Lalit Pandit speaks on 19 years of Hum Tum: Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan have terrific musical timing | Hindi Movie News – Times of India

Jatin-Lalit’s songs in Kunal Kohli’s Hum Tum, especially the title song, were big hits. Recalling the genesis of the music Lalit says, “After Mohabbatein there was nothing else we were doing for Aditya Chopra and Yash Raj Films as Adi and Yashji were very busy working on the final constructions and installations at YRF studios. One day Adi called us and asked to come over to meet him. Both Jatin and I went to meet him and Adi spoke to us about this film Hum Tum with a new director Kunal Kohli.”
Lalit vividly recalls Aditya Chopra’s instructions. “I remember very clearly him mentioning and saying that, ‘Look, this time we don’t have a Shah Rukh Khan with us. We have Saif Ali Khan and so far he hasn’t had a single hit as a solo hero. So a lot will depend on the music. If the music fails we all will fail! So if you want to take up this challenge then tell me now.’ Of course we were willing to give it our best shot and readily agreed to work on Hum Tum.”
Hum Tum, says Lalit, had to be a different music from what the brothers had done before. “The recording technology had also changed since all the earlier years when we had done the music. Earlier it was all preconceived and then recorded at studios. Now was a different story and everything had to be computer-programmed. It was a very interesting and fascinating time for music and I enjoyed the new process and changes.”

Speaking on the music required for Hum Tum, Lalit says, “Most situations for songs in Hum Tum were fun and bright youthful musical situations. I loved the characters of Saif and Rani. In one of the songs Rani and Saif had to say dialogues during the song. That was so much fun to record. Both, I must say, have terrific musical timing to do what they eventually did. Rani and Saif are tremendously musical people.”
Lalit remembers the hard work that went into the msic of Hum Tum. “Both Jatin and I worked hard to get this music right, as was cautioned by Adi about the film. The music was completely different in terms of sounds and arrangements than what we had achieved earlier. But I feel, everything finally boils down to the melody that one creates. Jatin and I have that in us. Though I did most of the modern songs of the film- Ladki kyun na jane kyun and Chakde chakde–it was Jatin’s title song of Hum Tum that came out to be a masterpiece. The song went on to win lots of awards for Alka Yagnik that year and I think that included the National Award, too. The intro piano was played by me for the Hum Tum title song and I completely love that introduction. Also Prasoon Joshi ji went on to win the Best Lyrics award for Hum Tum. The music was a huge success and it was the first solo hit for Saif and the music indeed played its role in the film’s success.”
The music of Hum Tum also contributed to the success of director Kunal Kohli’s career. “So it rolled out the career of Kunal Kohli with whom we did Fanaa. Incidentally, whenever I meet Kunal I say that his only hits have been with Jatin and Lalit. And if he wants another hit he must think about it. He always says he is absolutely ready and will pay anything if we work together… It’s all said in fun. We all know the days of Hum Tum are behind Jatin and I.”