The trend of composer duos is not new. Earlier decades too boasted of talented music directors like Shankar-Jaikishan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Peareylal. The first to work as the music director duo.were Husnalal Bhagatram..Both were brothers.Most composers who work in teams feel that working as a duo helps in sharing thoughts and generating ideas.In this blog I have taken 10 such Composer Duos.
Husnalal Bhagatram..
They made their presence on the film music right on their entry in 1944 with the film “Chand” that came with a hit song “Do Dilon Ko Yeh Duniya” sung by Manju. Their compositions “Ek Dil Ke Tukde Hazar Huye” (Pyar Ki Jeet) and “Suno Suno Ai Duniya Walo,Bapu Ki Yeh Amar Kahani (Amar Kahani) sung with his characteristic soulful involvement became runaway hits.The rise of the talented music director duo Husnlal-Bhagatram virtually marked the beginning of Hindi film music’s golden era in the early 1940s. Who can forget the Husnlal-Bhagatram gems sung by Lata “Chale Jana Nahi Nain Mila Ke” (Badi Bahen-1949) and “Abhi To Mai Jawan Hun-Khushiyo Ke Din Manaye Ja” (Afsana-1951)?
Song from Pyar Ki Jeet 1948
Song from Afsana-1951
Shankar Jaikishan
Shankar-Jaikishan, along with other artists, composed "everlasting" and "immortal melodies" in the 1950s, and 1960s,They made their debut as Independent composer with Raj Kapoor's Barsaat in 1949.They formed a core team with lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri and with singers Mohammed Rafi Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.Shankar-Jaikishan made a significant contribution in promoting Indian classical music throughout their career. It was their established practice to have at least one song in a movie based on semi-classical style. These included songs like `Jhanak-jhanak tori baje payaliya' (Mere Huzoor), `Chham chham baje re payaliya' (Jane-anjane), `Radhike tune bansari churayi' (Beti Bete), `Manmohana bade jhoothe' (old `Seema'), `Koi matwala aya mere dware' (Love in Tokyo), `Ajahu na ayae baalma, sawan beeta jaye' (Sanjh aur Savera), `Lapak jhpak tu aa re badarwa' (Boot polish), `Ye barkha bahar sautaniya ke dwar' (Mayur pankh), `Re man sur mein ga' (Lal pathar)
While working as a team, Shankar and Jaikishan used to compose their songs separately. Generally, Shankar liked to work with Shailendra and Jaikishan with Hasrat Jaipuri.During their career, S-J won Filmfare Best Music Director Awards nine times.
Song from Barsaat 1949
Song from Sangam 1964
Kalyanji-Anandji
Unlike Shankar jaikishan they were brothers. Kalyanji was elder to Anandji.Kalyanji started his career as a musician, with a new electronic instrument called the clavioline. which was used for the famous "Nagin Been," used in the film Nagin (1954) which had the music of Hemant Kumar.Samrat Chandragupta (1959) was his first film as Kalyanji Virji Shah,This was followed by his composing music scores for more films like Post Box 999 before Anandji who was assisting him, joined him officially to form the Kalyanji Anandji duo in Satta Bazar and Madari (1959). Chalia (1961) was their earliest major hit. In 1965, two decisive scores, Himalay Ki God Mein and Jab Jab Phool Khile, established them as composers to reckon with.
Some of their best-known works are Don, Bairaag, Saraswatichandra, Qurbani, Tridev Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Safar. They won the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for Kora Kagaz.
Song from Jab Jab Phool Khile 1965
Song from Kora Kagaz 1969
Laxmikant-Peareylal
They composed music for about 635 Hindi movies from 1963 to 1998, working for almost all notable filmmakers.Laxmikant and Pyarelal met at Sureel Kala Kendra, a music academy for children, run by the Mangeshkar family. After Lata ji came to know about their financially poor backgrounds, Lata recommended their names to music directors like Naushad, Sachin Dev Burman and C. Ramchandra. Similar financial backgrounds and age made Laxmikant and Pyarelal very good friends.
The first released movie which featured them as music directors was Babubhai Mistry's Parasmani (1963),Laxmikant–Pyarelal hit the big time with Rajshri Productions' 1964 film Dosti. The film had two newcomer heroes who never became popular, and the film was a success due to its music. Songs like "Chahoonga main tujhe shaam savere" and "Rahi manava" became very popular. At that time, many used to think that there was a single person by the name of Laxmikant Pyarelal. Laxmikant–Pyarelal won their first Filmfare Best Music Director Award for the movie.
LP dominated the Weekly Hindi Film songs Countdown programme Binaca Geet Mala,from 1964 to 1980s.They won 7 Filmfare Awards.The team of Laxmikant–Pyarelal and lyricist Anand Bakshi churned out some of the most popular songs in Hindi Cinemas history. The combo composed songs for more than 250 movies.
Song from Dosti 1964
Song from Do Raaste 1969
Shiv Hari
As a composer for many Yash Chopra films, the Shiv-Hari team offered pleasant melodies in an era when the music scene is said to be truly awful. Ye kahaan aa gaye hum (Silsila), Mere haathon mein nau-nau choodiyaan hain (Chandni), Jaadu teri nazar and Tu mere saamne (Darr) are just some of their many euphonic tunes.They did 8 films together
The duo soon found that they couldn’t find a balance between their work in cinema and their music outside the film circuit, and they quit films after Darr, summarily refusing Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai, but that’s another story.
Song from Silsila 1981
Song from Chandani 1989
Nadeem Sharvan
Nadeem–Shravan were the most successful music directors of the 1990s until the early 2000s. They have the strong reliance of Hindustani music in their compositions and were the only composers during the 1990s and 2000s who relied heavily on three particular instruments: the bansuri, the sitar and the shehnai in almost all of their songs. Their first Hindi movie assignment was Maine Jeena Seekh Liya in 1981 sung by Amit kumar. In 1989, their three big movies were released: Ilaaka, Hisaab Khoon Ka and Lashkar.
They composed soundtracks for many films, including Aashiqui (1990), Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Dil Ka Kya Kasoor (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Rang (1993), Dilwale (1994), Raja (1995), Barsaat (1995), Agni Sakshi (1996), Jeet (1996), Raja Hindustani (1996), Pardes (1997), Sirf Tum (1999), Dhadkan (2000), Kasoor (2001), Hum Ho Gaye Aapke (2001), Raaz (2002), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), Dil Ka Rishta (2003), Andaaz (2003), Tumsa Nahi Dekha (2004), Bewafaa (2005) and many others.They won 4 Filmfare Awards,the first was for Aashiqui in 1991.Kumar Shanu,Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik were the main singers who sang for them.
Song from Aashiqui (1990)
Song from Pardes (1997)
The brother jodi who made it big in the 1990s.They began their career in 1991, composing music for the Hindi movie Yaara Dildara. Although the film was a flop, its music was a big hit. The evergeen famous song of the movie was "Bin Tere Sanam", which topped the charts. They were first noticed for their work on the soundtrack of the movie Khiladi and for "Pehla Nasha", a romantic song from Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, the film which earned then their first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.
Jatin–Lalit's score for the cult classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was a massive success, and is remembered as one of the all-time best Bollywood soundtracks, earning them another nomination at the Filmfare,Some of their best known films are . Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) ,Yes boss 1997, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Mohabbatein, (2000),Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Hum Tum (2004), Chalte Chalte (2003) and Fanaa (2006), After working for almost 16 years together, they announced that they would be parting ways due to personal problems.
Song from Khamoshi 1996
Song from Hum Tum (2004)
The music directors duo consisting of Anand Shrivastav and his younger brother Milind. They have composed music for over 200 Bollywood films and are the sons of 1960s music director, Chitragupta.
They debuted in Ab Aayega Mazaa (1984) and rose to fame after the success of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988).Anand–Milind and lyricist Sameer created more than 950 songs together. Almost every film had Sameer doing the lyrics.Their compositions bore some resemblance to the Laxmikant-Pyarelal school of music, in the early 1990s.
They collaborated with David Dhawan on several hit soundtracks such as Swarg, Bol Radha Bol, Raja Babu, Eena Meena Deeka, Loafer, Coolie No.1, Hero No. 1 and Chal Mere Bhai. They also composed hits for Govinda in Maha Sangram, Swarg, Jaan Se Pyaara, Baaz, Raja Babu (film), Kismat, Coolie No. 1, Chhote Sarkar, Hero No. 1, Banarasi Babu, Dulhe Raja, Rajaji, Aunty No. 1, Akhiyon Se Goli Maare and Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen.
Song from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
Song from Bol Radha Bol, 1992
Vishal Shekhar
The duo rose to prominence when they composed the songs for the film Jhankaar Beats which included the song "Tu Aashiqui Hai". They won the Filmfare RD Burman Award for New Music Talent for Jhankaar Beats. In 2005 they composed the songs for three films: Salaam Namaste, Dus and Bluffmaster.
Some of their Known films are Om Shanti Om (2007), Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008), Dostana (2008), Anjaana Anjaani (2010), Ra.One (2011), Student of the Year(2012),Chennai Express (2013), Bang Bang! (2014), Happy New Year (2014),Sultan (2016) and Befikre (2016)
Song from Jhankaar Beats.2003
Song from Sultan (2016)
Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
This is not a duo but a musical trio consisting of Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa. Composers who have composed music for over 50 soundtracks across five languages - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and English. Among the most critically acclaimed Indian musicians. The trio have won numerous awards, including National Film Award (India), Filmfare Awards, IIFA Awards.
Shankar Ehsaan and Loy came up from the ranks of the non-film music scene, performing rock, blues, jazz and pop before entering the film music industry.Their first Hindi film was Dus 1n 1997 but became famous from Dil Chahta Hai 2001.
Following Dil Chahta Hai, their next big venture was Dharma Productions' Kal Ho Naa Ho, directed by Nikhil Advani. The album broke all the previous records as a best-selling album. The music won many awards including the National Film Award for Best Music Direction.The year 2005 saw them collaborate with Shaad Ali for Bunty Aur Babli.The soundtrack, despite the initial mixed reaction from various critics, became immensely popular among the public, and went on to win several awards including Filmfare and IIFA awards. The song "Kajra Re" featuring Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan and Amitabh Bachchan became a rage among the listeners.
Some of their best known films are Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna,Don,Jhoom Barabar Jhoom,Taare Zameen Par ,Rock On,My Name Is Khan ,Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Song from Dil Chahta Hai 2001
Song from Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna 2006
The other Music Director Duos are Sonik Omi, Sapan Jagmohan, Dilip Sen Samir Sen, Salim Suleiman, Sajid Wazid, Sanjiv Darshan and Ajay Atul
