Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Log - Part 2
- In LifeStyle & Sports
- 12:53 PM, Jun 03, 2016
- Shwetank Bhushan
In the previous post on the subject, 'Jaane Kahan Gaye Wo Log', we talked about the legendary musicians Anil Biswas, C Ramachandran and Madan Mohan, who never got their dues. In continuation of the series, and as promised, I wish to remind you about a few more legends who have been forgotten despite their spectacular body of work.
Jaidev:
Born in Nairobi, Jaidev Verma was brought up in Ludhiana. He was introduced to music by Prof. Barkat Rai. In 1933, when he was 15 years old, he ran away to Bombay to become a film star. There, he acted in eight films as a child star but unfortunately, he had to leave his film career abruptly and return to Ludhiana, due to his father's blindness. In 1943, he left for Lucknow to study under the music maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Ali Akbar Khan took Jaidev as his music assistant in 1951, but from film 'Taxi Driver' onwards, he became an assistant to S D Burman. His big break as a full-fledged music director came with Chetan Anand's Joru Ka Bhai (1955) and Anjali (1957).
Jaidev entered into the limelight with songs 'Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar', 'Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya' and 'Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Halat Pe' from the film Hum Dono (1961). Many rate Lata Mangeshkar's ‘Allah Tero Naam' as the best bhajan song to have emerged from Indian films. My choice is different but that too is composed by Jaidev only.
But today, even those who breathe and live by vintage Hindi film songs, mistakenly believe that S.D. Burman was the composer of the immortal melodies of the film Hum Dono. This confusion occurs because ‘Hum Dono' was a Dev Anand film and was produced by his company Navketan and SDB was the composer who almost always composed music for Navketan Films. Besides, SDB was also the composer of all the famous films of Navketan before and after Hum Dono.
Many people have unknowingly attributed quite a few of Jaidev's songs to S.D. Burman and Madan Mohan. The commonality was both valid and natural. Jaidev was the one who arranged the music and conducted the orchestration for a huge number of S.D. Burman, Madan Mohan and Shankar-Jaikishan songs. The irony is that these wrong attributions of Jaidev's songs are more popular than Jaidev himself ever was.
Kinare Kinare (1963), starring Dev Anand, was one of the bigger films Jaidev got, but the film didn't do well despite some endearing melodies. His next big success came with Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) starring Sunil Dutt.
After the mega success of Hum Dono music, Jaidev was the natural choice for Navketan's next film Guide starring Dev Anand. He also composed and recorded two brilliant songs and everybody in Navketan management was elated. Mysteriously, Jaidev got thrown out of Guide! It is said that Dev Anand pressurized Jaidev to work as SDB's assistant in Guide. Navketan Films used both Jaidev songs, ‘Din Dhal Jaaye' and ‘Tere Mere Sapne' in the film.
It is the heart-wrenching cruelty that film industry keeps inflicting on its best talents from time to time. and this time, a creative genius like Jaidev was suppressed by the high and mighty. Jaidev never really recovered from that shock.
A short medley:
When Sunil Dutt, a fan of Jaidev, was working on his dream project Reshma Aur Shera (1971), he opted for Jaidev. Jaidev's beautiful songs that brought out the sweetness of Rajasthani folk music sank with the film, but it won him his first National Award. One can listen to songs like 'Ek Meethi Si Chubhan' and 'Tu Chanda Main Chandni' sung by Lata in her melodious voice on a loop without stopping.
Jaidev's robust score for the Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Alaap (1977) is built on the solid base of devotional music and classical music. Despite the fact that the film had some compelling acting and story-telling, it didn't do very well at the box-office. 'Koi Gaata Main So Jaata' in Yesudas's voice and written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan is my favorite pick from the film.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Jaidev also set to tune Harivansh Rai Bachchan's masterpiece, Madhushala, in Manna Dey's voice. His love for poems made him compose music to poems of many poets like Maithilisharan Gupta, Nirala, and Mahadevi Varma. Did you know that it was Jaidev who composed the famous bhajan 'Jaise Suraj Ki Garmi Se' sung by the four Sharma-Brothers (Sharma Bandhu) for the film called Parinay? I was referring to this as my favorite Bhajan earlier.
Many of Jaidev's films failed at the box office, but their music is remembered for his creativity and composition. In the late seventies, Jaidev won his second National Film Award for the music of Gaman (1977). Gharaonda (1977) and Dooriyan (1979) also have sweet, fresh and melodious scores. The two Anuradha Poudwal - Bhupinder duets in 'Dooriyan' are absolute gems.
Jaidev along with Khayyam must be given highest credit for their role in re-energising the ghazal genre in the Hindi Film music. Gazals like 'Seene Me Jalan' and 'Aapki Yaad Aati Rahi Raat Bhar' from Gaman and 'Do Deewane Shahar Me' and 'Ek Akela Is Shahar Mein' from Gharonda are few such fresh and simple melodies.
A rare film Ankahee (1985) whose music was dominated by bhajans made Jaidev the only music director to bag three National Film Awards. It was excellent renditions by Pandit Bhimshen Joshi and Asha Bhosle that made Kabir and Tulsidas sound so good on the big screen. Jaidev's last work was for Ramanand Sagar's television series Ramayan.
Jaidev never got popularity in proportion to his talent. Commercial success eluded him, and he waited for more than three decades for the attention of big producers and the recognition of general public. But he was mercilessly ignored. The discs he had made were sold in lakhs, but he did not even own a record player. While men of mediocre talents owned bungalows, cars, estates, this pure genius lived in a shabby one-room rented house, drank water from a mud pot and slept on the floor. Like his friend Madan Mohan, Jaidev too wanted to drown his sorrows in liquor.
Jaidev never married and has no family. Other than his timeless songs, there is nothing to carry forward his legacy. At the age of 68, he passed away on a cold January day in 1987. If Jaidev was ignored during his life, he is totally forgotten after his death.
Roshan:
Roshan Lal Nagrath was born in Gujranwala, Punjab (now in Pakistan). He began music lessons very early, and the 'Sarangi King' Bundu Khan taught him Sarangi. In the early 1940s, he got associated with All India Radio as a Staff Artist for the instrument Esraj (kind of Sarangi), which he used to play.
In 1948, Roshan came to Mumbai to pursue his career as a Hindi film music director. The struggle followed until he met Kidar Sharma and got his first job as a composer for his film Neki Aur Badi (1949). Despite the movie being a flop, Kidar Sharma posed his faith in Roshan's talent and offered his next venture Baawre Nain (1950). Roshan emerged with hits like 'Khayalon Mein Kisike', 'Sun Bairi Balam' and others.
It was during this period that he composed songs like ‘Aeiri Main To Prem Diwani' for the movie Naubahaar (1952) and 'Saari Saari Raat Teri Yaad Sataye' for Aji Bas Shukriya (1958). The 1950s was mostly a lost decade for Roshan. But it was Roshan who gave significant breaks to Indeevar and Anand Bakshi as lyricists and the rest is history.
The 1960s proved to be the golden age for Roshan and his music. During this time, he composed timeless classics ‘Zindagi Bhar Nahi Bhoolegi Wo Barsaat Ki Raat', and in the Qawwali genre, ‘Na To Karavan Ki Talaash Hai' and 'Yeh Hai Ishq Ishq' for Barsat Ki Raat (1960). His ability to mould folk music with Indian classical music became his trademark. His hits from 60's include legendary songs like ‘Ab Kya Misaal Doon' and ‘Kabhi To Milegi, Kahin To Milegi' from Arti (1962), ‘Paaon Chhoo Lene Do', ‘Jo Vada Kiya Vo Nibhana Padega', and ‘Jurm-e-ulfat Pe' from Taj Mahal (1963). Filmfare's acknowledgment of Roshan and Sahir Ludhianvi's partnership by awarding both of them for Taj Mahal was a testament of how well they gelled together. This was Roshan's only Filmfare award.
Dil Hi To Hai (1963) had massively popular songs like 'Tum Agar Mujhko Na Chaho To' and ‘Nigahen Milane Ko Jee Chahata Hai'. But as hindi music lover, I will always be indebted to Roshan for his composition ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag' sung by Manna De. Roshan will always be known for introducing the Qawwali genre into Hindi film music.
A short medley:
Roshan got together with Kidar Sharma one last time for Chitralekha (1964). One of the notable features of the movie's music was Sahir excelling in Hindi lyrics. The very soulful song 'Man Re Tu Kaahe Na Dheer Dhare' adapted from a Tulsidas doha and ‘Sansaar Se Bhaage Phirte Ho' are almost meditative scores.
In 1966, Anand Bakshi and Roshan gave a super hit musical film Devar. In the same year came Mamta. With Majrooh Sultanpuri's remarkable poetry, every song of the film, from the sad 'Rahte The Kabhi Jinke Dil Mein' to soul-soothing 'Rahen Na Rahen Hum' and effervescent 'In Baharon Mein Akele Na Phiro'. I particularly love the introspective 'Duniya Kare Sawaal To Hum Kya Jawab Den' from Bahu Begum (1967). How well Sahir translated the heavy emotions into simple words. Anokhi Raat (1968) was still in production when Roshan passed away. Salil Chowdhury stepped in to compose the film's background score and with Roshan's wife Ira, wrapped up the songs. Even today, no Antakshari is complete without the ‘Oh Re Taal Mile'.
Roshan had been suffering from chronic heart problem for an extended period and died of a heart attack on 16 November 1967.
Shiv-Hari:
The two of the most distinguished contemporary Indian classical musicians Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia are referred as the Shiv-Hari duo. Where Pt. Shivkumar is the virtuoso of the Santoor, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia is the doyen of the Bansuri (flute).
The young musicians met in the late 1950s, and their incredible musical association began. I don't know how many recall, but the duo first collaborated as part of a trio with guitarist Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra in 1967 to produce the album ‘The Call of the Valley.' The album was conceived in a away that the maestros used their instruments to tell the story of a day in the life of a shepherd in Kashmir using ragas associated with various times of the day to advance the dramatic narrative. It is also considered to be the dawn of Indian classical music in the west.
It marked the beginning of the partnership and following numerous live performances over the years; the duo teamed up in the name of ‘Shiv-Hari' to compose music for few Hindi movies.
In the late 70s and early 80s, when Hindi film music quality was drastically falling, one producer -director with the ear and soul for music was conceptualizing an experiment called Silsila. Known for his musical depth, Yash Chopra's Silsila (1981) was an outright experiment on all fronts. It sparked controversy even before it was released, mainly for its casting claiming to mimic reality. Yash Chopra introduced 'Shiv-Hari' as the composers and also Javed Akhtar for the first time as a lyricist.
Though Silsila was one of Yash Chopra's biggest duds commercially, I rate it one of the most romantic films ever made in Hindi film industry whose soundtrack was a runaway hit. One of the notable aspects of this movie was Amitabh Bachchan's singing. It was Shiv-Hari, who convinced Yash Chopra that after hearing him recite Kabhi-Kabhi, that it would be a fascinating experiment to work more with his voice. Amitabh responded showcasing his versatility as a performer by reciting prose and poetry and singing for himself defying all conventions that had been established in the industry.
Their next films Fasle (1985) and Vijay (1988) were also with Yash Chopra. Both a massive flop at the box office and also panned by critics. The music did not click at all.
Shiv-Hari's music is not just any fun composition but based on their thorough understanding of Classical Music and the ability to create moods and waves of emotions among the audience. The storyline and lyrics of these films did not evoke creativity among the duo.
But they stuck together to bring out Chandni in 1989. All the songs, be it 'Mere Haathon Mein,' or 'Main Sasural Nahin Jaungi,' or 'Lagi Aaj Savan Ki' and others were brilliant and the film's soundtrack was a major success.
There was an instrumental love melody in Chandni, running across the movie as prime background score. That theme was further developed into the song 'Kabhi Main Kahoon' for Chopra's next film Lamhe (1991), also composed by Shiv-Hari. And it went on to become a huge hit. The film had exceptional music and the folk dance number 'Morni Baga Ma' became a rage.
A short medley:
Shiv-Hari composed music only for eight films. Their next venture was with Yash-Raj's Parmapara (1993) directed by Aditya Chopra. The film did not do well. Shiv-Hari's only film as the composer without Yash-Raj banner was Ramesh Talwar's Sahibaan (1993), a very ordinary film with ordinary lyrics and hence ordinary compositions.
The duo's last venture was again with Yash Chopra's Darr (1993). Both the movie and its music with songs like 'Tu Mere Saamne' and 'Jadoo Teri Nazar' were super hits.
Shiv-Hari stopped composing film music after Darr, but they continue to flourish as individual musicians, recording albums and performing live. Over the years, this collaboration resulted in many live performances and in 1995 they paid tribute to the concept album by releasing a live album titled "The Valley Recalls"
These musicians may not have composed music for a vast number of films or may not have enjoyed commercial success, but they established their identities through the uniqueness of their compositions alone.
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