By Subramanian Natesan
Shanker jaikishen have many firsts in filmdom.The 1st Englsh film by an Indian music director was Tarzan goes to India( 1964) had music by the duo.They didn’t stop with that.In 1970 they scored the music for another English film Bombay Talkie by Merchant Ivory Productions. The film starred the star couple sashikapoor and Jennifer kendl.The film had only four songs.The title music itself was a novelty.Normally in SJ films the title Music will have the tune of title or theme song or the would-be -hit song of the film or a few songs of the film.Here Jaikishen making himself as a singer hums a tune throughout the title card show time interspersed with music and it is quite scintillating too. This was only film wherein he has crooned..Rafi’s song a romantic one ‘Tum mere pyar ki was full of modulations and variations and as usual he sings with gusto.A dùet by kishore and asha Typewriter tip tip karta hai was a popular song.
One more novelty they tried here is that they engaged the then Usha Iyer (now Usha uthup) who then was only a stage singer singing Indian pop,jaaz etc in the stage alone.They brought her to the film world and gave her two pop songs “Hari om tatsat’ and Good times and Bad times’ which were sung by her in her own fervor and style.They became great hits because of which she was assigned by the music directors like RDB, Bappie lahiri etc who were trying their hands in western music very often.Such is the creativity of the duo who are always thinking about bringing new materials in their music.
In the photo we can see Hasrat sitting and verifying the lyrics and the young Usha Iyer (Usha uthup) and jaikishen and others.
SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN 