Real-life papa Udit woN(aray)an award

Aditya Narayan’s birthday falls on August 6. There’s no better way to celebrate (Ud)it than with a post about Papa Kehte Hain, the Anand-Milind composition from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak that fetched his father his maiden Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1989.

It was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

At least Aamir Khan waited for his last day at college to say, “Koi engineer ka kaam karega.”

That was a random line, unlike “Mera beta engineer banega”, the famous one Parikshit Sahni’s character mouthed in 3 Idiots (2009) when his son was born.

(D)Indeed, Alka (Gaz)absolutely rocked (Ud)it!

Just four minutes and 26 seconds long, Gazab Ka Hai Din was the shortest song on the soundtrack of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. But by no means did the track fall short of popularity.

(Mil)Indeed, it should be said that gazab ki thi tuning between Majrooh Sultanpuri, who penned the track, (An)and the Shrivastav brothers, who composed it.

The latter were unpolished Diamonds then, but mercifully, the song – inspired by Neil’s 1972 hit – didn’t have to scream, “Play Me”.  

Of course, cre(U)dit must be given to Narayan and Alka Yagnik, the duo who rendered it.

Ms Yagnik’s rendition was beaU(di)tiful

Mr Narayan and Alka Yagnik have lent their mellifluous voices to many a duet so far, but (Ud)it would certainly be unfair if Aye Mere Humsafar from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak weren’t up there with the best of them.

The belief of a generation of youngsters in the (Sultan)purity of love was restored, thanks to Majrooh’s lyrics. Believe it or not, the man was in the seventh decade of his life at that point!

The track, which was five minutes and 58 seconds long, continues to give the listeners a great deal of Anand, (Mil)indeed!    

(Ud)It (Al)kan never be forgotten

Maybe Akele Hain Toh Kya Gham Hai – the song from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), which was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and sung by Udit (Naray)and Alka Yagnik – should’ve been rechristened Lamba hai toh kya gham hai (at five minutes and 59 seconds, it was the longest track in the film).

With this song (inspired by The Shadows’ instrumental piece Return to the Alamo), Anand-Milind emerged to carry forward the legacy of their father Chitragupta, a low-profile composer in the Golden Era.

The soundtrack fetched them the Filmfare (Shrivast)avard for Best Music Director in 1989.