Meet Shammi's Yahoo

Mumbai: Amongst the scores of celebs who attended the late Shammi Kapoor's prayer meeting on Tuesday evening, there was an unsung hero who came too.

Bollywood writer-director Prayag Raaj (who has written many Manmohan Desai films like Amar Akbar Anthony and co-directed Coolie), the actual 'voice' who screamed the legendary Yahoo in Junglee that was picturised on Kapoor.

With tears in his eyes, 76-year-old Prayag talks fondly about the late superstar. "Shammiji treated me like his younger brother and we often dined together. I didn't know my Yahoo yell would become such a timeless sensation." he says.

Although the late legendary singer Mohammed Rafi was the actual playback singer of Chaahe koi mujhe junglee kahe, composers Shankar-Jaikishan roped him in for this additional startling voice track.

"They felt that the wild screams of Yahoo for multiple takes would be a professional vocal hazard for Rafi Saab.

They (including Rafi Saab) felt I had the perfect potential. Acoustics expert Minoo Katrak recorded ten re-takes of just the Yaaahoo yell in my voice; only two takes were finally okayed." he shrugs.

"Apart from Shammiji complimenting me, I was also paid a generous amount for my scream, which lasted me for a month in those days.

Thereafter, Shammiji insisted I play a cameo in his film, Professor," discloses Raaj, who, post-Junglee, lent his vocals to several chartbusters from movies like Jab Jab Phool Khile and Farz.