'Nobody dared': Javed Akhtar reveals top composers turned down 'Breathless'
What's the story
Veteran poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar has revealed that it took him seven years to find a composer who would agree to make Breathless, the iconic song sung by Shankar Mahadevan. The concept for the track was also his, and he recalled that even renowned classical singers and composers were highly unsure about it. "Even the biggest classical singers and composers said we cannot make a song like this," Akhtar told Variety India.
Composer search
Akhtar's quest for composer
Despite the rejections, Akhtar was determined to make Breathless a reality. He said he would ask for tunes and offer to do the rest, but no one was willing to take on the project. "When they said they could not mold this into a song, I would ask for the tunes and say I would do the rest." "Everyone would just give me a smile, calling it an interesting idea, but no one dared to get on board."
Lucky break
Luck played a big role in 'Breathless'
After seven long years of searching, Akhtar finally met Mahadevan and pitched the idea for Breathless. He described it as a stroke of luck that he found Mahadevan, who immediately agreed to work on the project. "What if I had not met Shankar? I would still be sitting with 'Breathless' unmade," he confessed.
Release challenges
The challenges didn't end there
Even after Mahadevan recorded Breathless and filmed a music video for it, the team encountered obstacles from the music company in releasing the song. Mahadevan recalled, "The marketing department was not ready to release the song or the video. They did not have faith in the song. There was an argument over it." Akhtar further criticized marketing departments for stifling innovative songs like Breathless over the years. The song was released in 1998 and became an instant hit.