Producer Mr Krishnamurthy
(Tina Films International) worked with AB in: Ghar Ek Mandir, Swarg Se Sundar, Sindoor, Charnon Ki Saugandh, Gharana. My relationship with Bakshi saab goes days back when I was working in Gemini Studios and we used to meet very often at music composers Kalyanji Anandji’s place. And my friendship started with Jab Jab Phool Khile 1965. We used to frequently meet and then we started working in many films for the producers from south I worked for. Bakshi saab is such a human being that you cannot find anyone like him today. He was very affectionate. He was interested in other people’s welfare, and his producers and directors and family and friend’s welfare – That was his life motto. He was always smiling and happy. I started my career as Producer with Ghar Ek Mandir (1984) Bakshi saab agreed to write lyrics for me, and then Bakshi saab worked in all my pictures, and also some films of my son as director years later. So he has stood by my family through the years. I admire him like anything. His great qualities and his way of working that within minutes he would give us lyrics. He was very prompt and systematic and no one can imagine nowadays how he worked. In south there is a very famous lyricist Karnadasan, whenever I go to Madras Mr. Karnadasan talks of Mr. Anand Bakshi saab. Mr Anand Bakshi used to always admire Mr. Karnadasan’s lyrics too. Bakshi saab used to always say be open minded. He says always family first, please concentrate on family and give them happiness in life. I was working for producers in this industry and south from 1948 to 1962 in Gemini studios, and 1962-79 with Venus pictures, and whenever he used to see me he always encouraged me saying ‘Krishnamurthy please start your own picture, become a producer yourself, I am there to help you start your own film. You are good man and hard working.’ I can say with Mr Bakshi’s inspiration and enthusiasm and help I started my first picture Ghar Ek Mandir 1984, which was my first movie and I was established as independent producer in this business. God Bless him and his family. My sons first picture as director, was Sindoor – 1987. The lyrics he wrote for his film, ‘Pathjhad saawan basant bahaar, ek baras mein mausam char, panchwa mausam pyaar ka…’ was a super hit and memorable song and it was written by Bakshi saab within 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes! K Ravi Shankar, my son, directed this film and was established. In a way he helped my son get established too. Suresh Wadkar sung the song, female voice was of Lata Mangeshkar. Bakshi saab used to always work with a smile. Service before Self was always his way of working and with a smile. The funny thing was whenever I would give him a song situation he would always worry and say it is difficult to write and it will take time to write this song, but, he will go home and same day or next day or two days he will himself call me and tell me ‘come, your song is ready.’ He was a workaholic and genius. He never delayed my songs. Let me tell you about the film Hathi Mere Saathi. My friend and great producer from south Santo Devar who has made 14 movies with MGR the super hero of south. He came t Bombay and he wanted to make this movie Haathi Mere Saathi. First mr Devar approached Sanjeev Kumar. Then I suggested him to cast Mr. Rajesh Khanna. It was very difficult to work with him those days but the subject of the film was such I felt that Rajesh Khanna would suit. I told mr Devar do not worry and I will make you meet him. I arranged for a meeting with rajesh khanna and told him about MGR working with Devar on 14 pictures, the status of Devar the producer and the great dedication with which he works in Madras and I assured him mr Devar will complete the film in 2 months. Mr Devar suggested RDB for the music but I told him Laxmikant Pyarelal suits the music needs of this film. I fixed a meeting with LP and Bakshi saab and Devar, and I must tell you that Bakshi saab within no time was ready with all the lyrics we needed for the film – within 2 weeks Bakshi saab wrote all the songs of Hathi Mere Saathi. He always delivered before he promised, such was his capacity talent and dedication. I cannot find such a person, I miss him. Feb 7 2013. Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiMusic composer Viju (Kalyanji Bhai) Shah
“I would tell people, if you go to Bakshi ji’s house, before he arrives to meet you please just look up at the walls and the ceiling displays and observe each and every film trophy and film awards resting there of some of the most amazing and innumerable films and innumerable hit songs of Hindi cinema and you will not be able to speak for long thereafter realizing where you have fortunately come. Because that is how I felt each time I went there for a music sitting and looked at those trophies. Another amazing thing about him, his conviction in what he was saying, his opinions and suggestions, was unshakable. He somehow knew what he is saying about a song or film or people is absolutely correct and it mostly turned out to be so. Feb 23 2013. Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiProducer Rajkumar Barjatya (Rajshri Productions Pvt. Ltd.)
“I met Bakshi ji first time two or three years after his super hit film Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965). I met him sometime in 1966-67 maybe, he told me with folded hands that he is from an army background and writes lyrics and would like an opportunity to write lyrics in our films. He did not say he is the lyrics writer of the super hit and musical hit film, Jab Jab Phool Khile which was a very big hit and the music was very popular too. Such was his humility right from the start of his success. When he wrote the title song of our first film together, Taqdeer (1968), ‘kaise koi jaane bhala khwabon ki taabeer, aakaash pe, baitha huwa, likhta hai woh taqdeer.’ he surprised me by writing 6 verses, antras, for the song, and each verse was so wonderfully written that we were perplexed which ones to reject and which ones to keep. There were tears in my eyes reading all the verses, each was so emotional and so good. He replied to me, ‘I have written all these six for you, so it is up to you to keep the verses you like. Just give me a chance to write the songs for your film.’ His humility was such, and until today I remember those words of his, and I can say that only with much difficulty God gives us or we receive an opportunity to meet writers and people as talented and sincere and dedicated as Bakshi ji. We worked on three more films after Taqdeer, Jeevan Mrityu (1970), Uphaar (1971), Piya Ka Ghar (1972). When he wrote the verse ‘Jhil Mil Sitaron Ka Angan Hoga, Rim Jhim Barasta Saawan hoga.’ For Jeevan Mrityu, I politely objected reasoning how can one see stars if it is raining, because the sky will be covered by rain clouds. Bakshi ji replied ‘ Do not go by the words literally, do not go so deep into what I have written. Think of what is being said like a poet, because the situation of this song is romance. Further, on close observation you will realize I have played with two letters ‘N’ and ‘M’. There is the letter ‘M’ in Jhil Mil, and ‘N’ in Aangan Hoga. There is a ‘M’ in Rim Jhim, and a ‘N’ in Saawan Hoga. It is the play of the sounds of ‘N’ and ‘M’ that I want you to hear which will make this song a pleasure to hear and sing, and thus this will make a popular song.” I can say he was right. The simple words he used in his songs was a blessing because not only could anyone understand the song, but the kind of words he used helped the directors shoot the song. His words inspired visuals that we could find around us and we chose locations to shoot songs according to some words that he used in his songs. His lyrics itself would tell us how to direct the songs, how to make the characters behave and where to shoot them. That was the biggest goodness in his writing. He had knowledge far beyond the words he used, he used every day normal and regular conversational words, language, that was the most beautiful thing about his writing. The last word in song writing is his lyrics from our film, Piya Ka Ghar, ‘Yeh Jeevan Hai Iss Jeevan Ka, Yahi Hai Yahi Hai, Yahi hai ran roop, thode ghum hain, thodi khusiyan, yahi hai, yahi hai yahi hai chaaon dhoop..” It was also the best song of that year. He was so fast or prolific, he has written the songs for our films, and even the films like Milan, Jeene Ki Raah, in front of me within 20 or 30 minutes. He never found it a problem or difficult and would write there and then. He would write as soon as he heard the tune, and he would write words that caught every note he heard in the tunes, never missing a note he heard, so sharp and good he wrote. He would use words that the character could sing, and not use words to impress upon others his knowledge of urdu or hindi. He wrote for the characters according to their geographical location, circumstances, and status. Like in the film, Milan he uses the words ‘Purwaiya’, in his song ‘Saawan ka mahina pawan kare sor’, and did not use the word ‘Hawa’; because a boatman would use the word ‘Purwaiya’ and not ‘Hawa’for wind and breeze, so deep was his understanding of the milieu he wrote for. I was present for all the songs he wrote for us and many films of Prasad Productions. The writing was so good that even after 48 years I can remember the main verses of his songs. His verses had life. In the song from Raja Aur Rank, ‘Oh phirki waali, tu kal phir aana, nahin phir jaana” he has used the word ‘Phir’ in three contexts. The first phir is on ‘phir-ki waali’ the second phir means ‘again’, and the third phir meaning ‘ to go back on a promise’. Such a play of words, with one word, three meanings. Such a talented writer!” Feb 28 2013. Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiMrs Hari Prasad Chaurasia
In late 1950s, Bakshi ji was staying in the same guest house, (Evergreen Hotel, Khar station road, Khar west), that my husband and I, Hariji, were staying in. His family was living in Lucknow I was told. He lived here on his own as he could not afford to bring them to Bombay. We had rooms on the same floor so when I would pass his room, I would often encounter the daily sweeper complaining that he finds too much crumpled paper in Bakshi ji’s room, and wondered what does Bakshi ji write so much because he throws so much paper daily making his sweeping job harder. Two decades later we happened to live in the same residential building near in Bandra, we were one floor above his, and every day we would see the best of cars and film people and music composers and singers arrive to meet Bakshi ji for music sittings, we would often hear music sittings going on in his house until late nights up to 9 and 10pm often. Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiLyricist Sameer Anjaan
And today I happened to meet Sameer ji too. this is what Bakshi ji told lyricist Sameer a few months before he passed away – ” “… I am not scared of dying. are immortality is known. What I am sad about is that if I die, due to this recent illness, so many songs, poems, emotions, which are still inside me will die with me. I wish I could give them to you, but I cannot how much ever I wish to, and that’s only because they came with me and have to leave with me alone. And that makes me sad, that they will remain unsaid.’ Sameer told me ‘rakesh, can you imagine the passion of this man! he was not afraid of death because he will not last, he was sad that his death will mean that so many songs still within him that he knows he can still write still express still share will die with him. even in death he was only thinking of writing songs, more songs. He still had so much more to say at 70 plus!’ And something similar rajkumar bharjatya said when he met AB in 1966 or 1967, after he wrote the songs of Taqdeer Bakshi ji told him, “you wanted two verses, I have written 6. you keep what you like from them, just give me a chance to write. that’s all I want, a chance to write.” It all comes together like a jigsaw puzzle, he lived not for us, or for money or fame. he just wanted to pour the songs he believed have come with him and will go away with him too. Most biographies I have read, and filmmakers I have met, I realized they suffered immense grief in their formative years or youth, or as adults. A story teller, an artist, comes to his craft by being bruised, shattered in some way. Only when they came to know the language of grief that they were born as the creative people we know them to be. This was also mentioned by mahesh bhatt. Two events I have heard my father speak of as traumatic are, his mother dying when he was 5 or 9, and the partition, leaving your place of birth and childhood in forced, violent, traumatic circumstances. he had said he saw women and children raped and burnt and hung from trees and poles and those images never left him for over 60 years he had told his LIC agent and friend Mr Puri. Mr Puri mentioned that to me. Those tragedies shaped him, sadly, but truly. – Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiMusic composer Anandji Bhai (Kalyanji)
Music composer Anandji Bhai (Kalyanji) told me something amazing! He said, ‘If there is one song that describes your father, and what your father really was all about, before and after success, he was still a stranger in this world. He always remained what he was when he arrived here in 1950s, a stranger to this world. His own song that describes his truth is the song he wrote for us in Jab Jab Phool Khile, ‘Yahan Main Ajnabi Hoon. No human being other than Bakshi can or could have written that mukhda and those verses. Because that is what he was when he came here and that is what he remained even after immense success, ‘an ajnabi in a strange world he felt he never belonged. Anandji Bhai’s understanding and perspective of Bakshi ji, blew blew blew my mind. If that is what he felt seeing Bakshi ji at work over 32 films with him, that is what we all felt at home too from late 1980s. I found the title for his book, is what I felt today. – Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiMusic composer Ismail Darbar – “Khatarnaak Bakshi saab.”
Today I met Ismail Darbar, he did one film with AB, Mehbooba 2008, it released after a delay of 6 to 8 years, in 2008; he said ‘The most amazing thing in Bakshi saab was, and I have not found that in any writer even today, is that he was so fond, so passionate, so deeply interested in writing, even though we required one mukhda and three antras, he would offer us three to four mukhdas as a choice for every song, and six to eight antras once we selected the one mukhda we needed. To me that explains why most of his producers, directors, composers, who worked with him over the years have the same compliments for him that how much and how fast Bakshi saab wrote songs for them, even though it was not required because our songs have only 3 to 4 verses in total – that showed that Bakshi saab was so passionate about writing that he wrote for reasons beyond what anyone paid, beyond what was needed, and that is an artist who I consider ‘Khatarnak’!, and that is why I always compliment him by telling people ‘Toba, Toba, Bakshi saab khatarnak the.’ Unka toh aaj bhi muqabla nahin. I have asked many many writers to write me a song like ‘bali umar ne mera haal woh kiya’ from ek duje ke liye, and no one, no one, no one has been able to meet that challenge for me so far. For me song writing ended with that one song, and now if any writer can write a love song better than that song from ek duje ke liye, for me a writer of caliber has been born once again. Until then, we will just have to miss khatarnaak bakshi saab.’
– Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiProducer Kanwar Ajit Singh Deol
“Bakshi ji peer the, dil aur dimag ke peer. Bahut ache, bahut pyaare, bahut dildaar, bahut khushmizaaz, bahut khoob personality thi unki, bahot yaad aate hain hum sab ko. Unke gaane se hi humme humari film ka title mila, Main Jat Yamla Pagla Diwana. Aaj bhi woh bajta hai, har shehar mein aaj bhi.’ – Kanwar Ajit Singh Deol. Producer of PRATIGYAA 1975. (Brother of Dharamji; Father of actor Abhay Deol). Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiDharmendra
Bakshi ji seedhe the. Honest. Simple. Saaf dil, peer. Main SD Burman aur Bakshi ji ke saath tha ek music sitting mein, aur Burman Da ne Bakshi ji se kaha geet likhne ke liye jiss mein ‘dil aur deewana’ sabdh paanch ya che baar aaye. Bakshi ji ne humare saamne baithe baithe gaana likh diya – ‘Yeh dil deewana hai, dil toh deewana hai, deewana dil hai yeh, dil deewana.’ Film thi, Ishq Par Zor Nahin. Unko false ceiling ke girne ka bahot darr tha. Jahan bhi baithathe the yeh zaroor dekh lete ki uss room mein false ceiling hai ya nahin. Aur agar uss room mein false ceiling hoti, toh unka dhyaan har waqt uss false ceiling par hi reheta ki yeh bas ab giri ke giri. (laughs) Sab se mil kar bhi sab se alag rehete the. Humari family ki tarah bhi unhonein apni family ko film waalon se door rakha. Unko Rawalpindi bahot yaad aata tha, jaise ki unhonein apni film Jab Jab Phool Khile mein bhi likha tha ‘… mujhe yaad aa raha hai woh chota sa shikara.’ (Yahan Main Ajnabi Hoon, tha uss gaane ka mukda). He also told me that he was fascinated by the manner Bakshi ji held his cigarette and took a puff and the manner in which he would hit his right hand against his left arm to drop the ash, and used it in a film once. next time I meet him (he said he would rather write a tribute than speak one as he must do justice to it and will do only if he writes one himself. he told me ‘Bakshi ji is too important a person from my life for me not to myself write a tribute for.) Complete interview https://youtu.be/9mxfbsrud_o Told to me – Rakesh Anand BakshiA teenage love
By Harminder Singh Chawla Ever since his was a pre-teen, Harminder, (Harminder Singh Chawla ji, from Ludhiana, wanted to meet the person whose lyrics playing on his radio fascinated him. He said – Anand Bakshi’s name wold be mentioned on radio daily, and very often too through the day. His songs would play one after the other often. I have been wanting to meet him since then, but alas, my circumstances, financial and otherwise, never permitted me. As he grew older, young Harminder realized Anand Bakshi’s lyrics made him ponder; on life, relationships, God, humanity, love, and many other things including himself, and they continue to make him reflect even today after nearly 50 years since he first met him via the radio speakers. He marveled, on watching those films, at how much the lyrics even gelled with the film’s script. Bakshiji always believed he was a film lyrics writer and he believed he was not a poet, and that it was the film’s story that inspired him he always admitted. But, he never realized that many of the beautiful and profound metaphors he wrote within his lyrics were his very own and are good enough to be considered a work of sheer beautiful poetry. It’s about time I, not as his son but simply another fan, told Bakshji “Dude, you were a poet too!” Harminder ji’s tribute for Bakshiji is attached herewith as a document. He himself is a writer and poet, and he has written a beautiful poem too for Bakshji as his tribute to a lyricists he adores since his pre teens. I would like his son, Harpreet Singh Chawla, to make his dad read my post here, and ask him post, in the comments page below, one of his poems for all of us to read. Thank you. Warm Regards Harminder Singh Chawla (Ludhiana, Punjab)Woh Phir Nahi Aate
by Farhana Farooq (Filmfare) http://www.filmfare.com/features/woh-phir-nahin-aate-10409.htmlDeath of the lyric
Sunday, April 7, 2002 By Chandan Mitra, The Pioneer
It is not that we don’t have splendid writers. Half the problem is that they are not commercially viable because audience demands have altered radically. The remaining half of the problem, of course, is that poetry is at a discount, fewer and fewer lyric writers are born, music directors want wordsmiths not words that make you think and catchiness is all that is required of lyricists and composers. CHANDAN MITRA pays a tribute to the last of the Mohicans, Anand Bakshi Humse hai zinda wafaa aur hum hi seHai teri mehfil jawaan,Hum jab na honge to ro ro ke duniyaDhoondegi meri nishaan… The lyric is finally dead. Many would say it was brain dead for a long time and an ailing Anand Bakshi only personified a life support system for poetry over the last few years. But in the death of the last “traditional” lyricist, India’s popular music industry has lost its remaining link with a magnificent past. Its contemporary aesthetic barrenness appears even starker now than ever before. Of course, some qualifications are in order. Javed Akhtar, despite his rampant ommercialism, is occasionally capable of creating some magnificent webs of thought. Gulzar, if he suspends his penchant for weaving abstruse, often contrived, imageries can give us great poetry. (How I long for his return to the Haath se chhooke isey rishton ka ilzaam na do and Tum jo kehdo to aaj ki raat chand doobeyga nahin… days). The hitherto under-rated Nida Fazli, provided he delves into his fascinating array of past writing, could produce stunners. So, it is not thatwe don’t have some splendid song-writers. Half the problem is that they are not commercially viable because audience demands have altered radically. The remaining half of the problem, of course, is that poetry is at a discount, fewer and fewer lyric writers are born, music directors want wordsmiths not words that make you think and catchiness is all that is required of lyricists and composers. You don’t need a Sahir, Shakeel or Shailendra to write Kehdo na, kehdo na, you are my Sonia or Mehbooba, mehbooba, mehbooba… When the refrain takes over the structure of a lyric, anything goes. It is not that these two hits are bad. In fact, they are vivacious and infectiously rhythmic. Both Jatin- Lalit and Anu Malik deserve full marks for these compositions. But where is the scope for poetry in them? Regretfully, I have to admit Sahir has finally been proved wrong. No longer can it be asserted with conviction: Kal aur aayenge naghmon ki khilti kaliyan chunne wale, Mujhse behtar kahnewale, tumse behtar sun ne wale, Kal koyi mujhko yaad kare, kyon koyi mujhko yaad kare? Masroof zamana mere liye kyon waqt apna barbaad kare? Main pal do pal ka shair hoon, pal do pal meri kahani hai, Pal do pal meri hasti hai, pal do pal meri kahani hai (Tomorrow there will be better selectors to make bouquets of poetry, Better writers than I, better listeners than you, Tomorrow why should anybody remember me? Why should a self-obsessed world waste its time over me? For I am a poet only of the moment, My status is only transitory, my story too is just transitory) Sahir Ludhianvi was wrong. There are no better poets than there were in his time; and, the listeners decidedly possess less depth of emotion. And it is also untrue that masroof zamana will not recall him or others of his class. We shall forever remember the age of the lyric and its creators with fond nostalgia, especially now that the epoch is over with Anand Bakshi’s death. Anand Bakshi faced a lot of criticism in his lifetime for reducing the lyric to tukbandi, that is, pure rhyming. Undeterred, he went on simplifying and demystifying the lyric for the benefit of commoners, for the Ye jo public hai ye sab jaanti hai. His strength was his ability to communicate with people who, like him, never had a privileged economic or educational background. Sometimes, he replied to his critics with infinite aplomb, taking the reductio ad absurdum route. Remember Baag mein bhanwra gaa-ing/Akash mein panchhi flying/ Jheel mein paani lying from Khuddar? Or how he forcibly rhymed one stanza in the high-pitched, emotion-charged Karz number Ek hasina thi by suddenly declaring us gali mein, mera aana jaana tha? When I first heard these numbers as a young adult, I was horrified by the liberties Anand Bakshi took with listeners’ sensitivities. But over the years, I concluded it required a great deal of courage and intellect to deliberately write the absurd or even rhyme for rhyming’s sake. How many writers could have carried off the Ek duuje ke liye lift number Mere jeevan saaathi… Satyam shivam sundaram? (I can only think of Javed who penned a tribute to Anand Bakshi’s favourite composers, Laxmikant-Pyarelal with his Topiwale ball dila). But then one also often wondered if Anand Bakshi was the same man who also wrote Kuchh reet jagat ki aisi hai/Jo har subah ki shaam huyi, Tu kaun hai tera naam hai kya/Sita bhi yahan badnaam huyi… Was it the same master of role reversals who could pen such startling notions as Majhdhar mein naiya dole to majhi paar lagaye/Majhi jo naao duboye usey kaun bachaye? Or its 1969 Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke predecessor, Yeh shama to jali roshni ke liye/Is shama se kahin aag lag jaye to yeh shama kya kare? When a definitive history of popular music is penned, Anand Bakshi is unlikely to occupy the seat of honour in its Hall of Fame. The convent-educated intelligentsia that has recently taken to adulating filmi culture will, no doubt, accord a special status to less prolific song writers. This class, for instance, never recognised the creative talent of Bollywood’s most successful composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, so much so that Laxmikant’s widow has to put out an advertisement in the Mumbai edition of The Times of India every year on May 25 to remind his countless admirers of his death anniversary. But irrespective of intellectual recognition, Anand Bakshi will live in the heart of every Indian for decades to come for the sheer simplicity of his poetry. In fact, every Punjabi-adorning Indipop singer (such as Stereo Nation, composers of lines like Jado-jado maine tainu dekhiyan in O Baby! Don’t break my heart) or Kiska Band Bajega contestant should have paid a tribute to the man who first made Punjabi intelligible to a pan-Indian audience with Bindiya chamkegi in Do Raaste, Koyi Shehri babu in Loafer and Ki gal hai? Koyi nahi in Amir Garib. But it’s not Anand Bakshi alone who is at issue. It is the end of poetry in Hindi film songs that calls for an obituary. The 1950s witnessed a surge in the respectability of Hindi film music, a trend pioneered by Raj Kapoor. Prior to that, lyrics and music were both commonplace. No amount of nostalgia-hunting will convince me that composers like Ram Ganguly (music director of RK Films’ first venture Aag which had just one memorable number Dekh chand ki ore musafir…) were more talented than their successors Shankar-Jaikishan. Similarly, can my preceding generation tell me who wrote the lyrics for myriad KL Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, CH Atma, Kanan Devi or Angur Bala renditions? But everybody from my generation remembers Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, Rajendra Krishan, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Bharat Vyas, Shakeel Badayuni, Indivar, Yogesh, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, and of course, the greatest of them all, Sahir. The only lyricist of our times that the next generation will remember is Anand Bakshi because he wrote for superhits like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Dil To Paagal Hai and even Mohabbatein – all Yash Chopra musicals. Strangely, the Chopra brothers never used Bakshi when he was at his prime in the 1970s and 80s. When I was in school, we had to submit poetry to memory. So, even now I remember clichéd efforts of 19th century writers profoundly informing us “Our sweetest songs are those that tell us our saddest thoughts”. The great thing about Anand Bakshi was that he loathed recalling sadness to us. It’s not that he was incapable. Na koyi umang hai from Kati Patang must rank as one of the most despondent numbers ever written for screen. But the practical man he was, he preferred recognising, Yeh jeevan hai/Is jeevan ka/Yehi hai, yehi hai, yehi hai rang-roop/Thodi gham hai, thodi khushiyan/ Yehi hai, yehi hai, yehi hai chhaon- dhoop. Throughout his 74 years, of which more than 50 were spent writing lyrics for popular compositions, Anand Bakshi tried to spread the “feel good” factor. Today, Generation Next feels good almost all the time. So maybe we don’t need an Anand Bakshi anymore. Perhaps, then, he has left us before we reduced him to complete irrelevance. Now that the last classical lyricist is no more, we can finally raise a toast proclaiming: “The lyric is dead! Long live the lyric”. It will, I am sure, in another world. Nafrat ki duniya chhod ke pyar ki duniya mein, Khush rehna mere yaar…Simple poet of an unending hit parade
By Sidharth Bhatia, The Pioneer Sunday, April 7, 2002 It is a curious coincidence that the two stalwarts of the Hindi film industry, who died within days of each other last month, never worked with each other. Nasir Husain, after experimenting with various song-writers in his early days, eventually settled with Majrooh Sultanpuri after the songs of Tumsa Nahin Dekha became hits. And Anand Bakshi, who was at his most productive in the 1970s and 1980s, once his career had taken off after Aradhana, was churning them out for almost every other filmmaker of the period. Yet, in an interesting irony, the two never crossed paths. Yet, that in no way reflects on Bakshi, the most prolific film lyricist ever, whose repertoire consists of over 4,000 songs. Indeed, during his heyday, it was a good probability that every popular song on the hit parade was by him. Just consider the man’s output in the first few years of the 70s-Aradhana, Do Raaste, Haathi Mere Saathi, Aan Milo Sajana, Kati Patang, Jeevan Mrityu, Amar Prem, Khilona-each film a smash box-office success and each song from the film remembered even today. Even relatively less successful films like Paraya Dhan had immensely hummable songs like Aaj Unse Pehli Mulaqat Hogi and Dil Haye Mera Dil. Cast your mind back to Mere Jeevan Saathi, with its eternal Oh mere, dil ke chain, the sweet Roz Shaam aati thi, from Imtihaan (a highly underrated film, incidentally) and the classic that simply grows on you after you hear it the first time, Aaj mausam bada beimaan hai (Loafer), Rafi’s masterpiece sung in the last few years of his life. What do all these songs have in common? Each one is simple to a fault. No high-sounding words, nothing that the front bencher would find complicated, no complex Urdu shairi. That has always been the strength of Bombay’s film lyricists – Rajinder Kishan was a good example of using simple words – but Bakshi carried it to new heights. His was the everyday patois, the chatty line converted, with deftness, into a song which had a little more than obvious at first glance. Take a song like Acha to ham chalte hein. The next line goes Phir Kab Miloge, to which the reply comes Jab Tum Kahoge. It is a song of parting, a bitter-sweet moment, and in the past Sahir has written the ultimate lovers’ parting song Abhi na jao chod kar, but Bakshi manages to come up with a deceptively simple lyric which captures the sentiment perfectly and in a spirit of teasing and fun, without making it frivolous. Yet, he was never simplistic. Yeh jo mohabbat hai or Chingari koi bhadke are songs that have depth and layers which reveal themselves gradually. Both these songs were composed by R D Burman, who elevated them to greater heights. But Bakshi was also blessed to team up with Laxmikant Pyarelal, themselves masters of the simple and straightforward yet hummable tune and right from Milan, with its Bol gori bol to Bobby (Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho) to Mein tulsi tere aangan ki to Karz, the team churned out hits at an amazing pace. Of course, Bakshi was no less creative with other musicians. With Kalyanji-Anandji,one of his earliest hits was Yeh duniya waale poochenge (Mahal), with SD Burman he gave us Mere Sapnon ki Rani and just the other day, he was writing for Dilwaale dulhaniya leh jayenge and Mohabbatein. It is tempting to think of Bakshi as a hack, writing a song on demand to fit the situation and writing obvious lines like Ke aaja teri yaad aayi. After all, juggling several films at the same time can take a toll on even the most creative mind. But that is the demand placed on the film writer and the great ones always rise to the occasion. Bakshi was a master and yet, none of his songs sounds trite or mechanical. The title song is usually the toughest for a lyricist, because it has to use the name of the film and sum up the story and the theme. And a writer cannot pass on a previously written song; he has to write an original one. Bakshi gave us Khilona jaan kar (Khilona) and Naa Koi Umang hai (Kati Patang), both of which live on today, much after many of the hit songs of later years have faded into oblivion (does anyone, for instance, remember oye, oye?) Anand Bakshi, therefore, needs to be mourned more than most because he was writing songs till the very end and as long as he was alive, there was some semblance of poetry and simple elegance in our films. With his passing, we will now have to remain content with aati kya khandala?Degrees of truth
By Chandan Mitra, The Pioneer Sunday, June 11, 2006 I wonder if some readers recall a couple of lines from the antara of a popular 70s song, Hum bewafa hargiz na thhey. The lines I refer to run like this: “Humne jo dekha suna, sach thha magar/ Kitna na thha sach yeh kisko pataa…” This baffled me for years as we grew up believing the truth to be indivisible. So the idea that there could be degrees of truth as lyricist Anand Bakshi made out in this song from Shalimar, was quite incomprehensible. But over time I have concluded that Bakshi wasn’t being deliberately abstruse like Gulzar; the concept he propounded is profoundly philosophical.Anand Bakshi’s long career speaks about his success in adapting himself to changing times.
By Sundeep Pahwa A few years ago, film historian Pavan Jha posed a question on Twitter: Name five pairs of father-son composers for whom Anand Bakshi has written lyrics. It’s a fantastic question because it gives us a sense of how extensive Bakshi’s career was. Anand Bakshi’s long career is indicative of the compromises he had to make along the way (quality may have suffered at the expense of quantity) but more importantly, it speaks about his ability of connecting with the common man over several generations and his success in adapting himself to changing times. Here is my pick of Anand Bakshi’s songs for five father-son composers he worked with out of the 3000+ songs he wrote for Hindi films: (Contributed by Sundeep Pahwa : It should be Six composers – Anil Biswas and his sons Amar and Utpal Biswas of the Amar Utpal duo.) SD Burman and RD Burman Anand Bakshi had debuted in 1958 and proven his mettle earlier with films like Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965) and Devar (1966), but he had to wait till 1969 for an opportunity to work with SD Burman. It is well known that RD Burman played an important role in the music of Aradhana (1969) – he was credited as Associate Music Director – and one wonders if the younger Burman had anything to do with picking Anand Bakshi for the first time for SD Burman. Anand Bakshi went on to work with SD Burman in many other films including Jugnu (1973), Prem Nagar (1974) and Chupke Chupke (1975), but couldn’t quite match Aradhana’s success. My pick from Aradhana is ‘Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Man Mera’: Anand Bakshi’s body of work with RD Burman is far richer than that with his father. It contains bona fide classics like Kati Patang (1970), The Train (1970), Amar Prem (1971), Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), Namak Haram (1973), Aap Ki Kasam (1974), Ajanabee (1974) and Mehbooba (1976), Sholay 1975. I consider Amar Prem to be the pinnacle of their partnership. Although I am in awe of the powerful lyrics of ‘Chingari Koi Bhadke’, my pick from the film is ‘Kuchh To Log Kahenge’ because of the deftness with which Bakshi saab took a song of compassion and transformed it into a unflattering commentary on society. Roshan and Rajesh Roshan Roshan was one of the big name music directors to work with Anand Bakshi early on in his career but they worked together on just a handful of films. Devar (1966) was the only film in which the two enjoyed a measure of success. My pick from Devar is ‘Baharon Ne Mera Chaman Loot Kar’ because it’s one of the few songs in which Anand Bakshi challenges the average Hindi film music listener with limited knowledge of Urdu, while keeping his trademark simple core intact. Rajesh Roshan’s Filmfare Award came in a film for which Anand Bakshi wrote lyrics, Julie (1975). My pick though is from a film which came the next year Tumhari Kassam (1978). ‘Hum Dono Milke Kagaz Pe Dil Pe’ belonged to a category of Hindi film songs Anand Bakshi did very well in – the conversational romantic duet. As with other songs in this category penned by him, Anand Bakshi keeps the lovers’ exchange light-hearted, flirtatious and very real. Kalyandji – Anandji and Viju Shah (son of Kalyanji) After almost a decade of a rather unremarkable career, it was Kalyanji – Anandji who gave Anand Bakshi a blockbuster hit record with Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), and almost overnight transformed him into the industry’s leading lyricist. I am not particularly fond of the album, but clearly I am in the minority. The film’s music was very popular and with its range of themes and genres, it had something for everyone. My pick from the film is ‘Ek Tha Gul Aur Ek Thi Bulbul’. Contrived as the situation is, I think Anand Bakshi does a masterful job of telling the film’s story in three verses. In terms of popularity, Mohra (1994) and Gupt (1997), would surpass anything else Anand Bakshi wrote for Viju Shah. At the age of 64, Bakshi saab managed to write something as juvenile (some may say crass) as ‘Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast’. We could see the song’s lyrics as an unnecessary compromise by a senior lyricist or we could marvel at an old man’s ability to read the pulse of a generation far removed. My favourite Viju Shah – Anand Bakshi coming together, however, happens in the lesser heard Tere Mere Sapne (1996) with its two outstanding romantic duets ‘Kuchh Mere Dil Ne Kaha’ and ‘Mere Piya Maine Jise Yeh Dil Diya’. My pick is ‘Mere Piya’: Chitragupt and Anand – Milind There isn’t a lot to choose from when it comes to Anand Bakshi’s lyrics for Chitragupt – just six songs from two obscure films Aadhi Raat Ke Baad (1965) and Angaaray (1975). In fact, I came upon those songs only while writing for this post. My pick is Lata Mangeshkar’s ghazal from Aadhi Raat Ke Baad. Anand – Milind did 10 films with Anand Bakshi but nothing really clicked. The duo could not really get the best out of the aging lyricist. My pick of this combination is an OK melody but to be honest, I picked it for the resplendent Madhuri Dixit. The song – Kumar Sanu and Sadhna Sargam’s ‘Kitna Pyar Karta Hoon’ (Phool, 1993). Nadeem-Shravan and Sanjeev-Darshan (sons of Shravan Rathod) Nadeem–Sharavan did just two films with Anand Bakshi. Bakshi saab’s advancing age and the disruption in Nadeem–Shravan’s career due to Nadeem’s legal troubles (he was named accused in T-Series’ Gulshan Kumar’s murder) meant that they didn’t work together after Pardes (1997). But what an album Pardes was! The film had many good songs and deservedly won Nadeem–Shravan a Screen the award for Best Music Director. My pick is the mellow love ballad sung by Kumar Sanu, ‘Do Dil Mil Rahe Hain’. Anand Bakshi’s work for Sanjeev–Darshan came in the last two years of his life when he was a spent force, although still prolific and with the ability to produce a sporadic good song. I’d rather not pick a Sanjeev–Darshan song. Instead, I will end the post with a song Anand Bakshi wrote for his most significant collaborators, Laxmikant – Pyarelal. About half of all the film songs Anand Bakshi ever wrote were for LP. Theirs was a hit making team as they churned out one chartbuster after the other – Do Raaste (1969), Aan Milo Sajna (1970), Mehboob Ki Mehndi (1971), Bobby (1973), Anurodh (1977) and Karz (1980) – to name just a few. My pick is ‘Aadmi Musafir Hai’ (Apnapan, 1977) which won Anand Bakshi the Filmfare award for Best Lyricist and is an apt song to revisit the beautiful memories the people’s poet left behind. http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-bollywood-retrospect-the-enduring-lyrics-of-anand-bakshi-2105701Pakistan media
Where It All Began. By Shiraz Hassan. The Dawn.com
http://epaper.dawn.com/DetailNews.php?StoryText=24_08_2014_152_002Waseem Altaf in Pakistan’s The News – Dec 2013.
http://e.thenews.com.pk/pindi/12-18-2013/page20.aspRevisit the legacy of Anand Bakshi @NDTV Puja Talwar
https://www.ndtv.com/video/shows/bollywood-roots/revisit-the-legacy-of-talented-lyricist-anand-bakshi-227928Anand Bakshi’s Khazana for Rajesh Khanna
by Dr Rajiv Vijaykar
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/features/type/view/id/3736The Punjabi contribution to cinema
By Ishtiaq Ahmed billumian@gmail.com Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Stockholm University; Visiting Professor Government College University; and, Honorary Senior Fellow, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. My book, The Punjab Bloodied, Partitioned and Cleansed, *(Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2012), won the Best Non-Fiction Book Prize at the 2013 Karachi Literature Festival and the 2013 UBL-Jang Groups Best Non-Fiction Book Prize at Lahore. My latest book is, Pakistan: The Garrison State, Origins, Evolution, Consequences (1947-2011), Oxford, 2013. I can be reached at: billumian@gmail.com The Friday Times, 18 March 2016 http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/the-punjabi-contribution-to-cinema-I/ It was Anand Bakshi (born Rawalpindi 1930 died Bombay 2002) who should be credited with starting the trend to use Punjabi words, phrases and even verses in Hindi songs. His output outstrips that of all other song writers, including non-Punjabis. Another Punjabi, Gulzar, is considered to have created an entirely new imagery and symbolism in his poetry and indeed in his film songs. Ahmed Faqih tells me that Gulzar is a class by himself. Others too have generated most beautiful and exquisite film songs. We shall be looking at some of their great creative contributions in forthcoming articles. Ishtiaq Ahmed, on the Punjabis who shaped song-writing in the Indian film industry In light of such a discussion, my understanding is that since Punjabis were fully conversant with Urdu/Hindi or Hindustani prose and poetry they were able to respond innovatively to the demands of the film industry. In doing so they brought in the Punjabi tappas and kafis and other such genres into their Hindustani verses and created an exotic film song-writing culture than existed traditionally in the more orthodox regions of classical Urdu and Hindi poetry. Some wrote in both Hindustani and Punjabi and were catering for all three film centers. Music director Vinod and his family – another scion of Lahore Qamar Jalalabadi The earliest Punjabi who started writing for all three industries was Dina Nath Madhok, better known as D. N. Madhok (born Gujranwala 1902 – died Hyderabad Deccan 1982). Others from the pre-partition era included Kidar Sharma, Aziz Kashmiri, Qamar Jalalabadi (Om Prakash Bhandari), Zahir Kashmiri, Nazim Panipati, Saifuddin Saif, Tanveer Naqvi, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (nephew of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan), Qatil Shifai, Prem Dhawan, Verma Malik and several others. Two Muslims who left Lahore during partition included Aziz Kashmiri (who until then was Lahore based) and Sahir Ludhianvi (who was not writing film songs at that time). Tanveer Naqvi returned to Lahore after partition. Zahir Kashmiri, Saifuddin Saif and Qateel Shifai were based in Lahore, but used to write for Bombay films as well. They stayed behind. West Punjabi Hindus and Sikhs who later made a great name for themselves in Bollywood include Rajinder Krishan, Anand Bakshi, Gulzar (Sampuran Singh Kalra) and Naqsh Lyallpuri (Balwant Rai Sharma). Shailendra was born in Rawalpindi, where his father had set up a small business, but the family was originally from Bihar and it left for Mathura, UP, much before Partition, when Shailendra was still going to school in Rawalpindi. I thought this fact should be noted, even if one cannot claim that Shailendra was a Punjabi. On the other hand, Nazim Panipati (just as Khawaja Ahmed Abbas) hailed from Panipat and was an Urdu- or rather Haryanvi-speaker. Till 1947, Ambala division was a part of united Punjab and therefore we include him among Punjabi song writers. ‘Meray piya gae Rangoon’ – the film ‘Patanga’ is an example of collaboration between Naushad and D. N. Madhok Geet is simply poetry which can easily be expressed in melody As this series develops and evolves, we will have many occasions to discuss some of the songs which the Punjabis wrote for the Calcutta and Bombay film industries. However, already I want to make the following distinctions. D. N. Madhok was definitely the earliest of the Punjabis to establish himself in Bombay. Naushad has mentioned in an interview that during the formative phase when he was looking for a breakthrough in Bombay, D. N. Madhok helped him a great deal. Their finest cooperation was in the filmRattan (1944). The song, Sawan kae badlo unn sae ye jaa kaho’ sung by Zohrabai Ambalvi and Karan Dewan is even now remembered with great nostalgia by film buffs. Then, another, ‘merey pia gaye Rangoon wahaan sae kyia hai telephone’ sung by Shamshad Begum and Chitalkar (C. Ramchandra) and filmed on Nigar Sultana and comedian Gope in the film Patanga (1949), was a sensation. One can name dozens of others. Anand Bakshi properly started the trend of using Punjabi words in Hindi songs Rajinder Krishan (born Jalalpur Jattan, Gujrat district, 1922 – died Bombay 1988) was undoubtedly one of the greatest geetwriters and one can compare him with Shailendra in terms of how beautifully he could express himself in romantic poetry. I will devote more space to his songs in a forthcoming article. The first song, I believe, in which Punjabi words were used in a Hindustani film made in Bombay was penned by Aziz Kashmiri. The song was “Lara lappa lara lappa lyee rakdha”, picturised on Meena Shorey in the film Eik Thee Larki (1949), and it was an instant hit. The music was by Vinod. All three were from Lahore originally. However, it was Anand Bakshi (born Rawalpindi 1930 died Bombay 2002) who should be credited with starting the trend to use Punjabi words, phrases and even verses in Hindi songs. His output outstrips that of all other song writers, including non-Punjabis. Another Punjabi, Gulzar, is considered to have created an entirely new imagery and symbolism in his poetry and indeed in his film songs. Ahmed Faqih tells me that Gulzar is a class by himself. Others too have generated most beautiful and exquisite film songs. We shall be looking at some of their great creative contributions in forthcoming articles. D. N. Madhok one of the earliest Punjabis to write film songs Sahir Ludhianvi But the man who transformed the song-writing scene in Bombay and created an entirely new style of socially-conscious film songs with a clear message for fundamental change was undoubtedly Sahir Ludhianvi (given name Abdul Hayee born Ludhiana 1921 – died Bombay 1980). I will devote one or two forthcoming articles to his contribution. With the death of Anand Bakshi only Gulzar remains from among the Punjabi lyricists at Bombay mentioned above, who is among the top-ranking song writers in Bollywood. Ishtiaq Ahmed is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Stockholm University; Visiting Professor at Government College University, Lahore and Honorary Senior Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/the-punjabi-contribution-to-cinema-v/#sthash.DxQxTxR5.dpufImmortals
When I saw his pyre burn, back in 2002, I thought ‘The pyre has consumed him. He no longer exists in the form we knew’. Few weeks later, when we let go of his ashes in the arms of our beloved Ganges at Haridwar, looking longingly at his part ashes sink and part float quickly far away from us, very soon beyond our reach, the Ganges at Haridwar rages, and races, I once again thought ‘The pyre consumes us, until no trace of us is left.’ However, this week on Monday, I was a the launch of a brand of jewelry designed by Bibhu Mohapatra, and before the show began, the Italian singer Natalie Di Luccio sang some songs, in Italian, English and Hindi. Of the three Hindi songs she sang, before she performed the last song she said, with great enthusiasm and passion, “I am now going to sing one of my favorite Hindi numbers.” It was Dum Maro Dum from Hare Krishna Hare Ram. That is when I thought, while looking at many young and old privileged guests and press invitees seated along and around the runway, many of them singing along with Natalie ‘He left behind a legacy no fire could consume.’ Yes, a pyre will consume us. All pyres do. However, sometimes the work one leaves behind no fire can consume. And I think, creative people, especially, have that privilege to leave behind a legacy no fire can consume, no Earth can bury. April 23 2016. – Rakesh Anand BakshiDirector Milan Luthria
When I was making Kacche Dhaage, on the very first song sitting, the producer was present, bakshii wrote the mukhda ‘khali dil nai jaan bhi yeh mangda, ishq di galli wich koi koi langda, sung by Nusrat later. The producer objected, that no one wil understand the punjabi lyrics so Bakshi ji should write a hindi verse he requested. Bakshi ji tried to explain to the producer that it will be understood easily, but the producer refused to budge. Bakshi ji asked me to come out of the room alone he wanted to say something in private. We went out, without the producer, and Bakshi ji said to me, which I will never forget “This is the moment in your life, when you have two choices in front of you. either you be a ghulam and listen to what people have to say to you, or you go with your conviction and become a filmmaker. ghulam or filmmaker/director, today you make the decision.’ We went in together and I stuck with Bakshi ji’s punjabi mukhda, I refused to budge. the producer had to accept the punjabi verse. that day I became a filmmaker, I think. – Milan Luthria. Narrated to me by my niece Divya Bali Mehra, Milan Luthria met her yesterday in Delhi. – Rakesh Anand BakshiVinay Mehta
Shri N K Mehta my uncle now in his 80s, lives in Bangalore. He’s a 1971 war veteran, having participated in tank battles on the western front. In one of the ironies of fate, he who lost much of his hearing amidst exploding artillery shells, happened to be a life-long connoisseur of good music as well. In the late 1980s he’d made a TV program to highlight how soldiers continued serving the nation with distinction even after their stint in the armed forces. Having served in the Navy, Bakshi Saheb was a perfect example of precisely what the show intended to convey. He also happened to be from the same extended clan as my uncle, with both having links to pre-partition Rawalpindi. I met my uncle after years this week, and he fondly recalled how Bakshi Saheb had not only given his blessings and enthusiastic voluntary participation to the TV program, but also displayed his genius by composing a short poem for army veterans on the spot within a minute. Memories often tend to fade in old age, but not only did my uncle vividly remember that display of Anand Bakshi’s calibre, but proudly narrated the poem as well. (I made an audio clipping of his narration too, but am still figuring out how to share it). Hum purane faujiyon ko aap ne Yaad rakha, pyar ka tohfa diya. Sarhadon pe phir khade ho jayenge Waqt ne agar humko mauqa diya. Shukriya aye meherbanon, shukriya Shukriya aye meherbanon, shukriya – Anand Bakshi 1980s.When I met Music Composer A R Rahman
By Rakesh Anand Bakshi What kind of relationship did the awesome music composer A R Rahman share with his lyricist #Anand Bakshi? “Bakshi ji was already a legend when I arrived in Mumbai film industry. In the mid 1990’s. Our first work together was with director #SubhashGhai, for a film that eventually did not get made. (Shikar). Of course, I had heard of Bakshi ji much earlier, in South (India). Few Hindi films become big hits down South, and some of them had his lyrics. Like, #Sholay, #DDLJ and some others. Bakshi ji was a very kind man. Because, even though I had perceived him as a legend, on meeting him and working with him I did not feel intimidated in his presence. (Thinks) He had a peaceful aura, a serene presence like kindness has, in spite of his achievements. (Pauses) Bakshi ji was always in his own zone, very quiet and reflective most of the time. By ‘kind man’ I mean empathy. (Thinks) Bakshi ji had a certain approach to creative people which I think was empathetic. I was not new in the film industry when I met him, I was only new to the ‘Mumbai film industry’, and he took to someone ‘new’ like me with such ease and affection. It’s the ease that comes with kindness. You know, it was fun working with him. Speaking of his talent, (Pauses) the most difficult thing in films is, creating something ‘simple’. By simple I do not mean simplistic. Simple things are things that are very charming. Immediately charming to our senses. Because in a world of clutter and noise simple things pop-out, they create an impact immediately. Bakshi ji was a king of that simplicity, I felt. while working with him. He was very profound, yet simple were his lyrics. (Pauses) That, is actually an aspect of being a genius, I would say. Because, only a genius can keep all the human complexities within and yet pull out an expression that is so simple, so charming so easily. An example of such genius in simplicity would be, our song from Taal (!999), ‘Kariye na, koi vada kissise kariye na.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99QKrl0feOU (Thinks, begins to hum) Even the other song, ‘Nahin saamne yeh alag baat hai.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Kwx09THR8 ‘Kariya na’ got adapted in #AndrewLloydWebber’s theatre production #BombayDreams,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_Dreams for which I composed music. Andrew loved the ‘kariye na’ song and proposed we adapt it for his production. That song is my favorite too. (Smiles) When I worked with Bakshi ji in Taal, Subhash ji asked me to give Bakshi ji a tune to write on. But I wanted Bakshi ji to write the lyrics freely, without a tune, and I will compose according to his lyrics. Because, I was new to Hindi film industry and I was trying to understand, discover actually, how to compose to Hindi and Urdu lyrics. So I wanted him to write the lyrics first and then I will compose to them and learn along the way. (Pauses) You know, there was a kind of fierce fire burning between the three of us (Bakshi ji, Subhash ji & me), because all three of us were in a discovery mode during the music creation of Taal. So Taal was an interesting experience for all of us, is what I really mean when I said it was ‘fun’ working on the songs of Taal with Bakshi ji. Because it’s fun to discover new things as you work. There were conflicts, of course, but it all resulted and ended in sheer beauty, I think. (Smiles) Bakshi ji had a Harmonium and he could sing in tune. (Smiles) That was another reason it was fun working with him. Fun also because, he was so quick at writing lyrics that if I did not as quickly as him come up with a tune, he would start singing his lyrics in his own tunes. (Laughs) Because he had a good sense of music in him. And he had a good voice, so he would start singing his lyrics in his own tune! And what he sang would sound good too. (Laughs) So I used to get a little ‘tension’ working with him (Laughs), that if I delay making the tune for his lyrics he may sing a better tune than I can make and then my director, Subhash ji will okay it! (Laughs) so then what am I doing there as the music composer? (Laughs) However, Bakshi ji’s tunes were so beautiful, also because he sang well he could do justice to his lyrics. (Smiles) So ya, it was really fun working with him, and Subhash ji, having to be really fast composing the tunes really quickly in front of him and Subhash ji. (Laughs) Music composers are expected to deliver hits. So it helps us if our lyrics writer has the ability to write a catchy and interesting mukhda. With Bakshi Saab that was never a problem. Everything he wrote was so simple and attractive. And phonetically interesting too, so, honestly, I did not have to work hard at it. That is one of the reasons I had mentioned to you during the background scoring of Taal’s music scoring that ‘I like working with Bakshi ji because he makes my work easier.’ (Pauses) Even if you take the song “Choli ke peeche kya hai”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_l8kXaX9Uwfrom Khal Nayak (1993), composed by#LaxmikantPyarelal, even without knowing the meaning of the lyrics the sound of it is so musical and catchy! Same for the rhyme of the song ‘Taal se taal mila’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzX4_vcWp6I from Taal. I feel lucky to have worked with Bakshi Saab. And even with some others who are no longer with us today. (Pauses) We all miss Bakshi Saab. Especially, Subhash ji. He was very close to him. I still remember the living room of Bakshi ji’s house where we composed songs together; it had an old world charm, a nostalgia, just like a beautiful ghazal. (Pauses) On visiting Bakshi ji I would always feel I am entering the personal space of a ‘legend’. You mentioned Bakshi ji wrote much more than the usual three or four paragraphs that directors and producers had wanted from him. It comes from a kind of love, a sheer passion for your work that cannot be explained or expressed. These people are blessed that they can give so much of themselves to their work, to their listeners. In all humility, I too feel fortunate that I have the blessings of Ajmer Sharif’s Khwaja Garibnawaz, and through my music I have opportunities to give back the love I am receiving from the almighty and my listeners. Thank you very much for this Rakesh.” – A R Rahman Mumbai, July 2016JUSTICE WITH JUDICIOUSNESS
By Shekhar Gupta “Iss duniya mein o duniyawalon, bada mushkil hai insaaf karna, bada aasan hai dena sazayein, bada mushkil hai par maaf karna” It’s tough to be a judge when it’s much more convenient to punish than to forgive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpIGJfTUADE Judiciary remains our most trusted institution. Since it’s working this summer vacation, it should also debate its internal health. If I am often allowed to slip cricket into deadly boring politics, I can also smuggle film music into this comment on our judiciary. Especially as I write this on the death anniversary of lyricist Anand Bakshi. Remembering his era and thinking about the judiciary at the same time brought back to me the lines he wrote for the 1969 Ashok Kumar-Jeetendra-Mala Sinha starrer, Do Bhai. In the film, Ashok Kumar and Jeetendra are brothers, judge and cop. The rest is predictable, with the judge caught in that eternal dilemma, to punish or to forgive. Anand Bakshi scripted this for Mohammed Rafi to sing as “iss duniya mein o duniyawalo, bada mushkil hai insaf karna/bada aasan hai dena sazayein, bada mushkil hai par maaf karna” (briefly meaning: It’s tough to be a judge when it’s much more convenient to punish than to forgive). While an editor’s station in life is leagues below that of a judge, the same logic also applies to our lives: It is easier to publish and be damned than to refrain and explain. It’s a reckless editor who lets go of a juicy story only because it is a little unconvincing. The one I am bringing up here is to do with the then Chief Justice of India, in the winter of 1998. If I am breaking confidences 20 years later and mentioning the names of a few wise and respectable people, they will forgive me because they will understand my reasons. Our very solid legal editor worked on a meticulous investigation on the past of Justice A S Anand, who had just taken over as CJI. It painted the picture of a judge who had cut corners, overlooked conflict of interest, wasn’t transparent on gifts, and short-changed share-croppers on his lands. The series went through many editing changes as we went over it in the most minute manner possible. The story was big enough for me to personally take it to top lawyers for advice, say 10 of the then top 12. The split, to publish or not, was about 2:8. Reasons for not publishing, however, weren’t always legal or factual. Be careful, not to end up hurting an innocent and damage our greatest institution. Of the two who said go ahead, one said facts were facts and no other logic should apply and the other was gung-ho. What will the judge do, I asked him. Kill us with contempt? He will do no such thing, all he will have left to do is commit suicide, he said. That shook us up. Inadvertently, this doyen of Indian law had flagged to us the real import of what we were contemplating. We went over each line again. There was just one thing missing: A response from Justice Anand. To all inquiries, his office said as a serving CJI, he couldn’t engage with the media. So we had our alibi. Two public figures I greatly respect got in touch with me then: Sushma Swaraj and Arun Shourie, both members of the Vajpayee cabinet. Both knew Justice Anand and family for long and said they were totally unconvinced he would have done anything dishonest. I told them our story was convincing, that we had waited long enough, and it wasn’t possible to keep holding it. If our facts are wrong, we need Justice Anand to convince us. Ms Swaraj came back with a suggestion that I call him, which I did. Justice Anand agreed to see me, with all facts, but off-the-record. The rest, briefly, is as follows. He received me, with a mix of suspicion and warmth. We spent several hours going over every charge. He had a leather briefcase filled with documents, tax returns, scribbles, paddy sale receipts, his children’s wedding invites, ledgers he had given the court and tax authorities on “shagun” amounts received at the weddings. I came back with his “facts”. There was plenty of further to-ing and fro-ing. It seemed he had a convincing answer for everything. Net-net, there was only one thing left unaccounted for: Six half-bags of paddy many years earlier, the value of which may have been denied to a sharecropper. At that point, it was worth no more than Rs 3,000-4,000 and could be an accounting error. I returned deflated. Here we thought we had the scoop of our lifetime, and now this cold shower of facts. No newspaper was going to damn the Chief Justice over a doubtful transaction of six half-bags of paddy. One moment stays imprinted on my mind out of those mutually awkward and painful hours and Justice Anand, I hope, will forgive me for mentioning this. Every fact is before you, I am the Chief Justice of India and have answered each question raised by you, he said, do you think you will still go ahead and hurt not just me but this great institution? And sorry again, Justice Anand, for my betraying this confidence 20 years later, but I saw — in my own embarrassment and horror — his eyes moist. That story was killed. It remains the most difficult of the very few similar calls I have had to make in my career. I have reflected on it often enough since. Would we be so patient and so open-minded and ultimately so self-denying if it was to do with a politician or a civil servant? The only reason we waited that long to get the CJI’s version was that it had to do with an institution we so respect, and go running to whenever our freedoms are under threat, never to be let down. The judiciary remains our most trusted institution when the annual Edelman-WEF survey tells you that trust in governments is globally at a historic low. As Saurabh Shukla the “judge” caricature tells the court in Jolly LLB-2, there is much wrong with our judiciary, look at how dirty this court is, I don’t even feel like coming to work each morning and can’t wait for it to be 6 pm, so I can head home. But remember even then, when two people fight, what does one tell the other? I will see you in court. Because people believe whatever its problems, the judiciary will give them justice. It’s for all these reasons that our top judiciary should engage in deep internal debate on how to preserve and enhance this incredible popular capital and social contract. Is intervening in the executive domain on a too-frequent basis the best way to invest this capital? How far from judicial vigilantism is the concept of setting up empowered committees of retired judges to administer governance issues, from air quality to illegal constructions to cricket? Does speaking, and acting in anger and irritation enhance judicial capital? Is the fact that (as research by NGO Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy shows) 70 per cent of all retiring Supreme Court judges have found a place on a government tribunal, body, or a court-appointed committee not worth debating? Even if the conclusion is that the retirement age should be extended to 70, an idea I support. Sixty-two for the high courts and 65 for the Supreme Court is too soon to retire for the post-statin generations. Is a retiring CJI in a Raj Bhawan ok? Nothing is too sensitive to debate, least of all if it is so vital to an institution so valuable it will make us editors sit on a blockbuster story for weeks and then put it to sword, the editorial equivalent of the late Anand Bakshi’s most difficult decision in that song’s lyrics – it’s tough to be a judge when it’s much more convenient to punish than to forgive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpIGJfTUADEMy dear Bakshi Uncle
Tribute by Swaminathan Narayan (Narayanan), my college friend: Bakshi Uncle! Who says you have gone away, You still as a phenomenon on this universe sway. See here and there, your songs sing your glory, Mere words cannot capture or describe your story …. If you said ” Zikr hota hai jab Qayamat ka ” You extolled…. chand aahen barega ….” Only to say …” Kisi raah mein, kisi mod par, kahin chal na dena tu chhodkar, mere humsafar…” Then to re-affirm …kabhi raat din hum door the…. Din raat aab saath hain, If you philosophised ” jaane chale jaate hain kahan, duniya se jaane wale…”… You called….aaja teri ….yaad aaayi …… Only to say ….” Hum tum yug yug se yeh geet milan ke gaathe rahen hai , gaate rahenge …” And to summarise…. Hum dono …do premi duniya chhod chale, jeevan ki hum saari rasme tod chale…..” If you explained ….” Yeh jeevan hai …iss jeevan ka ..yahi hai yahi hai rang roop…” You cautioned…… Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaate hain jo makam , woh phir nahi aate….” Then you guided …. Gaadi bula rahi hai … Seeti baja rahi hai … Chalna hi zindagi hai …. Chalti hi jaa rahi hai ….. To summarise…… Aa bata dein ke tujhe kaise jiya jaata hai … Dost toh dost hai …dushman se bhi raks kiya jaata hai ….. If you queried the wind with …aae ri pawan …doondhe kise tera maan …chalte chalte …” You pleaded…… Sun ri pawan …. Pawan puruwaiyya …. Mein toh aleki … Tu saheli meri ban ja ….. Saathi aaa…. You mentioned …… Ik ritu aaye , ik ritu jaaye re …. Mausam badale naa, badle naseeb…. Then concluded ….. Mere naseeb mein tu hai ke nahi , tere naseeb mein main hun ke nahi …yeh hum kya jaane , yeh wohi jaane …. Jisne likha hai … Sabka naseeb…. If you complained……. Yeh kya hua, kaise hua , kab hua , kyun hua …… You reasoned …….jab dard nahi tha seena mein… Tab khaak mazaa tha jeene main…. Then you explained….. Ek banjara gaaye …. Jeevan ki reet sunaye …. Hum sab jeene walon ko jeene ki raah bataye …. To enjoy saying …..aao jhume gaye milke dhum machaye,chunle gum ke kate …. khushiyo ke phul khilaye Bakshi ji …. If you said ….. Kuch toh log kehenge …logon ka kaam hai kehna…. You generalised …. Admi jo kehta hai , aadmi jo sunta hai …zindagi baar woh sadayen picha karti hai …. Only to add….diye jalte hain , phool kilte hain, badi mushkil se magar duniya mein dost milte hain …. And for those who indeed had friends …you propesied …yeh dosti hum nahi todenge … Todenge dum magar tera saath na chhodenge ….. You eulogised ……..tujhe dekha toh yeh jana sanam …pyaar hota hai deewana sanam…. To continue ………maine poocha chand se …. Ke dekha hai kahin ..mere yaar sa haseen…. To keep continuing…..pyaar deewana hota hai …mastana hota hai …har khushi ,har gham se begana hota hai …. To cajole the beauty you ended….main toh dewaana deewana …dewaana …. Very down to earth you confessed….main shayar toh nahi …magar aaaeee haseen , jab se dekha maine tujhko , …mujhko sayari aa gayi ….. In times of a small fight … You exclaimed….koi haseena jab rooth jathi hai toh …aur bhi haseen ho jati hai….. Or apologised …..hum bewafa hargis na the… Par hum wafa kar na sake…. Or convinced…….main tere isqh mein…marna jaaoon kahin…tu mujhe aazmane ki koshish na kar …..SPCA
Anand Bakshi is perhaps the only lyricist in bollywood who won an award for his lyrics in favor of animal rights नफरत की दुनिया को छोड़ के प्यार की दुनिया में (हाथी मेरे साथी) (#HaathiMereSaathi), presented by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzUGxYbAv4w – Dr Rajiv VijayakarDirector Producer Shyam Benegal‘s tribute
A Poet of the People: The Life of Legendary Lyricist Anand Bakshi
An unimaginable number of his 3,500 film songs are nothing short of anthemic. By KHALID MOHAMED 21 Jul 2019 https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/music/remembering-the-life-of-legendary-lyricist-anand-bakshiLyricist Sameer Anjaan’s tribute for Anand Bakshi
Uss mukkamal fankar ke naam chand alfaaz jise main apana murshid Maanata hoon ……… Roohani mahake huve woh , khayalat kahan se laayen , lufz toh dhoondh len , lekin woh iazbaat kahaan se laayen , jo apane fun ke jadu se subko hasaata aur roolata hai , aisa Kalam ka jadugar , duniya me buss ek baar aata hai …….Lyricist Irshad Kamil
Three songs of Anand Bakshi Sahib I like: ‘कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे‘ सिर्फ़ एक गीत के बोल ही नहीं हैं बल्कि चार शब्दों में बयान हमारे स माज काबहुत बड़ा और बहुत ज़रूरी सच है। आनंद बख़्शी साहिब के गानों की यही ख़ासियत रहती है। वो अपनेगानों में मिठास बरकरार रखते हुये समाज का बड़े से बड़ा सच कह जाते हैं। ‘अमर प्रेम’ फिल्म का यहगाना अपने सच की वजह से अमर हुआ है और गाने में आये ऐतिहासिक हवाले कि ‘सीता भी यहाँ बदनामहुई’ इस कड़वे सच को और मज़बूती देते हैं। ये गीत मुझे साहिर साहिब की भी याद दिलाता है। वो’जिन्हें नाज़ है हिन्द पर वो कहाँ हैं’ में लिखते हैं ‘ यहाँ पीर भी आ चुके हैं जवान भी, तनोमन्द बेटे भीअब्बा मियां भी’ उसी दर्जे पर जाकर बख़्शी साहिब लिखते हैं, हमको जो ताने देते हैं हम खोये हैं इनरंगरलियों में, हमने उनको भी छुप छुप के आते देखा इन गलियों में।’ कुछ तो लोग कहेंगे’ गीत कभी पुराना नहीं हो सकता। ‘गाड़ी बुला रही है‘ सीधे और सरल तरीक़े से गाड़ी की नहीं बल्कि ज़िन्दगी की बात है। यहाँ भी बख़्शीसाहिब ने बेहद बड़ा फ़लसफ़ा चार आसान लफ़्ज़ों में कह दिया है और वो है, ‘चलना ही ज़िन्दगी है।’ मुश्क़िल विचार को आसान बनाना और आसान बात को आम लोगों की ज़ुबान पर चढ़ा देना एक हुनर हैजो अज़ीम कद गीतकार बख़्शी साहिब के तक़रीबन हर गाने में है। इस गीत में उन्होंने खेल-खेल में कहदिया ‘सीखो सबक जवानों, मैं इस बात को ‘एकला चलो रे’ के बरक्स रख के भी देखता हूँ। बल्कि इसमेंतो सिर्फ ‘चलना’ है और छोटी लेकिन और भी बड़ी बात। ‘यहाँ मैं अजनबी हूँ‘ बख़्शी साहिब का लिखा मेरा पसंदीदा गाना है। जिस ख़ूबसूरती से उन्होंने इन गानेमें दो वर्गों का और दो समाजों का ज़िक्र किया है वो सब इतना आसान नहीं था जितना इस गाने में लगताहै। भारतीय और पश्चिमी सभ्यता के बीच की खींचा तानी, निम्न-मध्यवर्ग और उच्च वर्ग के बीच की खाई, मासूमियत और चालाकी के बीच का अंतर, क्या नहीं है इस गाने में। और इन सब के साथ मोहब्बत मेंअधिकार की बात, ‘तेरी बाहों में देखूँ सनम ग़ैरों की बाहें, मैं लाऊंगा कहाँ से भला ऐसी निगाहें ?’ शिकवा, शिकायत और गिले की बात। सिर्फ़ यही गाना नहीं बल्कि ‘जब जब फूल खिले’ फिल्म के सबगाने ही तराशे हुए नगीने हैं।Lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya
बचपन से बक्शी साहब के लिखे गाने ज़बानी याद हैं. क्योंकि वो सुनने और गाने में हमेशा आसान लगे. लेकिन जब उनके जैसा लिखने की नाकाम कोशिश की, तब पता चला कि कितना मुश्किल काम आसानी कर गये बक्शी साहब. I salute the legend Anand Bakshi.Lyricist Manoj Muntashir
1. Yahan Main Ajnabi Hoon The magic of writing lies in its power to connect. Bakshi Sahab had mastered the art of connecting to the listeners very subtly, on a very subconscious level. That’s what turned many of his songs into idioms and proverbs. One such song is ‘Yahan Main Ajnabi Hoon’. No matter how socially active or accepted we are, at some point in time we feel as if we are living in an alien world. In my case, this is a very regular phenomenon. Every now and then I go through this ‘Bairag’, the strong desire to escape from everything good and bad around me as I just don’t relate to any of it. When it happens, the only song I take recluse in is ‘Yahan Main Ajnabi Hoon’. This haunting of being in a strange world became all the more agonizing when I moved to Mumbai from my small town- Gaurigunj in U.P. I could not get accustomed to a city which has no breaks in its system, only accelerators. Nobody has time for anyone. Back in Gaurigunj, everyone knew everyone, in Mumbai, people living in the same building are clueless about each other. I remember playing the following verses in the loop while staying in an Andheri hutment. “Kahan Shamo-Sahar Ye, Kahan Din-Raat Mere… Bahut Ruswa Hue Hain Yahan Jazbaat Mere.. Nayi Tahzeeb Hai Ye, Naya Hai Ye Zamana… Magar Main Aadmi Hoon, Wahi Sadiyon Purana”. 2. Kuchh To Log Kahenge In a society like India, where we have 5000 years of imposed moral values and so-called ‘Sanskars’ to carry on our shoulders, Bakshi Sahab had the creative-courage to rebel against all of it. In 1 plain simple line, he burst the bubble of pretentious social dynamics… “Kuchh To Log Kahenge Logon Ka Kaam Hai Kahna”. If I am asked to pick the top 10 all-time greatest songs of India, this one may just find its place on the topmost spot. “Kuchh Reet Jagat Ki Aisi Hai, Har Ek Subah Ki Shaam Hui… Tu Kaun Hai Tera Naam Hai Kya, Seeta Bhi Yahan Badnaam Hui”. Anyone who has heard and mulled over this song even once will stop caring for the world with immediate effect. Also, this song is a brilliant example of cinematic writing. 50 scenes in the film ‘Amar Prem’ would not be as effective to describe Rajesh Khanna’s character, as a few words of this song did. Another example of Bakshi Sahab being the best screen lyricist of all times is the film ‘Dar’. Shahrukh’s character was very complex and layered for the time film released in. I can bet the audience would never understand the plot of the film and adjust to the anti-hero philosophy of Yash Chopra Ji, in the absence of the song. ‘Tu Hai Meri Kiran’. Look at these 9 simple words which magically encapsulated the 150 pages of the script, ‘Tu Haan Kar Ya Na Kar, Tu Hai Meri Kiran’. I remember writing songs for ‘Badshaho’, which was being directed by Milan Luthria. Every time we sat to make a song, he would miss Bakshi Sahab with a sigh. In fact, it was one of the most challenging films of my career, as I was writing for a director whose tastebuds were used to legendary Bakshi Sahab’s words. India is a land of poets and writers, many more will come but Bakshi Sahab would always be missed with the same sigh, forever.Some *POPULAR songs of Anand Bakshi* (Banner wise/Filmmaker wise)
By Manohar Mohabbat Iyer *Dev Anand* Hare Rama Hare Krishna: Dum maaro dum Hare Rama Hare Krishna: Phoolon ka taaron ka *Hrishikesh Mukherjee* Namak Haram: Diye jalte hain Chupke Chupke: Ab ke sajan sawan mein *J Om Pakash* Aan Milo Sajna: Achha to hum chalte hain Aap Ki Kasam: Jai jai shiv shankar *L V Prasad* Milan: Sawan ka mahina Ek Duuje Ke Liye: Tere mere beech mein *Manmohan Desai* Amar Akbar Anthony: Anhonee ko honi karde Amar Akbar Anthony: Parda hai parda *Mohan Kumar* Anjana Rimjhim ke geet sawan gaaye Aap Aaye Bahar Aayi: Mujhe teri mohabbat ka *Raj Kapoor* Bobby: Hum tum ek kamre mein band ho Main shair to nahin *Raj Khosla* Do Raaste: Bindiya chamkegi Do Raaste: Chhup gaye saare nazaare *Ramesh Sippy* Seeta aur Geeta: Hawa ke saath saath Sholay: Mehbooba mehbooba *Shakti Samanta* Aradhana: Roop tera mastana Amar Prem: Chingari koyi bhadke *Subhash Ghai* Karz: Om shanti om Khal Nayak: Choli ke peechhe kya hai *Yash Chopra* Chandni: Mere haathon mein Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge: Tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Note: The above list purely on the basis of POPULARITY and need not be his BEST of these filmmakers. Therefore, the list excludes, arguably, some of his lyrically poignant songs (from films of above filmmakers) which were also popular; songs like: Ankhinyon ko rehne de Doston mein koyi baat chal jaati hai Duniya mein kitna gham hai Hey maa tujhe salaam Kuch to log kahenge Main shair badnaam Main tulsi tere aangan ki Mubarak ho sabko Solah baras ki baali umar ko salaam Zindagi ke safar mein Just to mention a few as there is not an end to this anand of enlisting his songs. – Manohar Mohabbat IyerTribute to Anand Bakshi on his birth anniversary
By @go_mohan
Since the last few months, I have had the opportunity of doing some Twitter and email exchanges with Rakesh Anand Bakshi, the son of Anand Bakshi. Rakesh has been sending me invitations to the shows he appears in and I have seen a few. This has given me an opportunity to learn a little more about the great lyricist. I have always been a fan of Anand Bakshi. As a diehard Kishore/ RD fan it was natural to be one. Here, I would like to bring out some of my learnings about Bakshi saab (referred as AB) . I will only focus on his creativity and professional work ethic. Customer orientation: – Subhash Ghai said that Anand Bakshi would listen to the story so keenly that he would internalise the full story. Bakshisaab knew the story better than even the Director himself. In every film Ghai would have a theme song that had the basic story. Once Bakshi had written the song that would be so comprehensive that Ghai would use that as a guide to shoot the movie. Through ” Zindagi ke safar mein: song in Aap Ki Kasam AB conveyed so much in 5 mins that J Om Prakash the director could remove many scenes and cut the length of his film by 20 mins Beyond Customer satisfaction, customer delight – For every song, he would give 5 to 6 antaras , even though only two would finally be selected. Customer appreciation is invaluable:- After Bakshisaab died, in his wallet they found a 100 rupee note .. This was carrying Subhash Ghai’s signature. Subhash Ghai gave this note when he felt thrilled listening to his lyric ” Maa tujhe salaam’ in Khalnayak. Anand Bakshi valued it much more than the four Filmfare awards he received. He never missed a deadline. He was so professional that once he gave the commitment he would always deliver on time. Anand Bakshi knew when to work with others and when alone. He got inspiration for the songs from the stories that the directors narrated to him. He felt his songs with directors like Yash Chopra, Shakti Samanta or Subhash Ghai were good because they gave him a good brief. After a good brief, he preferred to work alone. Subhash Ghai said that Bakshi would drive him out, because he did not like group brainstorming. Bakshi did not believe that there was any correlation between time and creativity. Good ideas can come in a jiffy and there is no point in labouring over it. The Saudagar song ” Ilu Ilu Kya Hai” came from the conversation between Bakshi and Ghai that became the mukhda . Whatever he had to learn he learned in his childhood! …When Bakshi was asked why his songs were using very simple words and ideas…Self-deprecatingly, he used to say, he only knew that much, because he had studied only upto Class 7… Yet, he had tremendous confidence to keep coming up with new lyrics on very familiar themes and situations like dil …He wrote only in Urdu script that he had learnt in childhood. He could draw upon many of the folk songs that he had heard in childhood spent in Western Punjab. He maintained working relationships with all the people he worked with. He had no problem working with people he disliked. He advised the same to others also. He had few or no close friends from industry .. In his parties, besides Subhash Ghai there would be no industry person. He knew his limitations He never considered himself a poet. He was clear he was a songwriter for commercial cinema only. He adapted himself as a lyricist but did not do other things. No story writing or direction or other creative work for him. He never forgot his roots. Bakshisaab would reply to his fan mails personally. He loved letters. He has written so many songs on chhitti. Smaller the town the mail would come from, more time he would spend on the reply. He knew the value of his letter the fan would have. For all WFH professionals, there is an interesting lesson. He used to operate from his bedroom only. He could generate all his ideas from his bedroom. Not for him tours and trips to get ideas. When he would be free, he would be dusting his trophies and workspace. Very fussy about cleanliness Anand Bakshi’s life tell us that you dont need infinite talent to be successful. if you know your strengths and continue working at it without feeling frustrated or bored , you can achieve what Bakshisaab did.5 Career Lessons from Anand Bakshi
by Nishant Pandey https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-career-lessons-from-anand-bakshi-nishant-pandey-pmp-cbap-/Tributes by Ajay Poundarik (Massive fan of LP)
Miraculous TRILOGY: Laxmikant-Pyarelal & Anand Bakshi (304 Films with as many as 1680 songs) The most commonly and very regularly aired sentence on the Radio Stations is गीतकार आनंद बक्षी और संगीतकार लक्ष्मीकांत–प्यारेलाल … The songwriter Anand Bakshi and the music director Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the song starts. A NUMBER ONE trio of Hindi Film Music. https://bit.ly/2YJTiBY Tetrad Of Dulcet Music: Anand Bakshi :: Lata Mangeshkar :: Laxmikant-Pyarelal https://bit.ly/39gY9Qs Philosophical Songs Penned By ANAND BAKSHI and Composed by LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL. https://bit.ly/2XXNkz7 ASTOUNDING FOURSOME Mohammad Rafi Anand Bakshi Laxmikant-Pyarelal https://bit.ly/392MggG Metaphysical ANAND BAKSHI & Rhythmic LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL https://bit.ly/2XXNkz7Kishwar Hasrat Jaipuri (Daughter of legend Hasrat saab; Anand Bakshi was a fan of Hasrat saab)
My lifetime favourite song Bakshi saabs falsafa which is beshkeemti and yet very meaningful is the song ..waada tera waada ..waadey pe tere maara gaya banda main seedha saadha . The rhyming kaagiyas ..waada ,saada, Radha are just beyond tareef. Every sher of this song demands “daad” which is tareef in Urdu. Tumhari zulf hai ya sadak ka mod hai ye tumhari aankh hai ya nashey ka tod hai ye .kitaabey husn mein to wafa ka naam nahin arey Mohabbat tum karogi tumhara kaam nahin ..each of these lines demand Irshad Irshad. Rab ne Bakshi Saab ko khoob Baksha.. Hunar likkhney ka ANDAZ niraala Har sift Bakshi ki qalam aur kalaam mein behad aala. Kis ki himmat Hai jo ho Bakshi ke kalaam se naala.. Post death CAPT. N.K. MEHTA RAVE SAILOR, SOLDIER, LYRICIST-A SALUTE ANAND BAKSHI Literally means “Giver of Happiness” . ALI PETER JOHN @ Screen His songs played a very prominent part in the success of most films especially Taal, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge,Dill To Pagal Hai,Mohabbatein and Gaddar- Ek Prem Katha toward the end of his life. ASIAN AGE – WE HAVE LOST OUR BHARAT RATNA: SUBHASH GHAI Though his songs, he spread message of communal harmony. His songs aimed to bring people from either side of the border closer. Even on his death bed, he kept working. He has left us with one word – silence. MOHYAL MITTER (APRIL,2002) A TEARFUL FAREWELL “I shall journey through this world but once. Any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show any human being, let me do it now. Let me not neglect or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Smt Sushma Swaraj, Minister of information & Broadcasting, on behalf of the Union Government paying rich Tributes stated that Bakshiji’s music had touched the hearts of one and all and “इन्होने फ़िल्मी दुनिया में चार चाँद लगा दिये है” and he will be sorely missed.Anand Bakshi ne anand baksha umr bhar
By screenwriter Salim Khan. (This tribute has been used as a Preface in Anand Bakshi’s biography, releasing in March 2021.) A child born in a tiny village in Punjab (Rawalpindi) was named Anand (Happiness) Bakshi (To gift) by his parents; and all his life he gifted happiness to millions of his listeners. When a child is born in India, the parents not only give him an appropriate name according to his star sign, but also get his Destiny Chart prepared by an astrologer. This is no ordinary custom, as it could be an image and reflection of a life time. Some people who believe in superstitions keep a weak or inappropriate name for their child, as I have known of many billionaires who have names which when translated mean opposite to their financial status and I also know of poor people who have names that translate to being a person of immense wealth. But some people prove in their life time that they were rightly named. A child born in a tiny village in Punjab was named Anand (Happiness) Bakshi (To gift) by his parents; and all his life this poet gifted happiness to millions of his musical listeners. He was gifted with the talent of writing poetry that enthralled millions of people in his life time of 72 years and professional life span of more than 50 years. Even just before the period of his Death he completed his life’s mission of spreading happiness amongst his music lovers and listeners. Very few people are as fortunate and as gifted to be able to fulfil their destiny on Earth with such flair and style as the late Anand Bakshi. During the period of Indian Independence very few socialists poets wrote film songs, like poet Josh Malihawadi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, Shailander. The poets of that period were colored with colors of Indian Nationalism. And they were Politically colored too, the effect of which we heard in their film songs too. To be attached to the Politics of the State, or to have belief in a particular ideology is not incorrect. Every poet has a right to his or her belief and conviction. All these above-named poets have written wonderful songs, but Anand Bakshi was never influenced or attached to any socialist or Political ideologies. He was first and foremost a film song writer who was completely immersed and his writings emerged from the characters and the narrative of the film’s story. He didn’t have and aspire for fame in the world of Poetry, but he was amongst the very best in the world of Film songs. His success in writing film songs could make one feel that he took birth only to fulfil his destiny of being the best lyricists. Child of a middle class family, he admitted himself in the Army, but such was his fierce ambition in poetry and music that he came to Bombay to become a film poet. In that period there were already great established poets like Shakeel, Shailendra, Majrooh, Raja Mehendi Ali Khan, and Prem Dhawan. There was no opportunity and no one could stand against these giants, especially a meagre soldier ambitious to be a Poet. The many famous music composers of that period already had their own favorite poets and song writers they were happy working with, so there was no scope nor chance of Anand Bakshi breaking through, especially with other good poets like Indeevar and Anjaan waiting to breakthrough much before Anand Bakshi arrived with his pen and paper. But it was the courage of Anand Bakshi that he jumped straight on into the fiery sea of competition where much bigger fish were already the major players. Anand Bakshi had a great and good sense of music and he even had the gift of capturing and expressing deep philosophies in lesser and simpler words. Slowly but gradually he began to receive work to write film songs. The unsaid rules of the film business say there is no dearth of people in this business who will not value the warm and brilliant rays of the rising Sun and worship it. When Anand Bakshi was knocking on the doors of success and they were yet to begin opening completely, at the same time there appeared on the horizon the rising Sun of Laxmikant Pyarelal. The musical duo and geniuses recognized the talent in Anand Bakshi and soon made him their favorite and preferred lyrics writer. The triangle of Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant, and Pyarelal, rewrote the musical history of Hindi film songs. Anand Bakshi respected music composer Anil Biswas tremendously. Bakshi saab told me of an incident when he met Anil Biswas. Bakshi expressed his desire to work with Anil Biswas. Anilda had confidence in Bakshi’s abilities as a poet, and looking at the Harmonium in his music room he regretted “I feel as though I have lost the music within me. There was a period when this Harmonium gave birth to melodies and sang for me the moment, I touched it. But sadly it has not happened lately. I now await the day my Harmonium will return to me along with the melodies that have left me, we shall certainly work together.” This was what he expressed to Bakshi. Bakshi was a very simple, non-pretentious, and sincere man. He had a phobia for air travel and travel in enclosed lifts of high rise buildings. The claustrophobic and small lifts made him fear traveling to meet work mates or friends who worked or lived in high rise buildings. He climbed high on the steps of life and reached the pinnacle of success climbing every step of life on the strength of his talents. He was not one who would have used any sort of machine other than his talent to rise high in this world. It was the deep culture and the strong roots of his simple village in Punjab that beat in his simple heart, that’s why he never found himself lost in the mega dream city of Bombay, the path to his dreams but a jungle of illusions and obstacles. His simplicity and humility was his strength that kept his head above water even though he tasted success consistently, year after year. His humility was also the very bridge that helped him crossover into the hearts of the people of the heartland, his rural listeners, along with his urban and international non resident Indians. He forged ties with both the hearts and the minds of his listeners all over, by use of simple everyday spoken words carrying the deepest philosophies. His simplicity was so sincere that he would often invite himself to my home by saying, “Because you live on the first floor and one does need to travel by lift to reach your home, and since your beloved wife Salma cooks the most delicious meals, I am coming over for a meal at your Home tonight.” He was unique in the sense that normally in the world of show business I experienced that most celebrities and people hide their true intentions. Unlike Bakshi, their hearts don’t reflect what their mind speaks. Once Bakshi narrated an incident to me. A successful and famous English writer had an unfinished poem. The last paragraph was left unfinished in spite of many attempts. He realized he needed help to finish his poem. One of his friends recommended that he travel to a distant village and there he will find an old writer who has the talent but was never recognized for. But he is high on self-esteem as he knows he is worthy even though he didn’t get fame. The successful and famous writer traveled to the distant village and he met the old writer and asked him for his help. The old writer read the incomplete poem and said he can compete the poem but he will charge 500 pound sterling for the job. The successful and famous writer agreed to the terms and very soon the old writer had done his job. He completed the unfinished poem. The successful writer was surprised that the old writer finished the incomplete poem so quickly and in a few words. He removed his check book to pay the old writer and hesitated while paying the old writer the contracted amount of 500 pound sterling. He asked the old writer if he was justified in asking for 500 pounds sterling for such an easy job accomplished by him within a few minutes. The old writer replied, “You are hesitating to pay me because you are not convinced that I should charge you so much money for a job I accomplished with much ease and in a few minutes, even though it’s been done to your satisfaction. You are taking into account the few minutes I took to complete your poem, but you are not taking into account the many years I have lived and experienced life to be able to arrive at this moment in my life which gives me the wisdom and experience to be able to complete your poem. You are only counting these few minutes you have spent with me but not considering the millions of moments I have spent to reach here today. It’s only thanks to the long life I’ve lead that I could accomplish the job for you in a few minutes.” The successful and famous writer was humbled and humiliated in the presence of the wise writer and immediately paid the writer his fee willingly. Similarly, Anand Bakshi achieved much fame through the depth in his writing which he earned via his life’s varied experiences. He firmly believed that at every moment life is offering you lessons, but because we are preoccupied with life’s material and physical goals, overwhelmed by our ambitions and challenges in life’s paths, we are unable to absorb the valuable lessons life offers us alongside. We have cut short the antennae that helps us pick these signals and lessons of life, and thus we do not recognize the teachings of Mother Nature. Life’s lessons are imprinted in the very grains of sand that we leave our footprints on, but sadly we blind ourselves to them. This lesson Bakshi taught me makes me recollect, an incident from the film I wrote, “NAAM”. The protagonist in my story has migrated to a foreign land to earn a better living for his family. But he gets trapped in the illusion of ambitions. But he suddenly remembers his Mother and now he badly misses the love of his family back home. Bakshi understood the pain and suffering of the protagonist so well and he expressed himself in a most popular song, on the strength of which the film did a roaring business. The song helped the film do much better. The song was “Chitti Aayee Hai…” (A letter from Home has arrived, a memory of love has arrived…”. Before the dawn of his death, from his death bed in the Hospital, Bakshi wrote a song for Subhash Ghai for a yet to release film MAJNU. I was awestruck by the depth of the lyrics when I heard them. It also amazed me that he wrote the song in illness just before Death arrived knocking at his doorsteps. I believe he wrote so, because writing was not only his religion, but his breath too, his mission for the cycle of life and death, much beyond his destiny. There have been many poets much better poets than him, but he was the most supreme amongst the song writers. He passed by in march 30th 2002, and since 1957 he wrote more than 650 films and 3500 film songs. He wrote songs for every occasion and relationship of life, even though he didn’t even manage to complete his schooling. Bakshi was a Star born. He became a Legend. And Legends never die. He lives in his songs and in our Hearts. Hindi: फिल्म लेखक सलीम ख़ान जब भारत में किसी बच्चे का जन्म होता है तो ना सिर्फ माता-पिता उसकी राशि के मुताबिक़ उसे एक सही नाम देते हैं, बल्कि किसी ज्योतिषी से उसकी कुंडली भी तैयार करवाते हैं। ये कोई आम परंपरा नहीं है, क्योंकि इससे एक छबि बन जाती है, ये विचार जीवन भर बच्चे के साथ चलता है। कुछ बच्चे जो अंधविश्वासी होते हैं, अपने बच्चे का कोई कमज़ोर या बेकार नाम रख लेते हैं। मेरे परिचित कई रईस लोग रहे हैं, जिनके नाम ऐसे थे कि उनकी हैसियत या उनके किरदार से एकदम उल्टे लगते थे। मैं कई ऐसे ग़रीब लोगों को जानता हूं जिनके नाम से ऐसा लगता है मानो वो बहुत ही ज्यादा रईस हैं। पर कई लोग ऐसे होते हैं, जो साबित कर देते हैं कि उनका नाम एकदम सही रखा गया है। पंजाब के एक छोटे-से गांव में पैदा हुए एक बच्चे का नाम रखा गया ‘आनंद’ यानी ख़ुशी और बख़्शी यानी ‘तोहफ़ा’। वो अपने मां-बाप के लिए एक तोहफ़ा थे। अपनी पूरी ज़िंदगी ये कवि-गीतकार अपने लाखों-करोड़ों सुनने वालों को ख़ुशियों का तोहफ़ा ही बांटता रहा। ऊपर वाले ने उसे कविता लिखने का तोहफ़ा दिया था। बहत्तर सालों की अपनी जिस्मानी ज़िंदगी और पचास सालों से ज़्यादा की अपनी पेशेवर ज़िंदगी में उसने अपनी कविता से अनगिनत लोगों को लुभाया। बहुत कम लोग आनंद बख़्शी की तरह ख़ुशनसीब और प्रतिभाशाली होते हैं कि वो अपने नाम और अपने नसीब को इतनी ख़ूबसूरती और अदा के साथ निभाते हैं। भारत की आज़ादी के दिनों में बहुत कम समाजवादी शायरों ने फिल्मी गाने लिखे, जैसे जोश मलीहाबादी, साहिर लुधियानवी, कैफ़ी आज़मी, शैलेंद्र वगैरह। उन दिनों के गीतकारों पर देशभक्ति का रंग चढ़ा था। वो राजनीतिक रूप से जागरूक भी थे और इसका असर उनके फिल्मी गानों पर भी नज़र आता है। किसी देश की राजनीति से आपका जुड़ाव होना या आपका किसी ख़ास विचारधारा के पक्ष में होना ग़लत नहीं है। ये हर कवि का अधिकार है कि वो अपने विचारों या धारणा पर चले। मैंने जिन कवियों-शायरों का ज़िक्र किया उन सबने कमाल के गीत लिखे हैं, लेकिन आनंद बख्शी कभी किसी समाजवादी या राजनीतिक विचारधारा से प्रभावित या जुड़े नहीं थे। वह पहले और अकेले फिल्मी गीतकार थे, जो अपने काम में पूरी तरह से डूबे हुए थे और उनके गीत फिल्म की कहानी और उसके किरदारों से निकलकर आते थे। उन्होंने कभी कविता की दुनिया में नाम कमाने की तमन्ना नहीं की, पर फिल्मी गानों की दुनिया में उनसे बेहतर कोई नहीं था। जिस तरह वो फिल्मी गाने एकदम सहजता से लिखते थे, उसे देखकर लगता है कि मानो वो दुनिया में एक बेहतरीन फिल्मी गीतकार बनने की तकदीर लेकर ही आए थे। उस ज़माने में शैलेन्द्र, राजा मेहदी अली ख़ां, प्रेम धवन जैसे कई गीतकार पहले से ही सक्रिय थे। ज़ाहिर है कि कोई मौक़ा नहीं था और इन कोई भी इन दिग्गजों के सामने खड़ा नहीं हो सकता था, ख़ासकर एक मामूली फौजी जो गीतकार बनने का सपना देख रहा था। उस ज़माने के कई मशहूर फिल्मी-संगीतकारों के अपने अपने पसंदीदा गीतकार थे और वो उन्हीं के साथ काम करके ख़ुश थे, इसलिए आनंद बख़्शी के पास कोई गुंजाइश नहीं थी। उस दौर के कई प्रसिद्ध संगीत रचनाकारों के पास पहले से ही अपने पसंदीदा कवि और गीत लेखक थे, जिनके साथ काम करके वे खुश थे, इसलिए आनंद बख्शी के पास न तो कोई गुंजाइश थी और ना ही कामयाब होने का कोई मौक़ा था। ख़ासतौर पर इंदीवर और अंजान जैसे गीतकार आनंद बख़्शी के आने से पहले से सक्रिय थे और कामयाबी की राह देख रहे थे। पर ये आनंद बख्शी की हिम्मत थी कि वो सीधे ज़बर्दस्त प्रतियोगिता के तूफ़ानी समुद्र में कूद गए, जहां पहले से बहुत बड़ी मछलियां मौजूद थीं। आनंद बख़्शी के पास मज़ाक और संगीत दोनों की गहरी समझ थी। दिलचस्प बात ये है कि उनके अंदर गहरी फिलॉसफी को भी बहुत ही आसान और कम शब्दों में बयां करने की काबलियत थी। धीरे-धीरे लगातार उन्हें फिल्मों में गाने लिखने का मौक़ा मिलने लगा। वैसे भी मुंबई फिल्म जगत के बारे में कहा जाता है कि यहां ऐसे लोगों की कमी नहीं है जो उगते हुए सूरज की किरणों और उसकी गरमी को सलाम करना और उसकी इबादत करना ना जानते हों। जब आनंद बख़्शी कामयाबी के दरवाज़े खटखटा रहे थे और वो पूरी तरह से खुले नहीं थे, ठीक उसी वक्त एक और सूरज उग रहा था, लक्ष्मीकांत-प्यारेलाल का सूरज। इस जीनियस संगीतकार जोड़ी ने आनंद बख़्शी की प्रतिभा को पहचाना। इस तरह आनंद बख़्शी जल्दी ही उनके पसंदीदा और चुनिंदा गीतकार बन गये। आनंद बख़्शी, लक्ष्मीकांत और प्यारेलाल की इस तिकड़ी ने हिंदी फिल्मी गीतों के इतिहास को बदलकर रख दिया। इन्होंने एक साथ क़रीब 303 फिल्मों के गीत तैयार किए। इसी तरह की जोड़ी उनकी आर. डी. बर्मन के साथ भी बनी, जिनके साथ उन्होंने 99 फिल्में कीं। बख़्शी बहुत ही सीधे-सादे, बिना दिखावे वाले और ईमानदार इंसान थे। उन्हें हवाई जहाज़ में सफ़र करने से और ऊंची इमारतों की बंद लिफ़्ट में जाने से डर लगता था। छोटी-छोटी तंग लिफ़्ट उन्हें डराती थीं इसलिए वो ऐसे लोगों या दोस्तों के पास नहीं जा पाते थे, जो ऊंची इमारतों में रहते या काम करते थे। ज़िंदगी की ऊँचाई उन्होंने सीढ़ी-दर-सीढ़ी चढ़कर ही छुई और अपनी प्रतिभा की ताक़त से सीढियां चढ़ते हुए कामयाबी के शिखर पर पहुंचे। दुनिया में कामयाबी के लिए किसी मशीन या किसी सहारे का उन्होंने इस्तेमाल नहीं किया। वो पंजाब के एक छोटे से गांव की अपनी मज़बूत जड़ें और अपनी तहज़ीब लेकर आए थे, गांव उनके दिल में धड़कता था। इसलिए वो मायानगरी बंबई में कभी खोए नहीं, मुश्किलों और माया-मोह के जंगल में उन्होंने अपने सपनों के रास्ते को खोने नहीं दिया। उनकी सादगी और विनम्रता उनकी ताकत थी, इसी ने लगातार कामयाबी के दिनों में भी उनको बचाकर रखा। अपनी सादगी की वजह से ही उन्होंने गांव और शहर के लोगों का और इसके साथ साथ विदेशों में बसे भारतीयों का दिल जीता। रोज़मर्रा के शब्दों में ज़िंदगी के गहरे फ़लसफ़े को पिरोकर उन्होंने पूरी दुनिया में बसे फिल्म-संगीत के चाहने वालों के दिलो-दिमाग़ पर क़ब्ज़ा कर लिया। ये उनकी सादगी ही थी कि वो अकसर ये कहकर मेरे घर आ जाया करते थे— “भाई, चूंकि आप पहली मंजिल पर रहते हैं और किसी को आपके घर तक पहुंचने के लिए लिफ्ट से सफ़र नहीं करना पड़ता और चूंकि आपकी प्यारी बीवी सलमा सबसे लज़ीज़ खाना बनाती है, मैं आज रात आपके घर खाने पर आ रहा हूं।” आमतौर पर मैंने देखा है कि फिल्मी-दुनिया में तमाम मशहूर हस्तियां, तमाम सितारे अपने असली मक़सद को छिपाते हैं, पर बख़्शी इस मामले में अनूठे थे क्योंकि जो उनके दिल में होता था, उनकी ज़बां पर आ जाता था। हम सब जानते हैं कि अपने गीतों की गहराई की वजह से आनंद बख़्शी बहुत मशहूर हुए। ज़िंदगी के हर मोड़ से उन्होंने सीखा। वो ये बात बहुत शिद्दत से मानते थे कि ज़िंदगी का हर पल आपको कुछ ना कुछ सिखा रहा है, पर हम ज़िंदगी में कामयाबी और पैसों के पीछे भागने में इतने मशगूल हो जाते हैं, हम अपनी चुनौतियों और अपने सपनों में इतने खो जाते हैं कि ज़िंदगी हमें क्या सिखा रही है, ये देख पाने की मोहलत तक हमें नहीं मिल पाती और इसी वजह से हम कुदरत की सिखायी बातों को समझ नहीं पाते। समय की रेत पर हम अपने क़दमों के निशान छोड़ते चले जाते हैं, इस रेत के हर कण पर ज़िंदगी के सबक छपे हुए होते हैं, पर अफ़सोस, हम उनकी तरफ़ नज़र उठाकर नहीं देखते। बख़्शी ने मुझे ये सबक सिखाया और इसी बहाने मुझे याद आ गया कि फिल्म ‘नाम’ लिखते वक्त एक बड़ी दिलचस्प बात हुई थी। मेरी फिल्म का हीरो बेहतर ज़िंदगी की तलाश में अपने परिवार को छोड़कर विदेश चला जाता है पर वो वहां अपनी महत्वाकांक्षाओं के जाल में फंस जाता है। अचानक उसे अपनी मां की याद आती है, उसे अपने वतन में अपने परिवार का प्यार याद आता है। बख़्शी ने इस हीरो की तकलीफ़ और उसके दर्द को बड़ी अच्छी तरह से समझ लिया और एक ऐसा गाना रचा, जो उसके सबसे मशहूर गीतों में से एक है। इस गाने की बिना पर फिल्म ने ज़बर्दस्त कारोबार किया। यक़ीन मानिए फिल्म की कामयाबी में इस गाने का बड़ा योगदान है। ये गाना था—‘चिट्ठी आयी है, वतन से चिट्ठी आई है’। बख़्शी ने अपनी क़ीमत पहचानने के बारे में मुझे एक कहानी सुनायी थी। एक कामयाब और मशहूर अंग्रेज़ कवि की एक कविता अधूरी रह गयी थी। कई बार कोशिश की कि पर वो इस कविता को पूरा नहीं कर पाया। उसे अहसास हुआ कि इस कविता को पूरा करने के लिए उसे किसी से मदद लेनी होगी। एक दोस्त ने उसे बताया कि तुम दूर एक गांव में चले जाओ, वहां तुम्हें एक बुज़ुर्ग लेखक मिलेगा, उसके पास प्रतिभा तो है पर वो उसे कभी पहचान नहीं पाया। पर उसके भीतर कमाल का आत्मविश्वास है। वो जानता है कि वो कामयाबी का हक़दार है भले ही कामयाबी उसे मिल नहीं रही है। कामयाब और मशहूर लेखक दूर-दराज़ के उस गांव में गया, उस बुज़ुर्ग लेखक से मिला और उससे मदद मांगी। बुज़ुर्ग लेखक ने वो अधूरी कविता पढ़ी और कहा कि वो इसे पूरी तो कर देगा पर उसे इसके बदले में पाँच सौ पाउंड स्टर्लिंग चाहिए। ज़ाहिर है कि कामयाब लेखक राज़ी हो गया और जल्दी ही इस बुज़ुर्ग ने कविता पूरी कर दी। कामयाब लेखक हैरान रह गया कि बुज़ुर्ग लेखक ने इतनी जल्दी और इतने कम शब्दों में कविता कैसे पूरी कर दी। उसने अपनी चेक-बुक निकाली ताकि बुज़ुर्ग को तयशुदा पाँच सौ पाउंड स्टर्लिंग दे सके। उसने बुज़ुर्ग लेखक से पूछा कि इतने आसान और कम शब्दों वाले काम के लिए आपने पाँच सौ पाउंड स्टर्लिंग मांगे, क्या ये जायज़ है? ये काम तो फटाफट हो गया। बुज़ुर्ग लेखक ने जवाब दिया, “आप इसलिए मुझे पैसे देने में हिचक रहे हैं क्योंकि आपको लग रहा है जिस काम को मैंने इतनी आसानी से कुछ ही मिनिटों में पूरा कर लिया, उसके लिए मुझे इतने पैसे नहीं मांगने चाहिए थे। हालांकि मैंने काम ऐसा किया कि आपको पूरी तसल्ली हो। आप इस बात पर ध्यान दे रहे हैं कि मैंने कुछ ही मिनिटों में काम कर लिया पर आप इस बात पर ध्यान नहीं दे रहे कि मैंने ज़िंदगी के कितने सालों का अनुभव लगा दिया है तब जाकर ये काबलियत आयी है कि मैं कुछ ही मिनिटों में उम्दा तरीक़े से आपकी कविता को पूरा कर पाऊं। आप बस वो चंद लम्हे ही गिन रहे हैं जो आपने मेरे साथ बिताए पर आप उन लाखों करोड़ों पलों को भूल रहे हैं जिन्हें बिताने के बाद मैं यहां तक पहुंचा हूं। इतनी लंबी ज़िंदगी के उन तजुर्बात का शुक्रिया कि जिनकी वजह से मैं आपकी अधूरी कविता को चंद मिनिटों में ही पूरा कर पाया।” कामयाब और मशहूर लेखक को ये बात फौरन समझ में आ गयी और वो शर्मिंदा हुआ। उसने फौरन ही तयशुदा फीस अदा कर दी। अपनी मौत से ठीक पहले जब आनंद बख़्शी बीमार थे, तो अस्पताल से उन्होंने सुभाष घई की फिल्म ‘मजनूँ’ के लिए एक गाना लिखा, ये फिल्म अभी तक रिलीज़ नहीं हो सकी है। जब मैंने वो गाना सुना तो उसमें कविता की जो गहराई थी, उसे महसूस करके मैं दंग रह गया था। मुझे इस बात पर भी हैरत हुई कि उन्होंने ये गाना अपनी बीमारी के दिनों में लिखा था, अपनी मौत से ठीक पहले। ऐसा उन्होंने इसलिए किया क्योंकि लिखना उनका मज़हब ही नहीं था, उनकी ज़िंदगी था, ज़िंदगी और मौत के इस सिलसिले में लिखना उनका एक मिशन था, वो सिर्फ़ उनकी तक़दीर नहीं थी। हमारे यहां कई शायर हुए हैं, उनसे बेहतर शायर, पर गीतकारों में वो सबसे ऊपर रहे। 30 मार्च 2002 को उन्होंने इस फ़ानी दुनिया को अलविदा कह दिया। सन 1957 से शुरू करके उन्होंने साढ़े छह सौ फिल्मों में साढ़े तीन हज़ार गाने लिखे। उन्होंने हर मौक़े और ज़िंदगी के हर रिश्ते के लिए गाने रचे, जबकि बख़्शी अपनी स्कूल की पढ़ाई भी ठीक से पूरी नहीं कर पाये थे। बख़्शी एक पैदाईशी सितारे थे। वो मिथक बन गये। मिथक कभी मरते नहीं हैं। बख़्शी हमेशा अपने गानों के ज़रिए हमारे दिलों में ज़िंदा रहेंगे। – Salim Khan. Javed Akhtar:Lyricist poet Vijay Akela (author of Main Shayar Badnaam book) & author filmmaker Rakesh Anand Bakshi
“Anand Bakshi is the Mir Taqi Mir, Nazeer Akbarabadi and Kabir Das of modern times. Yun toh sabne geet likhe, sab mein hi auqat thi, Bakhshi mein ek baat hai aur Bakhshi mein ek baat thi.” – Vijay Akela Vijay Akela is the first person to write a book on his compilation of Anand Bakshi’s best and or hit songs, Main Shayar Badnaam, published in Hindi by Rajkamal Prakashan. The relevance of Anand Bakshi in 2021, 19 years post his demise. Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge, Ae watan tere liye SONGS OF BAKHSHI ARE NOTHING BUT A HEALTH TREATMENT EVEN TODAY Yun to sabne geet likhe Sab hi me aukaat thi Bakshi me ek baat hai aur Bakshi me ek baat thi Bakshi aaj bhi utne hi saamayik (contempaory) hain jitne bees saal pahle the. Jab wo hayaat the aur geet likh rahe the. Wo apne geeton ko desi muhawaredaar boli ka pairahan dete the jinme na sirf us daur ke balki har daur ke aakhiri sach ki parakh hoti thi. Mushkil lafzon ko unhone adab (literature) ki gahri sazish samjha aur isiliye hamesha asaan lafzon ko pahchaan kar apne geeton ki kismat sanwaara kiye. Bakshi ko samajhna ho to zara mumbai ki sarhad se baahar nikal jaiye. Aapko lagega ki aaj Anand Bakshi kal se bhi jyaada lokpriya aur aadarneey hain. Geeton me chhupe Bakshi ke shandaar khayalon ko apna khayal kahne wale directors kahan gaye aaj? Jo scriptwriters kahte the “agar hamare situations achchhe na hote to Bakshi itna achchha thode likhte” wo situations kahan gark ho gaye aaj? Bakshi ke jaate hi unke kile kyun dhwast ho gaye aaj? Bakshi ko samman dene se katrane wale hamare isi desh me aaj jab bhi koi aandolan hota hai, ‘Karma’ ka “Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge ae watan tere liye” hi bajaya jaata hai. Aaj bhi har birthday par ‘farz’ ka hi geet bajaya jaata hai- “Baar baar din ye aaye.” “Chitthi na koi sandes/ jaane wo kaun sa des/jahan tum chale gaye” jo aaj bhi sabse jyada bajne wale geeton me ek hai, Jagjit singh ka nahi, Anand Bakshi ka likha geet hai. Hindostan ki do sabse jyada chalne wali filmen ‘Sholay’ aur ‘Dil wale dulhaniya le jayenge’ (jo aaj bhi chal rahi hai) Bakshi ke geeton se hi roshan hain na? Bakshi ek chiraag the jinki style of writing se na jaane kitne deeye jale. Maine swaym unse hi likhna seekha aur jab gahre utara to paya ki SONGS OF BAKHSHI & BAKHSHI STYLE OF WRITING kuchh aur nahi balki dil-o-dimaag ko sukoon pahunchane wali ek shifa hai. – Vijay Akela Hindi: दिल दिया है जाँ भी देंगे ऐ वतन तेरे लिए – आनन्द बख़्शी SONGS OF BAKHSHI ARE NOTHING BUT A HEALTH TREATMENT EVEN TODAY ‘यूँ तो सबने गीत लिखे सबही में औक़ात थी बख़्शी में इक बात है और बख़्शी में इक बात थी’- Vijay Akela बख़्शी आज भी उतने ही सामयिक(contempaory) हैं जितने २० साल पहले थे, जब वो हयात थे और गीत लिख रहे थे। वो अपने गीतों को देसी मुहावरेदार बोली का पैरहन देते थे जिनमें न सिर्फ़ उस दौर के बल्कि हर दौर के आख़िरी सच की परख होती थी । मुश्किल लफ़्ज़ों को उन्होंने अदब(literature) की गहरी साज़िश समझा और इसीलिए हमेशा आसान लफ़्ज़ों को पहचान कर अपने गीतों की क़िस्मत संवारा किए । बख़्शी को समझना हो तो ज़रा मुम्बई की सरहद से बाहर निकल जाइए। आपको लगेगा कि आनन्द बख़्शी आज कल से भी ज़्यादा लोकप्रिय, ज़रूरी और आदरणीय हैं । गीतों में छुपे बख़्शी के शानदार ख़यालों को अपना ख़याल कहने वाले डिरेक्टर्ज़ (directors)कहाँ गए आज ? जो scriptwriters कहते थे ‘अगर हमारे situations अच्छे न होते तो बख़्शी इतना अच्छा थोड़े लिखते’ वो situations कहाँ ग़र्क हो गए आज ? बख़्शी के जाते ही उनके क़िले क्यूँ घ्वस्त हो गए आज ? बख़्शी को सम्मान देने से कतराने वाले हमारे इसी देश में आज जब भी कोई आंदोलन होता है -‘कर्मा’ का ‘दिल दिया है जाँ भी देंगे ऐ वतन तेरे लिए’ ही बजाया जाता है । आज भी हर birthday पर ‘फ़र्ज़’ ही का गीत बजाया जाता है – ‘ बार बार दिन ये आए—‘ । ‘चिट्ठी न कोई संदेश/ जाने वो कौन सा देश /जहाँ तुम चले गए ‘ जो आज भी सबसे ज़्यादा बजने वाले गीतों में एक है, जगजीत सिंह का लिखा नहीं आनन्द बख़्शी का लिखा गीत है । हिन्दोस्तान की दो सबसे ज़्यादा चलनेवाली फ़िल्म ‘ शोले ‘ और ‘दिलवाले दुल्हनिया ले जाएँगे ‘ ( आज भी चल रही है ) बख़्शी के गीतों से रोशन हैं न ? बख़्शी एक चिराग़ थे जिनकी style of writing से न जाने कितने दीये जले । मैंने स्वयम् उनसे ही गीत लिखना सीखा और जब गहरे उतरा तो पाया कि SONGS OF BAKHSHI & BAKHSHI STYLE OF WRITING कुछ और नहीं बल्कि दिलो दिमाग़ को सुकून पहुँचानेवाली एक शिफ़ा है – Vijay Akela. A SPECIAL FEATURE WRITTEN ON MY REQUEST BY VIJAY AKELA, DR RAJIV VIJAYAKAR AND MANEK PREMCHAND, (& by Javed Akhtar arriving soon) ON THE EVE OF A BRAND NEW YEAR:THE RELEVANCE OF ANAND BAKSHI IN 2021
Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge, Ae watan tere liye SONGS OF BAKHSHI ARE NOTHING BUT A HEALTH-SPA TREATMENT, YESTERDAY AND EVEN TODAY. By Vijay Akela (poet, lyricist, radio host) Yun to sabne geet likhe Sab hi me auqaat thi Bakhshi me ek baat hai aur Bakhshi me ek baat thi. Bakhshi aaj bhi utne hi saamayik (contemporary) hain jitne bees saal pahle the. Jab wo hayaat the aur geet likh rahe the. Woh apne geeton ko desi muhawaredaar boli ka pairahan dete the jinme na sirf us daur ke balki har daur ke aakhiri sach ki parakh hoti thi. Mushkil lafzon ko unhone adab (literature) ki gahri sazish samjha aur isiliye hamesha asaan lafzon ko pahchaan kar apne geeton ki qismat sanwaara kiye. Bakhshi ko samajhna ho to zara Mumbai ki sarhad se baahar nikal jaiye. Aap ko lagega ki aaj Anand Bakhshi kal se bhi zyada lokpriy aur aadarneey hain! Geeton me chhupe Bakhshi ke shandaar khayalon ko apna khayal kahne wale directors kahan gaye aaj? Jo scriptwriters kahte the “Agar hamare situations achchhe na hote toh Bakhshi itna achchha thode likhte?” Woh situations kahan ghark ho gaye aaj? Bakhshi ke jaate hi unke qile kyun dhwast ho gaye aaj? Bakhshi ko samman dene se katrane wale hamare isi desh me aaj jab bhi koi aandolan hota hai, ‘Karma’ ka “Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge ae watan tere liye” hi bajaya jaata hai. Aaj bhi birthday par ‘Farz’ ka hi geet bajaya jaata hai – “Baar baar din ye aaye, baar baar dil yeh gaye.” “Chitthi na koi sandes/jaane wo kaun sa des/jahan tum chale gaye” jo aaj bhi sabse zyada bajne wale geeton me ek hai, Jagjit Singh ka nahi, Anand Bakhshi ka likha geet hai. Hindostan ki do sabse jyada chalne wali filmein ‘Sholay’ aur ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ (jo aaj bhi chal rahi hai) Bakhshi ke geeton se hi roshan hain na? Bakhshi ek chiragh the jinki STYLE OF WRITING se na jaane kitne deeye jale. Maine swaym unse hi likhna seekha aur jab gahre utra to paya ki SONGS OF BAKHSHI & BAKHSHI STYLE OF WRITING kuchh aur nahi balki dil-o-dimagh ko sukoon pahunchane wali ek shifa hai.- Mr. 2021: Anand Bakshi continues to be relevant!
- Situational Imperative
Sangeeta Yadav <ersangy4@gmail.com> |
- Rakesh Anand Bakshi
Miraculous TRILOGY : By Ajay Poundarik ajaypoundarik@gmail.com
Laxmikant-Pyarelal & Anand Bakshi (304 Films with as many as 1680 songs)
The most commonly and very regularly aired sentence on the Radio Stations गीतकार आनंद बक्षी और संगीतकार लक्ष्मीकांत-प्यारेलाल
Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi and Pyarelal. |
Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi, Lata Mangeshkar and Pyarelal |
Lata Mangeshkar, Minoo Kartik (song recordist), Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi & Pyarelal |
Producer/Director Mohan Kumar, Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi and Pyarelal |
Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi, Subhash Ghai and Pyarelal. |
Vikram Gokhle, Anand Bakshi, Amitabh Bachchan, Laxmikant. |
Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant and Rajesh Khanna |
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Pyarelal, Laxmikant and Anand Bakshi. |
Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi and Pyarelal |
Left Laxmikant-Pyarelal, /Top Right Laxmikant-Pyarelal with Mohammad Raf /Bottom Right Laxmikant-Pyarelal with Anand Bakshi |
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Laxmikant, Anand Bakshi, Lata Mangeshkar, Pyarelal. |
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Lootera 1966 ( an outstanding Album with all SIX solo with variety from Lata )
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Sharafat 1970
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Mera Gaon Mera Desh 1972..(Folkish Album, all time hit )
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Raja Jani 1972
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Bobby 1973 (All time hit songs)
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Satyam Shivam Sundaram 1978 (Eternal Classic)
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Ek Duje Ke Liye 1981
The Combination of Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kishore Kumar was involved in a total of 273 songs, including 103 solo songs.
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Eternal Classic Song “मेरे मेहबूब क़यामत होगी” “MR X IN BOMBAY” 1964
FIRST EVER SONG of Songwriter ANAND BAKSHI with LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL. Later this combo went on to work for 304 films with over 1680 songs,
FIRST EVER SONG of Singer KISHORE KUMAR with LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL . Later this combo went on to be associated with 402 songs.
The Combination of Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Kishore Kumar was involved in a total of 273 songs, including 103 of solo songs.
Yeh Jeevan Hai …(Piya Ka Ghar, 1972) Anand Bakshi – writes ये ना सोचो इसमें अपनी हार है की जीत है ! उसे अपना लो जो भी जीवन की रीत है One of the finest songs from Kishore Kumar with Laxmikant-Pyarelal.
Gaadi Bula Rahi Hai (Dost, 1974) This Song Means Be Positive Every Time Do Not Think Negative Any Time In Life. Life Will Be Happy. Pretty Philosophical Words Penned By Anand Bakshi. गाडी को देख कैसी है नेक अच्छा बुरा न देखे ! सब है सवार दुश्मन के यार सबको चली ये लेके !