Chitalkar Ramachandra: Birth 12^th  Jan  1918, Death: 5^th Jan 1982

Rajendra Krishan  : Birth: 6^th  June 1919, Death: 23^rd  Sep 1987

Among the top legendary music composers of the golden era of Hindi Film Music (HFM), Chitalkar Ramachandra remains relatively less talked about  or known as compared to his contemporaries like Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, O P Nayyar etc. But if you ask even a layman, whether she knows the song Eena Meena Deeka or  Meri Jaan, Meri Jaan Sunday ke Sunday or  Mera Piya Gaye Rangoon the more sombre and classical Yeh Zindagi Usiki Hai, Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi,  or the most famous patriotic song “ Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon” definitely the answer would be -yes. All these were composed by him.

Chitalkar Ramachandra , born on 12^th Jan 1918 at Puntamba , Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra  was well versed in  classical music ,  having trained under Pandit Vinayakbua Patwardhan and Pandit Shankar Rao Sapre. At the same time he was one of the pioneers in introducing  foot tapping rock & roll style western songs in HFM. One more interesting fact about C Ramachandra was that he made his debut composing music for Tamil films like Jayakodi (1940) , Vanamohini(1941) and then moved on to Hindi films. The  song “ Kannum Kannum Kalanthu” composed by him for the  Tamil film Vanji Kottai Valiban ( Youth from Vanji Fort) made in 1958 is popular to this day and is a favourite in  dance shows in TV. The original song was picturised with a  dance competition  between two greatest dancers in Indian film industry, viz Padmini & Vyjanthimala. The orchestration in that song was far ahead of its times .  He was also a playback singer , mostly in his own compositions ( he sang occasionally for other composers as well) and used the name Chitalkar as a playback singer. Among the legendary music composers, only Chitalkar and Hemant Kumar were accomplished playback singers. In his early days he composed music under various names like  Anna Saheb, Ram Chitalkar, RN Chitalkar and even Shyamoo!!

He stormed the early 50’s Hindi film music scene with great hits in films like Sargam, Patanga, Sagai, Albela, Anarkali etc. As much as you can hear western instruments like Clarinet ( he had used this instrument so beautifully that I recognize many of his songs by this signature instrument), Guitar , Saxophone, Trumpet, Oboe ,Cello etc  in his music, you can also enjoy the Indian classical instruments like  Sitar and Shehnai in his songs. It is generally known that Lata had fantastic songs with Madan Mohan, but her songs under the baton of C Ramachandra were equally good .

An example of his virtuosity in terms of quantity as well as quality  can be understood by the anecdote related to the film Azaad.

The producer S.M Sriramulu Naidu  initially approached Naushad for composing music for the Hindi version of the hit Tamil film  “ Malaikallan” ( starring the legendary MGR ) and due to time constraint asked him to compose all the 10 songs in 30 days’ time. Naushad, well known for the perfection and time taken in his music  responded : “ I am not a music factory or grocery store! I can’t give you even one song in 30 days ”. It was then he approached C Ramachandra and he delivered 10 absolutely great songs in 30 days!! That was CR for you -maintaining both quantity & quality !!

I can go on and on about CR; let me take a pause and look at the other legend , Rajendra Krishan , lyricist  who had a great association with CR .

Rajendra Krishan Duggal, (his name is spelt variously as Rajendra Krishen/Krishna/Krishan) was born on 6^th June, 1919 at Jalalpur Jattan, Gujrat district of Punjab province ( present day Pakistan). Initially he worked in the municipal office at Shimla as a clerk and then like many of the artists in those days moved to Mumbai to make a name in the film world . He had a very keen interest in Urdu poetry ( Firaq Gorakhpuri was one of his idols). He started writing screenplays first and then lyrics for a film Zanjeer in 1947. However his moment of reckoning happened immediately after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, when he wrote  the famous non-film song “ Suno suno ai duniya walon Bapu ki yeh amar kahani” that was composed by Husanlal-Bhagatram and sung by the legend Mohammad Rafi. In fact this song brought fame to both Rafi and Rajendra Krishan overnight.

Rajendra Krishna penned more than 1500 songs in 232 films with 34 composers of which 283 songs were with C Ramachandra ( around 19%). His other major associations were with Madan Mohan (around 268 songs, which is  approximately 18%) , Ravi ( around 139 songs -9%) and Chitragupt ( 93 songs-6%) ; rest were with many other composers like Hemant Kumar, Kalyanji-Anandji S D Burman, Salil Chowdhary, Shankar-Jaikishan etc. Apart from being a prolific lyricist he was also a screenplay writer and in fact wrote the screenplay for many hit films that were re-made in Hindi from Tamil by the well-known AVM studios of Chennai. One interesting trivia on Rajendra Krishan is that he  won a jackpot of around Rs 46 lacs in horse racing, sometime in the late 60’s, thus making him one of the richest lyricists!!! 

Let us look at few of the marvellous songs created by  these two legends( for ease of reading , going forward I am mentioning  them  as CR & RK  ) highlighting certain interesting aspects of those songs. Similar to how RK had worked with various composers, C Ramachandra had composed so many great songs with other lyricists like P.L Santoshi, Qamar Jalalabadi, Jan Nissar Akhtar , Bharat Vyas ( what great songs CR & Bharat Vyas gave us  in Navrang!).

If we have to talk about the combination of CR & RK, just the three films Anarkali, Albela & Azaad alone  has 27 songs that are absolutely superb. However, to have a better coverage of various genres and singers, I am restricting to just few songs from these films and included few from other films also and sorted them in alphabetical order. Film and singer(s) are mentioned in bracket.

1. Dheere se aaja ri akhiyan mein ( Albela, Lata) -One of the best ever lullabies composed in HFM. One of the hundreds of fabulous songs that got made  from the team of Lata & CR till 1958 when she suddenly stopped singing for him. There were some stories on that but I will  avoid these and focus only on the music. Composed in Raag Pilu, the imagery created  by RK in these lines leave you mesmerized.

Lekar suhane sapnon ki kaliyan,

Aake basa de palkonki galiyan

Palkonki ki chotisi galiyan mein, nindiya aaja ri aaja

The tinge of sweet-sadness in Lata’s voice in the compositions of CR is something not heard in later years.

2. Dua kar gam-e-dil khuda se dua kar ( Anarkali, Lata)– Seven years before K Asif’s magnum opus Mughal-E-Azam went on to become an epic movie, Anarkali was directed  by Nandlal Jaswantlal on the same theme.  Although as a film Mughal-E-Azam had exceptional production values and acting when compared with Anarkali , as far as music was considered , it is always a debate between those who adore Naushad and CR as to which one was better. Both were undoubtedly masterpieces in my personal opinion, with Lata’s  eternal melody Yeh zindagi usi ki hai always having a slight edge over her own songs in Mughal-E-Azam. More about this  song  at the end of this list.

Anarkali had totally eleven  songs. Of which one  song Aa jaan-e-wafa was composed by another composer Basant Prakash, brother of famous composer Khemchand Prakash (sung by Geeta Dutt)  but due to  some differences with the producer  he was dropped from the film. It was then given to CR and it seems CR took up the assignment with the clear caveat that he will take only Lata as the singer. Lata sang all the songs composed by CR with Hemant Kumar chipping in with two solos and a duet. And what an album it turned out to be!!

Throughout the song Dua kar gam-e-dil , there is a small but very catchy guitar piece that takes the song to a different level. And adding to the brilliant composition and singing are RK’s poignant lines:

Mein kya doon tujhe mera sab lut chuka hai,

Dua ke siwa mere paas aur kya hai,

Garibon ka ek aasre-e-khuda hai,

Magar meri tujhse yehi iltijha hai,

Na dil todna dil ki duniya basakar,

Dua kar gam-e-dil khuda se dua kar

3. Gore gore O Banke Chore (Samadhi, Duet-Ameerbhai Karnataki & Lata).

This song from the film Samadhi made in 1950 is supposed to be inspired from the song ‘Chico chico from Puerto Rico’ in the 1945 American film Doll Face. But never the less, like many of the old Hindi songs, the inspired songs turn out to be even better than the original!. This was the time when the tsunami called Lata was sweeping the HFM and the vintage era stalwart singers like Ameerbhai Karnataki were getting slowly side-lined. But this remains an evergreen duet by two legends. The orchestration defines CR’s style in his early days, with very catchy bongo rhythm and use of clarinet, trumpet etc.

4. Eena meena deka ( Asha, Kishore & Asha different solo versions) -The    lyrics are different in the Kishore and Asha versions and so is the subtle variation in the orchestration. This song  defines Kishore’s early “bindass” style of singing. It is said that RK got inspired by the lines Eena Mina Rika that was a Dutch play song when his daughter was playing with her Dutch friend and promptly composed this song . It was then CR’s turn to  compose this into an immortal song.

5. Kitna haseen hai Mausam ( Azaad, Duet of Lata & Chitalkar).

I had already mentioned about the blistering speed in which CR gave 10 songs for  this film in a record time of 30 days. However melody was never compromised and this song with  excellent use of mandolin is as fresh today as it was composed 67 years ago. When you listen to this song , you may be pardoned to think wrongly that it was Talat Mehmood singing . Actually CR wanted his favourite singer Talat for this song but due to some date unavailability he recorded this in his own voice. For many years even I used to think this was a Talat -Lata duet. The brief flute that chirps in like a bird after the line ‘yeh mausam ko bhi khabar hai’  is a brilliant  work of CR’s orchestration.

6. Mehfil mein meri kaun ye deewana aagaya ( Albela ,Duet of Rafi & Lata).

Although Rafi had sung in the early years of CR , he was not a very favoured singer for CR . But Rafi, the legend that he was , left his indelible  mark in whatever few songs he got from CR. Out of the eleven songs in Albela, this was the only song of Rafi -rest were either solos of Lata or duets of Lata with Chitalkar.

7. Mere man ka baanwara panchi kyon baar dole ( Amar Deep, Lata).

Amar Deep , made in 1958 turned out to be the last major film that  Lata sang for CR .  Set in a fast pace , with the typical tabla ‘theka’  that CR was famous for, Lata gave a scintillating song in her trademark high pitch.

8. Mere piya gaye Rangoon( Patanga, Duet of Chitalkar & Shamshad Begum).

Among the golden era stalwarts the trinity of  Naushad, C Ramachandra & O P Nayyar  started off their careers with excellent songs for Shamshad Begum, till the first two switched over to Lata and OPN to Asha. This duet of Chitalkar & Shamshad is an evergreen number that is liked even by the present generation. And what funny lines by RK-Tum bin sajan,  janavari farvari ban gayee mai aur joon!!

9. Mohobbat mein aise zamane bhi aaye ( Sagai, Duet of Talat Mehmood & Lata). Talat Mehmood was one of the top favourites of CR and this duet has that velvety touch of both Talat & Lata. If anyone had observed keenly, there was always an extra dose of sweetness in Lata’s voice whenever she sang for CR. Romance oozes out from the pen of RK with lines like:

Mohobbat ki aankhon se ashkon ko chunkar

Kisi ne falak pe sitare sajaye…

Mohobbat mein aise zamane bhi aaye

Kabhi ro diye hum kabhi muskuray

10. O Chaand Jahan wo jaayen ( Sharda , Duet of Lata & Asha)

The two sisters rarely sang together but whenever they did it was just feast for our ears. In this song , RK’s imagination reaches the moon , with the moon being asked to perform the duty of a messenger, bodyguard, navigator ( Google map of those days!) and finally not to exceed what is being told!!

I haven’t seen the film but from the picturization of the song there are two heroines( Meena Kumari & Shyama)  in love with the hero ( Raj Kapoor) and each giving her own instructions to the moon.

Go thru the entire lyrics and enjoy!

O chand jahan vo jaye tu bhi sath chale jana

kaise hai kahan hai vo har rat khabar lana

Wo rah agar bhule

wo rah agar bhule tu rah dikha dena

parades me rahi ko manzil ka pata dena

hai pahla safar unka aur desh hai anjana

har rat khabar lana

Kehna mere hotho par aa

kehna mere hotho par rukati hui aahe hai

ya rasta unka hai

ya rasta unka hai ya meri nigahe hai

betab mohabbat ka betab hai afsana

Hai chand qasam meri kuchh aur na tu kehna

kehna ke mera tum bin mushkil hai yahan rehna

ek dard ke mare ko acchha nahi tadpana

har rat khabar lana

o chand jahan vo jaye.

11. Shola Jo Badke Dil mera  (Albela, Duet of Lata & Chitalkar).

Does anyone need to write about this great dance number-that famous Bhagwan Dada’s shuffling movements, Geeta Bali’s gorgeous expressions and far-ahead-of-its-time’s orchestration by CR (ably assisted by Chic Chocolate-his arranger). One can’t believe this was composed in 1951. We can very well  imagine the craze it must have been at that time after the sombre, classical-style  music during  the vintage era. Even a person who doesn’t know dancing shall get up and jive to this.

12.   Yeh Zindagi Usi ki hai ( Anarkali, Lata- Two versions-Happy & Sad).

Co-incidentally , in my alphabetical order this song came last. But after listening to or writing about this song, one cannot just move forward. All the three namely CR, RK & Lata were at their best ever. The happy version has two stanzas and the sad version , three. In the happy version the way Lata exquisitely drags the phrase “ dil ko bekaraar kar”, and further in the second stanza the brief pause after “ dhadak” are subtle nuances that make the songs of those years immortal.

The sad version is even more classic with all three master players in full form. Not to forget the parting lines by RK:

Ae zindagi ki shaam aa

Tujhe gale lagaoon mein

Tujhi mein doob jaaon mein

Jahan ko bhool jaaon mein

Bas ek nazar mere sanam

Alvidaaa….Alvidaaa

Special Acknowledgements:  I sincerely thank the publishers of various blogsites & Internet sources  for the information that I could gather for this article. Also a special thanks to Mr Manek Premchand for the invaluable insights in his book : Yesterday’s Melodies, Today’s Memories and also the blogsite “ Songofyore.com”.

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
The songs mentioned are from the popular, public domain and have been mentioned here   only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog does not claim any copyright over them, which rests with the respective owners of the rights.