Where Swami Prabhupadji spent much of his time..

suchandra · September 28, 2007

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" vspace="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="bg2" colspan="2">“All the books of the ISKCON Mission were kept here. There were several copies of the Bhagwad Gita, in several languages, in the bedroom where Swami Prabhupadji spent much of his time when living here. Perhaps that’s why you feel the positive energy, almost spiritual vibrations, as you walk in,” he reasons.

ChartingSUCCESS</td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td class="links" colspan="2" height="5"></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td colspan="2"> Roshmila Bhattacharya

Composer Jatin Pandit opens up on his “lucky” music room, Screen Weekly - India Sep 28, 2007

http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=17264

</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>n an industry where superstitions rule, Jatin Pandit’s claim that his music room is lucky doesn’t raise any eye-brow. Rather it draws many curious queries that the quietly smiling composer is only to happy to answer. Shrugging off the sceptics with a they-don’t-know-better look, Jatin reels back to the history of the room that had once belonged to the Bhaktivedanta’s Book Trust. “All the books of the ISKCON<layer id="google-toolbar-hilite-0" style="background-color: Yellow; color: black;"></layer> Mission were kept here. There were several copies of the Bhagwad Gita, in several languages, in the bedroom where Swami Prabhupadji spent much of his time when living here. Perhaps that’s why you feel the positive energy, almost spiritual vibrations, as you walk in,” he reasons. The room does have a certain charm. Surrounded by the many tokens of appreciation he’s received down the decades, the normally reserved music directoris less inhibited here, his fair skin glowing in the dappled late afternoon sunlight. The foliage outside, dewed with drops of monsoon shower, adds to the magic. “Isn’t it beautiful? On days like thisI can almost forget the chaos and cacaphony of the city outside,” says Jatin.

</td></tr></tbody></table>His mother, he informs, is a devout Hare Rama Hare Krishna bhakt and had frequently expressed a desire to get herself a place closer to the temple. So when ISKCON<layer id="google-toolbar-hilite-1" style="background-color: Yellow; color: black;"></layer> decided to sell the place, his mother got the first offer. “After Lalit and I became partners, we decided to turn it into our studio since it was so conveniently located in the heart of Juhu. The first film we signed through a common friend was Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander,” Jatin recalls. Pointing to a corner he informs that director Mansoor Khan had been sitting there when they came up with the chart-busting ‘Pehla nasha...’

</td></tr></tbody></table>Jatin is quick to assert that Mansoor Khan wasn’t the only debutant director on whom his room’s luck rubbed off. Abbas-Mustan’s winning streak, he believes, started with a recording of Khiladi right here. Even Shah Rukh Khan, he maintains, owns his phenomenal success, in part, to the musical score of Aziz Mirza’s Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman that took root here.

As the conversation meanders along, more names are added to the list. Aditya Chopra whose Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge ranks amongst Jatin-Lalit’s biggest hits and was a turning point for not just the duo but Adi as well. Karan Johar whose Kuch Kuch Hota Hai scored another perfect 10 with Alka Yagnik being felicitated for her rendition of the title track. Sanjay Leela Bhansali whose Khamoshi—The Musical was a win-win album as well, ‘Aaj mein upar...’ fetching Kavita Krishnamoorthy the Best Playback Singer (Female) Award.

Then there’s Mahesh Manjrekar’s Vaastav that put Sanjay Dutt on the comeback trail and Sarfarosh that marked a great begining for John Matthew Mathan. It was here that ‘Tere aankhen jhuki jhuki...’ for Vikram Bhatt’s first venture for Vishesh Films, Fareb was inspired and the musical foundation of Ajay Devgan’s home production, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, that flagged off Anees Bazmi career as a director, laid. And it was in this room too that Tigmanshu Dhulia narrated the story of Haasil to Jatin and his brother. The film was a critical success, it’s music a commercial success.

Memories flood in. “That was where Salman Khan and Himesh Reshammiya’s father were sitting as they watch him record his first hit, ‘Odhli chunariya...’ Another popular number from the film that marked Sohail Khan’s debut as a director, was ‘Oo jaane jaana...’ sung by another new singer, Kamaal Khan,” Jatin reminds you.

Another Khan, Aamir turned singer with Ghulam’s ‘Aati kya Khandala...’ here as did Sanjay Dutt with the Khubsoorat track, ‘Aye Shivani...’ “And while Mujhse Dosti Karoge may not have given Kunal Kohli a reason to pop the champagne, Hum Tum and Fanaa gave him plenty to cheer,” quips Jatin with a broad smile.

Incidentally, Fanaa was Jatin-Lalit’s last score. After composing more than a 1000 chart-toppers in this “lucky” music room and cresting the peaks of popularity together, the duo split. But recently, on Star’s talent hunt contest, Voice Of India, on the urging of celebrity judge Shabana Azmi, the brothers opened their arms to each other for a warm embrance that signalled that all was well. Any possibilities of a patch-up? “I’d love it if we came back together. A team is a team especially one which has so often in the past created history.”

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