Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood lyricist Sameer Anjaan, one of the most prolific writers in Indian cinema history, has opened up about an uncomfortable episode from his early years in the city that reveals a rarely discussed chapter of his life before he found fame in music.
Sameer, whose credits include chartbuster songs across multiple decades and languages, once considered journalism as his first career choice. Before he became one of Bollywood's most sought-after lyricists, he spent a brief period working in print media in Mumbai, attending press interactions and film promotions where he was expected to ask questions to visiting celebrities.
It was during one such assignment that Sameer found himself in a tense exchange with actor Mithun Chakraborty, who was then one of the biggest box office draws in Hindi cinema. According to Sameer's recollection, Mithun grew visibly frustrated with the line of questioning directed at him — questions that, in the lyricist's own words, felt rehearsed and unoriginal.
"Tum log suni-sunayi baaton pe humse kyun sawaal karte ho," Mithun reportedly told Sameer and fellow journalists present at the event, expressing his irritation that reporters kept asking the same tired questions instead of engaging with anything fresh or substantive.
The remark, though directed at the press corps as a whole, clearly left an impression on the young Sameer. In later interviews, he has recalled the incident with a mixture of amusement and reflection, noting how it marked a moment of realization about the nature of media-celebrity interactions in Bollywood.
After this brief journalistic detour, Sameer pivoted toward lyrics writing and went on to pen hundreds of hit songs for actors including Mithun Chakraborty himself, Sanjay Dutt, and many others. His career trajectory from aspiring journalist to Bollywood's top lyricists is a testament to the unpredictable paths people often take in the entertainment industry.
The anecdote has resonated with fans and media professionals alike, offering a candid glimpse into the sometimes awkward dynamics between journalists and celebrity interviewees — dynamics that have only intensified in the social media age.
