Age 17 was the turning point of my life. It was when I decided I didn’t want to be in Calcutta and moved to Bombay. I knew that in order to pursue my dreams of becoming a well-known musician and gain recognition, I had to be in the Hindi film industry. My father, Aparesh Lahiri, was a musician too, and at a very young age, I was geared up for a career in music. The first movie for which I scored music was Dada, in Bengali, for which Lata Mangeshkar and Usha Mangeshkar sang.
Reaching Bombay, I realised that there were many big names and that I had to struggle even to stay afloat. So there I was, all of 17, trying to make a mark in an industry that was choc-a-block with names such as S.D. Barman, R.D. Burman, O.P. Nayyar, Madan Mohan, Kalyanji-Anandji and others. But I believed in God. I got my break in Hindi films with Nanha Shikari, in 1973, produced by Shombhu Mukherjee, husband of actress Tanuja and father of Kajol. I know I am where I am today by the grace of God.
I know all of you want to know about my famed fetish for gold. But let me tell you, it did not start when I was a struggling beginner. It grew slowly, as I started gaining success in the Hindi film industry. I could say the current pinnacle I have scaled is The Dirty Picture. The journey continues. I turn 60 next month—on November 27.