Pak singer Reshma ignites storm in
B’town
A single voice at a quiet Raj Kapoor gathering would ignite a storm in Bollywood. And one haunting melody, from which two films rose, reshaping two eras in their wake
When Pak singer Reshma impressed Subhash Ghai after Raj Kapoor
Reportedly a Pakistani folk singer once arrived at Raj Kapoor’s residence for a private celebration. When a leading Bollywood director-producer heard her haunting voice, he made a spontaneous decision that would transform his film forever. He persuaded her to record the song, without instruments, seated on the floor of Mehboob Studio. That song went on to define a film that turned out to be a massive blockbuster, launching two new stars and making cinematic history.
Noyably, Pakistani singers have contributed their voices to numerous Hindi films, and many Hindi film songs have drawn inspiration from Pakistan. One such moment in history took place when Pakistani folk legend Reshma visited Raj Kapoor’s home following the success of Prem Rog. Director-producer Subhash Ghai was present at the gathering, where Reshma sang Ankhiyon Ko Rehne Do… and Lambi Judaai. Subhash Ghai was instantly captivated by the second song.
At that time around Reshma was staying at Dilip Kumar’s residence. Subhash Ghai visited her there and persuaded her to record Lambi Judaai, a track that went on to emerge as one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic melodies. The song featured in the 1983 film Hero, which marked Jackie Shroff’s debut alongside Meenakshi Seshadri.
The making of Hero itself is filled with interesting turns. The film originally bore the title Sangeet, and Subhash Ghai initially wanted Kamal Haasan to play the lead. However, following eight months of stalled discussions, the plan fell through. Jackie Shroff, then a model, met Subhash Ghai, and his honesty made a deep impression. Jackie Shroff admitted that he had played a villain opposite Shakti Kapoor in Dev Anand’s Swami Dada, and Subhash Ghai decided on the spot to cast him.
Meenakshi Seshadri was finalised for the female lead. Hero released on December 16, 1983, featuring Jackie Shroff, Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, Sanjeev Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Shakti Kapoor and Madan Puri. The film emerged as a turning point in the careers of Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri, catapulting them into overnight stars.
Prior to Hero, Meenakshi had appeared in Manoj Kumar’s Painter Babu, a film that bombed at the box office. Manoj Kumar gave her the screen name Meenakshi Seshadri; her real name is Shashikala Seshadri. She won the Miss India title in 1981 at the age of 17. The success of Hero transformed her destiny.
The film’s music, composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal with lyrics by Anand Bakshi, remains evergreen even today. Songs such as Ding Dong, Lambi Judaai, Nindiya Se Jagi Bahar…, Pyaar Karne Waale Kabhi Darte Nahin, and Tu Mera Hero Hai were all superhits and played a crucial role in the film’s success.
Hero also marked a major moment in Anuradha Paudwal’s career. She dubbed the track Main Teri Jaanu Hoon, Tu Mera Hero Hai for Lata Mangeshkar, after which Lata ji recorded the final version. Laxmikant-Pyarelal had suggested introducing a fresh voice for the new heroine, and Shubhash Ghai approved. The song became a hit, significantly boosting her career.
Jackie Shroff’s character in the film was known as Jackie Dada. In a 2017 interview, Subhash Ghai revealed that Jackie Shroff was a fan of Dev Anand and often delivered his lines in Dev Anand’s style. Subhash Ghai advised him instead to adopt the mannerisms of Shatrughan Sinha. The villain Manik Irani’s character was named ‘Billa’, a name that stayed with him thereafter. The film’s famous flute theme also became iconic. Laxmikant-Pyarelal composed it on the piano, and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia recorded it on the flute. The melody appears repeatedly in the film and was later used in Jackie Shroff’s son Tiger Shroff’s debut film Heropanti.
Hero opened to a 75% response. As Jackie Shroff was a newcomer, the film took two weeks to gain momentum, but once it did, it soared. Estimates place the budget between Rs 1.25 crore and Rs 1.5 crore, while its worldwide earnings reached Rs 6 crore. In terms of net profit, it proved to be a major blockbuster.
News Edit KV Raman
