Article On Shankar, Bharatan etc. Options

[asad]

Raju Bharatan's articles on Shankar-Jaikishen have been the centre of
many controversies as well as the source of information.
Therefore I'm posting this. If anyone does not agree with the
comclusions/opinions of Raju Bharatan, please share them with us. There is also another article after Bharatan's.

Enjoy,

Asad.

He had invited me to his seaface home he was in his cosy music room
there. He was at the piano, the man who composed Geet gaata hoon main
gungunata hoan main for Kishore Kumar to put over On Vinod Mehra
in "Lal Patthar". Right now, he was evoking from the piano
his "Sangam" notes of Dost dost na raha. He was, another seven-letter
name for sangeet. He was the numero uno of the Shanker-Jaikishan duo.


Jaikishan's ocean-view home was just a mile away on the Marine Drive
front. There was Jaikishan's left hand that naturally went to the
piano. Here it was Shanker's right hand that naturally went to the
piano. Imagine Shanker's right hand on the piano and Jaikishan's left
hand on the piano and have the entire format of our popular you music
at your finger-tips!


Shanker had been dogmatic on one point that he would demonstrate the
art and craft of composition to me only on the piano. "How much of
the real composer in me can you possibly get to savour on the
harmonium?" Shanker had asked. "Mind you, I myself played the
harmonium in SJ's Yeh na thi hamari kismat in "Main Nashe Mein Hoon".
Even so the harmonium remains a limited instrument where it comes to
unfolding your art. On the piano, by con-trast , can zoom with my
notes. Here, let me demonstrate how by playing one of my pet
compositions. . .


And Shanker proceeded to play finesse and flair from "Yahudi", Yeh
mera diwana pan hai. When I sing it as Yeh mera diwana pan hai, what
I mean is Sangeet mera deewana pan -hai! explained Shanker. "In fact,
I was lolling in that cot there and gazing at the ceiling when the
idea came to me in a flash. Swiftly getting up, I came to this piano
here and those first notes as Yeh mera deewana pan hai. They were
dummy words, of course, but Shailendra said they were fine, they
fitted the situation pat, when he later came to write-to-tune. I had
completed the tune on the piano with my own Mukesh in mind, that's
why I was put out when it was suggested it should be Talat Mehmood
for Dilip Kumar playing "Yahudi".


"In vain did I press my point, for the consensus was in favour of
Talat. Only I new how I had given the tune shape and substance with
Mukesh's vocals in mind. In the end, seeing I was not satisfied, it
was decided the whole thing would be a toss-up. My joy new no bounds
as the spin of the coin favoured Mukesh. But now Dilip Kumar
playing "Yahudi" was unhappy he had set heart on Talat. I had nothing
against Talat, it was just that I had composed the number for Mukesh.
So I earnestly requested Dilip Kumar to come to the song s recording
next afternoon, but only after one, when we would be ready from the
take Dilip Kumar wanted to come earlier but, I was quietly insistent,
for only I knew how besura Mukesh could sound at the rehearsal stage!
By the time Dilip Kumar came at 1.30, we were set and raring to go.
And the resonance with which Mukesh came over in Yeh mera diwana pan
hai made Dilip Kumar come over and embrace me. It was One of the most
fulfilling moments in my life."


Now I had Shanker talking, but he had laid down this condition that I
would not probe whose tune it was: Jaikishan's or his. I tried a
subtle approach to overcome this SJ barrier. "Fine, you have told me
how you won over Dilip Kumar" I said, "but what about the time you
had a job convincing Raj Kapoor about the theme-song of "Shree 420"?


The very vigour which Shanker, at this point, descended on the piano
was a give-away as to who had composed Mera joota hai Japani.

"Sounds wonderful now it's proved a hit on Raj Kapoor in "Shree 420",
noted Shank-er, "but what a struggle I had here, Mera joota hai
Japani is in Bhairavi, here let me show you how. I make a point of
its being in Bhairavi because it's the fashion to attribute this raag
in SJ's repertoire to Jai. Oh, Jai too composed some wonderful tunes
in Bhairavi, I concede that, but in the end it remained a shared
legacy. "But we were on how Mera joota hai Japani came to be
composed. As was my practice, I had prepared five tunes for the theme-
song situation. I had already struck an equation with Raj Kapoor in
the matter of creating theme-songs. So I was quite confident my very
first tune would be okayed."


"It was the theme-song of "Shree 420", so I had given it everything
in my composing armour. I played my first tune, no response
whatsoever from Raj Kapoor. I played my second tune, again no
response. Third time lucky I had to be, I reasoned, as I played my
next tune, again no reaction from Raj Kapoor! I was in a cold sweat
now, this was the first time a theme-song tune was going to the
fourth stage. And I well knew that two inferior tunes of the lot
formed numbers four and five! Add to that the fact that I was a total
mental blank that day after those five tunes, having put every bit I
had into the selections. "It was with great hesitation, therefore, I
played my fourth tune as.."

And here Shanker turned to the piano to add: "This is how I played
that fourth tune to Raj Saab( Imagine listening Mera joota hai
Japani):
Dunder-dunder-dunder-dunder dunder-dunder-dunder-dunder
dunder-dun-der-dunder-dunder dunder-dunder -dunder-dunder dunder-
dunder-dunder-dunder ... And Raj Saab pounced on it, saying it was
exactly what he wanted! That crooked smile of Raj Saab's as I wiped
my brow I will remember for life."


"Why? I asked. "If those fourth and fifth tunes, too, had failed,
would Raj Kapoor have asked Jaikishan to play the theme-song?. "No,
way" said Shanker, "the theme-song at RK, with SJ, was my
responsibility, so the reason I wiped brow was for something totally
different. The point is, not Jai, but I would have had to produce
five fresh theme-tunes next day! Produce from where? I had exhausted
my stock that day itself, since I reserved nothing but the best for
Raj Kapoor. Don't take me literally, of course. I would have come up
with five more fresh tunes next day, I am merely trying to
communicate to you perplexed state of mind when that third tune, too,
stood rejected."


"Maybe the first three tunes were rejected because they were not in
Bhairavi", I suggested. "They weren't in Bhairavi, come to think of
it. But the total musician never thinks of the raag while composing.
He plays in Sur and raag just flows. So I can't go along with you on
the point that Mera joota hai Japani, as it finally emerged, because
it was in Bhairavi. I maintain that my first three tunes were good,
very good. But then I only looked at the tune Raaj Saab had an exact
visual idea of what he wanted. And he just seized that fourth tune
from my custody the moment I struck the right note, as he audio-
visualised it".


"What about Ramaiyya vastavaiyya? I asked, nothing Shanker had
momentarily forgotten all about not identifying a tune as his. "Oh,
Ramaiyya vastavaiyya, that's an interesting question. For, after the
Mera joota hai Japani theme song, the most important situation
in "Shree 420" was Ramaiyya vastavaiya. How graphically Raj Saab had
told me that situation to me! The tune he told me, had to have a
sweep and a cadence like nothing heard in an RK movie before. The
tune, Raaj Saab had told me must bring the Bombay bastee to vibrant
life. Only towards its end, he added, would Mukesh be joining in -we
now know Raj Kapoor chipped in with Maine dil tujh ko diya, but, at
that point, even the tune was not ready, leave alone the words.


Incidentally, I always prepared the tune first and then got words
written by Shailendra. Letting the poet write the song first, I had
discovered, led to his penning the song-lyrics in the same monotonous
metre. No, I don't agree this, my reverse style of tuning, placed a
limitation on Shailendra's poetry. The Ramaiyya vastavaiyya tune came
first, yet did Shailendra's poetry suffer in any way? No! the words
for me represented the portrait, the tune the frame. Once the
framework was ready in the form of my tune, the portrait, the song-
lyric, could always be fitted in, exactly to size."


It is a job keeping Shanker on the sound track you want, the man
knows so much he wanders most interestingly, mind you -from one
musical crescendo to another. Gently bring him back to Ramaiyya
vastavaiyya, asking which of his five tunes clicked here.

"Ha, you have me back where you want me, Raju," laughed Shanker.
Ramaiyya vastavaiyya came to be tuned immediately after Mera joota
hai Japani. Let me be honest and admit that I, normally full of
confidence, was nervous here. After all, Mera joota hai Japani came
through the hard way, so who new what lay in store. Therefore"
revealed Shanker (turning instantly to the piano), "as a naturalised
Andhra I put my own dummy words and played the first tune like this
to Raj Saab: Ramaiyya vastavaiyya ramaiyya vasta-vaiyya. And, lo and
behold, that very first tune, which I had played with my dummy Telugu
words of Ramaiyya vastavaiyya was instantly picked up by Raj Saab!


"My faith in my composing ability stood restored. For Ramaiyya
vastavaiyya was a far more difficult situation to compose for than
Mera joota hai Japani. In Mera joota hai Japani, you could be
freewheeling, Raj Saab or the screen would take care of the rest. In
Ramaiyya vastavaiyya, the key turn in the story -line had to emerge
from my tune. Yet I got it right the first time, so I had reason to
feel proud.


"I thought I knew Raj Saab's mind well by the time I came to compose
Mera joota hai Japani, it turned out I didn't. I had doubts about my
insights in to Raaj Saab's mind in the case of Ramaiyya vastavaiyya,
it turned out my doubts were misplaced. May I add that, like in the
case of Yeh mera diwana pan hai, Shailendra preferred to retain my
dum-my punchline of Ramaiyya vastavaiyya. "But it makes no sense," I
pointed out. "It will when you see it on the screen," said Raj Saab
seated by Shailendra's side.


"How come Ramaivya vastavaiyya too, is in Bhairavi ?" I asked.
Shanker looked stumped. But recovered to note: "Yaar, take it as a
sign that I know my Bhairavi as well as Jai did. But seriously, the
tune comes first, the raag after.


"Even in the case of the tune you played as soon as I entered this
room?" I asked, "The tune you were playing on this piano as I entered
was Dost dost na raha, Isn't that, too, in Bhairavi? I give up", said
Shanker, "you are the first patrakar to pin me down on this raag
matter. All I can say is SJ always looked upon Bhairavi as a sada-
suhaagan raag. Our idea was to create a style of Bhairavi totally
different from the Bhairavi of Nauhad. Judge how we changed the
entire pattern of Bhairavi in films with Mohabbat ki dastaan and Suno
chhoti si gudiya ki lambi kahani. But aren't those two tunes
from "Mayurpankh" and "Seema" the Bhairavi of Jaikishan? I queried
mischievously.


"There's no such thing as a Shanker Bhairavi or a Jaikishan
Bhairavi", retorted Shanker, retaining his cool, "there's only an SJ
Bhairavi. "I have put him on the defensive, which is the last thing I
want, so I say, leadingly, "Shanker Saab, who but you could have
orchestrated Pyar hua ikraar hua (in "Shree 420") and Sub kuchch
seekha hum ne (in "Anari"). Whether you care to admit or not it is
easy for a musically trained ear to spot out your instrumentation,
your orchestration as more ornate, as more rich, in style and content
alike. To my ears, Shanker, and Shanker alone, could have
orchestrated Jaao re jogi tum jaao re the way it came over
in "Amrapali" on Vyjayanthimala."


Jaao re jogi tum jaao re was some tune, wasn't it? "reminisced
Shanker, "Dance music is the toughest to orchestrate, the integration
has to be split-second here. Yes, I rejoice in the style of
orchestration I brought to Pyaar hua ikraar hua, Sub kuchch seekha
hum ne and Jaao re jogi tum jaao re. As for Vyjayanthimala
in , "Amrapali" from the beginning the arrangement was that I would
do the dance section of SJ' s music. I took it on since I was a
dancer myself."


"In Krishna Kutty's troupe, wasn't it?" I said, If I remember right,
There was a toda, Vyjayanthimala, as the heroine of "Patrani",
disputed. Whereupon you assumed perform-ing attire and danced it out
on the sets to show her how it could be done. "True?" said
Shanker, "But that's not to say I taught an accomplished dancer like
Vyjayanthimala something, I merely showed her how it had to be done
for my music."


"This business of showing performers how to do their jobs, weren't
you taking on too much, was it not resented?" I asked.

"But why should it be resented?" enquired Shanker, "Remember,
something resented only when the person showing you how does not know
the job. And I new music and dance inside out, so I could tell them
exactly what to do. But for this knowledge and background, you just
couldn't have got what you call SJ's distinctive orchestral
integration. I myself play the Piano, the Dholak, the Tabla, the
Accordion and of course, the Harmonium."


"That's why, whether the instrumentalist be Shivkumar Sharma,
Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ramnarain or Rais Khan, he has to play exactly
what I want for precisely the length I want. They are very good
players in their chosen field, that's why they are being paid extra
well to play. But to play exactly what I want. Nobody dictates to me.
If a composer knows his job, nobody can dictate to him."


Did Shanker then not know his job after Jaikishan died? Why was he
not able to dictate like in his prime?


He was not able to dictate because the first thing filmmakers did,
upon Jaikishan's death, was to withdraw the 60-piece orches-tra
facility SJ had always commanded. And minus this big orchestra,
Shanker was a musician with his hands tied behind his back.


There were 17 SJ releases in the year 1971, in which Jaikishan died.
Out of this, 12 films were released by September 12, 1971, the day
Jaikishan died. They were flops for the major part, so Jaikishan had
to carry the can for their fate as much as Shanker. But then
Jaikishan was no more, only Shanker lived on to see the remaining
five films, too, fail in l971. This was the signal for produc-ers to
withdraw the multipiece orchestra facility from Shanker. Sharp-
speaking, Shanker had not made too many friends in the industry. So
they hit him where and when it hurt most.


It was a pathetic sight to see Shanker reduced to using the musigan
as a "surro-gate" to give birth, in his 1972 "Seema" avatar to
something like Jab bhi yeh dil udaas hota hai jaane kaun aas paas
hota hai. The tune proved one point - that Shanker could capture the
old SJ magic only if given the spot aid of the multipiece orchestra
that was, by 1971, part of his compositional mindset.


In one and only one film was Shanker accorded this multipiece
facility without reserve after Jaikishan's passing - in Manoj Kumar's
"Sanyasi". Sohanlal Kanwar, as an old faithful, reposed full faith in
the man and Shanker lived up to his promise made to me that, one day,
he would do a full theme in Bhairavi to explose the myth of who had
mastery over this raag.


I was there as Lata Mangeshkar was brought back into Shanker's
"Sanyasi" re-cording room by Mukesh for Sun bal brahmachari main hoon
kanya kunwari. It was a superbly crafted tune and Shanker, taking
time off from the middle, came over to whisper to me, wait and watch
how I do it again, this time all by myself!"


The "Sanyasi" theme-song, Chal sanyasi mandir mein, was a stunner,
lending Hema Malini a new seductive allure altogether. And has there
been a better parody of the bhajan than Baali umariya bhajan karun
kaise. Recall, too, the catchy motif of Yeh hai Geeta ka gyan. The
well-integrated score of "Sanyasi", masterfully orchestrated, was
proof positive that Shanker still had it in him. All he needed was a
comprehending filmmaker.


Raj Kapoor could have assumed that comprehending role afresh when he
broke with Laxmikant-Pyarelal after, "Prem Rog". The way for Raj
Kapoor to hit LP at that 1982 "Prem Rog" point, was to bring SJ back
into RK, in the persona of Shanker. Indeed, when Raj Kapoor first
dropped Shanker in favour of Laxmikant-Pyarelal for "Bobby", Shanker,
naive as they come, had no idea he was out of RK. There was one more
big RK film on the anvil and Shanker's belief was he would be doing
that film! Hence his spirited rejoinder: "Let LP come into RK, now
Raj Saab will know on the spot whose work is better."


Note here that Hasrat Jaipuri in 1994 Inteview clearly stated that:
"Some tunes of RK's late "Bobby" and "Prem Rog" were tuned by SJ at
their private sittings. It was only Raj Kapoor to remember those SJ
type tunes and LP used it" and became Hit thanks to SJ.


Even after losing out on "Bobby," the man was the picture of
confidence. His musical grip, Shanker knew, was intact, so he felt he
needed to fear no one. He lost bounce only when told that R.D.Burman,
not he, was to do "Dharam Karam". To be told that this "Dharam Karam"
theme of Randhir Kapoor needed a younger style of music associated
with RD, was the crowning insult to Shanker. Any score by SJ and RK
has always been a joint endeavour with Raj Kapoor calling the shots.
To be told now therefore that, in effect, SJ's tunes for Randhir
Kapoor's "Kal Aaj Aur Kal" tunes, like Bhanwre ki gunjan hai mera
dil, Aap yahaan aaye kis liye, Jab hum hange saat saal ke and Tik tik
tik tik chalti jaaye ghadi, were not trendy enough for the "Kal Aaj
Aur Kal" youth theme of Randhir Kapoor was a wrench. After that,
Shanker was never the same ebullient RK music man again, though he
kept saying, "I still believe Raj Saab will send for me one day."


That one day never came, but the day came (April 26, 1987) when Raj
Kapoor materialised an Doordarshan to pay his Shraddhanjali tribute
to Shanker. There were tears in Raj's eyes. But those tears remained
perched on the eyelids. Those tears refused to come down because they
were tears of remorse. Remorse for the man who had helped Raj Kapoor
set RK on its musical feet with the able aid of a protege called
Jaikishan Panchal. Shanker Singh had left his native Punjab to settle
in Andhra so as to be able to create Ramaiyya yastayaiyya for Raj
Kapoor. And Raj Kapoor has jettisoned Shanker when he needs RK's
psychological back-up most.


Maybe Raj Kapoor was not quite his own master after the gigantic
losses piled up by, "Mera Naam Joker" and "Kal Aaj Aur Kal". But that
could not mitigate Raj's sense of guilt in this tele-moment of
traumatic thank-sgiving to Shanker. Those penitent tears finally
dropped from Raj Kapoor's eyelids. Those tears were for Raj Kapoor,
perhaps, a pearly reminder, of the elaborate dream sequence Shanker
had composed for "Mera Naam Joker", a dream sequence to beat
the "Awaara" dream sequ-ence. A dream sequence that had failed to
became a screen reality because, by that "Mera Naam Joker" stage, Raj
Kapoor had run out of the resources needed to picturise it.


Shanker's one wish was that I should accompany him to his Famous
music hall at Mahalakshmi for him to recreate for me the aura of that
"Mera Naam Joker" dream sequence. That day, too, never came. I could
get only an inkling of that dream- sequence number from the way
Shanker played it on that peerless piano. And what he played was
clinching evidence of the fact that here was the total musician in
action. Here was a man who believed that only if he wore a kurta
could he create something like Sapnon ki suhani duniya ko for Dilip
Kumar in "Shikast", only if he wore a suit could he create something
like Dost dost na raha for Raj Kapoor's "Sangam"!


He was a peculiar man, tart of tongue, but soft at heart. Even while
being very strict with his musicians, he had the knack of carrying
them with him by obtaining for them very generous payment from produc-
ers. It was this straight rapport with his musicians that was denied
to Shanker when the industry cut his orchestral strength. It was like
severing his umbilical cord.


Shanker-Jaikishani" sangeet died the day the industry tried to
dictate to Shanker. Shanker was effective only so long as he was
dictating the strength of his orchestra and thereby calling the tune.
The total musician was thus a total misfit in the end. As Shanker
shuffled off his mortal coil leaving all his nine Filmfare Best Music
Director awards behind, Na haathi na ghoda hai wahaan paidal hi jaana
hai became his self-composed epitaph .


Shankarabharanam QUIZ

The Carnatic Shankarabharanam approximates closest to the Hindustani
Bhilawal. And it was in the Bhilawal that Shanker composed Ichak
daana beechak daana for "Shree 420". In Yamani Bhilawal to be precise.
Wherever the score was predominantly classical, as in "Pooja" and
"Basant Bahaar", Shanker's was the dominant composing hand
Jaikishan's grip was essentially Hindustani, Shanker's was Hindustani
and Carnatic. This gave Shanker an added advantage, especially in
scoring dance music. Let us, in this light, look at 10 classical
numbers identifiably composed by Shanker and venture to pick out the
raag in which they have been scored.


1) It was a Carnatic raag widely employed in Hindustani music that
Shanker picked up to tune Yaad na jaaye beete dinon ki on Rajendra
Kumar in "Dil Ek Mandir", bringing to full circle the triangular
romance of Rajendra Kumar, Meena Kumari and Raaj Kumar. Name that
Carnatic raag in which Mohammad Rafi comes so feelingly over as Yaad
na jaaye beete dinon ki.

Kirvani


2) Padmini is the `peachy' picture of Southern dancing beauty as she
moves on twinkle toes to put across Jhanana jhan jhanake apni paayal
in "Aashiq": It is a dance tune which has Padmini articulating
Shanker's composing mastery in all its orchestral integrity. Which is
the raag in which Shanker calls the steps on Padmini in Jhanana jhan
jhanake apni paayal?

Shankara


3) What were the steps Padmini could take that Vyjayantimala could
not match on the screen: "Patrani" Vyjayantimala was almost totally
in the compositional hands of Shanker in the film of that name, co-
starring her with Pradeep Kumar Shanker was particular-ly proud of
the fluidity of movement he achieved on Vyjayantimala in Kabhi to aa
kabhi to aa kabhi to aa Sapnon mein aake chale jaane wale. Which is
the raag?

Bhairavi


4) Bharat Bhooshan's Nimmi co-starrer, "Basant Bahaar" was originally
assigned to Anil Biswas, but its producer-hero had reluctantly to
settle for Shanker-Jaikishan under distributor press-ure. Whereupon
Shanker took it upon himself to demonstrate to Bharat Bhooshan that
SJ's hold on our classical tradition was no less firm than that of
Anil Biswas. The "Basant Bahaar" score largely masterminded by
Shanker ranks as an all-time Hindi film classic. Shanker mixed Pilu
with Bhairavi surpassingly cleverly in Rafi's Badi der bhayi badi der
bhayi. But it was one pure raag by Shanker in that transcendental
climax number of Rafi for Bharat Bhooshan: Duniya na bhaye mohe ab to
bula le. Identify the raag.

Todi


5) Shanker's approach to tuning was such that he could not help
flaunting his musical knowledge. Next to Bhairavi, he favoured
Darbari. Shanker went on record on Radio Ceylon as saying he needed
the sombre notes of Darbari to create something as profound as Tu
pyaar ka saagar hai for Manna Dey on Balraj Sahni in "Seema". In the
Same "Seema", Shanker was ultra mellow in that all-time classical
piece he composed for Lata to vivify Nutan: Manmohana bade jhoote.
Which is that raag?

Jaijaiwanti


6) From the sublime to the rip-roaring Manna Dey and chorus
blues-chaser: Lapak jhapak tu aa re badarva. Bhudo Advani's Sar ki
khet, is a "Boot Polish" memory that can never fade. The songs
for "Boot Polish" had to be done in a tearing hurry, so this
quizmaster asked Shankner how he had hit upon the Lapak jhapak
tune. "Woh to kuchch halka-phulka bana diya tha", said Shanker
dismissively. But that halka-phulka Lapak jhapak number was in the
same sonorous raag as Ustad Amir Khan's Jhanak jhanak payal baaje. In
which raag did Manna Dey materialise on Bhudo Advani in Lapak jhapak
tu aa re badarva?

Adana


7) It was Raj Kapoor who handpicked Bhairavi as SJ's modernised
counter to Naushad, starting with "Barsaat" itself. Indeed, five of
SJ's 10 songs in "Barsaat" are in Bhairavi. To wit, Barsaat mein,
Mujhe kisi se pyaar ho gaya, Ab mera kaun sahara, Chod gaye baalam
and Main zindaagi mein hardam rota hi raha hoon. The last-named
number by Rafi sounded a hangover of Husnlal -Bhagatram, only because
Shanker had been that composing duos assistant. Likewise, the raag
employed by Shanker in composing for Lata, Meri aankhon mein bus gaya
koyi re was of Husnlal-Bhagatram. In which raag did Meri aankhon mein
bus gaya koyi re come over on Nargis in "Barsaat"?

Pahadi


8) How well Jaikishan had learnt the classical ropes from Shanker
became manifest as he came up with Jhanak jhanak tori baje payaliya
for Manna Dey in "Mere Huzoor". This one was in the same raag as
Shanker's Mujhe tum se kuchch bhi na chahiye for Mukesh on Raj Kapoor
in "Kanhaiya". Going even further back to Raj Kapoor's , "Awara", we
had in the same Mukesh's voice in the same raag, Hum tujh se mohabbat
kar ke sanam. Moving from Jaikishan's Jhanak jhanak tori to Shanker's
Mujhe tumse kuchch bhi to the same Shanker's Hum tujh se mohabbat kar
ke sanam, can you pick out the raag in which the three tunes unfold?

Darbari Kaanada


9) Can't Lokendra Sharma at Vividh Bharati do something to see that
one of the finest lullabies by Lata, composed by Shanker for Amiya
Chakraborty's "Kathputli" So jaa re so jaa mere raaj so jaa, is heard
more often? It reveals Shanker, orchestrally flamboyant most of the
time to be soft as a whisper. It is a Lata lullaby to treasure. In
which raag does Lata render So jaa re so jaa in "Kathputli"?

Chandranandan


10) Finally, a duet composed by Shanker: Asha-Manna Dey's Re man sur
mein gaa from "Lal Patthar". This one was chosen by the Sur Singar
Samsad as the best classical song of the year 1971 and this
quizmaster faced no end of flak for being a convener party to the
selection. The truth is, the judges were evenly divided, so we had
finally to abide by the verdict of Sur-Singar's technical adviser,
the legendary G.N Joshi. And Joshi was clear in his mind that Shanker
(or whoever) had struck the most authentic classical notes in Asha-
Manna's Re man sur mein gaa. Identify the raag.

Yaman
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So much passion for Hindi film music is rarely seen - not in our
time, at least. We have heard of Hindi film song specialists, of
Hindi film song critics, of Hindi film song researchers but an
amazing and unabashed and passionate lover of Hindi film songs like
this man, Suhaas Khandke, we have rarely seen. He has no pretensions
of being a man with great knowledge about Hindi film songs but he is
thrilled to be known as a lover of good Hindi film songs ("most songs
today are sheer trash or a mere rehash of all the good songs of the
good old days"), an actor, has been a filmmaker, is totally dedicated
to acting now but his first love, his only passion, continues to be
the great Hindi film songs of the great past. Suhaas is a walking-
talking encyclopedia on Hindi film songs. He has all the answers to
all the questions you always wanted to ask about all those great
directors, all those great lyri-cists , and their great music. He
knows Hindi film songs on his finger-tips, on his tongue-tip,
literally.

He knows almost everything about every music direc-tor's body of
work. On the occasion of the seventh death anniversary (April 26) of
music director Shanker (of the all-time great duo of Shanker-
Jaikishan) Suhaas throws some rare light on the work, on the songs of
Shanker, a genius for generations to come. Take it from Suhaas
Khandke, the man who knows, who loves Hindi film songs...


It is on open secret by now, that both Shanker and Jaikishan worked
inde-pendently of each other. Both composed and arranged their own
songs separately. After the initial couple of years Shanker tuned
Shailendra's songs and Jaikishan tuned Hasrat Jaipuri's songs only,
with very few exceptions, the most noteworthy of which are,
Shailendra's O basanti pawan pagal and Mera naam Raju from "Jis Desh
Mein Ganga Behti Hai" and Jeevan ke do rahe par from "Choti Si
Mulakat" tuned by Jaikishan and Hasrat's Jab ishq kahin kho jata hai
from "Arzoo", Taron se pyare from "Deewana", Kaise Samjhaoon
from "Suraj" and Dekha babu ched ka maza from "Shararat", tuned by
Shanker.


Both were complete music direc-tors, having mastered every aspect of
music. I have my favourite list of 250 songs of each of the duo.
April 26 happens to be the seventh death anniversary of Shanker. In
honour of the musical genius, I chronologically present 100 of my
favourite songs of Shanker Singh Raisingh Suryavanshi, of Shanker-
Jaikishan fame.


1) Aa jao tadapte hain arman `Aawara' - 1951
2) Tere bina aag yeh chandni `Aawara' - 1951
3) Aai mere dil kahin aur chal `Daag' - -1952
4) Raja ki aayegi baaraat `Aah' - 1953
5) Tu pyaar ka saagar hai `Seema' - 1955
6) Mera juta hai Japani `Shree 420' - 1955
7) Pyar huwa ekraar huwa `Shree 420' -- 1955
8) Sur na saje kya gooon main - `Basant Bahaar' - 1956
9) Nain mile chain kahan `Basant Bahaar' - 1956
10) Yeh raat bhigi bhigi `Chori Chori' - 1956
11) Jahan main jati hoon wahin `Chori Chori' - 1956
12) Aaja ke intezar mein `Halaku' - 1956
13) Dil ka na karna aitbar `Halaku' - - 1956;
14) Nakhrewali `New Delhi' - -1956


15) Bol re kathputli `Kathputli' - 1957
16) Yeh mera diwanapan - `Yahudi' - 1958
17) Tera jana dil ke armanon ka `Anari' - 1959
18) Kisi ki muskarahaton pe `Anari' - 1959
19) Sab kuch seekha humne `Anari' -- 1959
20) Dil ki nazar se `Anari' - 1-959'
21) Bhaiyya mere rakhi ke - `Choti Bahen' - 1959
22) Bagon main baharon mein `Choti Bahen' - 1959
23) Ruk ja oh jane wali `Kanhaiya' -- 1959
24) Yaad aayee aadhi raat ko `Kanhaiya' - 1959
25) Kahe jhoom jhoom raat yeh `Love Marriage' - -1959
26) Mujh ko yaaron maaf karna `Main Nashe Main Hoon' - 1959
27) Ajeeb dastan hai yeh `Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayee' -
1960
28) Dil apna aur preet parayee `Dil Apna Preet Para-yee' - 1960
29) Mera dil ab tera `Dil Apna Preet Parayee' -
1960
30) Matwali naar thumak thumak `Ek Phool Choor Kaante' - 1960
31) Aa ab laut chale `Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti
Hai' - 1960
32) Kya hua yeh mujhe `Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai' -
1960
33) Hoton pe sachhai rahti hai `Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai' -
1960
34) Hai aag hamare seene mein `Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai' -
1960
35) Begani shaadi mein `Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai' -
1960
36) Ja ja ja mere bachpan `Junglee' - 1961
37) Tum to dil ke taar chedkar `Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' - 1961
38) Yeh to kaho khon ho tum `Aashiq' - 1962
39) Mehtaab tera chehra `Aashiq' - 1962
40) Lo aayee milan ki raat `Aashiq' - 1962
41) Tum jo hamare `Aashiq - 1962
42) Cheda mere dil ne `Asli Naqli' - 1962
43) Kal ki daulat - `Asli Naqli' - 1962
44) Tera mera pyar amar `Asli Naqli' - 1962
45) Dil tera diwana hai `Dil Tera Diwana' -- 1962
46) Mujhe kitna pyar hai `Dil Tera Diwana - 1962
47) Bol meri taqdeer mein `Hariyali Aur Raasta' - 1962
48) Teri yaad dil se `Hariyali Aur Raasta' - 1962
49) Laakhon tare aasman mein `Hariyali Aur Raasta' - 1962
50) Main chali main chali `Professor' - 1962
51) Khulli palak mein `Professor' - 1962
52) Choti si yeh duniya `Rongoli' - 1962
53) Yaad na jaaye `Dil Ek Mandir' -- 1963 .
54) Juhi ki kali neri `Dil Ek Mandir' - 1963
55) Ruk jaa raat taher jaa re `Dil Ek Mandir' - 1963
56) Tum hi ho mere `Ek Dil Sou Afsane --1963
57) Manre toohi bataa `Hum-rahi' - 1963
58) Bahar banke woh muskuraye `Apne Huwe Paraye' - -1964
59) Apne huwe paraye `Apne Huwe Paraye' - 1964
60) Aa gale lag jaa `April Fool - 1964
61) Oh sanam tere ho gaye `Aayee Milan Ki Bela' - 1964
62) Aaj kal mein dhal gaya `Beti Bete - 1964
63) Jane wale zara hoshiyar `Raj Kumar' -- 1964
64) Aajo aayee bohar `Raj Kumar' - 1964
65) Dilrubo dil pe tu `Raj Kumar' - 1964
66) Har dil jo pyar karega `Sangam' - 1964


67) Dost dost na raha `Sangam' - 1964
68) Oh mere sanam `Sangam' - 1964
69) Hum ne jafa na seekhi `Zindagi' - -1964
70) Muskura laadle muskura `Zindagi' - 1964
71) Hum kaale hain to kya hua `Gumnaam' - 1965
72) Lal chadi maidan khadi `Jaanwar' -- 1965
73) Tumhe yaad karte karte `Amrapali' - 1966
74) Tadap yeh din raat `Amrapali' -1966
75) Jaao re jogi tum `Amrapali' -1966
76) Tumhari kasam tum bahut yaad `Gaban' - 1966
77) Aajoa re aa zara aa `Love In Tokyo' - 1966
78) Kaise samjhaoon `Suraj' - 1966
79) Sajan re jhoot mat bolo `Teesri Kasam' - -1966
80) Hai gazab kahin tara - `Teesri Kasam' - 1966
81) Aa...abhi jaa `Teesri Kasam' - 1966
82) Raat ke humsafar `An Evening In Paris' --1967
83) Joshe jawani haayre `Around The World' - 1967
84) Dil laga kar aapse `Around The World' - 1967
85) Taaron se pyare `Deewana' - 1967
86) Panchi re oh panchi `Hare Kanch Ki Chudiyan' -
1967
87) Dhani chunri pahen `Hare Kanch Ki Chudiyan' - 1967
88) Savere wali gadi se `Laat Saheb' - 1967
89) Dil ki girah khol do `Raat Aur Din' - 1967
90) Jeena hum ko raas na aaya `Raat Aur Din' - 1967
91) Maim gaooon tum so jao `Brahmachari' - -1968
92) Mere tumhare beech me ab to `Jhuk Gaya Aasman' - 1968
93) Nazar mein bijlee `Prince' - 1969
94) Jeena yahan marna yahan `Mera Naam Joker' - 1970
95) Kehta hai joker `Mera Naam Joker' - 1970
96) Sub se bada nadaan wohi hai `Pehchan' - 1970
97) Haina bolo bolo `Andaz' - 1971
98) Chum chum baaje re payaliya `Jaane Anjaane' - -1971
99) Geet gata hun main `Lal Patthar' - 1971
100) Thoda ruk jayegi to tera `Patanga' - 1971


Suhaas Khandke


Shanker
Born: Punjab
Setteled in Hydrebad ( Andhra Pradesh)
Died 26th April 1986


· Assisted Husnlal Bhagatram


· He Played Accordian, Harmonium, Piano, Sitar, Dholak & Tabla
· Shanker Jaikishan were made for each other many of their films
Silver
Jubilee. They were highest Paid Music Directors. Till 1964 they
charged
upto Rs. 3 Lakhs per film, In 1964 for the film "Arzoo" they were
paid
Rs. 5 Lakhs.


Best Music Director Filmfare awards won by Shanker Jaikishan


1956 - Chori Chori
1959 - Anari
1960 - Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi
1962 - Proffesor
1966 - Suraj
1968 - Brahamchari


They Scored Hat-trick by winning three awards in a row.
1970 - Pechaan
1971 - Mera Naam Joker
1972 - Be-Imaan