from the ARCHIVES of http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/shankarjaikishan

“the only Music Director to whom I bow-down and respect was C. Ramchandra.”    SHANKER

 

 

Once while having a chat with Shankerji, long after Jai’s death, I asked him who do you think is the great Music Director? And his reply was “naturally Shanker-Jaikishan” but I continued probing, questioning and teasing him and then came his answer which I shall never forget. He mentioned: “the only Music Director to whom I bow-down and respect was C. Ramchandra.”

 

During 60s 2 similar tune-songs came: Ye mera diwanapan hai…(Yahudi) and the other: Dekh hame awaz na dena…(Amardeep).The first is of SJ and the second is of CR, but I am happy as well as proud to mention that none of them ever created a controversy about the similarity of the tunes and the media also did not comment on it.

Regards. Padmanabh K. Joshi

 

[Thread No.157, January 27, 2003]

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/shankarjaikishan/

 

JWALA

 

Like film Teesri Kasam, film Jwala also took almost a decade to complete due to many problems faced by the producer. While the film production was in its final stage, the great heroin Madhubala passed away. The last shots of Madhubala’s character was taken by having long shots of both Asha Parekh and one more actress but just now I don’t remember her name.During the same period Shailendraji also passed away, and Shankerji had a terrible time. And they chose to go to Rajendra Krishna. Shailendraji had already two songs in the movie. But musically I liked almost all the songs, especially ‘Dekhoji..” and an excellent classical raag based song. In this movie both S & J had worked together.  

Regards. Padmanabh K. Joshi

 

[Thread no.178 dt February3, 2003]

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/shankarjaikishan/

 

 

SJ and Rafi Saheb

 

During the time of Barsat, for the first time SJ composed a song and they told Raj Kapoor that the song had been composed for Mohmad Rafi, Raj immediately agreed and invited Rafi Saheb for a rehersal of the song. I have an audio of this incident in Shankerji’s voice where he explains exactly what happend. When Rafi Saheb arrived, according to Shankerji” main aur Jaikishan bahut razi ho gaye aur Rafi Miyan ko bola ke Rafi Miyan hum aapko kya rehersal karvayenge, hum aapko sirf ek he vinanti karte hai ke aap hamara ye gana hit kar do. Jab Rafi Miyan ne hamara gana suna to woh bahot razi huve aur jis tarah se usne ye gana gaya ke hum dono jaise pagal ho gaye. Bus us dinse hamara Rafi Miyan se rishta shuru huva jo unke ant tak chala. Kabhi kabhi mere aur Jaikishanke bich me koi matbhed ho jate aur Rafi Miyan ko malum hota to woh apni aur se aaker hum ko premse samjate….” I have tried to write in Hindi with a hope that you all will understand it. Rafi and SJ had a special kind of relationship. One more incident: in film Professor song Ai Gulbadan… its stanza was modified by SJ due to Rafi Saheb’s suggestion and recorded accordingly. In his best songs list Rafi selected film Seema’s Kanha ja raha hai…as number 2. I had seen both Shankerji and Jaikishanji recording with Rafi Saheb in a very informal way, without any formality. Many times Rafi Saheb suggested and it was appreciated and accepted by SJ.

 

Regards. Padmanabh K. Joshi

 

[Thread no.182, dt Feb 4, 2003]

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RAFI’S GENEROCITY

 

I was not a friend of Rafi Saheb but due to my presence in a number of song recordings and song rehersals, Rafi Saheb knew me as a lover of music and therefore, we sometimes used to chat. But my experience with him was that he was the greatest human being that the Hindi Film Industry had seen. I believe that such individuals are born once in a million years…. I can say that no Music Director remembers that due to financial reasons Rafi Saheb refused to sing for him or her. He was always particular that the lyricist clearly pronounced his song so that without any mistake Rafi Saheb would write in his Diary in Urdu. He also suggested that the lyricist remained during the recording so that no mistake in pronouncing/singing was committed. Once I remember there were 4 recordings in a day with Laxmikant-Pyarelal at Famous-Tardeo. The last was okeyed at 11:30pm, the film was Pyasi Sham, the song was Awara Maji….Next day Rafi Saheb was to leave for abroad for shows. After the recording I was to go to Vile Parla by local train from Mumbai Central. We came out of the recording room together, I said good bye to Rafi Saheb and he acknowledged, and asked me where I was going? So I replied: Vile Parla. He asked me how I was going? I said by local train. He said OK. He went to his car and I started walking and suddenly he called me and told me to come inside the car. I said Rafi Saheb please don’t bother. He said don’t worry. He took me to Bandra and he along with his brother-in-law got down from the car at his house and he instructed his driver to drop me at Parla. I don’t remember, except Shanker, Jaikishan and Shailendraji, anybody ever asked me or favoured me like Rafi Saheb. Once I was in his recording which he was to sing his first song with the new Bangladesh singer Runa Laila. Music Director was Bappi Laheri. It was a humourous song. Final rehersal was going on, but Rafi Saheb could not sing an aalap. After trying quite a few times he told Bappi Lahiri to call other singer. And the recording was ok. But he never felt that what the MD or the new singer would think of him. There are a number of incidents which I shall narrate in future. Rafi Saheb was the greatest singer among the singers.

 

Regards. Padmanabh K. Joshi

 

[Thread no.185, dt. Feb 5, 2003]

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/shankarjaikishan/

 

 

it was very much SJ who helped RD to become a MD

 

It was during the mid 60s when Pancham was seriously trying to come out as a successful Music Director. When Teesri Manzil was being planned some friends of Pancham heard the story of the film and told Pancham about it. Pancham had composed few tunes. Now the point was how to convince the Producer Nasir Hussain about giving a chance to Pancham. Finally few friends went to C. Ramchandra, a great Music Maestro, and informed him to help Pancham to get the film. As we know Shammi Kapoor always asked for SJ in his films. C. Ramchandra went to meet Jaikishan and told him to help Pancham by recommending him for Teesri Manzil. And it was Jaikishanji who not only convinced the Producer but also Shammi Kapoor about Pancham and finally, Pancham signed the contract. Pancham had publicly mentioned that SJ always inspired him for creating melodious music. So it was very much SJ who helped RD to become a MD. Still I have a very interesting anecdot about SJ and RD but that I shall narrate after sometime.

 

Regards.

Padmanabh K. Joshi

[Thread no.207, dt 17 Feb 2003]

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