ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the production process of the film songs themselves, and examines whether the film narrative and the visual dimension of songs are in fact insignificant to the way the songs are conceived and produced or whether the musical, narrative and visual components of film songs are in fact more integrated. The shooting of the main body of the film may begin before all the songs are recorded, or one song may be picturized before another has been composed. Music director Khayyam, most famous for his music for Kabhi Kabhie and Umrao Jaan, explained that 'when we compose music for film, so we are following the script and characters'. Sittings will usually begin with the director explaining the film story and the song situations to the music director and the lyricist. The importance of the director in the process of song and lyric composition must be emphasized.
