With Tevar and Dolly Ki Doli in quick succession and a strong showing in 2014, composer-duo Sajid-Wajid are at the top of their game. Known for their strong melodies and hit tracks in every film they take on, they've become a force to be reckoned with. The sons of Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan have come a long way since their breakthrough with Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya in 1998 and have worked for the best and biggest films in Bollywood, of course with varying degrees of success, but mostly successful nevertheless. One thing has remained constant. Sajid's technical prowess and Wajid's larger-than-life love for every creation of his and his photographic memory of tunes and lyrics and people he encounters. That and their undying love for Salman Khan. They had their ups and downs, but have the distinction of being part of a very small club - of composers who fly solo on soundtracks - at least most of the time. The brothers are inseparable and that bond shows all too well in the music they compose. We met one evening and chatted nineteen to the dozen about their journey so far...How did you come up with Superman?Wajid: It started with the lyrics, actually. Sajid bhai came up with the line "Superman, Salman Ka Fan" and we loved it so much we thought it was apt for this song.Sajid: I told him one day about the line one day told me about the line. It's about the attitude. We had this idea. And when we heard the title of Tevar, we realised that it worked really well with this situation. Arjun, Boney and we are all so close to salman. When director Amit Sharma heard this song, he was almost dancing. We completed the lyrics first, then the composition.Wajid: Sajid and Danish Sabri wrote the lyrics and Kausar make in and loved the mukhda as it was and said she'd work on the antaras. And everybody loves Salman Khan.What did Salman think of the song?He loved the song and in fact, he wanted to sing the song also. but he's so busy and it became difficult for him to find the time.Is it okay to tell you that I enjoyed Dolly Ki Doli's music more than Tevar's?Sajid: It happens. Each soundtrack has to be different. Also, you also have to consider that a director's vision is involved and consider how that works in a collaboration.Wajid: And people like what they want. Despite releasing this close to each other, it helps that none of the songs sound the same. And that both albums have worked. That says a lot.You've become something of a benchmark in the music industry. What's your take on the current scene.Wajid: Depth is a problem. Everybody sounds the same. Nobody's making the effort.When creating a soundtrack during voice casting, how do you reach a balance between using established and new singers?Wajid: It's important. But I believe the song chooses the singer. Nobody could've sung Phatte Tak Nachna like Sunidhi or Fashion Khatam like Mamta or Superman like I did (laughs)So how do you pick the tracks you're going to sing?Wajid: It's a calling. it's not decided beforehand.You've had a great run over the last few years...Sajid: Yes, 2014 went quite well - we had Jai Ho, Main Tera Hero, Heropanti, Daawat-E-Ishq and this year, Tevar and Dolly Ki Doli!And more often than not, Mika and Mamta Sharma feature in practically every other album of yoursWajid: Really? I don't know. (shrugs). When you speak of item numbers you need to have a voice. And mamta, she's fantastic for character singing. Her voice texture is brilliant. She goes perfect inside that pocket, if you know what I mean. She just sits there... the way she learns the song and shes very raw, those little nuances she adds to a song, a trained singer cannot. And Mika just has that alag andaz to his singingHow do you choose your lyricists?Wajid: Whoever gives me the best line (laughs). Of late, we've been working with Kausar Munir a lot, but here's the thing. We work as a team. Danish Sabri, who's my cousin as well as my assistant, has written some of the lyrics on the latest albums and I credit him for his contributions. But I give Kausar credit. She's a senior writer who also appreciate something somebody else has written, is willing to share credits where it demands. Most lyricists are not open to doing that who is my assistant he writes i credit him for certain things as well. credit goes to kausar being a senior writer. she appreciates him, something somebody has written, she's willing to share credits. but otherwise, the lyricists are not open about that.You've also worked with Kumaar...Wajid: Yes, he's written Mere Naina Kaafir Ho Gaye (from the DKD soundtrack) and is very happy. He writes hit songs for most films but never something like this for anyone. This one was exceptionally good.Each soundtrack now sounds like a bazaar.. a cacophony of sounds with multiple composers on an albumWajid: I'm not happy with this thing going on. it's not fair to anybody (shrugs).Sajid: At the same time, it's fair also. you can't even say if its fair to them or not fair to them, because jo struggle kar raha hai, usse ek gaana mil jaaye toh woh bahut badi baat hai. It all depends on whether you want to be a one-song wonder or a versatile music director.Do you think it's a passing phase?Wajid: We really don't know. We can only speak for ourselves when we say we've really worked hard to get to where we are. We work extra hard to ensure that all our songs are hitsThere are times directors/producers go in for an extra composer at the last minute...Wajid: How much difference does it make to a film? it is a promotional track and has a short shelf life. It happens in a lot of filmsWhat keeps you motivated enough album after album?Sajid: Our love for music and our upbringing.Wajid. We lost our father, Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan, a passionate musician who taught us that you don't have to compete with anyone else, that it is a waste of time. We work extra hard to make sure we live up to his nameIn the days of OP Nayyar and R D Burman, composers were kings, then singers became the superstars. I believe the age of composers (rather composer-singers) is upon us. Your take?Sajid: Composers have come back in a big way.Wajid: For me, it always was the composer who was the rockstar. Being a composer-singer is always a bonus. If you can sing your compositions, very good. I've seen new composers struggle to get a foothold but new singers manage with gigs. No such luck for struggling composers .Woh daldal hi hai. Either he has to sink in or get out of it. He has no other choice. It is very important to understand that. Everyone is equal. Bas koshish mein kami nahi honi chahiye.How do you divide the work among yourselves?Wajid: Sajid bhai always tells me if a song isn't working. He's got a fantastic ear. And he comes up with fabulous one-liners. He likes to compose that much and jokes, 'Aage ka kaam tera hai'.Sajid: But seriously, to make it simple we give the other his space.Wajid: I do more compositions while he looks after the arrangement and how it sounds. But he's the elder brother, so he takes the cake. He takes advantage of that.Wajid, do you seek out his opinion?He respects it when I do. I should be clear to counter him if needed. We do have disagreements at work because at the end we want what's best for the film. We welcome our technicians as well to to voice their opinions openly. We foster that kind of culture at the workplace. We're more like best friends than music directorsI remember reading somewhere that Salman said at a children's event that he wished that you two were here because they'd keep the kids more entertained. What does he know that we don't?Wajid: One thing we've learnt frrom him is to exude that energy impromptu. We used to be shy but he's made us so free that now if he asks us to do something, we readily agree. We're like kids who forgot to live and are getting a chance to relive our childhood by being kids around kids.I digress here, but growing up, Sonu Nigam's non-film albums were all the rage. Interestingly, the biggest one -Deewana was the only one that left out the composer's name (Sajid-Wajid composed for it) and only featured Sonu and the lyricist. Why do you think you were not credited upfront?Wajid: (dryly) I don't have any reason for that. Interestingly, that album was prepared before Sonu Nigam could come on board. He joined the project after all the compositions were created. His involvement began with later albums. No negativity, but to have an album on that level and the composer could call the shots musically - we were first time composers then - was a big deal. At the time, only Daler Mehndi worked and everybody advised us to compose Punjabi numbers. O told them 'I'll do what my heart feels.'Sajid: I said the same thing. We made that album, it broke records and made history. And from Deewana to Dolly Ki Doli, our formula is the same, eight songs toh eight songs hit, five songs toh five songs hitOn an aside, composer-duo Nikhil-Vinay got prominent credits on most of Sonu's albums after that.Wajid: Good for us that our names weren't as prominent so we've survived this far (chuckles).Sajid: Whatever happens is for the best. Experiences are there for you to learn from them.Wajid: Most people now know about Deewana's composers and realise that we didn't really have smooth sailing. But no complaints. God has been good. Dad always said, think about today, live in the now, compose the best you can, do the best for your family, do whatever you can do to be a good human being.

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