Weekend

On this weekend, I am writing about a musical duo, who revolutionise the Hindi film music. Before they came on the scene, the Hindi Film music was generally based on Indian ragas/classical music, and they became the major pioneer in starting the filmy music which was little westernised, although there were also expert in composing songs based on classical ragas, and they ruled the Hindi filmy music for more than 2 decades. Later many music composers followed them, and in the years to come some of these composers might have achieved more success than them, but they will always remain pioneers, and they are.

SHANKAR JAIKISHAN

In their younger days Shankar was a tabla player, who after coming to Bombay landed a job with Prithvi Theatre. Side by side he started trying in film industry and became assistant of music composers Husnlal Bhagatram. He met Jaikishan outside a producer’s office, who was harmonium player, they developed friendship and soon Jaikishan also got job in Prithvi Theatre with Shankar’s effort. Raj Kapoor, son of Prithvi Theatre owner Prithivaj Kapoor, liked them and developed friendship  with them. When Raj Kapoor started his production house RK films, with his first film Aag, he made them assistant to music composer of Aag Ram Ganguly. This picture became hit and than Raj Kapoor started Barsaat, but due to some differences with Ram Ganguly, who refused to compose music for Barsaat, Raj Kapoor entrusted  the composer’s job to Shankar & Jaikishan, and thus musical journey of team Shankar Jaikishan started.  Raj Kapoor also took on board lyricists Shailendra  and Hasrat Jaipuri. And this team of composers and lyricists gave the Indian music lovers so many of gems in the coming years, is unimaginable. On the insistence of Shankar, Raj Kapoor roped in a new upcoming female playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh as his ghost voice for various songs of Barsaat. When this film released in 1949, its music became super duper hit and after that  Shankar Jaikishan (SJ) never looked back.

In 1950s SJ composed music for many films and the music of all their films were super hit. Some of the movies  were Awara, Baadal, Poonam, Parbat, Kali Ghata, Aah, Boot Polish, Daag, Shikast, Baadshah, Shri 420, Rajhath Kathputli, Basant Bahar, Halaku, New Delhi, Chori Chori, Begunah, Yahudi, Main Nashe Mein Hoon, Shararat, Choti Bahen, Ujala and many more.

Some of their movies which were released in 60s  Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Ek Phool Char Kaante, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Singapore, Aas Ka Panchi, Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, Junglee, Sasural, Asli Naqli, Aashiq, Dil Tera Deewana, Hariyali Aur Raasta, Professor, Dil Ek Mandir,Ek Dil Aur Sau Afsaane, Hamrahi, Sangam, Aayi Milan Ki Bela, April Fool, Beti Bete, Raj Kumar, Saanjh Aur Savera, Zindagi, Arzoo, Gumnaam, Jaanwar, Amrapali, Budtameez, Love in Tokyo, Sooraj, Teesri Kasam. An Evening in Paris, Around the World, Diwana, Chhoti Si Mulaqat, Laat Sahib, Raat Aur Din, Brahamchari, Duniya, Jhuk Gaya Aasman, Shikaar, Mere Huzoor, Prince, Pyar Hi Pyar, Yakeen.

By the end of 1960s, SJ have composed the music of more than 100 films.

Jaikishan died in 1971 and afterwards Shankar only composed the film music, but name Shankar Jaikishan continued. Some of the hit musical films of 70s were Dharti, Mera Naam Joker, Pagla Kahin Ka, Andaaz, Jawan Mohabbat, Jaane Anjaane, Kal Aaj Aur Kal, Lal Pathar, Seema, Aankh Micholi, Be Imaan, Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar, Resham ki Dori, Sanyasi, and few more.

SJ formed a core team with lyricists Shailendra & Hasrat Jaipuri, with singers like Rafi, Lata, Asha Bhosle, Mukesh & Manna Dey. They had two other life long companions who worked as their assistants Dattaram( who later independently composed music for films also) and Sebastian D’souza, the former supervising their rhythm sections and the latter writing musical notations for all their compositions.

They were god gifted in music and in addition they were commercial genius, as they became the first music composer to demand a fee of Rs one lakh per film, when barring few, even leading stars of the films were not commanding that kind  of fees. They remained on the top for almost 2 decades in the presence maestros like Naushad, SD Burman, C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar, Salil Chaudhary and Madan Mohan. After mid 60s they had a tough competition from Kalyanji Anandji (KA) & Laxmikant Pyarelal (LP), whose music compositions were similar to them.Later RD Burman, who was genius in his own right, also became their competitor.

SJ, were in house composers for RK Films and were on their pay roll till the end. RK had a music bank where he stored compositions of SJ. Even after termination of the professional association between Shankar (after Jaikishan’s death) & RK, the latter had used number of SJ’s earlier composition, though the credits were given to  LP (Bobby, Satyam Shivam Sundram & Prem Rog), Ravindra Jain (Ram Teri Ganga Maili). They also scored the music of the films starring stars like Shammi Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Manoj Kumar and others.

They were rock steady as a team with Shailendra  & Hasrat Jaipuri, and in their earlier days they refused many assignments when producers insisted for their preferred lyricist. After Shailendra’s death, then they worked with Hasrat along with many others like Indeevar, Gulsahan Bawra, Neeraj, Varma Malik, Majrooh and Rajendra Kishan.

There are so many other things to write about SJ, so next weekend, I will about their Composition & Working Styles, Awards, Chartbuster songs and other interesting details of their career.

Waiting for your views/comments/feed backs.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

1^st Mar 2019