4 days ago
How A Director's 1990 Snub Led To Bollywood's Most Expensive Musical Revenge In 1995
After Aashiqu i's runaway success, the duo's rise was meteoric. Nadeem Saifi, known for his sharp memory and even sharper business sense, was not one to forget a slight. As lyricist Sameer Anjaan once revealed, Nadeem even settled an old score with a top director by charging him double for a film's music. (News18 Hindi)
The story dates back to 1990, when director Inder Kumar, then working on the musical romance Dil starring Aamir Khan and Madhuri Dixit, approached Nadeem-Shravan for its music. The duo shared several tunes with him, but Kumar eventually opted for Anand-Milind, another musical duo, instead. The decision worked as Dil became a blockbuster, and its music turned into chartbusters, but the rejection stayed with Nadeem Saifi. (News18 Hindi)
In the following years, Nadeem-Shravan delivered one hit soundtrack after another, from Saajan to Deewana to Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. By the mid-90s, they were the industry's most sought-after composers. Then, in 1995, fate brought Inder Kumar back to their doorstep. He was making Raja, starring Madhuri Dixit and Sanjay Kapoor, and wanted the duo to compose its music. Inder Kumar reached out through lyricist Sameer Anjaan, who tried to mediate. But Nadeem Saifi's response was firm: 'I will work, but only for double the price. We charge Rs 8 lakh per film. From Inder Kumar, I will take Rs 16 lakh, not a rupee less. If he agrees, we can meet.' (News18 Hindi)
When Sameer Anjaan relayed the message, Inder Kumar was taken aback and tried to negotiate, offering Rs 9 or Rs 10 lakh instead. Nadeem Saifi refused to budge. Eventually, Sameer Anjaan arranged a meeting between the two. Inder Kumar attempted to explain that their removal from Dil had not been personal, but Nadeem remained unmoved. 'Today, you have come to my door. I have not gone to yours. If you want us, you pay our price,' Nadeem Saifi told him. (News18 Hindi)
In the end, Inder Kumar agreed to the Rs 16 lakh fee, an unprecedented figure at the time. The incident sent ripples through Bollywood, becoming one of the most talked-about examples of how Nadeem-Shravan commanded both respect and top billing in the industry. (News18 Hindi)
