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Living in exile and accused of murder, music director Nadeem is back in the reckoning in the industry

By Rohit Parihar in London and Sheela Raval

April may be the cruellest month in England but for fugitive music director Nadeem Saifi, the month turned out to be manna from Bollywood. In self-imposed exile in London, fighting a legal battle against extradition to India on charges of conspiracy in the murder of music baron Gulshan Kumar in August 1997, April witnessed Nadeem's return to respectability. It formally revived his old association with music director Shravan and saw the duo sign up for scoring music in three new Hindi films. Not bad for a man whose innocence in organising the cold-blooded murder of the T-Series owner is yet to be established.

"It is a miracle," said Nadeem, now living a penurious existence in a borrowed two-bedroomed cottage in Kingsbury, a London suburb. "It's as big a turning point in my life as the accusation that almost ruined me."

He is not exaggerating. After a three-year spell in the wilderness, when the mere mention of his name was enough to make Bollywood balk, Nadeem is back as the flavour of the season. It began modestly in March when director Kuku Kohli lifted the siege by signing the Nadeem-Shravan duo for Yeh Dil Aashiqana, produced by Aruna Irani. "I look at the quality of the music. They are among the best composers in the industry. Plus I am superstitious. Nadeem-Shravan were lucky for me in Phool Aur Kante, I want to repeat my success there." Kohli believes Nadeem will be the real star of his film's success.

If superstition is good, what about the ethics involved in rehabilitating a man who is still wanted by the Mumbai Police on a murder charge? Kohli is unfazed. "There are other people in the industry facing serious charges. Why dissociate from Nadeem alone?"

The line-up of notables in the success-hungry celluloid world who can't acknowledge the distinction between economic offences and murder is pretty impressive. Mukesh Bhatt, Feroze Nadiadwala, Vimal Kumar, Tanuja Chandra, Rahul Rawail and Pehlaj Nihalani follow Kohli in the cast of blue-chip producers who have declared Nadeem kosher. "The duo is talented and if the music suits my script, why not?" asks Nadiadwala. Adds Bhatt: "Sunjay Dutt was accused of a bigger crime: terrorism against the country. The case is on and he is allowed to work. Why not give Nadeem the benefit of doubt till he is proved guilty or innocent?"

Shravan obviously agrees. The same producers who were hesitant to approach him for over two and a half years are opening their doors for him again. "Neither of us can think of breaking this bond. We struggled together, saw success and stardom together, it's a dream that cannot be shattered," says Shravan. In the past two months the duo has recorded eight songs for Bhatt and Kohli.

Life as a fugitive has not affected Nadeem's creativity. His inner circle says that once he begins revealing his compositions, there is no end to it. According to Kohli the film industry could not find a replacement for the musician. "Such gifted people are rare. He is indispensable to us," says Kohli. Nadeem does not disagree. "I have 10,000 compositions readied during my stay here," he crows. "I did them even while sitting through court hearings." He gives them final touches and then records them on a CD.

And from there Nadeem moves to doing what he had never done before. He drives to a cyber cafe and e-mails the composition to Shravan and others in Mumbai. "You may call me a cyber composer," he giggles. "But do not forget that hard times teach one many new things."

For a person charged with first-degree murder and living on borrowed time, Nadeem has come back strongly. But not all the damage has been undone. The shift saw his 18-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son leave India. "I feel sorry for the hurt I have caused them by leaving our motherland," says the music composer of the hit song I love my India in Pardes. Says Nadeem: "I love my India was not a mere song but continues to convey my feelings."

But the law does not deal with feelings, only facts. Going by facts, a London court last September held that a prima facie case existed against him. Nadeem has appealed in the high court in London and the case is expected to come up any time. And although he has applied for asylum in the UK, losing in the courts will clear the way for his extradition to India where the police believe they have a strong case.

Thanks to friends, Nadeem has managed to cope with isolation. Friends like singer Bali Brahmbhatt do not hide their association and hang out with him at Leicester Square -- known for its cinemas, theatres, discos and colourful crowd. Nadeem is never short of admirers. Fans from India, Pakistan and West Asia spot him for a session of bear hugs, autographs and photos. Salesmen and receptionists who know him give him the thumbs up sign. "These people compensate for my royal life in India," he says. "But this coming down to earth has taught me a lot about realities, toughened me and made me identify true friends."

Obviously, the T-Series people haven't taken it too well. Says Bhushan Kumar, brother of the slain producer: "We have full faith in the Mumbai Police, they will nail the culprit." But the case against the once prolific music composer is taking its own sweet time. For Nadeem too the final redemption is still a long way ahead, if at all.

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