Rajendra Krishan- A Low Profile Lyricist and Script Writer

 

Over 200 films as a lyricist; and an incredible 100-plus as a dialogue writer, a huge track record of hits in each capacity in a span of 50 years, Rajendra Krishan was a low profile giant.Though he never formed a prolific team with any specific composer,he wrote hits with generations of composers, from Husnlal-Bhagatram, Shyam Sunder and Anil Biswas to C.Ramachandra and later Hemant Kumar, Madan Mohan, S.D.Burman, and R D Burman.

He wrote all types of songs from philosophical to peppy songs like 'Enna Menna Dekka'(Asha), Gore Gore Banke Chhore(Samadhii)'Aa Jaan-E-Jaan' (Intequam) . Check out a few perennial pearls from his treasury: 'Chup Chup Khade Ho' (Badi Behen) Yeh Hawa Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni(Sangdil), 'Yeh Zindagi Ussiki Hai' (Anarkali), 'Chal Udd Jaa Re Panchhi' (Bhabhi) and 'Yun Hasraton Ke Daag' (Adalat), Woh Bhooli Dastaan' (Sanjog), 'Man Dole Mera Tan Dole' (Nagin) or Mere Saamnewali Khidki Mein' (Padosan), 'Govinda Aala Re' (Bluffmaster), and the patriotic 'Jahaan Daal Daal Par' (Sikander-E-Azam).

He was born on  6 June 1919. In the mid-1940s, he shifted to Bombay (now Mumbai) to become a screenwriter in the Hindi film industry. His first screenplay was Janta (1947). His first film as a lyricist was Zanjeer (1947). He was first noted for the script and lyrics of the Motilal-Suraiya starrer Aaj Ki Rat (1948). He consolidated his position as a lyricist with the films Badi Bahen (1949) and Lahore (1949) and the song he wrote after the death of Mahatma Gandhi,Suno Suno Aye Duniyawalon, Bapu Ki Yeh Amar Kahani. The song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and composed by Husnlal Bhagatram, and was a great hit. 

At his peak, he was called the King of Madras He became a favorite of the South Filmmakers who made remakes of south hit films in Hindi. He reworked these scripts and penned the Hindi dialogues with a pan-Indian appeal, and among such blockbusters were Nazrana, Rakhi (produced by South titan Sivaji Ganesan), Shaadi, Main Chup Rahungi, Waris, Gopi and of course the classic Pyar Kiye Jaa. 

Rajinder Krishan won Filmfare Award for best lyricist for the movie Khandan (1965) for the song "Tumhi mere mandir, tumhi meri pooja". Some of his popular songs are 'Bholi Surat Dil Ke Khote' and 'Shola Jo Bhadke' (Albela), 'Aplam Chaplam' (Azaad), Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha' (Chhaya), and 'Aaj Ki Mulaqaat Bas Itni' (Bharosa) in the '60s and in the 70s  'Sukh Ke Sab Saathi' (Gopi), 'O Mere Raja' (Johny Mera Naam), 'Dal Roti Khaao' (Jwar Bhata), 'Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas' (Blackmail), 'Rafta Rafta' (Kahani Kismat Ki), 'Dekha Na Haaye Re Socha Na' (Bombay To Goa) and many more.

He also wrote songs in a few films of the 80s. The last film was Aag Ka Dariya released after his death in 1990. He died on 23 September 1987 in Mumbai. 

Song of Badi Bahen (1949)

Song of Albela (1951)

Song of Sangdil (1952)

Song of Anarkali (1953) 

Song of Nagin (1954)

Song of Azad 1955

Song of Bhai-Bhai (1956)

Song of Asha (1957)

Song of Jailor 1958

Song of Adalat (1958)

Song of Chhaya(1961)

Song of Bharosa(1963)

Song of Sharaabi (1964)

Song of Jahan Ara (1964)

Song of Khandan (1965)

Song of Padosan (1968)

Song of Blackmail (1973) 

Vijay 'Goldie' Anand- A Filmmaker with Unique Cinematic Vision

 

Vijay Anand was a complete Filmmaker. He was a director, producer, editor, screenplay writer, story writer, dialogue writer, actor, and also knew choreography. In an interview, he told that he even wrote Mukhda of his songs. He was nineteen when he wrote the story of Taxi Driver(1954) along with his sister in law (Chetan Anand's wife). He was in college when he had a full screenplay of Nau Do Gyarah was ready.

His cinematic vision was indeed unique and made him stand apart from other filmmakers. It was his vision to make a movie on a Road Trip. Probably the first Hindi film shot on a road trip from Delhi to Mumbai. He was the first filmmaker who shot a live Film Premiere as a part of his film in Kala Bazar.

Music in his films remained a key feature, he was superb in picturizing of songs. He knew songs are the glue that binds audiences to Hindi films. Close your eyes and you can see Shammi Kapoor with a scarf around his neck, singing “Deewana Mujhsa Nahin” on a colourful hilltop, or instantly recall the smiling faces of Dev Anand and Nutan as they sing “Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukaar” on the inner stairway of the Qutab Minar.

 “Hum hain raahi pyaar ke hum se kuchh na boliye.”  from Nau Do Gyarha was the first song he picturised. He didn't take any choreographer in that film. At that time he used to think a choreographer ruins songs. They interfere with the characterisation. He felt they impose their own personalities through their dance steps and don’t allow the artists to express themselves in the way they should.

In the Kala Bazar song “Khoya Khoya Chand”, Dev sings as he runs down the hill. He is madly in love and believes his dream is coming true. So let him move his hands— white hands against dark clothes—[as] he makes his way down the hill. It suited the scene, so once in a while, you let him go.
In the same movie, there was a scene in a train compartment. Dev Anand is sitting on the lower berth and Waheeda Rehman is lying on the upper berth. The girl’s parents are also in the compartment. Dev saab sings the song: “Apni to har aah ek toofaan hai/ Kya karen woh jaan kar anjaan hai/ Uparwala jaan kar anjaan hai.” Waheeda Rehman is listening to him but she cannot move much because she’s lying on the upper berth. There is a double meaning behind the whole situation, which is beyond choreography.

In Teesri Manzil P L Raj was the choreographer. He used to sit with the choreographer when they were composing the songs. That time all their assistants, including Saroj Khan, who was Sohanlal’s assistant. She would always ask him: “Goldie Saab, what do you want?”

As a director, he was very particular about its music. When he was working on Jewel Thief, he discussed with the composer. he told SD Burman: “Dada, this song is for Vyjayanthimala. I am going to use her talents as a dancer.” The dance sequences of Vyajayantimala were shot in a single shot.Honthon Mein Aisi Baat” (brilliantly choreographed by Master Sohanlal), as the camera follows Vyjayanthimala, he uses the circular tracks, dynamic angles and cuts to build up the tension to a crescendo. Here is an example of how Western technique could merge with Indian art. Even as you enjoy the aesthetics of dance.

The picturization of the song 'Pal bhar ke liye koi hame pyar kar le' from the 1970 blockbuster'Johny Mera Naam', where Dev serenades the dream girl through windows of all shapes and sizes, remains a masterpiece even today.

Songs picturized on Vijay Anand

Song of Agra Road 1957

Song of Haqeeqat 1964

Song of Double Cross 1972

Song of Chhupa Rustam (1973)

Song of Kora Kagaz 1974

Song of Ghungroo ki Awaaz 1981

Javed Akhtar- Guru Dutt was his Inspiration

 

Javed Akhtar (born on 17th Jan 1945) arrived in Mumbai on 4 October 1964 to become a filmmaker. His dream was to make a film with Guru Dutt as Director with Akhtar Ul Imaan as the writer, who wrote films like Kanoon(1960), Dharamputra(1961), Waqt(1965) and many more.

His dream of meeting Guru Dutt and working with him shattered only in 6 days of his arriving in Bombay. His idol Guru Dutt committed suicide on 10th Oct 1964. So his dream could not be fulfilled working as his assistant and learn filmmaking. In a TV show, he said that Jaal(1951), the second film of Guru Dutt was his inspiration, even the character of the angry young man in his films was inspired by this film.

He was born as Jadoo Akhtar in Gwalior, (Madhya Pradesh) to Jan Nisar Akhtar, a Bollywood film songwriter and Urdu poet, and singer Safia Akhtar, a teacher and writer. Akhtar's early years were spent in Lucknow, Aligarh and Mumbai, mostly with relatives. He was a gifted debater in college, he won the Rotary Club Prize frequently.

Poetry was in his genes but he didn't want to be a poet. He even didn't want to be a writer but circumstances made him scriptwriter. Within six days of his arrival, he had to leave his father's home. He had 27 paise in his pockets. He had no certainty of either food or shelter.

To start earning money, he started doing an odd job as a clapper boy with Kamal Amrohi in a salary of Rs 50 per month. He had a struggle of 5 years. During his struggle, he even Ghost wrote many stories and dialogues for established writers.

. He got a job as a scriptwriter on Yakeen(1969) which flopped. Akhtar then joined with his friend Salim Khan to develop the story for Adhikar(1971). Their first film as a scriptwriter was Andaz(1971) followed by Haathi Mere Saathi and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). After that he along with Salim became the topmost scriptwriter of Bollywood,

They have worked together in 24 films including two Kannada films – Premada Kanike and Raja Nanna Raja. Of the 24 films they wrote, 20 were hits.
Javed is a Urdu poet before writing songs for films he was writing poetry.It was Yash Chopra who insiisted him to write songs for his film Silsila(1981). After that he gave us many memorable songs He won 5 National Awards for his songs and also 5 Filmfare Awards for lyrics. In 2013, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, India's second-highest literary honour, for his poetry collection Lava.
He was also nominated a Rajya Sabha MP.from Nov 2009 to Nov 2015.
He married to Honey Irani, with whom he had two children, Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar, both film directors and actors. The father-and-son duo has worked together in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya, Rock On!! and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with Zoya. He divorced Irani and later married Shabana Azmi, the daughter of eminent Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi.
Some of his Award-Winning Songs

Song from 1942: A Love Story (1994)

Song from  Papa Kehte Hai 1996

Song from Border 1997

Song from Refugee 2000

Song from Lagaan 2001

Qamar Jalalabadi- A Forgotten Lyricist

 

Qamar Jalalabadi (9 March 1917 – 9 January 2003), a poet who wrote more than 700 songs in more than 150 films gave us many immortal songs. One of his songs became the Radio Ceylon's anthem on the first of every month for decades, "khush hai zamana aaj pehli tarikh hai".

 Some of his memorable songs from his early films are  "Ik dilke tukde hazaar huye, koyi yahan gira koyi wahan gira…" in Pyar Ki Jeet (1948 film), , “Ik Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya” (Phagun, 1958), “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” (Howrah Bridge, 1958), “Dum Dum Diga Diga” (Chhalia, 1960) and “Main To Ik Khwaab Hoon Is Khwaab Se Tu Pyaar Na Kar” (Himalay Ki God Mein,1965).

Right from the age of seven, he started writing poetry in Urdu. There was no encouragement from home, but a wandering poet named Amar Chand Amar met him in his hometown and encouraged him to write, recognising his immense talent and potential. 

To try his luck he came to Pune in the early 1940s. In 1942, he wrote lyrics for his first film Zamindar, the song  "Duniya me garibonko aaraam nahi milta" sung by Shamshad Begum became popular. Besides writing songs he also wrote dialogues and script for films. In 1944 he wrote dialogues and songs for 1944 film 'Ramshastri' and 'Chand'.  The noted dancer Sitara Devi performed some of his songs in Chand (1944). Chand was one of the earliest of Qamarji's successful and memorable films.He worked with S D Burman in 1946 in the film “Eight Days” where the comic song “O Babu Babu Re” became quite popular. He went on to work with music director Sardar Malik on many films. 

In 1947, he wrote songs in more than 10 films. "sunti nahi duniya kabhi fariyaad kissi ki" (Renuka, 1947) and the ghazal "Dil kis liye rota hai...pyar ki duniya me, aisa hi hota hai" (sung by Naseem Banu for the film Mulaquat in 1947) became very popular.

 He wrote either the script or dialogues for many films such as "Shaheed"(1948), “Munimji” (1955), “Phagun” (1958), “Ujala” (1959), “Maya” (1961) and “Taj Mahal” (1963). 

Here are a few of his memorable songs

Song of Zamindar (1942) Audio only

Song of Eight Days (1946)

Song of Pyar ki Jeet (1948)

Song of Shabnam 1949

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Aansoo1953

Song of Pehli Tarikh 1954

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958)

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958)

Song of Phagun (1958)

Song of Chhalia (1960)

Song of Chhalia (1960)

Song of Himalay Ki God Mein (1965)

Song of Johar Mehmood In Goa (1965)

Song of Aansoo Aur Muskan (1971)