Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Laxmikant–Pyarelal | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | L-P, Laxmi–Pyare |
Genres | Film score, film songs |
Occupation(s) | Composer, music director, orchestrator, conductor |
Years active | 1963 | –1998
Laxmikant–Pyarelal were an Indian composer duo, consisting of Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar (1937–1998) and Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (born 1940).[1] In their career span stretching from 1963 to 1998, they composed music for about 750 movies, working with prominent film-makers.[2]
Early life
Laxmikant
Laxmikant | |
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Birth name | लक्ष्मीकांत शांताराम कुडाळकर (Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar) |
Born | Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India (now Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) | 3 November 1937
Died | 25 May 1998 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | (aged 60)
Years active | 1947–1998 |
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar was born on the day of Laxmi Pujan, Dipawali on 3 November 1937. Probably, because of the day of his birth, his parents named him Laxmikant, which is a name of Lord Vishnu, consort of Goddess Laxmi. His father died when he was a child. Because of the poor financial condition of the family he could not complete his academic education either.[3] Laxmikant's father's friend, a musician himself, advised Laxmikant and his elder brother to learn music. Accordingly, Laxmikant learned to play the mandolin and his elder brother learned to play the tabla. He spent two years in the company of the well-known mandolin player Hussain Ali. He began organising and performing in Indian Classical instrumental music concerts to earn some money. Later, in the 1940s, he also learned mandolin from Bal Mukund Indorker and violin from Husnalal (of the Husanlal Bhagatram fame). Laxmikant began his film career as a child actor in the films Bhakt Pundalik (1949) and Aankhen (1950). He also acted in some Gujarati films.[4]
Pyarelal
Pyarelal | |
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Birth name | Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma |
Born | Bombay, Bombay Province, British India | 3 September 1940
Years active | 1952–present |
Awards | Padma Bhushan (2024) |
Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma (born 3 September 1940) is the son of a renowned trumpeter Pandit Ramprasad Sharma (popularly known as Babaji), who taught him the basics of music. He started learning violin at the age of 8 and practised it 8 to 12 hours daily. He learnt to play violin from a Goan musician named Anthony Gonsalves. The song "My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves" from the movie Amar Akbar Anthony is regarded as a tribute to Mr. Gonsalves (the movie had music by Laxmikant–Pyarelal).[5]
Music career
1960s: Early works and rise to prominence
Laxmikant-Pyarelal begin their career in 1963 by composing music for Babubhai Mistri's Parasmani. It proved to be financially successful and one song from the film, "Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra, Kali Zulfen, Rang Sunehra", a duet by Lata Mangeshkar and Kamal Barot was a superhit and topped the musical charts that year.[6][7] They established themselves the following year when they composed the soundtrack of Rajshri Productions's blockbuster musical drama film Dosti.[8] Its songs, "Jaanewalon Zara Mudke Dekho Mujhe", "Chaahunga Main Tujhe Sanjh Savere", "Mera To Jo Bhi Kadam Hai", "Koi Jab Raah Na Paaye", all solos by Mohammed Rafi were chartbusters which made Dosti one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1960s and won Laxmikant-Pyarelal their maiden Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.[9][10] Apart from Dosti, their other musical hits during this period were Mr. X in Bombay (1964) and Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966), both of which had chartbuster songs, such as "Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi" in the former and "Mere Dushman", "Yeh Kali Jab Talak" in the latter.[1]
The late-1960s changed the trajectory of Laxmikant-Pyarelal's career and brought them into the big league. In 1967, they scored music for Shagird, Patthar Ke Sanam, Night in London, Milan and Farz, all of which were among the top-earners of the year, which was attributed to their melodious soundtrack, especially the Jeetendra starrer spy thriller Farz whose songs, such as "Baar Baar Din Ye Aaye – Happy Birthday To You", "Hum To Tere Aashiq Hain", "Mast Baharon Ka Main Aashiq" and "Tumse O Haseena" were rage among the masses and made its soundtrack one of the best-selling Hindi film album of the 1960s.[9] For the Sunil Dutt fronted reincarnation drama Milan, they received their second Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.[11] Two songs from the film "Sawan Ka Mahina" and "Yug Yug Se", both duets by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar topped the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala.[12]
Laxmikant-Pyarelal concluded the decade with Mere Hamdam Mere Dost (1968), Izzat (1968), Intaqam (1969), Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969), Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke (1969), Jeene Ki Raah (1969) and Do Raaste (1969).[13] While, the first five albums were hits, the last two proved to be huge chartbusters.[9] The music of Do Raaste was such a rage that it helped the film to become the first Indian film to gross £100,000 in the UK, equivalent to ₹900,000 (US$118,940.64).[14] Like previous years, in 1968 and 1969 too songs composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, including "Chhalka Yeh Jaam", "Yeh Dil Tum Bin Kahin Lagta Nahin", "Kya Miliye Aise Logon Se", "Kaise Rahoon Chup Ki Meine Pee Hi Kya Hai", "Aa Mere Hamjolee Aa Khele Aankh Michaulee Aa", "Je Ham Tum Chori Se Bandhe Ek Dori Se", "Aane Se Uske Aaye Bahar", "Bindiya Chamke Gi Chudi Khanke Gi" topped the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala.[15] At the 17th Filmfare Awards, they got nominated in the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director category for both Jeene Ki Raah and Do Raaste and won it for the former.[16] The success of these films and their soundtrack made Laxmikant-Pyarelal the leading composers of the time, eventually overtaking Shankar-Jaikishan, who ruled the roost from 1949 onwards.[1]
1970s: Competition from R.D. Burman
In the early-1970s, Laxmikant-Pyarelal faced competition from R. D. Burman whose Electronic rock revolutionized the Hindi film music and he emerged as top favorite of the then superstar Rajesh Khanna and filmmakers, such as Shakti Samanta, Nasir Hussain, Ravikant Nagaich and Gulzar and composed for majority of their films.[17][18]
Despite the competition, Laxmikant-Pyarelal continued to deliver music for major blockbusters, including Satyen Bose's crime drama Jeevan Mrityu (1970) and Raj Khosla's action drama Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), both starring Dharmendra along with Mukul Dutt's romantic drama Aan Milo Sajna (1970) and M. A. Thirumugam's comedy drama Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), both having Rajesh Khanna in the lead.[19][20] The soundtracks of Aan Milo Sajna and Jeevan Mrityu were highly successful and two of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the year, respectively.[21] On the other hand, the music of Haathi Mere Saathi was a bigger chartbuster and among the best-selling Bollywood albums of the 1970s.[21] In 1972, they composed for Manoj Kumar's third directional venture Shor.[22] One of its song "Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai", a duet by Mangeshkar and Mukesh with lyrics written by Santosh Anand remains an evergreen classic and got Laxmikant-Pyarelal another nomination in the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director category.[16]
The year 1973 proved to be milestone year in their career as they got the chance to compose for Raj Kapoor's romantic musical Bobby.[23] The songs of the film like "Main Shayar To Nahin", "Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho", "Mujhe Kuchh Kehna Hai", "Na Mangun Sona Chandi" were huge chartbusters and remain popular till date.[24][13] The popularity of its songs made Bobby an All Time Blockbuster at the box office and its soundtrack, the best-selling Hindi film album of the decade.[25][21] Apart from Bobby, they also delivered blockbuster music for Yash Chopra's romantic drama Daag: A Poem of Love and A. Bhimsingh's actioner Loafer, both of which had memorable songs like "Ab Chahe Ma Roothe Yaa Baba" and "Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai" in the former, "Aaj Mausam Bada Be-Imaan Hai" and "Koi Shehri Babu" in the latter.[21][26] For Bobby and Daag, Laxmikant-Pyarelal received two more nominations in the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director category.[16] They continued their success streak in the mid-1970s by delivering notable songs in films, such as Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Dost (1974), Imtihan (1974), Roti (1974), Dulhan (1974), Prem Kahani (1975), Pratiggya (1975), Nagin (1976), Charas (1976) and Dus Numbri (1976). For Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Dulhan, they received two more nominations for Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.[16] Apart from critical appreciation and commercial success, the soundtrack of Roti Kapada Aur Makaan proved to be another feather in the cap of Laxmikant-Pyarelal as it emerged the fifth best-selling Hindi film album of the 1970s and its songs "Usane Kaha Tu Kaun Hai, Mahngai Maar Gai" and "Hai Hai Yeh Majburee" took 1st and 2nd spot at the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala, respectively.[21][27] Other memorable songs composed by the duo during this phase were - "Gaadi Bula Rahi Hain" (Dost), "Ruk Jana Nahin" (Imtihan), "Yeh Public Hai" (Roti), all solos by Kishore Kumar, "Gore Range Pe Na Itna" (Roti), "Prem Kahani Mein" (Prem Kahani), both duets by Kumar and Mangeshkar, "Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana" (Pratiggya), a solo by Rafi and "Yeh Duniya Ek Numbri" (Dus Numbri), a solo by Mukesh.[13][2]
The late-1970s saw the trend change from romantic to action oriented multi-starrers with filmmakers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra leading the road.[28] In 1977, Laxmikant-Pyarelal composed for four films of Manmohan Desai, which were - Amar Akbar Anthony, Parvarish, Dharam Veer and Chacha Bhatija. They made Mohammed Rafi sing majority of the songs as he was going through a rough patch owing to the meteoric rise of Kishore Kumar post-Aradhana (1969). At release, all the four films proved to be huge commercial successes, especially Amar Akbar Anthony and Dharam Veer, both of which were mega blockbusters.[29] The songs of Amar Akbar Anthony like "Parda Hai Parda", "Taiyabali Pyar Ka Dushman" and "Shirdi Wale Sai Baba", all three solos by Rafi were huge hits among the masses and marked his comeback.[30] The cherry on the top were the chartbuster songs of Dharam Veer, "O Meri Mehbooba" and "Mei Galiyon Ka Raja Tu Mehlo ki Rani", again both solos by Rafi.[31] The soundtracks of Amar Akbar Anthony and Dharam Veer were the 7th and 9th best-selling Hindi film album of the 1970s, respectively.[21] For the former, Laxmikant-Pyarelal won their fourth Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.[32] Their other hit songs of the year, include "Aate Jate Khoobsurat Awara" (Anurodh), "Dream Girl" (Dream Girl) and "Aadmi Musafir Hai" (Apnapan).[31]
1980s: Widespread success
After Laxmikant's death
After Laxmikant's death, Pyarelal has done some work independently. Yet, Pyarelal always used the name 'Laxmikant–Pyarelal' for all the future compositions. When the playback singer Kumar Sanu turned music director, he approached Pyarelal to arrange music for him. Pyarelal was approached to assist in the music of Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om song "Dhoom Tana". In 2009 Pyarelal won the Sachin Dev Burman International Award for Creative Sound and Music at the Pune Film Festival.[33] Pyarelal has done a show with Kakas Entertainment called Maestros: A musical Journey of Laxmikant–Pyarelal.[34]
Awards
- Wins
- 1965 – Best Music Director – Dosti[35]
- 1968 – Best Music Director – Milan
- 1970 – Best Music Director – Jeene Ki Raah
- 1978 – Best Music Director – Amar Akbar Anthony[36]
- 1979 – Best Music Director – Satyam Shivam Sundaram
- 1980 – Best Music Director – Sargam[16]
- 1981 – Best Music Director – Karz
- Nominations
- 1970 – Best Music Director – Do Raaste[16]
- 1973 – Best Music Director – Shor
- 1974 – Best Music Director – Bobby
- 1974 – Best Music Director – Daag: A Poem of Love
- 1975 – Best Music Director – Roti Kapada Aur Makaan[16]
- 1976 – Best Music Director – Dulhan
- 1980 – Best Music Director – Jaani Dushman
- 1981 – Best Music Director – Aasha
- 1982 – Best Music Director – Ek Duuje Ke Liye
- 1983 – Best Music Director – Prem Rog
- 1984 – Best Music Director – Hero
- 1986 – Best Music Director – Pyar Jhukta Nahin[16]
- 1986 – Best Music Director – Meri Jung
- 1986 – Best Music Director – Sur Sangam
- 1989 – Best Music Director – Tezaab
- 1990 – Best Music Director – Ram Lakhan
- 1992 – Best Music Director – Saudagar
- 1994 – Best Music Director – Khalnayak[37]
Achievements
- Bobby has been rated the 17th best soundtrack ever by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks".[38] Other soundtracks in the list include Amar Akbar Anthony (25), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (27), Dosti (32), Hero (36), Ek Duuje Ke Liye (44), Karz (50), Ram Lakhan (59), Kranti (61), Tezaab (65), Do Raaste (74), Milan (75), Khalnayak (77) and Prem Rog (85).
Discography
References
- ^ a b c "How did Laxmikant-Pyarelal end Shankar-Jaikishan era in Bollywood? Happier, cheaper music". ThePrint. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Review: Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal by Rajiv Vijayakar". 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Remembering Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar from the famous music director duo Laxmikant–Pyarelal on his 19th death anniversary". 25 May 2017.
- ^ Ashok Da. Ranade (1 January 2006). Hindi Film Song: Music Beyond Boundaries. Bibliophile South Asia. pp. 310–. ISBN 978-81-85002-64-4.
- ^ Gitanjali Roy (8 May 2013). "10 things you didn't know about Amar Akbar Anthony". NDTV Movies. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
- ^ Special effects
- ^ Lata's interview
- ^ "Top Small Films In History: Uri - The Surgical Strike Fourth". 4 April 2019.
- ^ a b c "Music Hits 1960–1969". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- ^ "Filmfare Awards (1965)".
- ^ "Filmfare Awards (1968)".
- ^ Reliving the Geetmala lore. S.K. Screen, Friday, 22 September 2000, transcript available online at "Ameen Sayani/Press Reviews". Archived from the original on 5 September 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2006., accessed online on 29 July 2006
- ^ a b c "The best of Laxmikant-Pyarelal's Hindi film music from 1960s to 1990s". 16 February 2024.
- ^ "United Kingdom Evolution - £100k To £4 Million Of Pathaan". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Binaca Geetmala (1969)".
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Filmfare Awards (1953–2005)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2007.
- ^ "RD Burman". Outlook. 46 (26–38). Hathway Investments. 2006.
- ^ "The unforgettable music Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and RD Burman created together". 19 July 2012.
- ^ "An Action Hero Is Very Dull - Drishyam 2 Is One Horse Race". 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Jai Ho Ends Salman Khan Run – Second Best Of All Time". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Music Hits 1970-1979". Box Office India. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010.
- ^ "Shor (Audio Jukebox)".
- ^ "The MAGIC OF Laxmikant-Pyarelal". 22 November 2021.
- ^ "'Mein shayar toh nahi': A playlist for Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood's evergreen romantic". The Week. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "The Best Films Of Rishi Kapoor - Bobby Has Historic Numbers". boxofficeindia.com. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ "Binaca Geetmala (1973)".
- ^ "Binaca Geetmala (1975)".
- ^ "The champion of masala films, Manmohan Desai made Bollywood what it is today". 26 February 2020.
- ^ "Flashback 1977 - Trade Guide Classification". 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Mohammed Rafi's Voice Remains Eternal". 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Binaca Geetmala (1977)".
- ^ "Filmfare Awards (1978".
- ^ "Archive News". The Hindu.
- ^ "Top singers, 100 musicians at Laxmikant-Pyarelal concert - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com.
- ^ "Filmfare Awards (1965)".
- ^ "Filmfare Awards (1979".
- ^ "Juhi, Shah Rukh bag Filmfare Awards". The Indian Express. Bombay, India: Indian Express Limited. 14 February 1994. p. 9.
- ^ "100 Best Soundtracks". Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
8. https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/pyarelal-the-legend-grows/