Golden Era of Bollywood: Jaidev-One of the greatest but Unsung

Monday 3 August 2020

Jaidev-One of the greatest but Unsung

When we speak of the Golden Age of Hindi film music mostly we speak of a commercially successful composer like Naushad, Shankar Jaikishen, S.D. Burman, O P Nayyar, Madan Mohan, Kalyanji Anandji, and Laxmikant Pyarelal. But there are many composers who established their identities through the uniqueness of their compositions alone. They may not have composed music for a very large number of films. Many of their films might not have succeeded at the box office.but their music is unforgettable.
Jaidev is one such name. His name imprinted on the hearts of lovers of vintage Hindi film songs as the genius who gave such fabulous numbers as ‘Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe’, ‘Allah Tero Naam’ and ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar’. ‘Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe’ is among the best ghazal numbers sung by Mohammad Rafi.
He started his film career as a child artist but had to leave acting, He had an interest in music, he learned classical music under Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. When Chetan Anand asked Ustad Ali Akbar Khan to give music for Aandhiyan, he joined Ustad Ali Akbar Khan as his assistant. He was also an assistant to Ustad ji in the next Navketan's film 'Humsafar'.
When Ustad Ali Akbar Khan decided to return back to Lucknow, he remained in Bombay and became assistant to composer S D Burman. He was assistant music director for Taxi Driver, SD Burman had full trust in his genius assistant; Each time he entrusted him with a composing or creative job, he would advise him not to complicate it with difficult ‘murkis’ and ‘harkats’. Jaidev’s contribution to the compositions of SD Burman can be gauged through these very intricate nuances, very typical of him, obvious in a number of gems like ‘Phaili hui hain sapnon ki baahen’ (House No. 44), ‘Hum bekhudi mein tumko pukare chale gaye’ (Kala Pani), ‘Hum hain raahi pyar ke’ (Nau Do Gyarah), ‘Dekho rootha na karo’ (Tere Ghar Ke Saamne), ‘Aise to na dekho’ (Teen Deviyan), and ‘Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain’ (Guide) to name a few.

Jaidev got an independent assignment in “Joru Ka Bhai”, after which he composed music for ChetanAnand’s “Anjali”. The music of both of these films became very popular. Though he became an independent composer, he continued to work as an assistant to SD. When Hum Dono was in making, Burman Da was ill, he suggested his name for the music director for that film.He gave the music for this film, all the songs became hit. Who can forget the songs like ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar’ ‘Main Zindagi ka Saath Nbhata chala gaya’ and the bhajan ‘Allah Tero Naam, Ishwar Tero Naam’ sung by Lata! .

It is said that after Hum Dono’s success, a promise was made by Dev Anand that every alternate film of Navketan will have music by SD Burman and Jaidev. Accordingly, SD Burman has entrusted the baton of “Kala Bazaar” and Jaidev ‘signed’ for the music of “Guide” for which he is believed to have composed a couple of tunes too (‘Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hain’, and ‘Din dhal jaaye haye raat na jaaye); however, the film was made and released finally with music by S D Burman,

Being cast out of Guide was a very big setback in Jaidev’s film music career. He never really recovered from the shock. Jaidev used to frequently narrate such incidents to his friends, wracked by inconsolable grief. He did a Nepali film immediately after this incident. produced by King Mahendra. The King was so pleased with Jaidev that he offered him a blank cheque and asked him to fill in any amount as he wished. But Jaidev returned the cheque and asked for a tiger skin instead! He got a few insignificant films zafter that. Sunil Dutt with whom he worked earlier in 'Mujhe Jeene Do'entrust him for his next venture 'Reshma Aur Shera' released in 1971. for this film, he got the National Award of Best Music Director. He got this award twice later in 'Gaman; 1979 and Ankahee in 1985.

In 1976, Madan Mohan passed away, and Jaidev finished the film Laila Majnu by composing five remaining songs for the film. His other film was Alaap starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha. Jaidev had ample opportunity to use his classical background in this film. He used the composition of late great master Pt Vishnu Digambar, Mata Saraswati Sharda in Lata-Yesudas-Dilraj Kaur-Madhu Rani's voices. The best song of the film was Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poem, 'Koi Gata Mein So Jata'.

Jaidev had composed music for less than thirty films. The number of songs to his credit may not be more than a hundred and fifty. Though many of Jaidev's films failed at the box office, many of them, such as Alaap, Kinare Kinare, and Ankahee, is remembered for his imaginative musical scores. Jaidev shot to prominence once again with his ghazals and songs in Muzaffar Ali's Gaman like Seene mein jalan, Raat bhar aapki yaad aati rahi and Ajeeb saaneha mujhpar guzar gaya yaaron. He introduced many new singers like Suresh Wadkar, A Hariharan and his protegee Chhaya Ganguly in Gaman.

Jaidev never married. 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.