Laxmikant Pyarelal
Laxmikant and Pyarelal got an opportunity for the first time to give
music independently in the film
Parasmani directed by Babubhai Mistry in 1963. They stated the music
director's name as
Laxmikant-Pyarelal (LP in short). The rhythmic music given by LP for
this B-Grade mythological
film became immensely popular. Songs like Hastaa Hua Nurani Chehera,
Wo Jab Yaad Aaye, Mere
Dil Mein Halki Si from this film are hummed by people 35 years later
even to this day.
LP did songs in a series of B-Grade films after this such as Tum Gagan
Ke Chandramaa Ho and
Jeevandor Tum Sang Baandhi from the film Sati-Saavitri; Jyot Se Jyot
Jalaane Chalo from the film
Sant Gyaneshwar; Mere Meheboob Kayamat Hogi, Khoobsurat Hasina and
Chali Re Gori from the
film Mr. X in Bombay; Ajnabi Tum Jaane Pehechane Se from the film Ustaadon
Ke Ustaad. All
these sweet and melodious songs became immensely popular.
However LP got their real big break in 1964 with their film Dosti from
Rajshri Productions. The
music of Dosti kept LP in the leading position in film music even after
30 years! The LP era had
now begun even when other older and established music directors of
the golden era were still very
much active. Unforgettable songs from Dosti such as Jaanewale Jara,
Mere To Jo Bhi Kadam
Hain, Chahunga Main Tujhe and Meri Dosti Mera Pyaar led LP to their
first Filmfare Award.
After this victorious feat LP and success went together without a break
or
loss of continuity. Names of a few films with hit music such as Anita,
Izzat,
Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Milan, Abhinetri, Shagird, Jeene Ki Raaha, Do Raaste,
Piya Ka Ghar, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Shor, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Aan
Milo Sajna, Meheboob Ki Mehendi, Imtihaan, Khilona, Majboor,
Dharam-Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Roti, Prem Kahani, Anurodh, Satyam
Shivam Sundaram, Amar Akbar Anthony, Gautam Govinda, Aasha, Badaltey
Rishtey, Suhaag, Desh Premee, Sargam, Karz, Kranti, Prem Rog, Ek Duje
Ke Liye, Ek Hi Bhool, Sur Sangam, Hero, Pyar Jhukta Naheen, Utsav,
Aakhri
Raasta, Agnipath, Inquilaab, Hum, Tezaab, Naam, Meri Jung, Ram Lakhan,
Chalbaaz, Ajooba, Mr. India, Khuda Gawaah, Saudagar, Khalnayak, Bhairavi
etc. and many many
more are enough to realize the potential of the LP duo to churn out
hit music over a continious
stretch in time. The pair gave music to approximately 500 films in
the 35 year span. Most of the
composed songs carried the fragrance of beautiful melody. From Dosti
to Khalnayak LP won Gold
Discs for 32 films.
The LP style of music in their earlier days was highly inspired by the
style of the old music director
maestro duo Shankar Jaikishen. In fact Laxmikant was a die-hard fan
of ShankarJaikishen. It is
said that Shankar even had changed his orchestration once in order
not to sound like LP's! LP in
their olden days have even made a few foot-tapping western rock &
roll type melodies in films such
as Shagird which became immensely popular besides songs based on classical,
semi-classical
and folk tunes. As the times demanded LP even gave some good disco
music in films such as
Karz.
Laxmikant used to take care of the tune and melody while Pyarelal used
to look after the orchestra
arrangement. The two never interfered with each others job. This used
to give rise to a healthy
competition minus jealousy between the two. It was also the reason
for yielding such good music.
Laxmikant Pyarelal were primarily responsible for eliminating the dominance
of the older music
directors such as C. Ramchandra, Naushad, Shankar-Jaikishen etc. LP
gave tough competition to
other brilliant music directors of their times such as R. D. Burman
and Kalyanji-Anandji who were
relatively left with lesser work and fewer films. However this did
not mean that LP had unhealthy
relations with these. In fact R. D. Burman and Laxmikant were very
good friends.
Big and successful film directors right from Raj Kapoor, Manmohan
Desai, Manoj Kumar, Raj Khosla to Subhash Ghai believed in LP's music.
In return LP give them excellent music. It is even said that Laxmikant
resolved the small tiff that existed between the two greats Lata
Mangeshkar and Raj Kapoor before making Lata sing the songs of RK's
film Bobby. Lata had not been singing for Raj Kapoor for some years until
Bobby came along.
Unlike most other music directors of their times, LP did not have any
reservations about getting songs sung from specific singers only. Singers
were selected on the
basis of the type of song and the character for whom the playback was
to be given were All singers
such as Lata, Asha, Rafi, Mukesh and Kishore have equally sung for
LP. Even Manna Dey, Hemant
Kumar and Mahendra Kapoor have performed for LP.
Many of today's successful singers were given big breaks by Laxmikant
Pyarelal. A few such
names are Shailendra, Kavita Krishnamurty, Mohd. Aziz, Suresh Wadkar
and Shabbir Kumar who
have sung many songs under LP's baton that helped them rise in their
career. Even today's other
singers such as Alka Yagnik, Kumar Sanu, Abhijeet, Vinod Rathod, Roop
Kumar Rathod, Sonu
Nigam and Udit Narayan have sung in LP's songs.
The secret of LP's success lied in accurate division of work,
non-interference in each other's work, simple melodious hummable tunes,
huge orchestra, hypnotising rhythm of the percussion instrument Dholak
(that LP used in most of their songs) and the orchestra conduction that
was
identified with Pyarelal's beautiful style.
Another reason was the ability to give music that would exactly suit the
film
and the particular situation being shown. Not all music directors are capable
of this. LP believed firmly that good music was a necessary ingredient
in
order to make a successful film.
Lyricist Anand Bakshi has worked maximum with LP and written beautiful
lyrics for the duo, although LP have also worked with other great lyricists
such as Sahir, Majrooh, Rajender Krishen, Pradeep, Gulzar, Jaaved and
many others.
Around 1990, a small rift had developed between Laxmikant and Pyarelal
that was almost about to split the two of them. This was however prevented
from happening by Lata Mangeshkar, Naushad, Subhash Ghai and a few
others.
Recently in 1998, music of the film Deewana Mastana carrying LP's music
had become popular.
Another film directed by Manoj Kumar named Jai-Hind-The-Pride also
carries music by LP.
Laxmikant Pyarelal were extremely warm and knew the art of professional
communication and
maintaining suitable publicity.
Laxmikant Pyarelal have always successfully faced the challenge of the
changing trends of film
music for the 35 year period 1963 to 1998.They suitably changed the
sound of their
musicaccording to the times leaving the quality of melody intact.
They always beleived in making
the best of what kind of music the film and public really requiredd
and accordingly changed thier
music pattern for every film. However what LP really never understood
was the mass coping trend
that started to gain strong ground from the mid-nineties. LP were not
the kinds who could striaght
away lift western or pakistani or south indian tunes and fit
hindi lyrics on them and call it their own
music. LP of-cours have on a few occasions composed music based on
a western style but they
have never ever lifted an entire tune and made a hindi song on it.
Therefore they were very silent in
this phase.
Besides that, in these times of A.R. Rahman, Anu Malik, Jatin Lalit,
Nadeem Shravan etc. LP
seemed to have taken a back seat, but the reason for this this
besides those mentioned above is
Laxmikant's physical kidney illness. An illness of this nature definitely
is not something that would
have developed in a short course of time. I but it must have had an
intensifying effect over the
years. It is this illness which eventually took him away from
all of us.
However I firmly do beleive that the best of Laxmikant Pyarelal is still
to come. We still do have
Pyarelal with us. Pyarelal is a a complete composer/ music director
besides having a great
knowledge of conducting a large orchestra. No other active music director
in today's date can
parallel up to Pyarelal in this aspect. Laxmikant is no more, but Pyarelal
is no less.
I hope that the Hindi film industry gives this living legend meny more
opportunities to compose
great melodies for us.