In my today’s weekend blog, I am writing about one of the most popular music director duo Laxmikant Pyarelal, in their career spanning 36 years, from the year 1963 till Laxmikant expired in 1998 Once their first picture Parasmani was released they never looked back. After the demise of Laxmikant, the other partner Pyarelal also took sanyas from music composition, although he was offered many films he refused to work saying that he can not imagine working without Laxmikant ,such was their partnership.
Hindi film music was at its peak in the early 60s. Music directors like Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, OP Nayyar, Madan Mohan, SD burman, Ravi, Roshan and Chitrgupt were in full form, all of them were giving top class music in films. To carve the niche for themselves in music field from the very first film was the great achievement for them.
Laxmikant-Pyarelal used as many as four singers in their very first film. Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh and Kamal Barot. The duo always have an upper hand in singer’s selection, right from the day one. Without any interference from the third party, mainly filmmakers and actors. Laxmikant-Pyarelal have always chosen the singers of their choice.
Total 160 numbers of singers (both male & female) have rendered the songs composed by them from 1963 to 1998.
In 1964, there emerged two greatest combinations of Laxmikant Pyarelal (LP) and Mohd Rafi in Dosti where Mohd Rafi sang all the male songs; as well as LP and Kishore Kumar. In mid 60s when Mohd Rafi was on top position, without damaging the popularity of him, LP gave hits songs to Kishore Kumar. The songs were- “ mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi (Mr X in Bombay 1964)”, “Ye dard Bhara Afsana (Shreeman Fantoosh 1965)”, “ Ajnabi Tum Jaane pehchane Lagte HO (Hum Sab Ustaad Hain 1965)”, and Din Jawani Ke Char Yaar Pyar Kiye Ja (Pyar Kiye Ja-1966)”.
In the tear 1967 LP brought back the glory of singrer Mukesh, through the songs of Milan and Pathar Ke Sanam.
Right from 1964 LP smartly maintained the balancing equation between two legendary singers Mohd Rafi (379 songs) and Kishore Kumar (402 songs).
Lata Mangeshkar has sung the maximum number of songs (712) under LP with other music directors she has sung the songs as follow
Shankar Jaikishan 453 songs, RD Burman 327 songs, C Ramchandra 298 songs, Kalyanji Anandji 297 songs, Chitragupt 240 songs, Madan Mohan 210 songs, Naushad 155 and Roshan 146 songs.
Mohd Rafi has also sung highest number of sings (379) under LP. The songs he has sung for other music directors as follows-
Shankar Jaikishan (303 songs), Chitragupt (25 songs), Ravi (210 songs), Kalyanji Anandji (200 songs), OP Nayyar (187 songs), Madan Mohan (147 songs), Naushad (114 songs), Usha Khanna (109 songs) and RD Burman (107 songs).
Kishore Kumar has sung 402 songs under LP. The song Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi brought 3 legends of Bollywood together and they were LP, Kishore Kumar & Anand Bakshi. But Kishore Kumar has not sung his highest number of songs with LP. His songs under other music directors are as follows- RD Burman (499 songs), Baappi Lahiri (298 songs), Kalyanji Anandji (266 songs) and Rajesh Roshan (254 songs).
Asha Bhosle It will be a great surprise for all that Asha Bhosle has sung more songs than Mohd Rafi and Kishore Kumar, under LP. She has sung 499 songs . Interestingly Asha Bhosle along with Lata Maneshkar has sung maximum (14 nos) female duets under LP.
Mukesh LP has used the voice of Mukesh in 80 songs, some of the notable films where Mukesh sung under LP are Milan, Pathar Ke Sanam and Anita. For record LP is number 3 on the list of songs Mukesh has sung for various music directors: Shankar Jaikishan (136 songs), Kalyanji Anandji ( 107 songs), Naushad (27 songs), RD Burman (15 songs)and SD Burman (12 songs).
Mahendra Kapoor has sung 71 songs under LP.
Manna Dey has also sung 71 songs under LP.
LP have introduced/lime lighting singers like Anuradhaa Paudwal ( she sang around 230 songs for them), Kavitha Kridsnamurthy ( 27g songs, the highest with any music director), Alka Yagnik (278 songs). Other known singers who also sang under LP are Sadhana Sargam, Sapna Mukherjee, Suresh Wadkar, Amit Kumar, Shabbir Kumar, Jolly Mukherjee, Nitin Mukesh, Yesudas, Anwar and Mohd Aziz (he has sung 272 songs under LP, his highest under any music director).
In all LP used 160 singers during their career.
Singers who were awarded Filmfare best playback singers trophy for the songs composed by LP
Mohd Rafi- Chahunga Main Tujhe Sanjh Savere- Dosti (1964)
Lata Mangeshkar- Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage- Jeene Ki Raah (1969)
Narendra Chanchal – Beshaq Mandir Masjid Todo- Bobby (1973)
Mahendra Kapoor- Aur Nahin Bas Aur Nahin- Roti Kapda Aur Makan (1975)
Anuradha Paudwal- Mere Man Baje Manjra- Utsav (1985)
Alka Yagnil- Ek Do Teen Char – Tezaab (1988)
Alka Yagnik and Ila Arun- Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai- Khalnayak (1993).
Above were few interesting information about LP and playback singers.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
29th January 2021