Shiv of Shiv-Hari No More, But Duo’s Film Music Will Keep Doing Its ‘Jadu’

BY VIKAS DATTA

The human inclination for arbitrary distinctions is enormous, in particular the sphere of society. Consider new music, and its Indian tradition — why need to we divide it into “classical” and “popular” (normally its movie manifestation), when both of those use the exact same rules, the identical scales, and the very same devices?

Or, in much more concrete conditions, some of the most famous exponents of the classical college are behind some of the most foot-tapping new music of Bollywood — Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, for one.

The ace santoor player, who passed absent on Could 10, and flautist Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia had formed an abiding partnership, that, apart from their route-breaking ventures in their primary discipline, fueled some of Bollywood’s major musical hits — from “Dekha ek khwab to silsile huye” to “O meri Chandni”, to “Jadu teri nazar” — in Yash Chopra’s productions.

Shiv-Hari crafted songs for eight movies, 4 of which gained them Filmfare nominations for Greatest Audio Director, while they were being unlucky not to earn even once.

They hit the massive time suitable with their first enterprise — “Silsila” (1981), which attained them their initially Filmfare nomination. The duo crafted some enchanting melodies — that ably complemented the stirring lyrics for a assortment of emotions — courtesy of Javed Akhtar, Hasan Kamaal, and Pandit Harivansh Rai Bachchan, rendered magnificently by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar — and Amitabh Bachchan’s amazing baritone much too.

Be it the stirrings of really like, engendered and reciprocated, in “Pahli-pahli baar dekha aisa jalva”, the required women sangeet-influenced “Sar se sarke sarke chunariya”, the sombre “Neela aasmaan so gaya”, the haunting “Main aur meri tanhai/Yeh kahan aa gaye hain hum”, that quintessential Holi anthem “Rang barse bheegi chunariya re”, and the understated class of the passionate “Dekha ek khwab”, Shiv-Hari proved they experienced what it usually takes to deal with the sophisticated potpourri of thoughts and situations a Hindi movie rolls out.

“Faasle” (1985), their next outing, bombed at the box office, and was savaged by critics for its very poor rate. The only preserving grace of an in any other case forgettable film was their music and the tunes, penned by the redoubtable Shahryar, that however evoke some faint recollection amid Hindi film tunes buffs.

“Vijay” (1988), despite its ensemble cast and Switzerland song configurations, also did not make numerous waves although Shiv-Hari’s new music was a redeeming issue as normally.

It was “Chandni” (1989), on the other hand, that brought the duo — and romantic film tunes — again to topping the charts. Even now that effusive and unrestrained “Rang bhare baadal se” by Jolly Mukherji to the whole-throated “Chandni, o meri Chandni” serves as a parameter of really like at its most expressive.

The other tunes also proved that the duo experienced shed none of their virtuosity — the playful wedding tunes: “Mere haathon mein nau-nau chuudiyan” and “Main sasural nahi jaaungi” the folkish “Tere mere honton pe” and the sensual “Lagi aaj sawan ki”, between some others.

They retained up their magic with “Lamhe”, exactly where the abundant cadences of the Rajasthani folk songs tradition imbue their tunes, offered the film’s location. This can be noticed most in “Mhaare Rajasthan ma”, and extra memorably in “Morni baga ma bole” and “Megha re megha ee”.

They also weave wealthy rhythmic strains in “Yeh lamhe yeh pal” (the two content and unhappy variations, rendered superlatively by Hariharan), “Mohe Chhedo Naa” and “Yaad Nahin Bhool Gaya”.

1993 was the swan tune 12 months for the duo — with three releases: “Parampara”, “Sahibaan”, and “Darr” — but it was the last that stood out with its tale of a psychotic stalker, performed by Shah Rukh Khan.

Appropriate from the “Jaadu teri nazar”, with Udit Narayan at his most expansive, voice-clever, that is, to the “Tu mere saamne”, the somewhat risque “Darwaza band karlo”, Yash Chopra’s obligatory Punjabi-motivated “Ishq da bura rog”, and the equally obligatory Holi amount “Ang se ang lagana”, they proved that the duo could generate the strains to sway a new technology.

Unfortunately, this was their final outing in Bollywood — and now with Pandit Shivkumar Sharma’s demise, there is no prospect of any more — at the very least in this planet.