Anjaan (lyricist)
Lalji Pandey (28 October 1930 – 3
September 1997), better known by the nom-de-plume of Anjaan, was an Indian
lyricist known for his work in Bollywood. Having penned over 1,500 songs for
more than 300 films, he is remembered for tracks from his frequent
collaborations with composers Kalyanji–Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, R. D.
Burman and Bappi Lahiri. Lyricist Sameer is his son.
Initial days in
Bollywood
Anjaan had got his first break with the
1953 Premnath production Prisoner of Golconda where he wrote "Lehar Yeh
Dole Koyal Bole" and "Shaheedon Amar Hai Tumhari Kahani". After
this he remained fairly busy, but in small films. His only popular number was
"Mat Poonch Mera Hai Mera Kaun Watan" (Lambe Haath) with music by G.
S. Kohli, with whom he did many small films. He was first noticed for his work
with the Raaj Kumar film Godaan, based on the Premchand classic, with music by
Ravi Shankar. This film got him a few good assignments in the mid-1960s with
big composers like O. P. Nayyar ("Aap Ke Haseen Rukh") in Guru Dutt's
Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi and G. P. Sippy's Bandhan, which established him
commercially with "Bina Badraa Ke Bijuriya Kaise Barse". This also
saw the forging with fellow lyricist Indeevar and composers Kalyanji-Anandji.
This was followed by songs in Kalyanji - Anandji's Kab? Kyon? Aur Kahan?. Shankar
- Jaikishan's Umang, Rivaaj and Ek Nari Ek Brahmachari, Ravi's Vandana
("Aap Ki Inaayat Aap Ke Karam"), R. D. Burman's Hungama ('Wah Ri
Kismat', 'Suraj Se Jo Kiran Ka Naata' which was the first ever song filmed on
Zeenat Aman) and a few other films.
And yet it took Anjaan many more years
before he emerged as a very prolific writer who amalgamated a lot of his
commercial songs with lyricism and poetry. He was at his best in the Amitabh
Bachchan films of Kalyanji Anandji, beginning with Do Anjaane ("Luk Chhip
Luk Chhip Jao Na") in 1976.
Followed Hera Pheri ("Barson Purana
Yeh Yaarana"), Khoon Pasina ("Title Song" and "Bani Rahe
Jodi Raja Rani Ki"), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar ("Rote Hue Aate Hain
Sab", "O Saathi Re", "Pyar Zindagi Hai", "Dil To
Hai Dil"), Don with his biggest hit of the career "Khaike Paan
Banaras Wala", ("Ee Hai Bambai Nagariya", "Jiska Mujhe Tha
Intezaar"), Lawaaris ("Jiska Koi Nahin", "Kab Ke
Bichhde") and Jaadugar. He also wrote hits for Bachchan with other
composers like Rajesh Roshan (Do Aur Do Paanch, Yaarana), Bappi Lahiri (Namak
Halaal, Sharaabi) and R. D. Burman (Mahaan). His liaison with Prakash Mehra
also yielded hits like Zindagi Ek Juaa, Dalaal and other films like Jwalamukhi,
Ghunghroo, Mohabbat Ke Dushman, Muqaddar Ka Faisla, Imaandaar, Chameli Ki
Shaadi and Himalay Se Ooncha.
Career after the 1980s
In the 1980s, he even emerged as the
writers of choice for Mithun Chakravarty's films like Disco Dancer and Dance
Dance and struck a gold mine in the films of Bappi Lahiri, Shibu Mitra and B.
Subhash. Among his hits with them were the songs of Aandhi Toofan, Ilzaam, Aag
Hi Aag, Paap Ki Duniya and Tarzan.
His work with others was almost
schizophrenically different, with songs like R. D. Burman's "Yeh Faasle
Yeh Duriyan" (Zameen Aasman), "Laagi Lag Jaaye Logon" (Poonam /
Anu Malik), "Ganga Mein Dooba" (Apne Rang Hazaar), ‘Meri Saanson Ko
Jo’, "Na Jaane Kaise" and "Woh Woh Na Rahe" (Badaltey
Rishtey, "Hamrahi Mere Humrahi" (Do Dilon Ki Daastaan), ‘Yashoda Ka
Nandlala (Sanjog), ‘Sadiyan Beet Gayi’ (Triveni) and the beautiful songs of
Eeshwar (all these films were with Laxmikant–Pyarelal showing a poetic vein).
Another major hit was Anu Malik's breakthrough film Ek Jaan Hain Hum.
His health suffered a major setback in
the early 1990s, though he delivered hits with Zindagi Ek Juaa, Dalaal, Ghayal
and the 1990 chartbuster "Gori Hain Kalaiyan" (Aaj Ka Arjun) and his
last hit Shola Aur Shabnam (1992). His other films in the 1990s included Vishnu
Devaa, Parakrami, Insaniyat, Police Aur Mujrim, First Love Letter, Aandhiyaan,
Phool Bane Angaarey and others.
In the 1960s, Anjaan also wrote several
non-films albums composed by Shyam Sagar and sung by Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey
and Suman Kalyanpur. Rafi's song "Main Kab Gaata" was a big hit then.
Anjaan also entered the world of Bhojpuri films with the massive hit Balam
Pardesia in the late 1970s. The song "Gourki Patarki Re" became a
rage and set the stage for many more films with a resurgent Chitragupta and
laying the foundation for the personal - and later - professional liaison
between their respective sons Sameer and Anand-Milind.
Anjaan was a very successful all-rounder
for almost 20 years in Hindi films, but his poetry still had the colour of
Bhojpuri language and the ethos and culture of Uttar Pradesh, the citadel of
Hindi. This is why, says Sameer. he could write "Khaike Paan",
"Bina Badra Ke Bijuriya" and similar songs with great skill. His own
favourites were his songs from Apne Rang Hazaar and Badaltey Rishtey and "Maano
To Main Ganga Maa Hoon Maano To Behta Paani" and "Chal Musafir"
from Ganga Ki Saugandh. A few months before his death on 13 September 1997, his
only book of poems, Ganga Tath Ka Banjara (A Gypsy from the Shores of the
Ganges) was released at the hands of Amitabh Bachchan.
Notable songs
"Pyaar kisi ka gaata hai"
Singer Mohammed Rafi
"Khaike Paan Banaras Waala" -
Don
"Dil To Hai Dil" - Muqaddar Ka
Sikandar
"Rote Huye Aate Hain Sab" -
Muqaddar Ka Sikandar
"O Saathee Re" - Muqaddar Ka
Sikandar
"Pyaar Zindagi Hai" - Muqaddar
Ka Sikandar
"Log Kehte Hain Maein Sharaabi
Hoon" - Sharabhi
"Chhookar Mere Man Ko Kiya Toone Kya
Ishaara" - Yaarana
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