. Imtiaz rediscovers himself daily with his films, his writings, his scripts so even I keep rediscovering myself along with him.

Which other filmmakers you look forward to work with?
I would love to work with everyone. I desire to write songs for Sanjay Leela Bhansali because I love the beauty with which he picturises his songs even Aditya Chopra’s style of picturising a song is very impressive. So the people who understand the value of a song and present it beautifully I would love to work with them.

Your songs are very soulful and romantic, from where do you derive the inspiration to write them?
Inspiration mujhe toh woh character hi deta hai. Uss character ke rang me main khud dhal jata hoon. Agar aap character ke rang me nahi dhaloge toh Irshad Kamil gaana likhega magar Irshad Kamil ko gaana nahi likhna hai. I am just a medium of writing the song but in reality it’s the character who is writing the song.

IRSHAD KAMIL

In 2016 there were hardly few films featuring your songs. So was this a deliberate choice on your part to take up few projects?
Yes in 2016 apart from SULTAN I hardly took up any projects because I was busy with some of my personal work. Actually after a point of time you need a sabbatical to recharge yourself. You have to empty your mental hard disk and then you are back with a refreshed mind to work again.

From your so many beautiful songs which one is your personal favorite?
I like all of them for example the song ‘Saat Rangoon Se’ from DEAR MAYA there is a line in it which goes like, ‘Aaj maine zindagi ko keh diya hai haan’ I love this line very much as mostly we never say yes to things for ourselves in life we keep on living for others. We should care for others but we should live for ourselves.

One actor who has emoted your words most beautifully
I think all actors have emoted my words nicely for example the songs which were there in ROCKSTAR were emoted beautifully by Ranbir or the songs of SULTAN were emoted very nicely by Salman Khan or even Shahid did a great job in JAB WE MET. All of them were good.

Have you ever heard your song post its release and felt that you could have done better?
This happens very often and it happens because when you are writing at that time you feel that whatever you have written is perfect and correct but once it’s get released and after sometime you feel Arre yaar yahan shayad aur kuch hota toh better hota, shayad maine iss line ke sath thodi jald baazi kardi. So this happens very often I can say with 90% of my songs I feel this way.

How fast can you come up with a song?
Gaane likhne se jyada badi baat yeh hai ki gaane me likhna kya hai? So it takes more time to think and decide about what actually you have to write in a song and once that’s decided then it doesn’t take much time. Sometimes it happens that you have to give a song in two days so anyhow you have to deliver and there are also times when you get plenty of time to write a song. So it all depends on that.

''I am just the medium it's the film's characters who writes the song''

Tell us about your upcoming projects
Two of my films DEAR MAYA and SACHIN: A BILLION DREAMS released recently. After that Imtiaz’s film starring Shah Rukh and Anushka is there then Salman’s TIGER ZINDA HAI is there. Perhaps in between these films few more films might come up.

How was the experience of writing a song for Master Blaster Sachin’s biopic?
It was the first time that I was working as fan boy on a given project as I am a huge fan of Sachin.

If not a lyricist what would you have been?
I would have been a journalist. See even as a lyricist I have always tried to be different from the crowd and I write what I honestly want to say so if I would have been a journalist even then I would have tried to work with same honesty.

Apart from writing what are other things that interests you?
There are plenty of things like I love photography and theatre. I really love plays. I like playing football as well.

Any messages for your fans?
I would just like to say that friends if you like my songs then recommend it to your friends and keep showering your love on my songs.

These days Bollywood is rather taking keen interest in star kids’ making their debut. So, of course all eyes are set on these Bollywood star kids. This weekend also star daughters stole the limelight when they stepped out.

SUHANA KHAN, JAHNAVI KAPOOR and SARA ALI KHAN

While Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana was seen hanging out with friends, Sridevi got her daughter Jhanvi along at MOM trailer launch. Whereas Saif Ali Khan’s daughter Sara Ali Khan was spotted dining with mom Amrita Singh and her first co-star Sushant Singh Rajput.

The trio looked gorgeous in their respective outfits and damn HOT.

The threesome has charming personality and have been grabbing eyeballs for quite sometime. However, we leave upto you to decide which star daughter looks HOTTEST!

Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora Ladak were snapped at Bandra salon. Bollywood actress Sridevi along with husband Boney Kapoor were snapped at the trailer launch of MOM.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s comeback films JAZBAA, SARBJIT may not have worked well at BO and didn’t spell any magic for her, yet the actress has been approached by biggest filmmakers of Bollywood. Last she was seen in Karan Johar’s AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL. Though she played a glam diva in the film, it was Ranbir & Anushka who walked away with all the accolades, leaving less scope for Ash to flourish.

AISHWARYA RAI BACHCHAN and ANIL KAPOOR

However, it didn’t deter Ash’s journey, as she will now be seen in a renowned filmmaker’s project.

If we go by the latest reports, then Aishwarya will star in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s next project FANNEY KHAN that will also have Anil Kapoor alongside. Interestingly, Anil & Aishwarya have worked together in HAMARA DIL AAPKE PAAS HAI and TAAL. After 18 years ago, they will team up again.

KriArj Entertainment has joined hands with Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra Pictures for the said project.

Interestingly, Abhishek, Aish’s hubby, has worked with Rakeysh in DELHI 6.
 
Here’s looking forward to watching Anil-Ash together again on-screen!

It’s just few days left for Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon starrer RAABTA to hit the screens.

The trailer and songs have been loved by the audience and everyone is waiting for the film to release.

In an exclusive conversation with the lead stars Sushant and Kriti, they spoke about their chemistry, about flaunting their chiseled body, about the film which shows past connection, shared their nervousness and excitement for Friday.

Last and not the least they also confessed about their love for chocolates and what connected them!
Sushant even added how he couldn’t resist eating chocolates while filming for RAABTA.

Check out the candid camaraderie between Sushant and Kriti for RAABTA.

June 18 will be celebrated as Father’s day and our B-town celebs already have started preparing to offer something new and touching to the viewers with various campaigns.

VIDYA BALAN and FARHAN AKHTAR

In the same regard actress Vidya Balan will be shooting a video along with her dad PR Balan as a Father’s Day special video which also has an important message in it.

Vidya has teamed up with her SHAADI KE SIDE EFFECTS co-star Farhan Akhtar’s foundation MARD(Men Against Rape and Discrimination) and ‘Bus Ab Bahut Hogaya- Enough is Enough’ by PFI.

Speaking about this campaign Vidya was quoted saying in Mumbai Mirror as, “This is a very special video because it encapsulates the strength of my bond with my father. But there is a larger message too- of the value of the girl child. That discrimination between girls and boys has to stop.”

Before we talk about one of the most hard-hitting and realistic films of 2017, G KUTTA SE, let’s get some facts!

A STILL FROM G KUTTA SE

The  film saw its world premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, and was also an Official Selection at the New York Indian Film Festival 2016 and the 17th JIO MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. G KUTTA SE was also nominated for last year’s YES Foundation Social Impact Awards.

To know more about G KUTTA SE we caught up with the handsome lead actor as also well known model, Rajveer Singh, and started by asking him about why up North themes are making such big impact now (NH10, LAAL RANG, SULTAN & DANGAL).

Says the actor, “It is not that Mumbai based subjects are any less interesting and engrossing, just that audience has seen most of it over the decades gone by, and so they want to check out something new, interesting as well as realistic. Take the case of G KUTTA SE, unlike the popular perception it is just not about Khaap Panchayat and honour killing. There are a lot of human emotions. It will try to show why maa baap apni hi beti ko marne ko taiyyar ho jaate hain (why parents are ready to kill their own daughter). What goes through their mind at that exact moment. You see in a metro or big city having a girlfriend and taking her out for coffee is no big deal, but it is places like Western UP or Haryana. But then it is perilous to do so there, due to social pressures.”
 
Queried about his own role, and the acting workshops (for G KUTTA SE), “See the workshops (to have feel of the place) had their own importance, but somehow, as I hail from those parts and have spent a lot of time there, I felt that I knew it all! I play a central character who is neither negative nor positive, rather it has shades of grey. He is an alpha male as also a petty criminal, but is also a loving son and brother, when at home. G KUTTA SE is a very engrossing film and the last 40-45 minute mind blowing, I cannot reveal the details. Please check it out! ”
 
Rajeev Singh concluded by saying, ”To have the LOVE SEX AUR DHOKA  actor Neha Chauhan opposite me was indeed a great experience, given her no attitude behaviour. In fact, the whole shooting in Jind (Haryana) was like one big family affair, where at times (given my physique!) I had to rush as the security and at times act as the AD, taking about shot break up extra.”
 
Produced by Vinod Sharma, Sharib Raza, Surabhi Sharma, Danish Raza, the much awaited and anticipated G KUTTA SE hit the cinemas this Friday.

The trailer of debutant director Ravi Udyawar’s film MOM starring Sridevi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna is finally out.

In the opening scene we see Sridevi mouthing a dialogue that goes like, “Galat aur bahut galat me se chunna ho toh aap kya chunenge? now that’s a very difficult question posed by her.

Throughout the trailer of MOM one thing that will keep your eyes glued to the screen is sparkling actress Sridevi.

Being a thriller the film's trailer doesn't disclose anything. It’s difficult to find out what’s the matter of conflict in this film which seems to be based on a relationship of a mother and daughter but then surprisingly at the end of the trailer it’s revealed that the girl (played by Sajal Ali) is not real daughter of Sridevi!

So what’s the story exactly about? Now that’s a big question. And to find answer to this question we will have to wait for the film to hit the silver screens on July 7.

Watch the intriguing trailer of MOM below:

They made their way into people's heart as a couple in ABHIMAAN and later in SILSILA, CHUPKE CHUPKE, MILI and several other films. Yes, we are talking about the Shahenshah of Bollywood the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and his wife Jaya Bachchan.

Both Big B and Jaya are actors to reckon with. They married in the year 1973 and since then they are setting goals for another married couple to follow.

Today they are celebrating 44 years of togetherness and thanking his well-wishers for their messages Big B posted this lovely picture of himself and Jaya on a social networking site.

We wish them many more years of happiness and togetherness