Page 44 - Seniors Today December 2020
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Shankar-Jaikishen with Pt Bhimsen Joshi and Manna Dey while recording Ketaki Gulab Juhi
Of all the film contributions by classical maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and
vocalists, Arati Ankalikar Tikekar’s singing flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, were
in Shyam Benegal’s 1996 movie Sardari fairly active from the late 1970s to the early
Begum deserves special mention. She sang 1990s, till they decided to focus totally on
seven Vanraj Bhatia songs, including ‘More classical music. Their repertoire included the
Kanha Jo Aaye’ and ‘Chali Pee Ke Nagar’. Yash Chopra films Silsila, Chandni, Lamhe
The film’s subject and situations suited her and Darr.
singing. Though many classical instrumentalists
Other examples are Shubha Mudgal, have done film work, maintaining a balance
who sang the title track and ‘Bawra Mann’ between the two wasn’t easy. While classical
in Sudhir Mishra’s 2005 film Hazaron concerts involved complete focus and also
Khwahishen Aisi, and Sanjeev Abhyankar travel, film work needed one to adjust
in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Godmother. Sarangi to other musicians’ timings. Also, some
maestro Ustad Sultan Khan sang a part of instrumentalists found it difficult to mentally
‘Albela Sajan’ in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, adjust to what was perceived as ‘lighter’ work,
and Pandit Chhanulal Mishra rendered or adapt to a group environment when they
‘Saans Albela’ in Arakshan. Besides his Jab worked in smaller teams.
We Met hit, Rashid Khan also contributed The first classical musician to be prolific in
to the My Name Is Khan music. There was film music was Ustad Allarakha, who did 38
also the case of an old Bade Ghulam Ali Khan films as music director AR Qureshi between
recording being mixed in a Shreya Ghoshal 1944 and 1964. In fact, he was the first to work
song ‘Bhor Bhayee’ in Delhi-6. extensively with Asha Bhosle, before OP
Nayyar gave her some big hits. Once he began
Fewer vocalists travelling regularly on classical concert tours
The number of vocalists singing in Hindi with Pandit Ravi Shankar and sarod maestro
films has been low. That, however, hasn’t been Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in the late 1950s, he
the case with instrumentalists. As music cut down on film work. It was a decision he
directors, Shiv-Hari, comprising santoor never regretted.
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