The Magical Raj Kapoor Partnership

Shailendra’s
songs
were
attuned
to
Raj
Kapoor’s
explorations
of
the
themes
and
dreams
of
the
Everyman.


Rediff.com
begins
celebrations
of
the
Great
Showman’s
birth
centenary
on
December
14
with
this
Dinesh
Raheja
gem.

Hindi
cinema’s
most
celebrated
film-maker-lyricist

jugalbandi
was
between
a
flamboyant
showman,
Raj
Kapoor,
and
an
introverted
poet,
Shailendra.

Their
yin
and
yang
balanced
perfectly
in
classic
film
soundtracks
throughout
the
1950s
and
1960s.

Several
beloved,
era-defining
songs
such
as

Awara
Hoon,
Barsaat
Mein
Humse
Mile
Tum
Sajan,
Ramaiya
Vastavaiyya,
Bol
Radha
Bol
Sangam
Hoga
Ke
Nahin
and

Pyar
Hua
Iqrar
Hua
are
the
result
of
this
creative
collaboration.

Kapoor’s
curatorial
ear
for
music
and
lyrics
nourished
Shailendra’s
talents
at
a
time
when
both
had
artistic
fires
in
their
bellies.

Shailendra’s
acute
sensitivity
and
emotionalism
led
to
writing
that
dazzled
with
lyrical
lustre,
and
Kapoor
had
the
ability
to
transform
it
into
cinematic
poetry.

Most
remarkably,
while
their
songs
were
immensely
popular,
they
also
had
deeply
felt
lines
that
resonated.

This
resulted
in
an
unique
comingling
of
art
and
popular
appeal.

Songs
with
catchy,
opening
hook-lines
astutely
made
the
philosophy
of
subsequent
stanzas
more
digestible.

Take
for
example
the
anthemic

Mera
Joota
Hai
Japani
from

Shri
420
(1955)
which
is
much
more
than
a
song
filled
with
nationalistic
fervour.

Its
verse
reminds
us
that
change
is
a
constant…

Oopar
Neeche
Neeche
Oopar,
Lehar
Chale
Jeevan
Ki

Nadaan
Hai
Jo
Baith
Kinare,
Poochhe
Raah
Watan
Ki

…Before
denouncing
stasis
and
exhorting
propulsive
movement
as
the
only
way
to
navigate
life’s
peaks
and
valleys.

Chalna
Jeevan
Ki
Kahani,
Rukna
Maut
Ki
Nishaani

Sar
Par
Lal
Topi
Russi,
Phir
Bhi
Dil
Hai
Hindustani

Over
time,
the
Kapoor-Shailendra
team
grew
inextricably
interlinked
(though
both
did
independent
work
with
other
creators
too),
so
much
so
that
in
a
case
of
cosmic
irony,
Shailendra
passed
way
in
1966
on
Kapoor’s
birthday.

Fittingly,
Shailendra
also
embarked
on
his
film
career
with
Kapoor.

In
the
late
1940s,
a
23-year-old
Kapoor
was
making
his
directorial
debut
with

Aag
when
he
heard
Shailendra,
an
Indian
Railways
employee,
recite
an
inflammatory
poem,

Jalta
Hai
Punjab
at
a
function,
and
was
impressed.

In
all
fidelity
to
true
art,
Shailendra
refused
Kapoor’s
offer
to
write
songs
for
his
film.

However,
when
he
urgently
needed
money
after
the
birth
of
his
son,
Shailendra
approached
Kapoor
who
was
then
directing
his
sophomore
effort,

Barsaat
(1949).

For
a
sum
of
Rs
500,
Shailendra
penned

Barsaat
Mein
Humse
Mile
Tum
and

Patli
Qamar
Hai.

These
warm-souled
love
songs
written
straight-from-the-heart
were
in
simple,
yet
extremely
effective
Hindustani
and
went
on
to
become
Shailendra’s
defining
characteristic.

The

Barsaat
numbers
were
superhits;
and
a
new
partnership
was
born.

For
Kapoor’s
next
blockbuster,

Awara,
Shailendra
again
authored
the
title
song.

An
overjoyed
Kapoor
started
extolling
Shailendra
as
‘Kaviraj’
after
he
imaginatively
encapsulated
the
lead
character’s
dichotomous
personality
with
just
the
song’s
opening
line:

Awara
Hoon

Ya
Gardish
Mein
Hoon
Aasmaan
Ka
Taara
Hoon.

Using
the
cadences
and
idioms
of
contemporaneous
everyday
Hindi,
Shailendra’s
songs
were
attuned
to
Kapoor’s
explorations
of
the
themes
and
dreams
of
the
Everyman.

In
the
much-vaunted

Awara
dream
sequence

Ghar
aaya
mera
pardesi,
Kapoor
and
Shailendra
begin
with
the
protagonist
lamenting,
‘Yeh
nahin
hai
zindagi
…
mujhko
chahiye
bahar‘.
Under
Kapoor’s
direction,
Shailendra’s
words
about
the
common
man’s
aspirations
became
a
microcosm
for
society.

In
an
unprecedented
turn
of
events,

Awara
proved
hugely
popular
in
Russia
as
well,
and
had
two
nations
singing
to

Awara
Hoon.

Shailendra
was
now
an
ineluctable
part
of
the
RK
banner’s
music
team
comprising
composing
duo
Shankar-Jaikishan
and
fellow
lyricist
Hasrat
Jaipuri.

Notably,
the
two
lyricists
worked
so
companionably
alongside
each
other
that
when
Shailendra
produced

Teesri
Kasam,
he
had
Hasrat
author
the
beautiful
number

Duniya
Bananewale.

Interestingly,
Shailendra
was
even
convinced
to
appear
on
screen
and
lip
sync
his
song

Chali
Kaun
Se
Desh
in
Kapoor’s
production

Boot
Polish
(1954).

Shailendra
contributed
a
diverse
clutch
of
songs
also
to
RK
films
that
Kapoor
did
not
direct.

The
Boot
Polish
(1954)
gem

Nanhe
Munne
Bacche
is
an
ode
to
children’s
dignity
(Bheekh
Mein
Jo
Moti
Mile
Toh
Bhi
Hum
Na
Lenge).

The

Jagte
Raho
(1956)
song

Jaago
Mohan
Pyaare
is
an
ode
to
daybreak
replete
with
delicately
metaphorical
lines
such
as

Kiran
Pari
Gagri
Chhalkaye,
Jyot
Ka
Pyaasa
Pyaas
Bujhaye.

Under
Kapoor’s
direction,
Shailendra’s
songs
could
weave
gossamer
magic
onscreen
with
romantic
duets
such
as

Shri
420‘s

Pyar
Hua
Iqrar
Hua
which
has
the
immortal
line:

Hum
Na
Rahenge
Tum
Na
Rahoge,
Phir
Bhi
Rahegi
Nishaniyan.

In
the
same
film,
the
song

Dil
Ka
Haal
Sune
Dilwale
cleverly
reflected
their
creative
philosophy
in
the
line:

Seedhi
Si
Baat
Na
Mirch
Masala,
Kehke
Rahega
Kehnewala.

As
per
the
Showman’s
initial
strategy,
Shankar
Jaikishan
and
Shailendra
didn’t
work
for
films
that
Kapoor
acted
in
outside
his
banner.

After
seven
years,
the
rule
was
broken
with

Chori
Chori
(1956)
which
yielded
a
rich
dessert
of
sweet-tempered
songs
such
as

Yeh
Raat
Bheegi
Bheegi
with
a
high
quotient
of
romantic
enchantment.

Universal
love
was
the
dominant
theme
in
Shailendra’s
songs
for

Anari
(1959)
and

Jis
Desh
Mein
Ganga
Behti
Hai
(1960),
and
they
played
a
tremendous
role
in
articulating
Kapoor’s
onscreen
persona.

Anari‘s
big-hearted
classic

Kisiki
Muskurahaton
Pe
Ho
Nisaar,
Kisika
Dard
Mil
Sake
Toh
Le
Idhar
remains


a
perennial
favourite
till
date.

This
team’s
creations
had
heft
and
attitude
yet
consistently
avoided
a
platitude
problem.
They
could
present
a
similar
worldview
in
a
multitudinous
manner,
each
as
beautiful
as
the
last:
The

Jis
Desh
Mein
Ganga
Behti
Hai
title
song
espouses:

Miljul
Ke
Raho
Aur
Pyar
Karo,
Ik
Cheez
Yehi
Toh
Rehti
Hai.

Begaani
Shaadi
Mein
Abdullah
Deewana
eulogises
participation
in
other
people’s
happiness
as
Kapoor
dances
to

Shaadi
Kisiki
Ho
Apna
Dil
Gaata
Hai.

The
film
explored
dacoit
reformation,
and
a
rare
sympathy
and
recognition
of
human
frailty
informs
the
song

Aa
Ab
Laut
Chale
which
acknowledges:

Sahej
Hai
Seedhi
Raah
Pe
Chalna

Dekhke
Uljhan
Bachke
Nikalna

Koi
Yeh
Chahe
Maane
Na
Maane

Bahut
Hai
Mushkil
Gir
Ke
Sambhalna

Kapoor’s
close
association
with
Shailendra
hit
another
peak
with

Sangam
(1964),
a
soundtrack
studded
with
crowd-pleasing
nuggets
such
as

Dost
Dost
Na
Raha,
Har
Dil
Jo
Pyar
Karega
and

O
Mere
Sanam.

Sangam
was
a
smash
hit,
but
success
was
not
fated
for
Shailendra’s
ill-starred
production
of
the
Raj
Kapoor
starrer,

Teesri
Kasam
(1966),
though
it
was
embellished
with
some
lustrous
gems
like

Sajan
Re
Jhooth
Mat
Bolo
and

Paan
Khaye
Saiyan
Hamaro.

Shailendra
had
wanted
to
make
a
film
of
artistic
merit
and
insisted
on
a
sad
ending,
but
film
production
was
not
for
him.

The
film
dragged
on
for
four
years
and
Shailendra
ran
into
financial
problems.

Death
had
been
a
recurring
motif
in
many
a
Shailendra
soul-stirring
song
for
Kapoor
(Khud
Hi
Mar
Mitne
Ki
Yeh
Zid
Thi
Hamari).

There
was
always
the
knowledge
of
the
transience
of
life
(Chhotisi
Yeh
Zindagani
Re,
Kaahe
Maan
Kare,
Abhimaan
Kare,
Mehman
Tujhe
Ek
Din
Toh
Hai
Jaana).

The
poet’s
soul
could
not
withstand
the
crash
of
his
debut
production
and
Shailendra
passed
away
in
1966.

He
was
just
43
years
old.

Kapoor
cancelled
all
his
birthday
celebrations.

Though
both
Kapoor
and
Shailendra
are
no
more,
their
incredible
repertoire
continues
to
resonate
with
audiences

Their
song
from

Anari
eloquently
posits
the
last
word
on
their
legacy:

Ke
Marke
Bhi
Kisiko
Yaad
Aayenge.