Pak musician Zoheb recalls Ratan Tata's first phone call: 'We had no idea'

The 'Disco Deewane' song makers, Zoheb and his sibling Nazia Hassan, were approached by Ratan Tata, when he was starting a music company CBS India

Pakistani pop musician Zoheb Hassan paid a special tribute to the late Ratan Tata, recalling his first interaction with the industrialist. Zoheb Hassan and his sister Nazia Hassan were asked to record the album ‘Young Tarang' by Tata for his new music company, CBS India. Taking to Instagram, Zoheb shared his first interaction with Tata, which went on to change the trajectory of pop music in India,

Tata passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86, leaving behind a larger-than-life legacy cherished by millions.

When Ratan Tata met Zoheb-Nazia in Wimbledon

The ‘Disco Deewane’ song makers, Zoheb and his sibling Nazia Hassan were approached by Tata when he was starting a music company, CBS India. The former Tata Sons chairman had met them in their Wimbledon home to discuss a potential partnership, which translated into the ‘Young Tarang’ album, possibly becoming the first music videos India and South Asia had ever seen, Zoheb recalled in a post on Instagram.
 

The pop duo siblings’ mother had picked up Tata’s phone call for them.  "My name is Ratan and I am starting a music company by the name of CBS India. I would like you and Zoheb to record an album for us if possible….,” Tata had told Nazia on the call, Zoheb remembered. Upon being invited, Tata arrived at their residence “impeccably dressed in a suit” with a gentle smile on his face and was extremely soft spoken.

How the Young Tarang album come to life

“He seemed so sincere when he spoke. We had no idea who he was and he never bragged about himself. He just said ‘if you guys agree then let's make it happen. I will get someone to get in touch with you regarding the agreement. Make sure you get a lawyer and your parents to look at the agreement. If you don't agree with anything, speak to me directly',” the post further read.

Zoheb remembered how the chain of events turned out to be a key historical milestone in the music scene. When 'Young Tarang' was produced, US TV channel MTV had just launched and approached the siblings, Zohen said, noting that Doordarshan played the music videos in India and the album outsold even Disco Deewane, the evergreen song that had previously brought them fame.

The Pakistani musician said that it was only at the launch of the album at The Taj Hotel in Mumbai in 1984, that the siblings got to know about Tata’s background.

After the launch of the album, Tata invited them to his residence over dinner. “We thought he probably lived in a palace. When we reached we were taken aback that the most powerful industrialist lived in such a humble abode. A small two-bed flat sparsely decorated. We met his sister, one servant and his pet, whom he loved dearly. It was a simple dinner with a great man, which to this day I will never forget,” Zohen said.

Nazia Hassan passed away at the age of 35 in the year 2000