The early 70's was a very interesting time for Hindi film music. Some of the senior composers had left us, others were less busy than before, with the younger lot taking charge of most films, and bringing in different styles... some relying also on western influences, with Indian instruments becoming less prominent in interludes.

Madanji, too, adapted his style when the film demanded it... this could be heard in films like Maharaja (1970), Parwana (1972), Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973) and even later films like Mausam etc.

Chetan Anand's Hanste Zakhm (1973), too, demanded a modern score and Madanji rose to the occasion with Tum Jo Mil Gaye ho, Betaab Dilki Tamanna, while he also had the qawalli, Yeh Maana Meri Jaan. What was missing was the classic trademark Lataji - Madanji ghazal, with the sitar tugging at the listeners heart strings... there had been so many such memorable songs before.

When Chetan Anand briefed Madanji on the additional situation for a sad song, and Kaifi Azmi wrote the emotional lyrics, Madanji knew he had to create a memorable ghazal... and conceived the interludes with an influence of Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho notes (as the scene had flashbacks), but composed some unforgettable sitar interludes to create the melancholic mood. And with Ustad Rais Khan being his favorite sitar player, they together created some interludes which are remembered till today.

Rais Khan who performed as a film musician first with Madanji in the song Meri Aankhon Se (POOJA KE PHOOL, 1964), was the nephew of Madanji's dear friend Ustad Vilayat Khan... and has been a part of some of Madanji's immortal songs.

Madanji was so emotionally attached to the sitar and particularly Rais Khan's teaming with him, that after this song, when there was a small personal misunderstanding with Rais Khan, Madanji dropped the sitar from his future songs... he was so upset!! Thus, in Mausam, Sahib Bahadur and songs he recorded in his last two years (1974, 1975), the sitar is not heard!

In this video, we can hear Madanji composing the interludes himself, briefing Rais Khan, and rehearsing the various pieces in a rare audio clip which was accidentally found on Madanji's tapes. Of course the quality is not like a studio recording as it was just recorded on a small recorder for reference.

(The audio clip of this rehearsal has been featured on Madanji's website since a while, and some enterprising fans have shared it before on YouTube / Facebook).

We have created a video presentation of the rehearsal through stills and some live footage, to create the mood of the rehearsal, and have had to take liberties with the sitar rendition visuals in the edit.

Madanji thus created a pathos laden ghazal, with the sitar as its key instrument, and the song became popular despite the wave of modern music at that time.

This rehearsal, followed by Lataji's heart-wrenching rendition of Madanji's composition, brings out the true meaning of Kaifi Azmi's words... 'Dilki naazuk ragen tootti hain!!'

Madanji composes and rehearses "Aaj Socha To Aansoo Bhar Aaye" (HANSTE ZAKHM – 1973) with introduction by LATAJI