Friendships can’t guarantee you work: Wajid

A list of the movies that composers Sajid and Wajid Ali have done will explain why they’re usually hyphenated with the ‘Salman camp’. Most of the moody Khan’s films, especially his productions, have had Sajid-Wajid’s music, as have many mainstream, commercial ‘hits’. But Wajid says that neither the dostis nor the tag can guarantee success in Bollywood – and also that those who complain that Bollywood has muscled independent music out of the way are just jealous.
You said that the songs of “Tezz”, your last release, were ‘easy to remember and hummable’.Should music for films be ‘easy’?
Yes. Who likes complications in life? Basically, we are dealing with feelings, and feelings should be as simple as possible and straight. Because if you can’t remember and hum the song, toh fayda nahin hain, but you can’t be calculative, you have to think hard and do your best. Specially the melody – surilee aur roohdar ho toh mazaa aata hai. Action films mein achhe romantic gaane ho to woh film ko pakad ke rakhte hain.
The ‘hit music’ tag associated with the films you’ve done – and their soundtracks – does that drive the kind of music you make?
Nothing influences me, I work by what inspires me. Of course, kaun pasand nahin karega ke uske gaane chalein. But it should not be at the back of your mind while composing. I only notice one thing – whatever I do, it’s working. I only know that what I’m doing is right, I don’t want to deviate from that track.
But ‘Bollywood music’ is roundly abused when the decline of independent music is discussed – it’s blamed for having choked the available platforms for music, for exercising a monopoly...
Dekhiye, yeh toh angoor nahin mile toh khatte wali kahawat hai. Doosron par ungli uthane se pehle you should analyze your own mistakes. Agar kaam nahin aa raha hai toh uski kuch na kuch wajah toh honi chahiye. You can’t blame the world. At the end of the day, nobody is your relative, nobody is your friend. Saare rishtey kaam ke hote hain.
The reason Bollywood music is blamed is because Hindi movies ka music itna achha ho raha hai ke doosre music pe kisiki nazar hi nahin jaa rahi. Actually, it’s a combination of factors. A star’s fan following adds to the film music becoming a hit. Log Salman Khan ko bahut pasand karte hain. Unke liye gaana karoge toh automatically people will pick it up. Phir agar aap Sajid-Wajid ko follow karte hain, aur woh Salman ke saath match ho jaye, toh woh combination ho gaya. But, when all of these things are taken individually, like when Sajid-Wajid do their own album, for instance, uske hit hone ke chances thode kum ho jaate hai kyuki usme star nahin rehta. So basically it’s teamwork that makes Bollywood music so popular.
But “Deewana”, my album with Sonu Nigam – that was the first album of my life, and people are still listening to it. Main yeh nahin maanta ki private album karoge toh nahin chalegi. We should know what we are catering to. Our audience is very sensitive. Today’s listener is also very smart – they have the whole world ka music on 17inch. Why would they listen to you? Why would they listen to me unless I am bloody good? Listeners are not biased at all, and that’s fantastic because that’s what works for us.
However, in your industry, people persist with the view that certain people get work because they’re friends with someone…
Nahin, aisa bhi nahin hai ke rishtey bilkul hardcore hote hain, rishtey rishtey hi hote hain. Lekin kaam se rishtey aur pyaare ho jaate hain. I might be friends with you, you can come and stay with me, but in work – which involves many other people – I can’t ruin things because of my personal relations. And I will only work with you if there are results. Dosti-yaari mein koi ek time favour kar sakta hai, do time, teen time, lekin pachas time toh nahin karega na? Friendship is good, but you have to respect them. Jinko aise acche rishtey milte hai unko uski qadar hoti hai, jisko qadar nahin hoti woh jaldi doob bhi jaatey hai.
Some of Sajid-Wajid’s films: Teri Meri Kahaani, Rowdy Rathore, Housefull 2, Tezz, No Problem, Dabangg, Veer, Wanted, God Tussi Great Ho, Hello, Welcome, Partner, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Tere Naam, Chori Chori, Hello Brother and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya.