In harmony with Lata & Asha 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, November 26, 2004 - 07:39 IST
Shameer Tandon is one lucky man and he knows it.
To have Lata-Asha lend vocals for your film album is what music memoirs are made of.
The latest to be smitten by the sister songstress Lata and Asha is Virgin Records chief, Shameer Tandon. This marketing head has also doubled up as a music composer for films like Chandni Bar, Satta and Aan-Men At Work. Page 3 is the latest offering from this shishya of Anandji [of Kalyanji-Ananji]
And this composer has got none less that the legendary Mangeshkars to belt out his tunes. So while flipping channels if you find Hrishitaa Bhatt tease you with 'Huzoor-e-aalaa…' don't give further thought, the enticing voice belongs to Asha Bhosle. And to imagine that the song happened on an email! Yeah, and Shameer tells us how it all began….
'Asha in an email!'
“Ashaji was in US, and I being my superstitious self, wanted to escape the period of pitrupaksh, so instead of waiting for her to return to India, I dashed her a copy of the song via email. And asked her if she would like to oblige me with her vocals.” recounts the composer. “I was stubborn on having Ashaji sing the track as the song had an O.P.Nayyar feel to it, which suits her great. When we later met in US, I remember her telling me that she didn't really like my style of emailing her the music piece but then was suddenly reminded of Panchamda's remark that she shouldn't stay rooted to traditional ways, instead embrace technology. That's when she okayed and recorded Huzoor-e-alaa from Bush Land.”
Lataji asked me, “What if you don't like my voice?”
As for the legendary Lata, nothing is too much praise. Shameer says, “I wanted Lataji for the track, 'Kitne ajeeb rishtey hain yahan ke'. It required mature melody and there was none to look beyond Lataji. Inspite of loose talk about the sisters being moody and arrogant, I called the Mangeshkar residence and asked for Lataji. When she came on line, I introduced myself and inquired whether she would be interested to sing my song. Lataji limited herself to 'Send me a demo'. After sending her a cassette instead of the initial CD, she returned my call after 2 days.”
Adds Shameer, “The next I know is that she liked the song and it's lyrics and would love to sing it! I had sent her cheques even before the recordings but it was returned. Imagine my amusement when Lataji tells me, “We haven't recorded yet. What if you don't like my voice?”
Another incident that Shameer vividly recalls is when during the pre-recording sittings. I asked her to sit on a specific chair while I would sit on a lower one. She immediately rebuked me saying, “You are the composer. I have to learn from you. I am not doing you a favor by singing. Instead you have been kind to think of me for the song”
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