“At 22, I would wake up at 2 am every day and inspect the black Fiat I had purchased,” says Anu Malik
The music director talks about growing up as a Juhu boy, his first car, wooing his now wife, Anju, and writing Dekho Baarish Ho Rahi Hai for her!
At 22, where were you career-wise?
I had started composing as a geeky teenager and recorded my first song with superstar Asha Bhosle. My father, composer Sardar Malik, was signed as a music director by comedian-turned-filmmaker Mohan Choti for a film called Hunterwali 77. One day, he caught me humming and asked my father’s permission to record a song with me. I hung around studios waiting for another break.
Any romance in the air?
My wife Anju and I got married when I was 22 and she was 21. This was after a long and emotional courtship in Mithibai College.
The first song you wrote?
I used to follow Anju, and one day, she complained to the college principal. I was so scared that I ran away to Khandala! It was raining and I composed the song Dekho Baarish Ho Rahi Hai for my lady.
What was your style statement like?
I wore long boots and had long hair, in which I would put beads!
Any fitness regime then?
I’m a Juhu boy, so I would walk and run on the beach. I also used to play cricket.
What was your mindset then?
A producer told me ‘Give me one reason why I should even listen to you’. I gave him six tunes. I used to write the mukhdas to my songs which made me stand out.
Your most prized possession?
I was overjoyed when I bought my first car, a black Fiat MAP 1863, from my friend Ajay. I drove around after breaking a coconut and tying lime and chillies. I would wake up at 2 am to inspect the car!
Did you hit any rough spots?
I remember being depressed, alone and with no work. My mother motivated me, saying: “Sleeping won’t help you. Get up, go out and ask for work.”
From HT Brunch, April 18, 2021
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