Meet Anuj Mathur, sound designer of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Anuj Mathur, 49, credits his success to his stint with YRF. Today he’s the chief recording engineer with Yash Raj Films, but almost 20 year ago, he was the sound designer of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Given the nature of his job, he would constantly record ambient or other sounds pertaining to the film on outdoor locations. Though few films already used Dolby SR, Yash Raj was the first to use it and create sound effects from the scratch. “All sounds, or dialogues were done in the Dolby set up.”

It took Anuj over two months to re-record the sound and another 45 days for the final mixing. When DDLJ was heading for 300 weeks, he told Aditya about the Dolby 5.1 sound. “I told him that we can now mix it in 5.1 and he immediately gave me a good ahead,” says Anuj. Recalling the Switzerland schedule of the film that saw Yash Chopra work as a production manager, he says, “Every room had a small notepad and a pen and we were supposed to put down our requirements. By the end of the day whatever we asked for, would find its way there.”

Christmas probably did come early for the cast and crew of DDLJ, as the senior Chopras went out of their way to ensure that the team got anything it required. Yash Chopra’s wife Pamela too was on the sets and even after a stressful day, she knew the preferences of every crewmember. “I loved strawberry cakes so after a tiring day, she would send in a message that there are strawberry cakes which she has made. Till date, they have treated everyone as family.”

Once the work for the day was done, Adi would be one of the most relaxed guys around. “Aditya was very technically sound and I never saw him angry. After pack up, he would sing songs, play cricket and always looked after everyone.” Anuj has watched the movie with his family and friends and is surprised that people cheer in the theatres after so many years.