The Vijay Anand collaboration: In 1970, as mentioned K.A. got an opportunity to compose for Vijay Anand's Johny Mera Naam. Every music director would know that that is a golden opportunity for their music to shine like never before. In my opinion, there could be no bigger honour for a music director than to compose for Vijay Anand, for you can be rest assured your music will be used in the film like never before and the picturization of the songs is going to take them to a different level altogether!
K.A. grabbed their golden chance with some evergreen hits like Pal Bhar Ke Liye, O Mere Raja, Nafrat Karne Walon Ke, Babul Pyare, Govind Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo and Husn Ke Laakhon Rang. While there is no doubt that the picturization of these songs is what has made them last in people's minds forever, just the songs as a whole would still make for a wonderful album had it been someone else at the helms apart from Vijay Anand. If there is one thing for which the credit can be totally attributed to K.A., it would have to be the chilling background score. Johny Mera Naam is regarded as one of the best thrillers of all time, and any layman would also know how critical background music is to a film of this genre! Right from when the credits appear in the movie till the movie ends, the background music keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. This movie is what established K.A. as the masters of the thriller genre, and it is probably why Vijay Anand repeated them for Blackmail.
If K.A. had just composed this one song from Blackmail in their entire career, they would still be regarded as top-class, simply because this song is probably one of the most romantic numbers ever! There is a reason why this song is perenially on every person's lips or mind, irrespective of age or region. The song of course is the beautiful Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. What K.A. also accomplished in Blackmail is give Shatrughan Sinha his most memorable song of his career - Sharbati Teri Aankhon Mein. A fun, crazy, Kishore Kumar romantic number, this was also the first ever time a song was picturized on Shatrughan!
The Prakash Mehra collaboration: Prakash Mehra signed K.A. for his very first directorial venture, Haseena Maan Jayegi, which became a box-office hit vastly due to it's superhit music as well as it's interesting screenplay and Shashi Kapoor's charm. With fun songs like Dilbar Dilbar and O Dilbar Jaaniye, Shashi Kapoor got some of his most recognizable songs. Bekhudi Mein Sanam was another lovely romantic composition. Just like Gopi, here too K.A. were given a special task of paying tribute. And it was none other than themselves in this case!!! Suno Suno saw Shashi Kapoor in one of his craziest getups, doing some wild things; all for some of K.A.'s songs reworded and remixed! Prakash Mehra's and K.A.'s was a partnership that would last till the fag end of Prakash Mehra's career.
Zanjeer came next and while Amitabh Bachchan took the nation by storm, it's music didn't go unnoticed and there is no reason why it should have. With songs like Yaari Hai Imaan Mera (possibly the best friendship song there has ever been), Diljalon Ka Dil Jala Ke (Bindu in one of her finest songs), Chakku Churiyaan Tez Kara Lo and Deewane Hain Deewanon Ko (two absolutely brilliant and totally different street songs), it is safe to say K.A. played just as big a part in making Prakash Mehra's masterpiece a big hit as they had earlier.
The Prakash Mehra - Amitabh Bachchan - K.A. combination continued with films like Hera Pheri (the title song being very well remembered even today) and then Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. Each song of the latter having a sad tone to it, K.A. outproved even themselves with this album, whether it be the title track of Rote Huye Aate Hai Sab or the other Kishore solo,O Saathi Re or the mesmerizing Salaam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan or the wonderfully crafted Dil to Hai Dil.
This combo then went on to make Lawaaris, which featured Amitabh as a playback singer for the first time with the ever-popular chartbuster, Mere Angne Mein Tumhara Kya Kaam Hai. This film is also famous for it's disco number, Apni To Jaise Taise and it's equally sober romantic number, Kab Ke Bichre Huye.
Apart from the Amitabh movies, K.A. served Prakash Mehra very well in other films as well, for example Haath Ki Safai which had some really sweet songs like Waada Karle Saajna and Hum Ko Mohabaat Ho Gayi Hai Tumse.
The Feroz Khan collaboration: When Feroz Khan acted in Safar, it was only two years before he would go on to direct his first film. What Safar must have done is re-affirm his decision that K.A. would be ideal for his first ever project - a musical duo that could never let him down. By then, K.A. had established themselves as the number one composers for thrillers as well, which would have only made Feroz Khan's job easier. And when Apradh hit the theatres, there would be no looking back for this team of Feroz and K.A. Songs like Tum Mile Pyar Se and Hamaare Siva Tumhare Kitne Deewane Hain are still popular and watching their videos is a real treat; after all they are some of the naughtiest romantic numbers ever!
However, as far as this combination goes, their best was yet to come.
Three years later came Feroz Khan's epic based on The Godfather, Dharmatma, and this was an album even K.A. would be very proud of. The music of this film reflected the film very well - both were all about style. Kya Khoob Lagti Ho is one of the most popular romantic numbers even today and will always remain one of the most stylishly shot songs ever. Each song of this film was a masterpiece; some that come in mind while typing are Tune Kisi Se Kabhi Pyar Kiya Hai and Tere Chehre Mein Woh Jaadu Hai. While the former is a very uniquely written romantic number aptly suiting the script situation (and it was a rather tough one - while it has to show the love of Rekha for Feroz, it has to also remind Feroz of his dead lover - so the music had to be romantic as well as have a sad nostalgic touch to it, at the same time), the latter is a song every girl would love to hear from a guy. This film also had possibly one of the first, and yet finest, 'gypsy'-style numbers with Mere Galiyon Se. Again, what transformed what would have been a very good movie into a terrific one was the thrilling background score. Watch out also for a cabaret number in this film that had no words and served it's purpose only with music.
The pair reunited for Qurbani, which was a revolution as far as music in the '80s goes. While songs like Aap Jaisa Koi and Laila O Laila were fantastic numbers shot in bars in disco style, there was also this extremely romantic number on the other hand - Hum Tumhe Chahte Hain Jaise, not to forget the title track which is as good a friendship song as the one in Zanjeer.
Their last pairing was in Jaanbaaz in 1986, which saw a very different 'avatar' of K.A. While songs like Har Kisi Ko Nahin Milta and Pyar Do Pyar Lo might have been totally 'hatke' and something totally unlike K.A. (more like something Bappi Lahiri or R.D.Burman would have done), there was no compromise on quality from their end. The story demanded steamy numbers, which would be picturized boldly, so the songs had to be enticing to say the least; and K.A. showed that they had moved on with the times and delivered just that!
The thriller genre: Come the 1970s and as mentioned, by then K.A. had established themselves as the most sought-after musical directors when the genre of the movie was thrill or suspense. Apart from the movies mentioned till now, K.A. reigned supreme in other thrillers of those times such as Victoria No. 203, which also had a recurring background theme like Johny Mera Naam and Sachcha Jhoota and also some very hit numbers, the most popular today being Do Bechare Bina Sahare, a fun number picturized on two character actors - Pran and Ashok Kumar. In fact, K.A. teamed up with the director of this movie on other occasions as well, such as Ek Se Badhar Ek, Kathputli (a drama from Brij, which was a deviation from his usual genre), Bombay 405 Miles and Chori Mera Kaam. All films had a rivetting background score and some hit numbers as well.
Gulzar signed K.A. for his thriller cum drama, Faraar. Again, composing for Gulzar's scripts is never easy because they come with so many layers, but nothing was too difficult for K.A, who justified the faith Gulzar showered on them. Gulzar didn't make too many thrillers and he always had R.D.Burman as his composer for most of his films, so when he finally made a movie about a policeman and his wife whose child is taken hostage by a murderer in their very own home, K.A. just had to deliver; and in what fine style they did. A very engrossing background score again, they also gave some superhit numbers like Main Pyaasa Tum Saawan.
K.A. gave another hit album in the form of Khoon Pasina, which had some huge hits like the title track, Khoon Pasine Ki Jo Milenge To Khayenge and Main Teri Ho Gayee Tu Mera Ho Gaya.
However, K.A.'s best for Amitabh Bachchan was yet to come - in 1978 came the cult classic, Don; and what is there to be said about this movie one already doesn't know. Each song of this film remains popular even today, be it Helen's famous item number to stall Amitabh while the police catch up on him, Ye Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana or the uneducated Amitabh singing Yeh Hai Bombai Nazariya Tu Dekh Babuya or about a woman seeking revenge, Zeenat singing Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezar or the very famous title track Main Hoon Don. But then, no mention of Don can be complete without the song that no one has dare change apart from just remixing it slightly when the movie was remade in various regional languages, as well as again in Hindi - Khaike Paan Banaraswala! Just this song is enough to demonstrate how much K.A. are actually present in our hearts and minds without us knowing it's them. I don't think there's any need to write about this song, and quite frankly, I don't think there are words to describe it as well!
Their other films: Despite all the work mentioned above, K.A. got offers from various other filmmakers as well. Some of the biggest blockbusters of those years or critically acclaimed movies of those times also had K.A. giving the score. While Hum Rahi, Do Anjaane, Joroo Ka Ghulam, Bairaag and Kalicharan had good scores, K.A. really shone in movies like Rafoo Chakkar which had some really fun numbers like Kisi Pe Dil Agar and Bombay Se Baroda Tak; Saraswatichandra, which had some of the most beautiful and soothing songs ever like Chandan Sa Badan and Phool Tumhe Bheja Hai Khat Mein; and Kora Kaagaz which won K.A. their only Filmfare Award. A beautiful, smart and highly emotional film, K.A.'s music immortalized the film with songs like Mera Jeeven Kora Kagaz, Roothe Roothe Piya and Mere Padhne Mein Nahin.
Viju Shah: Kalyanji's son, Viju Shah, began his Bollywood career as a music director with a bang with Tridev, maintained his tempo with Vishwaatma, Junoon and Yalgaar and followed up their success with even bigger hits like Mohra and Gupt, showing that when it comes to thrillers, he has inherited his genes from possibly the greatest of that genre. He gave chartbuster hits for films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Tere Mere Sapne, Dil Ka Rishta and Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat.
Looking at the filmography of Kalyanji-Anandji, it is really a wonder how this duo could only land up with one Filmfare Award and one other Filmfare Nomination in their entire career. Looks like it's not just the audience who have not given them their due, but the critics as well. As I started off this lengthy article, there are some unsung heroes in every film industry. There are several in Bollywood and Kalyanji-Anandji are just two of them.
K.A. grabbed their golden chance with some evergreen hits like Pal Bhar Ke Liye, O Mere Raja, Nafrat Karne Walon Ke, Babul Pyare, Govind Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo and Husn Ke Laakhon Rang. While there is no doubt that the picturization of these songs is what has made them last in people's minds forever, just the songs as a whole would still make for a wonderful album had it been someone else at the helms apart from Vijay Anand. If there is one thing for which the credit can be totally attributed to K.A., it would have to be the chilling background score. Johny Mera Naam is regarded as one of the best thrillers of all time, and any layman would also know how critical background music is to a film of this genre! Right from when the credits appear in the movie till the movie ends, the background music keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. This movie is what established K.A. as the masters of the thriller genre, and it is probably why Vijay Anand repeated them for Blackmail.
If K.A. had just composed this one song from Blackmail in their entire career, they would still be regarded as top-class, simply because this song is probably one of the most romantic numbers ever! There is a reason why this song is perenially on every person's lips or mind, irrespective of age or region. The song of course is the beautiful Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas. What K.A. also accomplished in Blackmail is give Shatrughan Sinha his most memorable song of his career - Sharbati Teri Aankhon Mein. A fun, crazy, Kishore Kumar romantic number, this was also the first ever time a song was picturized on Shatrughan!
The Prakash Mehra collaboration: Prakash Mehra signed K.A. for his very first directorial venture, Haseena Maan Jayegi, which became a box-office hit vastly due to it's superhit music as well as it's interesting screenplay and Shashi Kapoor's charm. With fun songs like Dilbar Dilbar and O Dilbar Jaaniye, Shashi Kapoor got some of his most recognizable songs. Bekhudi Mein Sanam was another lovely romantic composition. Just like Gopi, here too K.A. were given a special task of paying tribute. And it was none other than themselves in this case!!! Suno Suno saw Shashi Kapoor in one of his craziest getups, doing some wild things; all for some of K.A.'s songs reworded and remixed! Prakash Mehra's and K.A.'s was a partnership that would last till the fag end of Prakash Mehra's career.
Zanjeer came next and while Amitabh Bachchan took the nation by storm, it's music didn't go unnoticed and there is no reason why it should have. With songs like Yaari Hai Imaan Mera (possibly the best friendship song there has ever been), Diljalon Ka Dil Jala Ke (Bindu in one of her finest songs), Chakku Churiyaan Tez Kara Lo and Deewane Hain Deewanon Ko (two absolutely brilliant and totally different street songs), it is safe to say K.A. played just as big a part in making Prakash Mehra's masterpiece a big hit as they had earlier.
The Prakash Mehra - Amitabh Bachchan - K.A. combination continued with films like Hera Pheri (the title song being very well remembered even today) and then Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. Each song of the latter having a sad tone to it, K.A. outproved even themselves with this album, whether it be the title track of Rote Huye Aate Hai Sab or the other Kishore solo,O Saathi Re or the mesmerizing Salaam-E-Ishq Meri Jaan or the wonderfully crafted Dil to Hai Dil.
This combo then went on to make Lawaaris, which featured Amitabh as a playback singer for the first time with the ever-popular chartbuster, Mere Angne Mein Tumhara Kya Kaam Hai. This film is also famous for it's disco number, Apni To Jaise Taise and it's equally sober romantic number, Kab Ke Bichre Huye.
Apart from the Amitabh movies, K.A. served Prakash Mehra very well in other films as well, for example Haath Ki Safai which had some really sweet songs like Waada Karle Saajna and Hum Ko Mohabaat Ho Gayi Hai Tumse.
The Feroz Khan collaboration: When Feroz Khan acted in Safar, it was only two years before he would go on to direct his first film. What Safar must have done is re-affirm his decision that K.A. would be ideal for his first ever project - a musical duo that could never let him down. By then, K.A. had established themselves as the number one composers for thrillers as well, which would have only made Feroz Khan's job easier. And when Apradh hit the theatres, there would be no looking back for this team of Feroz and K.A. Songs like Tum Mile Pyar Se and Hamaare Siva Tumhare Kitne Deewane Hain are still popular and watching their videos is a real treat; after all they are some of the naughtiest romantic numbers ever!
However, as far as this combination goes, their best was yet to come.
Three years later came Feroz Khan's epic based on The Godfather, Dharmatma, and this was an album even K.A. would be very proud of. The music of this film reflected the film very well - both were all about style. Kya Khoob Lagti Ho is one of the most popular romantic numbers even today and will always remain one of the most stylishly shot songs ever. Each song of this film was a masterpiece; some that come in mind while typing are Tune Kisi Se Kabhi Pyar Kiya Hai and Tere Chehre Mein Woh Jaadu Hai. While the former is a very uniquely written romantic number aptly suiting the script situation (and it was a rather tough one - while it has to show the love of Rekha for Feroz, it has to also remind Feroz of his dead lover - so the music had to be romantic as well as have a sad nostalgic touch to it, at the same time), the latter is a song every girl would love to hear from a guy. This film also had possibly one of the first, and yet finest, 'gypsy'-style numbers with Mere Galiyon Se. Again, what transformed what would have been a very good movie into a terrific one was the thrilling background score. Watch out also for a cabaret number in this film that had no words and served it's purpose only with music.
The pair reunited for Qurbani, which was a revolution as far as music in the '80s goes. While songs like Aap Jaisa Koi and Laila O Laila were fantastic numbers shot in bars in disco style, there was also this extremely romantic number on the other hand - Hum Tumhe Chahte Hain Jaise, not to forget the title track which is as good a friendship song as the one in Zanjeer.
Their last pairing was in Jaanbaaz in 1986, which saw a very different 'avatar' of K.A. While songs like Har Kisi Ko Nahin Milta and Pyar Do Pyar Lo might have been totally 'hatke' and something totally unlike K.A. (more like something Bappi Lahiri or R.D.Burman would have done), there was no compromise on quality from their end. The story demanded steamy numbers, which would be picturized boldly, so the songs had to be enticing to say the least; and K.A. showed that they had moved on with the times and delivered just that!
The thriller genre: Come the 1970s and as mentioned, by then K.A. had established themselves as the most sought-after musical directors when the genre of the movie was thrill or suspense. Apart from the movies mentioned till now, K.A. reigned supreme in other thrillers of those times such as Victoria No. 203, which also had a recurring background theme like Johny Mera Naam and Sachcha Jhoota and also some very hit numbers, the most popular today being Do Bechare Bina Sahare, a fun number picturized on two character actors - Pran and Ashok Kumar. In fact, K.A. teamed up with the director of this movie on other occasions as well, such as Ek Se Badhar Ek, Kathputli (a drama from Brij, which was a deviation from his usual genre), Bombay 405 Miles and Chori Mera Kaam. All films had a rivetting background score and some hit numbers as well.
Gulzar signed K.A. for his thriller cum drama, Faraar. Again, composing for Gulzar's scripts is never easy because they come with so many layers, but nothing was too difficult for K.A, who justified the faith Gulzar showered on them. Gulzar didn't make too many thrillers and he always had R.D.Burman as his composer for most of his films, so when he finally made a movie about a policeman and his wife whose child is taken hostage by a murderer in their very own home, K.A. just had to deliver; and in what fine style they did. A very engrossing background score again, they also gave some superhit numbers like Main Pyaasa Tum Saawan.
K.A. gave another hit album in the form of Khoon Pasina, which had some huge hits like the title track, Khoon Pasine Ki Jo Milenge To Khayenge and Main Teri Ho Gayee Tu Mera Ho Gaya.
However, K.A.'s best for Amitabh Bachchan was yet to come - in 1978 came the cult classic, Don; and what is there to be said about this movie one already doesn't know. Each song of this film remains popular even today, be it Helen's famous item number to stall Amitabh while the police catch up on him, Ye Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana or the uneducated Amitabh singing Yeh Hai Bombai Nazariya Tu Dekh Babuya or about a woman seeking revenge, Zeenat singing Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezar or the very famous title track Main Hoon Don. But then, no mention of Don can be complete without the song that no one has dare change apart from just remixing it slightly when the movie was remade in various regional languages, as well as again in Hindi - Khaike Paan Banaraswala! Just this song is enough to demonstrate how much K.A. are actually present in our hearts and minds without us knowing it's them. I don't think there's any need to write about this song, and quite frankly, I don't think there are words to describe it as well!
Their other films: Despite all the work mentioned above, K.A. got offers from various other filmmakers as well. Some of the biggest blockbusters of those years or critically acclaimed movies of those times also had K.A. giving the score. While Hum Rahi, Do Anjaane, Joroo Ka Ghulam, Bairaag and Kalicharan had good scores, K.A. really shone in movies like Rafoo Chakkar which had some really fun numbers like Kisi Pe Dil Agar and Bombay Se Baroda Tak; Saraswatichandra, which had some of the most beautiful and soothing songs ever like Chandan Sa Badan and Phool Tumhe Bheja Hai Khat Mein; and Kora Kaagaz which won K.A. their only Filmfare Award. A beautiful, smart and highly emotional film, K.A.'s music immortalized the film with songs like Mera Jeeven Kora Kagaz, Roothe Roothe Piya and Mere Padhne Mein Nahin.
Viju Shah: Kalyanji's son, Viju Shah, began his Bollywood career as a music director with a bang with Tridev, maintained his tempo with Vishwaatma, Junoon and Yalgaar and followed up their success with even bigger hits like Mohra and Gupt, showing that when it comes to thrillers, he has inherited his genes from possibly the greatest of that genre. He gave chartbuster hits for films like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Tere Mere Sapne, Dil Ka Rishta and Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat.
Looking at the filmography of Kalyanji-Anandji, it is really a wonder how this duo could only land up with one Filmfare Award and one other Filmfare Nomination in their entire career. Looks like it's not just the audience who have not given them their due, but the critics as well. As I started off this lengthy article, there are some unsung heroes in every film industry. There are several in Bollywood and Kalyanji-Anandji are just two of them.
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