I don’t want conscious writing: Prasoon Joshi

In Delhi recently for the National Awards, the lyricist spoke to us about the awards as a medium to reach out to more people
Prasoon Joshi is an emotional man. He says he hasn’t charged a penny for the films he is being given the National Award for – Chittagongand Dekh Indian Circus. He says he felt that if he hadn’t done these films because of their budgets, ‘toh mujhe lagta ke mujhe kalam chalaane ka adhikar hi nahi hai’. Right before the interview, a fan brings a poem for him written by her about her idol, Joshi himself. He reads it out in murmurs and choking on tears, hugs her. She tells him that it was her lifetime’s wish to hug him.
How do you feel when your fans put you in such a ‘god-like’ position?
I am a poet, so I can understand the emotions of such people. When you see such emotions you feel really touched. Sometimes, you start feeling very responsible. You think ‘I hope I can live up to people’s expectations’ and that ‘I hope I won’t let them down.’Ek taraf bahut khushi hoti hai aur doosri taraf, ek zimmedaari ka ehsaas hota hai.'
To what extent do you feel you are responsible?
Bahut zyada responsibility hai.Lekin agar main aise sochunga toh meri kalam bahut conscious ho jaayegi. I don’t want conscious writing. I want to write totally suspended in that moment. You need to free yourself and that’s the only way you can experiment. I definitely feel responsible and I think that seeps into your conscience after sometime. So when you are taking action, somewhere it will reflect in your work. In films like Taare Zameen Par and Rang De Basanti, we always tried that songs should have some meaning. Gaane ka matlab sirf naachna aur matakna nahi hai. If you keep consuming a certain kind of music, you will become like that. If you only feel like eating masaledar food, toh aap bhi masala hi ban jaayenge.
Do you feel the lyrics that have won you awards are better than the ones that haven’t?
I look at the positive side of everything. I feel I have many good songs, like I wrote the lyrics for Jeene Ke Ishaare from Phir Milenge and Maula from Delhi 6. Sometimes I feel like I should have also got an award for those songs. But I didn’t. Yes, you do feel disappointed, but then we also think that every year nahi mil sakta.Jab milta hai toh khushi manaiye. That is why I put the National Award at such a high position, because I feel my biggest award will be that the people will hear this song. The award only matters if it actually helps in making the song reach the people. Award ke liye nahi likhte hum. That is only a medium.
Do you think the government owes a certain responsibility to showcase the National Award winning films?
I’m really proud to achieve a National Award. It comes from our country’s government. My biggest achievement after this would be that people listen to these songs which are very rare and made with a lot of love and care. So I think people should create that pressure. People should start demanding ke humko yeh films dikhayie. Aapne award diya toh ab humko dikhaiye. It is very important that the pressure is created by the people first. Market does not use its mind. Market uses the mind of the people. Their choice is very important.