Shailendra
Shailendra (30 August 1923 – 14 December
1966) was a popular Indian Hindi-Urdu Poet, lyricist and Film producer. Noted
for his association with the filmmaker Raj Kapoor, singer Mukesh, and the
composers Shankar-Jaikishan, he wrote lyrics for several successful Hindi film
songs in the 1950s and the 1960s.
Biography
Shailendra was born into a Chamar family
at Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) and brought up in Mathura. His ancestors
belonged to Akhtiyarpur, Ara district of Bihar.
He came in contact with poet Indra
Bahadur Khare at the Kishori Raman School. Both started composing poems,
sitting on the rock located on the bank of a pond in between railway 27
quarters and railway line near to Mathura station. Afterwards Shailendra moved
to Bombay for films and Indra Bahadur Khare got fame in Raashtreey Kavita.
Career
as a lyricist
Shailendra started his career as an
apprentice with Indian Railways in Matunga workshop, Bombay in 1947. He started
writing poetry during these days.
The filmmaker Raj Kapoor noticed
Shailendra, when the latter was reading out his poem Jalta hai Punjab at a
mushaira (poetic symposium). Kapoor offered to buy the poem Jalta Hai Punjab
written by Shailendra and for his movie Aag (1948). Shailendra, a member of the
left wing IPTA, was wary of mainstream Indian cinema and refused. However,
after his wife became pregnant, Shailendra himself approached Raj Kapoor in
need of money. At this time, Raj Kapoor was filming Barsaat (1949), and two of
the film songs had not yet been written. For ₹ 500, Shailendra wrote these two
songs: Patli kamar hai and Barsaat mein. The music for Barsaat was composed by
Shankar-Jaikishan.
The team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra and
Shankar-Jaikishan went on to produce many other hit songs. The song "Awara
Hoon" from the 1951 film Awaara, written by Shailendra, became the most
appreciated Hindustani film song outside India at the time. Shailendra had
penned down plenty songs lyrics for Raj Kapoor's film. Shree 420 released in
1955 is one of them. All songs of this film were super hits and till date
people sing in various occasions. One can easily understand the power and magic
of Shailendra's lyrics from the song "Pyaar hua iqaraar hua hai, Pyaar se
phir kyo darta hai dil", is till date evergreen golden classic song of
Bollywood.
In the days when composers would
recommend lyricists to producers, Shankar-Jaikishan once promised Shailendra
that they would recommend him around, but didn't keep their promise. Shailendra
sent them a note with the lines, Chhoti Si Yeh Duniya, Pehchaane Raaste Hain.
Kahin To Miloge, toh Poochhenge Haal ("The world is small, the roads are
familiar. We'll meet sometime, and ask 'How do you do?'").
Shankar-Jaikishan realised what the message meant and having said sorry, turned
the lines into a popular song. The song, sung by Kishore Kumar, was featured in
the film Rangoli (1962), for which the producer Rajendra Singh Bedi wanted to
sign up Majrooh Sultanpuri as the lyricist. However, Shankar-Jaikishan insisted
on Shailendra and the producer had to oblige.
Apart from Shankar-Jaikishan, Shailendra
also shared a rapport with composers such as Salil Chowdhary (Madhumati),
Sachin Dev Burman (Guide, Bandini, Kala Bazar), and Ravi Shankar (Anuradha).
Apart from Raj Kapoor, he shared a rapport with filmmakers such as Bimal Roy
(Do Bigha Zameen, Madhumati, Bandini) and Dev Anand (Guide and Kala Bazar).
Last years
In 1961 Shailendra invested heavily in
the production of the movie Teesri Kasam (1966), directed by Basu Bhattacharya
and starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman. The film won the National Film
Award for Best Feature Film. However, the film was a commercial failure. The
falling health resulting from tensions associated with film production and
anxiety due to financial loss, coupled with alcohol abuse, ultimately led to
his early death.
Legacy
Shailendra's son Shaily Shailendra also
became a lyricist. At the age of 17, Raj Kapoor asked him to complete his
father's song Jeena yahan, marna yahan for the film Mera Naam Joker. Shaily
Shailendra completed the "mukhra" (lit. "face," or chorus)
of the song whereas Shailendra completed the "antara" (verses) only
before his demise. Lyricist, writer, and director Gulzar has stated on many
occasions that Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film
industry.
Shailendra's song Mera Joota Hai Japani
was featured in the 2016 English-language movie Deadpool.
Awards
Shailendra
won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award three times.
1958:
"Yeh Mera Deewanapan Hai" (Yahudi)
1959:
"Sab Kuch Seekha Humne" (Anari)
1968:
"Main Gaoon Tum So Jao" (Brahmchari)
Popular songs
Some of the
popular songs written by Shailendra include:
"Suhana
Safar Aur Yeh" – "Madhumati"
"Chalat
Musafir Moh Liya Re" – "Teesri Kasam"
"Yeh
Mera Diwanapan Hai" – "Yahudi"
"Dil Ka
Haal Sune Dilwala" – "Shri 420"
"Tu Pyar
Ka Saagar Hai" – "Seema"
"Yeh
Raat Bhigi Bhigi" – "Chori Chori"
"Paan
Khaye Saiya Hamaro" – "Teesri Kasam"
"O
Sajana, Barkha Bahar Aai" – "Parakh (1960 film)"
"Aaja
Aai Bahaar" - "Rajkumar"
"Ruk Ja
Raat, Thahar Ja Re Chanda" – "Dil Ek Mandir"
"Yaad Na
Jaye Bite Dino Ki" – "Dil Ek Mandir"
"Chadh
Gayo Paapi Bichhua" – "Madhumati"
"Awara
Hoon" – Awaara
"Ramaiya
Vastavaiya" – Shri 420
"Mud Mud
Ke Na Dekh" – Shri 420
"Mera
Joota Hai Japani" – Shri 420
"Aaj
Phir Jeene Ki" – Guide
"Gata
Rahe Mera Dil" – Guide
"Piya
Tose Naina Laage Re" – Guide
"Kya Se
Kya Ho Gaya" – Guide
"Din
Dhal Jaaye Haye" – Guide
"Har Dil
Jo Pyar Karega" – Sangam
"Dost
Dost Na Raha" – Sangam
"Sab
Kuchh Seekha" – Anari
"Kisi Ki
Muskurahaton Pe" – Anari
"Dil Ki
Nazar Se" – Anari
"Khoya
Khoya Chand" – Kala Bazar
"Pyaar
Hua Ikraar Hua" – Shri 420
"Ajeeb
Dastan Hai Yeh" – Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi
"Jhoomti
Chali Hawa" – Sangeet Samrat Tansen
"Jeena
yahan marna yahan" – Mera Naam Joker
"Nache
Man Mora Magan" – "Meri Surat Teri Ankhen"
"Sajan
Re Jhooth Mat Bolo" – "Teesri Kasam"
"Raat Ke
Hamsafar, Thak Ke Ghar Ko Chale" – "An Evening in Paris"
"Tu
Zinda Hai To Zindagi Kay Jeet Par Yakeen Kar"
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