Remembering JAIDEV on Birth Anniversary

Jaidev ( 3 August 1919 – 6 January 1987)
Jaidev was born in Nairobi and brought up in Ludhiana, India. 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 for the Wadia Film Company. He played the role of Narada in the film Vaman Avatar released in 1934. He was initiated into music at a young age in Ludhiana by Prof. Barkat Rai.

Jaidev was the first music director to bag 3 National Award for Reshma Aur Shera (1972), Gaman (1979) and Ankahee (1985) Ali Akbar Khan took Jaidev as his music assistant, in 1951, when he composed music for Navketan Films's Aandhiyan (1952) and 'Hum Safar'. From film 'Taxi Driver' on, he became assistant to music composer, S. D. Burman.He was his assistant in Films like House No 44,Nau Do Gyaraha,Lajwanti,Kala Pani.Chalti ka Naam Gaadi and Sujata.In fact the song 'Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko Pukare Chale Gaye" was his creation but the credit went to S D Burman.

His big break as a full-fledged music director came with Chetan Anand's film, Joru Ka Bhai, followed by Chetan Anand's next Anjali, both of these films became very popular.

Though it was with the film Navketan's Hum Dono (1961) that Jaidev true came into the limelight, with classic songs like, "Allah Tero Naam", 'Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar", "Main Zindagi Ka Saath" and "Kabhi khud pe Kabhi Halat pe".Humdono was also the starting point of Jaidev’s relationship with the man with the golden voice, Mohammad Rafi. The unique style of Jaidev included his tunes which appeared not to end with the antara or the sanchari and uniting them with the mukhra unlike other composers. Rafi’s voice had the effect of sedative which doctor’s prescribe for patients who cant sleep in the song “Abhi na jao chor kar, ki dil abhi bhara nahi” in Hum Dono. The way Rafi pronounced adhuri yaas, hardly any playback singer can think even today. The emotions of the character were kept intact and the musical value of the song was enhanced by Rafi in a tremendous way inHumdono. The ghazal in the film “kabhi khud pe kabhi halat pe rona aya” can be categorised as one of the ten best ghazals Rafi did sing in his life. At the same time the other song “main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya” which showed the carefree attitude of Dev Anand, who got admitted in military in the film, had the effect of santoor and the prelude and interlude followed the main song of Rafi that music lovers even memorised them as a song itself.  

His other big success came with Sunil Dutt star, Mujhe Jeene Do (1963).Lata’s song “Nadi nare na jao sham” became hit. As it was female oriented film with Wahida Rehman providing the lead performance there were hardly sequences for male songs.

Though many of Jaidev's films failed at the box office, many of them, such as Alap, Kinare Kinare and Ankahee, are remembered for his imaginative musical scores. Kinare Kinare, in 1963, Jaidev asked Rafi to sing duet song with Usha Mangeshkar titled “maya anchal jale kaya ka abhiman“ He had a unique capability to mix traditional and folk music into Hindi film situations, giving him a unique advantage to other music directors of his times.He was one of the favourite composers of Lata Mangeshkar besides Salil Chowdhury and Madan Mohan.

His other notable songs for Rafi include “aaj ki raat hai bus jalwa dikhane ke liye” and “roop ki dhoop to dhalke rahegi” from the film Jiyo Aur Jeene Do, in 1969. Both were successful with Jaidev’s folk effect in the respective songs.

In the 1970s, Jaidev shifted towards Ghazal singer Bhupinder Singh for most of his songs, with “Do Diwane Shahar Me” and “Ek Akela is shahar me” from the film Gharonda, 1977, directed by Gulzar with Amol Palekar in the lead role.

 Runa Laila’s song “tumke hona ho mukhko to itna yakeen hai” looked like it was never going to end with the brilliant lyrics of gulzar. The violin was played so brilliantly in the song “Ek akela is shahar me” depicting urbanised folk songs, that it identified the pathos of Jaidev who was a loner in life. The other successful film of Jaidev included Dooriyan, 1979, acted by Uttamkumar and Sharmila Tagore. There Bhupinder Sing’s song “Zindagi zindagi o mere ghar ana ana zindagai” nd “zindagi me jab tumhare gham nahi the” showed Jaidev’s unconventional movement in the rise and fall of the antara and sanchari.

Zindagi zindagi o mere ghar ana ana zindagai

In the 1977 release Laila Majnu starring Rishi Kapoor and Ranjita had the music of Jaidev along with Madanmohan.In this film his 3 songs with Rafi  “barbad muhobbat ki dua saath liye ja“, “is reshmi pazeeb ki jhankar ke sadke“, “likhkar tera naam zameen par” were superhits.

is reshmi pazeeb ki jhankar ke sadke

Many other movies for which Jaidev composed memorable music are Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Sampoorn Dev Darshan (1971), Bharat Darshan (1972), Bhaavna (1972), Maan Jaiye (1972), Prem Parvat (1973), Aalingan (1974), Parinay (1974), Ek Hans Ka Joda (1975), Faasla (1976), Aandolan (1977) and Alaap (1977). These movies were followed by others like Tumhare Liye in 1978 and Sharmila Tegore-Uttam Kumar starrer Dooriyan in 1979. Solvan Saawan (1979), Aai Teri Yaad (1980), Ek Gunaah Aur Sahi (1980), Wohi Baat (1981), Raam Nagri (1982), Ek Naya Itihaas (1983), Ankahee (1984), Jumbish (1986), Trikon Ka Chautha Kon (1986), Amarjyoti, Azaadi Pachchis Baras Ki, Atish and Shadi Kar Lo.

Roshan, Madan Mohan and Jaidev were good friends,they had many similarities. They were rare music geniuses. They were unfailingly great human beings too. Their unquenchable thirst ran to music, languages, literature and wine. They lived their entire lives as friends and supporters. 
Jaidev never married, though he remained close to his sister’s family, who later settled in the United Kingdom. He died on 6 January 1987, at the age of 68. His last work was for the television seriesRamayan.