EXCLUSIVE | Mahesh Bhatt: 'There are plenty of classics in M M Keeravaani's career, some of them in films produced by me'

Why, one wonders, was Mahesh Bhatt the only Bollywood filmmaker who saw M M Keeravani’s virtuosity, named him M M Kreem, invited him to Bollywood, not once but repeatedly to do some wonderful work in Hindi cinema?

Recalls Mahesh Bhatt, “My association with Keeravani started with my film Criminal. It was a rank bad film. But the music by Keeravani especially the song Tum miley dil khile was outstanding. Nothing like this had been heard in Hindi cinema. The melody was strong and unforgettable. The true identity of a classic is revealed only after it passes the test of time. And Keeravani’s melodies do just that.”

Bhatt Saab is quick to point out that Naatu Naatu is not Keeravani’s first great song. “There are plenty of classics in his past repertoire, some of them, I am proud to say, in films produced by me. And I am sure there are vast areas in Keeravani’s creativity that are yet to be explored.”

What bowled Bhatt Saab over was the humility and grace that Keeravani exuded in his thankyou speech at the Golden Globe function. “He was not assuming that humility and grace like a costume. It came from within him. He has not allowed success to change him. During that moment at the Golden Globe, he wanted to share his triumph with everyone who has played a part in his journey. He was not doing this for effect. This is the way Keeravani is. True humility is not about thinking less of yourself, but thinking about yourself less.”

Doing a flashback, Mahesh Bhatt remembers Keeravani when he first met him. “He wore black then. He wears black now. He is a devotee of Sabarimala and maintains a physical distance from everyone. He would sit at a distance and listen to what we wanted. He did not speak or understand Hindi or Urdu. And yet he came up with a song like Gali mein aaj chand nikla in my film Zakhm. Over the decades when it was first composed , the song has become an anthem for Eid. That’s the kind of power Keeravani’s music has.”

Bhatt Saab shares an incredible story about the songs of Jism which Pooja Bhatt directed. “Sayeed Quadri, the lyricist, had been trying to find a place for himself in Hindi cinema for years and had finally given up and gone back to his hometown in Jodhpur. I asked him to write the songs that Keeravani was going to compose in Jism. You will be surprised to know Sayeed and Keeravani never met. All the songs were done long-distance. I was with my daughter Pooja in Pondicherry for Jism. I would read and explain Quadri’s words to Keeravani over the phone. For Keeravani, it was very important to understand the emotional context of the words. He wanted to know what Banjara meant. I had to tell him it was not about just being a traveller. It meant an emotional vagabond. That is how the song Aawarapan Banjarapan happened. KK gave voice to the song after Keeravani gave it soul. Keeravani and I did numerous songs together. I must mention KK’s Maine dil se kaha in Rog.”

Mahesh Bhatt recalls the last time he met Keeravani. “It was at a function to commemorate 25 years of his uninterrupted music composition in films. He was lamenting the lack of commitment and sincerity in music, that producers these days want songs on WhatsApp. But as long as a true creative genius like Keeravani is a part of our music, there will always be songs which are original, melodious and pathbreaking.”

Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He has been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out.

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