Ismail Darbar: It’s my birthday and my good friend KK is no more. I am feeling so distraught -Exclusive | Hindi Movie News

Ismail Darbar’s Tadap Tadap from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was the song that has stood the test of time. It is the hallmark of singer KK’s career and with his sudden passing, everyone is talking about this unforgettable number. Ismail Darbar, who was in the middle of a celebration received a rude shock with the news of KK’s passing. He revealed to ETimes, “Ironically, it’s my birthday and my good friend KK is no more. I am feeling so distraught that I am out on the street roaming around aimlessly in the middle of the night. KK sang the best song of my life for me. He was such a good and simple man. When I first called him to sing Tadap Tadap, it was his masumiyat that charmed me. He told me, ‘Ismail bhai ye gaana toh main gaa hi nahi sakta hoon (Ismail bhai I can’t sing this song)’. Main uski honesty pe fida ho gaya. Bande ne seedha seedha keh diya, main ye gaana nahi gaa sakta (I was impressed with his honesty. He was straightforward in admitting he couldn’t sing it). But I explained to him, getting you to sing this song is my job and I can only imagine this song in your voice and your voice alone. Usne aisa gaana gaya ki, jo logon ka rona uss din shuru hua tha, woh aaj tak chal raha hai (The way KK sang the song, people haven’t stopped crying after hearing it for 23 years). I am not exaggerating, that’s the truth.”

Darbar revealed that KK too acknowledged the special status of Tadap Tadap. He revealed, “Whenever he met me in the years after Tadap Tadap, KK always folded his hands and told me, ‘Ismail bhai aap mujhe se koi bhi gana mat gavao (Ismal bhai you don’t need to give me another song). You have given me unimaginable success with just one song. I have sung so many songs over the years, but I have never had a show where the audience hasn’t asked for Tadap Tadap on the loop. He never failed to recall the crazy experience of making that song. He was fast asleep and I went over to him at 4 am in the studio and woke him up to tell him the tune was ready for him to sing. He sang Tadap Tadap at 4 in the morning.”

Reminiscing about making the song, Darbar recalled a quirky story behind the creation of this song. He said, “This song was actually not composed for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film. It was a huge film and the producer had asked me to get some famous kawali singers to sing this song. I was a rank newcomer back then, I had not even met SLB. Nevertheless, I called the kawali singers and we started recording them in the studio. After having spent half a day in the recording, it finally dawned on me that my song wasn’t turning out all that great. Mehboob bhai was my lyricist and he gave me KK’s number. I had never spoken to KK in my life, but I called him. Coincidentally, I was recording in Bandra and KK was in Santacruz. He just showed up at the studio. I just played the song for him and his first reaction was, ‘Main ye gaana nahi gaa sakta hoon’. But we managed to record the song that day. Once the track was ready, we took it to that big-shot producer, who threw a fit. He took it up on his ego that a newcomer like myself, went against his instruction of recording the song with kawali singers and recorded it with KK instead. He was alarmed at my audacity. I had to leave his big-budget production because of KK’s singing. The only thing that I told the producer was, ‘Main aapke saath isiliye kaam nahi karunga kyunki aap mein music ki tameez nahi hai (The only reason I don’t want to work with you is because you don’t respect music)’.”

It was a promise and dedication that allowed Ismail Darbar and KK to collaborate on the song. Darbar added, “When KK sung it for the first time, I didn’t even have money to pay him. I had just been ousted from the big film. So I made KK a promise that whenever I sign for my film, I will make sure that only you sing this song. KK reacted and said, ‘Ismal bhai aap toh filmi baatein kar rahe ho (Ismal bhai you’re being dramatic)’. I retorted and said, ‘Ye filmi baat nahi hai, ye mere vaada hai ki jab bhi mujhe film milegi, ye gaan tu hi gayega (I am not being dramatic, I am promising you that when ever I get signed for a film, I will ensure only you sing this song)’.”

Fortune paid off when Darbar met Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He said, “I met SLB 4-5 months later and he kept testing me for almost 6 months, wanting to be sure that I have the skill and talent to score music for his film. Eventually, I got tired and called up SLB and said, I want you to hear one song. I had never played this track for Sanjay before. I just had the audio cassette with me. When I reached SLB’s apartment in Yari Road, I just put the song on and he listened to it not once, twice or thrice but nine times on the loop. When he turned around he was crying his heart out. SLB remarked, ‘Aaj mujhe apni film ka maqsad mil gaya. Aaj mujhe pata chala ki main apni film ka interval aur end kahan karunga (Today, I’ve found the purpose of my film. I have figured where and how my film’s interval and climax will take place)’. That’s how SLB signed me for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.”

Tying his story back to KK’s 4 am episode, Darbar revealed, “The scratch recording that SLB heard on the loop featured just one antara of the track. After we were signed on for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, lyricist Mehboob wrote the second antara – Agar Mile Khuda Toh, Poochoonga Khudaya, Jism Mujhe De Ke Mitti Ka, Sheshe Sa Dil Kyon Banaya. Tadap Tadap was the first track to be recorded for the album. Everyday in the recording SLB used to cry. We took 4-5 days to finalise that recording and SLB was emotional and crying on all days. It was the recording of that second antara that was done at 4 am with KK.”

Holding back his emotions, Darbar revealed what made KK so special. He said, “The thing that I loved most about KK was his simplicity. I love those honest kind of people. He didn’t have any airs about himself. Perhaps that’s why I have been shaken up so much with the news of his passing. I am feeling very sad. I was about to cut my birthday cake, when a friend called me to inform about KK’s death. It just shattered me.” He signed off as he said, “I had to leave the celebrations at home, I asked my wife and kids to give me some time, so I could be alone on the street for sometime and mourn the loss of my good friend.”