Shah Rukh Khan called Devdas background score ‘bakwas' after Sanjay Leela Bhansali mixed up the music, recalls Monty Sharma: ‘SRK used a cuss word'

Indian Express

5 days ago

Monty Sharma, the nephew of music composer Pyarelal Sharma of music composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, is the man behind the background music of Devdas, and composer of music for Black and Ram-Leela among others. His association with Sanjay Leela Bhansali started in 2000 when he joined his film Devdas. That film, which took around 2 years to be made, forced Monty Sharma to postpone his wedding five times. Yet, the filmmaker was not convinced and mixed the song himself before showing it to Shah Rukh Khan. The actor called it bakwas, questioning the skills of Monty Sharma. 'He actually used a cuss word', shared Monty Sharma.
In an interview with Lallantop, the music composer shared, 'When I was working on Devdas, I completed the entire background (music). After I completed the work, Sanjay Ji went and mixed the whole background according to his taste. After postponing my wedding five times for Devdas, I was just two days away from my wedding when Sanjay Leela Bhansali called me. He said, 'Monty, Shah Rukh saw the background and he said, 'sabse bakwas background hai yeh' (It is extremely bad)'. In reality, he used a cuss word.'
He added, 'After saying this, Sanjay said, 'What have you done Monty?' I was shocked. I said, 'Sanjay Ji, didn't you hear it all after I made it?' He said, 'Yes, I did.' Then I asked him, 'In that case, how can you say that?' I told him, 'In my family, it has never happened and will never happen.' Yet, he called me to Film City. I went. I sat there with them.'
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After listening to the music that Shah Rukh Khan heard, Monty pointed out the mistakes that was done after Sanjay mixed the background score.
Monty shared, 'The problem was in a background music there are 16 stems. Each of a different instrument. Together, these sounds create a background. Now, Sanjay Ji, while mixing it taking whose ever help, has kept only the first and last stem, and silenced all the other 14 stems in the background. Upon hearing, it sounded bad.'
'Then I reminded him scene by scene, 'Sanjay Ji, in this scene featuring Shah Rukh's mother, there was this track', he said, 'Yes', I was like 'Where is it?' He went quiet. He eventually realised his mistake.'
Monty stood up for himself and told the filmmaker, 'I told him clearly. 'Sanjay Ji, if you are going to do this all on your own, then please don't approach me at all. You need to understand this is not your cup of tea. You don't know the technicalities.' After Sanjay admitted his mistake, Monty Sharma fixed he music and eventually it became a superhit.
In the same interview, Monty shared how Sanjay Leela Bhansali manipulated him to push his wedding about five times.
'Sanjay would always be like, 'The film will go to Cannes and you want to get married?' I was like, 'Everybody gets married.' Then he was like, 'Then you will also go on a honeymoon', I shared, 'Everybody does.' Then he asked, 'How will we complete the film?' After hearing all this, I postponed my wedding about five times. It was after the fifth time when my wife very cooly said, 'We don't need to get married,' This time, I realised that it is taking a serious turn.'
He added, 'I rushed to places to find a place to get married. I planned to get married on Akshaya Tritiya. Finally, I found a temple in Borivali.'