Made for each other: Mukesh and Kalyanji-Anandji
In the surfeit of TV programmes associated with Centenary Celebrations of Indian Cinema last year, I closely followed the ones on film music. There was one presented by a young lady on Kalyanji-Anandji. After a quick reference to their early career in the 60s, she went in detail about their ‘music’. Her conclusion at the end of the half- an-hour programme was that KA were famous for their songs by Kishore Kumar for Amitabh Bachchan. This struck me as quite odd, as one singer I associated most prominently with the duo was Mukesh. For Mukesh too, if I make a list of his ‘quintessential’ songs, several KA songs would figure at the top. With about 100 songs they composed for him, they must be very close to SJ, if not outnumber them. This is remarkable, considering that Shankar Jaikishan, arguably the mostsuccessful composers in the history of film music, who had debuted a decade earlier, had made Mukesh a part of RK camp as the voice of Raj Kapoor. With such a handicap, it is to the credit of the genius of KA and their special bonding with Mukesh that they were able to create a special niche with his songs, no less in quality to SJ’s.
Even more remarkable story is the way KA transformed and reinvented themselves in the post-Aradhana (1969) era to be known for their Kishore Kumar songs for Amitabh Bachchan (and Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand and Firoz Khan and every major hero). From Tumhein zindagi ke ujaale mubarak toKhaike paan Banaraswala is a transformation unparalleled in the history of film music. No wonder they were among the top three, along with RD Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, in the post-Aradhana era, while SJ floundered in negotiating this change.
Kalyanji was born on June 30, 1928 to Virji Shah, a businessman from Kuchh (Gujarat), who moved to Girgaum (Mumbai) and ran a kirana shop there. His brother Anandji was born in 1933. The brothers were fond of music from childhood, and they learnt from a music teacher, who was not able to pay the bills for the provision store of their father. Kalyanji could play many instruments proficiently and set up an orchestra group called ‘Kalyanji Virji & Party’, which earned some name in the neighbourhood for its shows. Soon he became assistant to Hemant Kumar and got enormous recognition for creating the been music of Man dole tera tan dole (Nagin, 1954) on an electronic instrument clavioline (predecessor of modern synthesiser).
(Note: Shyamanuja has written an interesting article on who created the classic been music in Man dole mera tan dole, which gives some new insights.)
Kalyanji (Virji Shah) got break as independent music director with Samrat Chandragupta (1958). He did some more films solo, such as Post Box 999(1958), Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane, Ghar Ghar Ki Baat, O Tera Kya Kahna(1959), before his brother joined to make Kalyanji-Anadji duo. Kalyanji gave some great music solo too; with the brother joining him they immediately set on gallop with Madaari and Satta Baazar (1959). They followed it up next year with enormous success of Chaalia (1960), starring Raj Kapoor, with some iconic Mukesh songs. Their Mukesh niche was evident again in Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere the same year with the song Mujhko is raat ki tanhaai mein aawaaz na do.Every year after that you would have some landmark songs of Mukesh, composed by Kalyanji-Anandji.
Though this is the first independent post on KA, a good number of their Mukesh songs have already appeared on this blog in different posts. Their songs likeMere toote huye dil se koi to aaj ye poochhe, Jis dil mein basa tha pyar tera, Dam dam diga diga, Thumak thumak mat chalo kisi ka dil machalega, Chal mere dil lahraa ke chal, Tujhe chaand kahun ya phool kahun (duet with Lata Mangeshkar), Ankhiyon ka noor hai tu (duet with Suman Kalyanpur) have appeared in Mukesh and his romance with ‘Dil”, Mukesh’s best happy duets and Mukesh’s happy solos. But there are many real gems still left out.
KA continued to give superhit music till the end of heir career, such as in Tridev(1989). Their long-in-making film Ulfat Ki Nai Manzilein was released in 1994. After the death of Kalyanji on August 24, 2000, Anandji brought out some albums on non-film music, and remained in limelight on TV music shows.
Mukesh and Kalyanji-Anandji were made for each other in many other ways. Mukesh was known as a nice man in the industry, so were KA. Mukesh passed away on August 27, 1976 at Detroit of a massive heart attack, where he had gone for a concert. Kalyanji’s death anniversary falls three days before Mukesh’s. The two great souls in heaven must be feeling content that they have created some everlasting music. Let me present ten of Mukesh’s quintessential songs composed by Kalyanji Anandji, as a tribute to the singer on his 38th death anniversary, as well as a tribute to the composer duo.
1. Tumhein zindagi ke ujaale mubaarak from Poornima (1965), lyrics Gulzaar
Once I and Subodh were discussing on email the high impact of singers like Mukesh, Talat Mahmood and Hemant Kumar, disproportionate to the number of their songs, compared to Rafi. He made the point that these singers had their defined niche where they reigned supreme. Rafi suffered in comparison, because he did everything, and it was difficult to pinpoint his niche. When I think of that discussion, Tumhein zindagi ke ujaale mubarak comes at the top of my recall as Mukesh’s special niche where he reigned supreme. A song with amazing voice modulation and inflexion, and superb music by KA, it is one of the best examples of quintessential Mukesh. KA also created a faster Mukesh song, Gori nain tunmhaare kya kahne, and an extremely melodious Mukesh-Lata duet,Humsafar mere humsafar panh tum parwaaz hum in the film.
2. Hum chhod chale hain mehfil ko from Jee Chaahta hai (1964), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri
Another perennial Mukesh favourite. He had created a special niche for songs of despair and dejection. This was the only Mukesh song in the film against three Rafi solos and three Rafi-Suman Kalyanpur duets, no mean songs themselves (Kya kahne masha-allah nazar teer aapki, Ae jaan-e-tamanna ae meri jaan-e-jaana, Meri zindagi tere pyar mein hum kahan kahan se guzar gaye etc.), but this is a perfect example of the ‘niche’ effect Subodh and I discussed.
3. Chaand si mehbooba ho meri kab from Himalay Ki Gode Mein(1965), lyrics Anand Bakhshi
Now this is not a sad song, but a spontaneous expression of love by Manoj Kumar for the innocent pahaadi girl, Mala Sinha. This is one of his enormously popular songs. The film was a big KA success with another Mukesh song Main to ik khwaab hun, and several other gems in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar and others.
4. Pyaase panchhi neel gagan mein geet khushi ke gaayein fromPyaase Panchhi (1961), lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi
After the first three songs which were in order of preference, now I present his songs in a chronological order. His happy songs were also soulful. So what if it is sung by Mehmood on the screen.
5. Chaand aahein bharega phool dil thaam lenge from Phool Bane Angaare (1963), lyrics Anand Bakhshi
There are very good video links available, but their audio quality is poor. Therefore, I am giving below an audio version, which is still somewhat deficient.
6. Humne tujhko pyaar kiya hai jitna from Dulha Dulhan (1964), lyrics Indivar
This being a Raj Kapoor starrer, it had a number of Mukesh sols and his duets with Lata Mangeshkar. I find Humne tumko pyaar kiya hai jitna to be the best. It has a Lata version too, but one song is far ahead in popularity, and no prizes for guessing it is Mukesh’s.
7. Deewanon se ye mat poochho from Upkaar (1967), lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi
A landmark film for Manoj Kumar, which made him Bhaarat, the patriotic Indian, and a major producer. Among many landmark songs in different voices, this Mukesh song too occupies an important place in the minds of his fans.
8. Humne apna sab kuchh khoya pyaar tera paane ko fromSaraswatichandra (1968), lyrics Indivar
The enormously popular Mukesh song from this movie was Chandan sa badan (which had a twin version by Lata too), but it has been repeated so many times that some people are put off by it. Therefore, I am presenting Humne apna sab kuchh khoya, a less known, but more typical of a Mukesh song (this film also had an outstanding Mukesh-Lata duet, Phool tumhein bheja hai kat mein).
9. Khush raho har khushi hai tumhare liye from Suhaagraat(1968), lyrics Indivar
This is the niche where Mukesh reigned supreme.
10. Koi jab tumhara hriday tod de from Poorab Aur Pashchim(1970), lyrics Indivar
Bhaarat that is India, in the West, uses the voice of Mahendra Kapoor when he has to do some major preaching to the decadent Westerners (Bhaarat ka rahnewala hun Bhaarat ke geet sunata hun). But for soulful romantic song, he comes back to Mukesh.
Acknowledgement: Pankaj Raag’s Dhunon Ki Yaatra and several internet sites.