Mumbai, Oct 18 (NationPress) Playback singer Amit Kumar once shared an anecdote about the late music director O. P. Nayyar, who famously told him that he couldn’t perform better than his previous take.

A recently unearthed clip from one of Kapil Sharma’s shows showcases Amit recounting this amusing encounter. Despite having a history with Amit's father, Kishore Kumar, Nayyar was eager to collaborate with Amit.

Reflecting on the experience, Amit recounted, “I had the opportunity to sing for the legendary O. P. Nayyar. He had a clear preference for Rafi sahab over my father due to their initial conflict. One day, he called me with a rather peculiar tone. When I answered, he asked, ‘Amit, my boy, will you sing for me?’ I enthusiastically replied, ‘Yes, sir, absolutely!’ He instructed me to arrive at the hotel by 10:00 am for rehearsals, including a duet with Kavita and a solo performance. Unfortunately, I arrived 10-15 minutes late, and he was waiting at the door.”

Amit continued, “He chastised me, saying, ‘Is this the time to arrive? Do you consider yourself Mohammed Rafi? I am a strict taskmaster. You must respect timing.’ We recorded the song at Bombay Lab. We began at around 10 or 10:30 am, but by noon, he declared it was time to wrap up. I felt dissatisfied and requested another take, expressing, ‘I believe I can do better.’”

“He confidently replied, ‘You can’t perform better than this,’” Amit recalled, provoking laughter from the audience.

Amit also reminisced about the late music director S. D. Burman, who once honored him by attending his first show, stating, “I had the privilege of working with numerous music directors. However, I was unfortunate not to collaborate with S. D. Burman before his passing. His presence at my debut was an unforgettable moment, as he threw a garland at me from the audience. That was the most significant accolade I ever received,” he concluded.