Ravi Shankar Sharma  with  Sahir Ludhianvi

Ravi Shankar Sharma  with  Sahir Ludhianvi

Ravi ( 3^rd  March 1926 to 7^th March 2012 )     AND                       Sahir  (8^th March  1921 to 25^th October 1980)

If we ask anyone who listens to the Hindi film songs of the 50’s and 60’s to list out some of the top music directors of that time, there is a high probability that the  name of Ravi may not appear . Even some of the avid listeners of the music from the golden era of Hindi Film music may count Naushad, SD Burman, Shankar -Jaikishan, C Ramachandra , O.P Nayyar, Madan Mohan , Roshan among the top, but Ravi , though equally talented,  may invariably be left out.  This,  in  spite of Ravi’s songs fetching Filmfare awards for many singers as listed here: ( personally I never understood the logic of these awards but still mentioning them to showcase the sheer numbers of Ravi’s songs fetching the awards)

• Mohammad Rafi – 1961- his first for Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho from the movie Chaudvin Ka Chand.
• Lata Mangeshkar-  1966- Tumhi Meri Manzil from the film Khandaan.
• Asha Bhonsale – 1968 -Garibon Ki Suno from the film Dus Lakh
• Mahendra Kapoor – who got it  twice : Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se -1964 Film : Gumraah and Neele Gagan Ke Tale-1968, Film : Humraaz
• And as late as in 1983 even for a debutant Salma Agha – Dil Ke Armaan Aansuon Mein Beh Gaye

The well-known singer from south,  K S Chitra got the National award for best playback in 1986 for the Malayalam song “Manjal Prasadavum”  composed by Ravi for the film Nakakshathangal . Ravi himself got the Filmfare award for best music direction twice-Gharana -1961 & Khandan -1965, National award for best music direction for the Malayalam films Sukrutham and Parinayam in 1994.

It is  surprising that such a musical genius remained always in the background. May be  like his music style, that always enhanced the lyrical beauty of the song and gave full freedom to his singers who could give their best, he also remained in the background . His orchestration was simple but sublime , never overpowering the lyrics and singers.

Ravi had many hit songs with other lyricists  like Rajendra Krishna, Shakeel Badayuni but his songs with the “ superstar” lyricist Sahir are a different class apart and is the theme of this blog. Sahir also had  a great association  with other legendary  composers like S D Burman, Roshan ( already covered by me in my Team #4) , Madan Mohan , N Dutta ,  O.P Nayyar and many others. His associations with S D Burman and O. P Nayyar , however , ended in a somewhat bitter note, after the films Pyaasa and Naya Daur , respectively. On the contrary,  with Ravi, he had a long collaboration and in this blog, let us look at their evergreen melodies that are popular till today. This combination also contributed to a great extent in giving a tremendous boost to one of the most under-rated singers of Hindi Film Music , Mahendra Kapoor.

Ravi, like many artists of those times had difficult times in building up his career, even being homeless , living on the streets during the day and sleeping on the Malad ( a suburb of Mumbai ) railway station. He had no formal training in music , but learnt music by listening to his father singing bhajans. He learnt to play some instruments on his own and took up the job of an electrician to support his family. Like many music directors, he also wanted to become a professional singer. In 1952 , at last luck smiled upon him and he was noticed by the music composer Hemant Kumar and started singing in the chorus for him. The famous Vande Mataram song tuned by Hemant da for the film Anand Math had Ravi in the chorus. SD Burman’s Naujawaan film also had Ravi singing in chorus. After assisting Hemant Kumar for few films, he got his first chance to compose independently for the 1955 film Vachan.

There was some strange connection between Ravi and wedding songs! His songs like  Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai, Babul ki duyaen leti ja, Doli chadh ke dulhan sasural chali and Mere yaar bana hai dulha were  very popular in wedding celebrations. He even had a perennial pre-wedding ceremony  song “ Ae meri zohra zabeen Tujhe Maloom Nahin” sung by Manna Dey in the film Waqt.

Ravi was one of the music directors who shaped the career of Asha Bhosle with songs like Zindagi ittefaq hai, Tora man darpan, Aage bhi jane na tu , Sun le pukar aai and many such songs.  After O P Nayyar, it was Ravi who gave Asha some of her best songs . Unfortunately this fact remains less talked about , may be due the fact that she herself not having talked about Ravi’s  contribution in her career. He was also instrumental in giving  Mahendra Kapoor some of his best songs , especially for the numerous B.R Chopra films. Not to forget , Rafi, just a letter ‘f’ & ‘v’ separating them ! Rafi must have sung around 250 songs for Ravi-must be his fourth highest after Laxmikant-Pyarelal , Shankar -Jaikishan & Chitragupt. Rafi also had some of his best melodious songs under the baton of Ravi and many-a-times I used to get confused if a particular melodious Rafi song was composed by Madan Mohan or Ravi!

When melody started taking a  back seat in the Hindi Film Music world, he successfully entered the Malayalam film scene and became a great hit there , earning the name Bombay Ravi. Malayalam film director Hariharan had introduced him there and he had a very fruitful association with him . In Ravi’s music direction one of the leading female playback singers in South, KS Chitra received two National awards for best playback singing. Even after almost three decades of his debut , Ravi made his mark with some melodious songs in the 1982 film , Nikaah.

Regarding Sahir, I had already written about him in my blog on Roshan-Sahir combination and so I am not repeating it. Let us now look at some of the great songs of this team. Since Ravi mostly used to compose the tune as per the lyrics, his songs always had a great lyrical value and with Sahir, they just hit the jackpot more often.

This is the last in my series of famous music composer-lyricist pairs. I would be writing about many other composers, some well-known, some lesser-known without getting bracketed with any particular lyricist. Also I must write about  the 8 composers that I had so far covered  in this series , on the songs they had composed with other lyricists…there is always so much to discover in the vast ocean of the golden era of Hindi Film Music!

Songs are listed chronologically, with film/year/song/singer(s) mentioned in that order. I have tried to embed the songs so that reader can listen to the song while going through the article; sometimes due to technical issues they may not play and in that case one can click on the link provided to view/listen in a separate tab.

#1. Gumraah- 1963/ चलो एक बार फिर से अजनबी बन जाए हम दोनों -Chale Ek Baar Phir Se Ajnabee/ Mahendra Kapoor

If one  single song identified a playback singer the most, it was this. Mahendra Kapoor and this song can never be forgotten. Although the entire song defines Sahir’s genius in poetry and Ravi’s ability to enhance the same by using Mahendra Kapoor’s softer vocals , this one stanza  absolutely stands out to be quoted for any difficult situation.

तार्रुफ़* रोग हो जाये तो
उसको भूलना बेहतर
ताल्लुक* बोझ बन जाये
तो उसको तोड़ना अच्छा
वो अफ़साना जिसे अंजाम तक
लाना ना हो मुमकिन
उसे इक खूबसूरत मोड़ देकर
छोड़ना अच्छा

(*तार्रुफ़-Taaruf means mutual acquaintance & * ताल्लुक-Taalluk means relationship)

I have tried to translate this with the very limited knowledge of Urdu that I have.

If knowing each other becomes an illness it is better to forget it

If the relationship becomes a burden it is better to end it

If it is difficult to go ahead in the path chosen

It is better to give it a beautiful turn and leave it at that

#2 Humraaz- 1963/ नीले  गगन के तले  धरती का प्यार फले –Neele Gagan Ke Tale/ Mahendra Kapoor

If Chalo ek baar was an intense song, this lighter one showcases the exquisite melody in Ravi’s music . With a superb orchestration of violins, flute , santoor and the very unique style of dholak’s rhythm that was an outstanding feature of Ravi’s music, if you listen to this song even with closed eyes, you can visualize vast expanse of mountain, a gently flowing stream, a soft breeze caressing your cheeks…that is the power of Ravi’s simple but scintillating tunes.

#3 Humraaz- 1963/ किसी पत्थर की मूरत से मोहब्बत का इरादा है –Kisi Pathar Ki Moorat Se Mohabbat/ Mahendra Kapoor

Who can imagine lines like हर एक बेजान तकल्लुफ से भगावत का इरादा है ( I feel like revolting against the meaningless formalities of the society)  except Sahir! This is a song that , in my childhood made me check meaning of Urdu words like parastishqi , takalluf etc . This is one of my personal favorite among Mahendra Kapoor’s songs . It  reminds one of Rafi’s style of singing and Mahendra Kapoor looks to have taken lot of inspiration from his idol.

#4 Humraaz- 1963/ तुम आगा साथ देने का वादा करो –Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Wada / Mahendra Kapoor

What a great prelude in this song!…santoor, flute , sitar, violins  all compete to give a great start. Then the ubiquitous dholak of Ravi and Mahendra Kapoor take off along with chorus…in each antara , the way MK elaborates the line “ tum agar….is just mesmerizing.

#5 Humraaz- 1963/ न मुँह छुपाके जियो और न सर झुकागे जियो– Na Mooh Chupa Ke Jiyo / Mahendra Kapoor

This is the fourth song from Humraaz! What a great score by Ravi for this film. A percussion extravaganza that is revealed in the prelude itself, this song also has Mahendra bhai reaching the Mt Everest with his unique pitch and lung power in the line “ Har ek pal ki”

#6 Aaj Aur Kal – 1963/ इतनी हसीन इतनी जवां रात क्या करे –Itni Haseen Itni Jawan Raat   /Rafi

After a feast of Mahendra Kapoor, we now come to the golden combination of Ravi with Rafi. Except for those BR Chopra films , who mainly preferred MK over Rafi         ( reasons not very clearly known ) , Ravi’s most preferred male singer was always Rafi sahab. Ravi & Rafi had given many such pleasing melodies like this one. The tunes & orchestration were always simple but enhanced the beauty of the lyrics to a great extent.

#7 Waqt- 1965/ ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा जबीन तुझे मालूम नहीं– Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen / Manna Dey

Manna Dey and Mukesh have that uncanny ability to give an evergreen  song for a music director who might not have offered them many songs. I have observed this trend with both these singers. For Ravi, Mohd Rafi and Mahendra Kapoor were the main male singers and Manna da must had few songs only. But what an indelible mark he made with this  song. Not to forget the supremely gifted actor Balraj Sahni who had performed this on screen superbly without moving an inch and just sitting and enacting it.

#8 Waqt- 1965/ आगे भी जाने न तू– Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu /Asha Bhonsale

One of Asha’s career best songs, this is a masterpiece , but sometimes it so happens that a particular played so often in radio, music channels, TV etc. till we  get tired of it!. Of course this is a full 7-minute song, but the way Asha had sung this is just amazing. The song has only three antaras but the interludes are quite long . Ravi had used the guitar so nicely and  Asha’s westernized  humming enhances the beauty of the composition.

Sahir makes this seemingly “ party song” into the one that summarizes the  entire story of the film .  Waqt-Time is the ultimate power-it creates and destroys-no one can predict what is going to happen and there is no point in brooding about the past-live your present moment to the best extent possible—this is the essence of the song.

Interestingly, in spite of having two heroines in the film-Sharmila Tagore & Sadhana, this is picturized on an obscure actress Erica Lal!

#9 Kaajal – 1965/ यह ज़ुल्फ़ अगर खुलके भिकर जाए तो अच्छा –Yeh Zulf Agar Khulke   /Rafi

Ravi belongs to that school of music composers who invariably composed the tune after the lyrics were written . Just  in contrast to others like Shankar-Jaikishan, especially Shankar , who used to believe that by  composing the tune the first and then asking the lyricist to write, they had more variety in the compositions and not bound by the metre set in the lyrics. For us listeners such varied styles of compositions gave so many gems during the golden era of Hindi Film Music! Coming back to this song, when Ravi saw the lines abruptly ending in

अच्छा, he requested Sahir to modify it ..but Sahir was stubborn. It is in such situations that the genius in  Rafi comes to the rescue. Rafi sang that अच्छा so well that it became the highlight of the song. Not being satisfied with the variations composed by Ravi, Rafi sahab himself requested Ravi to allow him to add another variation of अच्छा….

And the end result is bound to be अच्छा!!

#10 Kaajal – 1965/ छु लेने दो नाज़ुक होंठों को –Choo Lene Do Nazuk Honton Ko   /Rafi

Rafi-Ravi-Sahir come together to give this intoxicating song that is melody personified. It is always a mystery how Rafi sahab, a complete teetotaler sang the best intoxicated songs in Hindi films!

#11 Kaajal – 1965/ तोरा मन दर्पण कहलाये –Tora Man Darpan Kehlaye  /Asha

Sahir, when he writes about life’s philosophy , he does it so wonderfully. Some of the best bhajans were written by him , though in his personal beliefs he was a non-believer!

Sahir talks about how one’s consciousness ( मन) is a mirror that sees as well as  reflects all the good and bad

#12 Aankhein – 1968/ गैरों पे करम अपनों पे सितम –Gairon Pe Karam Apnon Pe Sitam  /Lata

When we look at the female singers that Ravi had worked with , Lata had comparatively lesser songs but she did have some evergreen ones with him.

Sahir’s poignant lyrics add so much value to this song, exceptionally composed by Ravi and sung by Lata in her commanding style.

#13 Neelkamal – 1968/ तुझको पुकारे मेरा प्यार –Tujhko Pukare Mera Pyaar /Rafi

From the film Neelkamal , the song Babul Ki Duayen Leti jaa is more recognized mainly for the fact that Rafi sahab had broken down while rehearsing for that as he had just then married off one of his daughters and even the final version he sung had an extra-ordinary sadness . Somehow I find that song is more to listen privately and get immersed in the emotion. That is why I chose a less intense one-which is more of a lament of a lover. A haunting note runs through this song keeping in mind the theme of this film which was about re-birth.

#14 Do Kaliyan – 1968/ तुम्हारी नज़र क्यूँ ख़फ़ा हो गयी –Tumhari Nazar Kyun Kafa  /Rafi & Lata

A very popular, evergreen  duet that is played in almost all radio , TV programs, this is a rare duet of Rafi & Lata in Ravi’s music direction. Brilliant orchestration with Ravi’s signature rhythm pattern in full flow will ensure this song continues to be in the popular charts for years together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aMYlPkoXEE

#15 Aadmi Aur Insaan – 1969/ ज़िन्दगी इत्तेफ़ाक़ है –Zindagi Ittefaq Hai   /Mahendra Kapoor & Asha

An out and out Ravi’s signature style of composition in this song. He effortlessly shuffles between two different tunes when Mahendra Kapoor joins Asha with the lines: कभी गैरों पे भी अपनों का गुमान होता है and again second time with the lines:

आज मालुम हुआ पहले ये मालुम न था  that are in an altogether different metre

Guitar, saxophone , Asha’s superb singing in the high octaves and a mellow Mahendra Kapoor all together make this one great masterpiece. One more example of how Ravi gave some of the career best songs for Asha .

#16 Dhundh- 1973/ उलझन सुल्झेना रस्ता सूझेना जाऊं कहाँ में –Uljhan Suljhe Naa  /Asha Bhonsale

A relatively rare song, this is a beautiful ‘duet’ between Asha & piano.  The film Dhundh was an adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel (The Unexpected Guest), nicely made by B R Chopra who had supported Ravi the most. This song by Asha Bhosale with the piano  perfectly in sync with her  lines  is one of my personal favorites.

#17 Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka – 1975/ देखा है ज़िन्दगी को –Dekha Hai Zindagi Ko  /Kishore Kumar

Kishore, Mukesh , Talat and Manna Dey -all had limited songs with Ravi as he had mostly Rafi & Mahendra Kapoor as his main male singers. But being the legends they were , they made their mark in within the limited opportunities they got. Like Manna Dey’s ऐ मेरी ज़ोहरा जबीन, Talat’s सब कुछ लुटाके होश में आये तो क्या किया  , Mukesh’s वफ़ा जिसने की बेवफा हो गए.

Kishore had sung this song in his typical baritone and breezy , natural style that was always his forte. There is one more gem of a song by Kishore यह रातें यह मौसम नदी का किनारा but that was composed by Shailendra and so I could not include that here!

#18 Amaanat- 1977/ दूर रहकर न करो बात –Door Rehkar Na Karo Baat  /Rafi

As written earlier, Ravi & Rafi  had a fabulous association and Rafi had some of his most melodious songs in Ravi’s compositions, to be rivalled only by another melody king Madan Mohan. Sahir was equally at ease writing about the social injustice or romance. Rafi brings to life each line of the song composed to brilliantly by Ravi.

Acknowledgement & Disclaimer 

I sincerely thank the publishers of following blogsites & Internet sources for the information that I could gather for this article:

1. You Tube
2. Wikipedia

The songs mentioned are from the popular, public domain and have been mentioned /embedded 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.