Vishal Bhardwaj Says Gulzar Was Asked To Replace ‘Chaddi’ With Lungi in Jungle Book Song: 'He Said...'

Vishal Bharadwaj revealed that television channel Doordarshan raised an objection against the word chaddi (underwear) in Jungle Book’s title track. In a new interview, Vishal revisited the iconic children’s animated show and recalled that Gulzar was asked to replace the word in the song but the lyricist did not comply. For the unversed, The Jungle Book’s title track was written by Gulzar and composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. A new episode would air a new episode every Sunday on DD. The show’s title track became an instant hit among children and hummed even today.

Speaking with Mashable India, Vishal said the channel had approached Gulzar to pen the lyrics and he had approached Vishal for the music. “Gulzar saab called me the next day. We had to make it on Sunday, record it on Monday and give it to DD on Tuesday. But on Tuesday evening, we got it back from DD with a feedback. They said, ‘Gulzar saab, chaddi theek lag raha hai kya? (Gulzar saab, is underwear okay?)’ They said make it pant or lungi. Gulzar saab said, ‘Gandagi tumhare dimag mein hai, aur koi problem nahi hai (He said there is no other problem, your mind is filthy),’” he said.

The filmmaker-composer said that Gulzar truly believed the vision that Mowgli was a child who bloomed like a flower. “Voh chaddi pehen ke hai aur phool ki tarah lagta hai (He is wearing an underwear and he looks like a flower),” he said. Vishal went on to revealed that Gulzar offered the channel could take the song with the word or not take the song at all. “Gulzar saab ne bola ya toh chaddi pehen ke hoga ya toh nahi hoga. (Gulzar said either it will be chaddi or nothing at all.)”

The channel eventually agreed and rest, as we say it, is history.