Prasoon Joshi Recalls How Amitabh Bachchan Helped Him Land His First Bollywood Project

At the second season of NDTV Creators' Manch, lyricist and Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, Prasoon Joshi, reflected on creativity and artificial intelligence while also recalling how a letter from Amitabh Bachchan once changed the course of his career. 

Recalling how that early recognition came his way, Prasoon Joshi shared that he had written a tribute to women from the mountains, which later led to a turning point in his career. 

He explained that the opportunity to write for films came because of that tribute, saying, "When I first started writing and eventually got an opportunity in films, the very first chance I received actually came because I had written a tribute to the women of the mountains. I truly believe that women from the hills are extremely resilient and hardworking, and there is so much one can learn from them. My maternal grandmother lost her husband when she was about nineteen or twenty, and my mother was still a child. She herself was uneducated and came from a village. Yet later in life, my grandmother retired as the principal of a school. Just imagine that - a woman who was uneducated raising her daughter alone and ensuring she studied and built a life."

He also recalled writing a song dedicated to them for an album, which later became widely appreciated. Reflecting on the imagery he used while writing it, he said, "I wrote a song about them for an album at that time. It spoke about the fragrance of the soil, the sunlight resting on the forehead, and the strength they carry in their arms - how they hold so many responsibilities within their embrace."

Continuing to describe the inspiration behind the lines, Prasoon Joshi added, "I compared their everyday actions to music. My grandmother used to light the stove by blowing air through a pipe, and I described that breath as a flute that brings life. They may not have many ornaments, but the crops in the fields themselves become their jewellery, like earrings adorning them.'

Prasoon Joshi further revealed that the tribute unexpectedly reached Amitabh Bachchan, which later led to a significant moment in his career. 

"After I wrote this song, Amitabh Bachchan somehow heard it, and I later received a letter from him saying that he had heard my song. It was because of that very song that I was invited to write my first film song for the film Lajja. In fact, I should thank the women of the mountains - it was because of the tribute I wrote in their honour that I received my first opportunity to write for films."

Earlier in the session, Prasoon Joshi discussed artificial intelligence, stating that he does not take it lightly but stressed that genuine creativity emerges from lived experiences.

According to him, artificial intelligence may be capable of recognising patterns and analysing data, but it can only draw from what has already been expressed. 

Reflecting on this, he noted that the most beautiful song has not yet been written and the most beautiful dream has not yet been dreamt - something that cannot exist in any dataset.

The lyricist also discussed how deeply personal memories shaped some of his most loved songs, including Maa from Taare Zameen Par starring Aamir Khan and Luka Chuppi from Rang De Basanti. He emphasised that such emotions come from lived experiences and unspoken feelings that machines cannot easily replicate.

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