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He is 80 now but still has the energy to compete with the young and fresh in his own style. We are talking about veteran music director Khayyam who makes a comeback with Goutam Ghose’s forthcoming Yatra (starring Rekha and Nana Patekar in the lead). In fact, Ghose is the co-music director in the film, whose music was released on October 30.

And what a co-incidence — Khayyam is back at a time when the remake of Umrao Jaan is set to release on November 3. It was he who scored the music for the original Umrao Jaan (1981) directed by Muzaffar Ali and his compositions, especially "Dil cheez kya hai" and "In aankhon ki masti" are still a rage.

What does he think about Anu Malik’s compositions for the new Umrao Jaan? “Mere liye comment karna thik nahin hoga  (It will not be right on my part to comment). It is left to the audience to judge,” is what he says. In fact he hasn’t quite heard the songs — “I have just seen the promos of the film,” says Khayyam, whose last film was Ek Naya Rishta was released in 1988.

Rekha in a still from the 80s classic Umrao Jaan.

Coincidentally, Yatra  also stars Rekha in the role of a courtesan. “It was on Rekhaji’s request that I was approached by the director and producer and full credit goes to her. She realised that the subject suited my style of music,” says the veteran music director, adding that only Rekha could have done justice to the role.

Umrao Jaan also gave Asha Bhosle a new identity. “I gave Ashaji’s voice a new direction. Prior to Umrao Jaan, her voice was more suited to Western songs. In Umrao Jaan, people noticed the change in her style.”

Khayyam may not want to comment on Anu Malik’s music, but he subtly makes it clear that the original score is unique because of “the team work involving Muzaffar Ali, Rekha, Asha Bhosle and myself.” He also gives the credit of the success of Umrao Jaan’s soundtrack “that exuded national integration with an aalaap featuring both Om and Allah” to the rich tradition of Indian classical music.

“The music tells the story. If it isn’t up to the mark, the whole film can be affected,” says Khayyam who is also scoring music for Ajay Mehra’s Banaras — 1918,a love story based on Munshi Premchand’s novel Bazaar-e-Husn and Krishnakant Pandya’s Main Phir Aaonga based on a true story.

The music of Yatra, Khayyam says, is another feather in his cap. The Asha-Rekha-Khayyam combination returns with numbers like "Jaam-e-mohabbat" and "Madhur madhur". The lyrics by Ahmed Wasi are very refreshing, says the music director, who also enjoyed working with contemporary singers like Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik.

“One step ahead,” is how he describes his music for the three comeback films. We look forward to it.