In today’s weekend blog, I am writing about a Bollywood music director who was in the league of great stalwart composers like Naushad, Shankar Jaikishan, OP Nayyar, SD Burman. Still, he never got his deserved recognition like them. Friends, I am talking about C RAMCHANDRA.
His full name was Ramchandra Nahar Chitalkar. He was born on 12th January 1918 and expired on 5th January 1982. While giving music to Hindi films, he used his name as C Ramchandra, he also used to sing filmy songs under the name of Chitalkar.
He was one of first music directors who started using western musical instruments in 1947 with songs like ‘Aana Meri Jaan Sunday Ke Sunday’ from film Shehnai (1947), ‘Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon, Wahan Se Kiya Hai Telephone’ from film Patanga (1949). Perhaps, his biggest success as a music director was the 1953 film Anarkali, starring Beena Rai in Title role with Pradeep Kumar. The songs that he composed for this film are today legendary, like ‘Yeh Zindagi Usu Ki Hai, ‘Jaag Dard e Ishq Jaag’, ‘Mohabbat Aisi Dhadkan Hai’ and many more. Similarly his compositions for V Shantaram’s Navrag (1959) were also super hit.
There is one story behind film called ‘Azaad’, which was produced and directed by a South Indian banner. The film had a cast of Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, and Pran. The banner first approached legendary Naushad to score music for this film with the condition that they want all the songs of the film in one month’s time, Naushad refused their offer as he was not used to work in a time bound schedule. They finally approached C Ramchandra, and he agreed to score the music in schedule time of one month, but with a condition that whatever fees they were ready tp pay to Naushad, he will charge the same fees. The banner had offered Rs One lakh to Naushad (very huge sum in those days), they paid the same amount to C Ramchandra. What a score he created in one month with songs like ‘kitna Hassen Hai Mausam, Kitna Hassen Safar Hai’, Radha Na Bole , Na Bole Re’, Aplam Chaplam Lai Re, Teri Duniya Ko Chod’ and “Marna Bhi Mohabbat Mein Kisi Kaan Na Aaaya’.
Then who can forget the patriotic song which he composed “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, Jara Ankh Mein Bhar Lo Paani”, the song was written by Kavi Pradeep and sung by Lata Mangeshkar. This song was first sung live in Delhi in a stadium where that time PM Jawaharlal Nehru was present. This song was dedicated to the soldiers who died during Indo-Chinese war of 1962.
Besides Hindi films, he provided music for a few Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bhojpuri films.
Here is the list of some of his songs, which I my opinion are his best compositions, with their YouTube link:
1 Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon, Wahan Se Kiya Hai Telephone– from film Patanga (1949). Shamshad Begum and Chitalkar (Singers-S), Rajinder Krishan (Lyricist-L). On Screen- Gope and Sheila Ramani.
https://youtu.be/alceWhaicrU?si=yRH8CvTSzcNGQsG9
2 Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hai, Jo Kisi Ka Ho Gaya, Pyar Hi Mein Kho Gaya– Anarkali (1953). Lata Mangeshkar (S), Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen –Bina Rai.
https://youtu.be/1eFso_5-bFc?si=WnNtUCK7AFs26Cbg
3 Gore Gore, O Banke Chhore, Kabhi Meri Gali Aaaya Karo– Samadhi (1950). Lata Mangeshkar and Amirbai Karnataki (S), Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen-Nalini Jaywant and Kuldeep Kaur.
https://youtu.be/5U2OXdvN3FI?si=KdznrSPwrGBizw9N
4 Bholi Soorat DilKe Khote, Naam Bade Aur Darshan Chote- Albela (1952) Lata Mangeshkar and Chitalkar(S), Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen –Geeta Bali and Bhagwan.
https://youtu.be/0Jbf6yEiOHo?si=TVSZIr3kzvWIXs6Z
5 Shaam Dhale, Khidki Tale, Tum Seeti Bajan Chod Do-Albela (1952). Lata Mangeshkar and Chitalkar (S), Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen-geeta Bali and Bhagwan.
https://youtu.be/DO4M25EjDCM?si=uyIN-C_dgVHxY3JA
6 Kita hassen Hai Mausam, kitan haseen Safar Hai- Azaad (1955). Lata Mangeshkar and Chitalkar (S), Rajiender Krishan. On Screen-Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari.
https://youtu.be/jaZnV-zzl0o?si=hWZwqJQ0AsGgejmM
7 Tu Chhupi hai Kahan, Main Tadapta Yahan– Navrang (1959). Asha Bhosle and Manna Dey (S), Bharat Vyas (L).On Screen –Mahipal and Sandhya.
https://youtu.be/PgYGIjx8-DI?si=lDh8OtkA4yQyuio2
8 Ae Mere Watan Ke logon, Zara Ankh Mein Bhar Lo Pani– Private Song. Lata Mangeshkar(S), Kavi Pradeep (L).
https://youtu.be/CF_RqQF99Iw?si=nqWtrpNulPIPgzO0
9 Inna Meena Deeka, daaye Daama Deeka– Asha (1957). Kishore Kumar(S), Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen-Kishore Kumar.
https://youtu.be/rY0Li5QtELQ?si=plSlbIH7mgqut4FE
10 Mehfil Mein Jal Uthi Shama, Parwane Ke Liye– Nirala (1950). Lata Mangeshkar (S), PL Santoshi (L). On Screen-Madhubala.
https://youtu.be/PuA8yc7TCzk?si=3X–qCtThSzGextd
11 Dekh Hamen Awaaz Na Dena, O Bedard Zamane– Amardeep (1958) Mohd Rafi and Asha Bhosle (S). Rajinder Krishan (L). On Screen- Dev Anand and Vyjayantimala.
https://youtu.be/PhFJfZJrsmM?si=osyk9MAoubcI35sC
12 Dekh Tere Sansar Ki Haalat Kya Ho Gayi Bhagwan– Naastik (1957). Kavi Pradeep (S & L). On Screen- Background Song featuring Ajit and others
https://youtu.be/N_AfVACsjgM?si=kkhxxg3uNQ5nsQXT
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
16th January 2026