Ravi: the forgotten Music Composer - Page 2

thnx for sharing the information

Originally posted by: salilu

VJ, Qwest-ji, Barnali Di, Swar... please contribute. Not much public information is available about this composer.

yu r right Salil. not much is there about this composer. he has been always an underrated one. he never got his due. The number of outstanding songs/soundtracks
that from Ravi's baton are few.I wonder if Ravi has a characteristic style/signature tune etc that sets him apart from others

but here's an old article of his. it's from the year 2000 issue of ZEE Primier.

------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------

Ravi Shankar Sharma is a music director for all seasons and every occasion. This low profile, soft spoken man who was honoured with the Padmashri in 1971, is still composing beautiful tunes when so many of his colleagues have faded away. This year Ravi completed 50 glorious years in the Hindi film industry. As a tribute to the versatile genius, Zee presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In the course of this interview the legendary Composer traces his journey, from rags to riches.

Were you always interested in music?

I remember, way back in 1935, when I was a nine-year-old boy, I used to listen to old Hindi film songs and sing along with them. I particularly loved singing this popular bhajan from the film Pukar,Tum bin hamari kaun khabar le govardhan giridhari. One day my father insisted that I accompany him to the satsang and sing the bhajan there. I did and the applause and extra prasad I received from people made me feel very special. Soon, I became very popular at bhajan mandlis till I failed my matriculation exam in 1942.

For a while everybody ignored my talent for singing and told me to concentrate on my studies. I was ashamed of myself and depressed for having failed my exams, willing to do anything to please my parents. I didn?t protest when my father sent me to a workshop to train in electronics. A year later I joined a big factory in Delhi as a trainee, earning a salary of Rs 15. Later, Ijoined a British cantonment factory near Palam airport and my salary jumped to Rs 196. But the long hours were a strain and my mother forced me to quit. In 1945, I joined the Post & Telegraph office and was an electrician with the Telephone Exchange for five years. Around this time I got married and began to take my singing more seriously.
You trained in classical music?

No, but I sang regularly at private gatherings and joined All India Radio. My friends insisted my voice resembled Mohd.Rafi?s. When the World Trade Fair came to Delhi I got a the chance to record my voice on a Wire Recorder. I sang an old Rafi song, Tere kooche mein armanon ki duniya and realised that my friends weren?t off the mark. After Independence, the P&Tdepartment sent me to Punjab to set up a new telephone exchange. Before taking up my new post I was granted 20 days leave and I decided to visit Mumbai. I went there to try my luck as a singer but Mumbai was a sea of strangers. I extended my leave by another 10 days but in that month only C Ramchandra agreed to try me out as a lead singer. The other music directors I approached wanted me to join the chorus. When I applied for further extension of my leave, the P&T Dept. got tough. I turned to my father and he agreed to finance me during my struggle in Mumbai, so I quit my job. For two years I struggled to live out my dream. My father sent me Rs 40-60 every month. I managed by skipping lunch and having only a late dinner at the guest house on Kalbadevi Road where I used to stay. Everyday I trekked to the studios in search of work. By ?52 I was getting desperate. My family was beginning to worry and my wife was getting lonely. I was all set to return home when I got an offer to sing in a chorus for Hemant Kumar. The song was Vande mataram from the film Anandmath.
How long did your association with Hemantda last?

I was with him through Shart, Samrat, Nagin, Champakali, Jagruti and Durgesh Nandini which were made by Filmistan Studio. We worked for some outside banners too. I helped him with his Urdu. Around this time my wife and kids joined me. I was living in the verandah of a house in Malad those days. My wife and kid stayed in a dharamshala for a while.
Later I rented a godown in Kandivali for Rs 30 and we all moved in there. The godowns were filled on either side with cement and chilli powder and since the three godowns shared a common roof we lived with cement dust and the overpowering smell of mirchi for a while, till Devendra Goel?s Vachan came along. Goel had heard the songs I?d written during my long walks, Chandamama door ke and Ek paise dede babu and liked them. He signed me to compose the music of Vachan. The film was a hit and my struggle came to an end.
How did Hemantda react to your success?

After Nagin Hemantda had signed a dozen projects and he?d pay me Rs 200 for every film. I was earning Rs 2,400 a month. After the success of Vachan Hemantda suggested that then on I should work independently and concentrate on the assignments I got. I was very upset because leaving Hemantda meant that I wouldn?t get the Rs 2,400 I had been getting every month.
Were you really ready for an independent career then?

No, it was a risk. But fortunately, after leaving Hemantda Nadiadwala signed me for Mehendi and Ghar Sansar and SDNarang gave me Dilli Ka Thug which had hit songs like C.a.t cat...cat mane billi, Yeh raaten yeh mausam and Hum to mohabbat karega. Guru Dutt liked the songs of Mehendi and offered me Chaudvin Ka Chand which turned out to be a mega hit. After that there was no dearth of offers. Gemini Films from Madras offered me many films including Ghunghat (Mori chamcham baje payaliya), Gharana (Husnewale tera jawab nahin and Dadi amma dadi amma maan jao), Grahasti, Aurat, Samaj Ko Badal Dalo (Amma ek roti de) and Paisa Ya Pyar.
And that made life easier?

Well, I could rent the cement godown now as well! (Laughs) Yeah, life did become easier but we still did not have drinking water and every morning I had to walk a long way to fetch water. We lived like this for nine years. By then we had saved enough to buy our own car(till then we were driving the old car which had been gifted to me by Hemantda).
In 1961, I started looking for a house of my own. Nadiadwala offered to sell me a plot in Santa Cruz. I built my own house there. I remember when the house was being constructed I would sit on the first floor and write and compose songs. Since the doors and windows hadn?t been fixed, I?d carry my telephone to the house with me every morning and take it back in the evening. Shakeel Badayuni would often join me here to work on new songs. This is my lucky house because ever since I moved in here, I have had an uninterrupted run of success. Films like Bharosa (Is bhari duniya mein, Aaj ki mulaqat bas itni, Woh dil kahan se laaoon), Khandan, Do Kaliyan (Tumhari nazar kyon khafa), Meherban, Nazrana, Gauri and Raakhi did very well. I also composed the music for two Gujarati films, Gher Gher Matina Choolah and Verni Vasulat for Gemini which won me the Gujarat State Award. I was doing so many films in Madras that I was called the King of Madras. I suppose it was fate that all the films for which I did the music were superhits. Jab chali thandi hawa, Raha gardishon mein, Naseeb mein jisko jo likha tha and Lo aagayi unki yaad, from Do Badan and Baar baar dekho from China Town topped the charts.
How did you become a part of BR Chopra?s team?

I started working with BR Chopra during Gumrah and went on to do Waqt, Humraaz, Aadmi Insaan, Dhund, Nikaah,Tawaif, Aaj Ki Awaaz, Dahleez and Awaam with him. Almost all the songs I composed for him were big hits. I wanted Rafi to sing the Gumrah songs. But Choprasaab had had some misunderstanding with Rafi and told me he wanted Mahendra Kapoor. After Gumrah we continued with Mahendra even though it meant adjusting to his vocal limitations. It is unfortunate that Mahendra has never acknowledged my contribution to his success even though most of the songs he sings -In hawaon mein, Yeh hawa yeh fiza and Chalo ek baar phir se (Gumraah), Aye neele gagan ke tale, Kissi pathar ki murat se andNa muh chupake jiyo aur na sar (Humraaz) - are my compositions.
Why didn?t you do more films with Guru Dutt after Chaudvin Ka Chand?

Chaudvin ka Chand, everyone said, would be my acid test. Even SDBurman had reportedly had a tough time working with Guru Dutt. But with me Guru Dutt was surprisingly gentle. Though at one point I did feel that he might not use my music at all.
However, after Chaudvin Ka Chand he offered me Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam. I heard the script and suggested that he take Hemantda because the film was set in Bengal. Guru Dutt reluctantly took Hemantda and the rest is history. After that Guru Dutt respected me even more. He had even chosen a few of my compositions for a film he was planning. The film was never made because death snatched him away. I remember, after Chaudvin Ka Chand?s success I had jokingly asked him for my reward. ?What do you want?? he asked. ?Give me those tablets,? I answered. Guru Dutt was addicted to sedatives. Instead he could have a drink, I suggested, and even offered to join him. To my surprise, he agreed. He landed up at my residence a few days later and reprimanded me for not keeping my promise of joining him for a drink.
Who were the singers you were in tune with?

Mohd Rafi was the best. He gave life to so many of my songs like Sau baar janam lenge, Is bhari duniya mein koi bhi hamara na raha, Babul ki duayen leti jaa, Mili khakh mein mohabbat, Choo lene do nazuk hoton se and Yeh zulf agar khulke. Of course, if the hero of the film was Raj Kapoor the voice had to be Mukesh?s. Mukesh had a melodious voice. The songs he sang became very popular because the common man could sing them. Like Mukesh?s, Kishore?s voice too was very melodious, but he had more range. He could grasp the beat in minutes and adapt it to his natural style. In Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka he surprised me with the depth he gave to Dekha hai zindagi ko kuch itna kareeb se. He was equally brilliant in Yeh raaten yeh mausam nadee ka kinara (Dilli Ka Thug). Like me he had had no formal training in music and yet was so brilliant. Manna Dey has also sung so many hit numbers of mine, the most memorable being Aai meri zohra zabeen from Waqt. Unfortunately, his voice suited only certain situations or characters which is why his talent was never really exploited. Similarly, Talat Mehmood had a soft and distinctive voice which suited ghazals. However, every song of his is a gem.
Asha Bhosle has sung more songs for you than Lata Mangeshkar. Any
particular reason?

Lata was magical. Her Milti hai zindagi mein mohabbat (Ankhen), Woh dil kahan se laaon (Bharosa), Aye mere dil-e-nadaan(Tower House) are popular even today. But often, because of her tight schedules, I had to opt for Asha. Asha sang some outstanding numbers like Jab chali thandi hawa, Lo aagayi unki yaad, Aage bhi jaane na tu and Tora man darpan kahalaye.
Have you been influeced by the West?

This question reminds me of the Raj Kapoor?s number, Mera joota hai japani. You can use any instrument- western, oriental, African, Arabian - but the soul of your music should be Indian. I have composed tunes like Baar baar dekho whose beat may have been western but whose soul is very Hindustani. I have never lifted someone else?s tune. Rather my tunes Baar baar dekho and O neele gagan ke tale were copied by western musicians, and for years I kept getting royalty!
In the ?80s your career slumped and you moved to composing music for Malayalam films. What went wrong?

Some of my regular producers died and others dropped out. Then, one day, a Malayalam film director, Hariharan, came and requested me to compose the music for his film Nakhakhshathangal.
I was hesitant since I didn?t know the language. He told me that the lyricist, ONV Kurup, would read out the lyrics and I could write them out in Hindi and then compose the tune. They liked my tunes so much that they got Chitra to sing the songs. The song, Manjal prasadavum became a rage and won Chitra the National Award for Best Female Singer in 1986. I was doing another film Panchagni at the time and a song from that film, Sagarangale sung by Yesudas along with the Nakhakhshathangal song fetched me the Kerala State Award. After that a long list of Malayalam films followed. Films like Vaishali, Theertham, Vidyarambham, Gazal, Oru Vadakkan Veera Gatha, Padheyam and Sargam. I won the National Award for the Best Music Director for Parinayam and Sukhrutham in 1994.
After spending almost 25 years in the industry do you have any regrets?

I don't think I got the the kind of recognition I deserved because I kept a low profile. Years ago, I thought I would win an award for my score in Chaudvin Ka Chand but I didn?t, though Mohammed Rafi and Shakeel Badayuni won awards for best singer and best lyricist. It happened again with Gumrah. Mahendra Kapoor was adjudged the best singer and Sahir Ludhianvi the best lyricist but I was ignored. It happened a third time when Salma Agha (best singer) and Hasan Kamal (best lyricist) won awards for Nikaah, but the music director went unnoticed. Perhaps it was plain bad luck! Anyway, the recognition I received from colleagues more than compensated for my not winning awards.
When you look back, do you ever wonder what would have happened if you had returned to Delhi?

Yes, and I dread the thought. I might have still been an electrician.

-Edwin Paul

The Sun That Never Sets...

Rajiv Vijayakar
Posted online: Friday, February 10, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

Padma Shri Ravi (or Ravi Shankar Sharma to give his full name) is a music composer who is also on occasions a lyricist and singer. He has scored more than 150 films in Hindi and almost twenty-five in regional cinema. Despite all the honours and accolades he has received from various sources, the maestro lives a normal, secluded life in his bungalow Vachan (named after his debut film), quietly working on his first Bengali as well as the latest of 18 Malayalam films, 5 of which have won him the Kerala State and other prestigious Best Music awards. Also on his c-v are 2 Gujarati films (one of which, Ver Ni Vasulat, also won him a Gujarat State award!), a handful of Punjabi films and a Telugu (dubbed from one of his Malayalam films, but with some different songs) and a Kannada movie each.

He is gently and wryly critical about the fact that India's oldest music label (which has his near-complete repertoire) has chosen not to keep him in the limelight through compilations of his work. "I am just happy that my songs continued to be loved by those who love film music and melody, and the fact that so many of my albums continue to sell," he smiles. Fed on a pre-designed staple diet of certain names, today's generation of old film music lovers would be first pleasurably shocked and then enthralled by a casual mention of just a few 'samplers' of Ravi's genius and popular success - scores like Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1962), Gumrah (1963), Kaajal (1965), Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Humraaz (1967) and Nikaah (1982) heading a list that includes Bharosa, Nazrana, Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan, Gehra Daag, Pyar Ka Sagar, Ghunghat, Shehnai, Grihasti, Do Badan, Aankhen, Khandaan, Phool Aur Patthar, Do Kaliyan, Dus Lakh, Ek Phool Do Mali, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke, Doli, Neel Kamal and Aaj Aur Kal. It is Ravi who has also composed cult songs like 'Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai...' (Aadmi Sadak Ka) which is a must at every wedding today, 'C-A-T cat, cat maane billi...'(Dilli Ka Thug), 'Baar baar dekho...' (China Town), 'O meri zohra jabeen...' and 'Aage bhi jaane na tu...' (Waqt), 'Daadi amma daadi amma maan jaa...'(Gharana), 'Yeh raaten yeh mausam...' (Dilli Ka Babu), 'Dil mein kisi ke pyar ka...' (Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka), 'Sau baar janam lenge...' (Ustadon Ke Ustad), 'Main to chalaa jidhar chale rastaa...' (Dhadkan), 'Sansar ki har shay ka...'(Dhund) and many, many more timeless melodic experiences.

Born in Gurgaon and raised in neighbouring Delhi, Ravi was an All India Radio artiste who early on detected his own flair for composition. An ardent admirer of C.Ramchandra, Ravi came to Mumbai to become a singer, little knowing that he would become one of the biggest names in film music from the late '50s to the early '70s. A '60s Sunbeam Rapier stands proud in his compound as its fond owner recollects,"I had five cars at my peak." But true to his name which means the sun, his melodies continue to shine through the fogs of discordant times and cacophonous seasons. Excerpts.

How did you gravitate from singing to composing songs?

As a singer, I could not go beyond chorus numbers! I have never been trained in music, but could play some instruments, so I would often work as a musician too. One day, I made some suggestions about phrasing to Hemant (Kumar)-da, who was not very familiar with Hindi as a language. He invited me to be his assistant and I worked with him on several films, including Nagin and Miss Mary.

When I was Hemantda's chief assistant, he would openly praise my contribution in his success as a music director. I composed the been theme in a very different way for Nagin - if you hear it carefully, you will find the notes completely different from that of a standard been, for the simple reason that it was composed on a harmonium! When Hemantda won an award for his music in the film, I was standing in the wings along with his team. He came and generously gave me the trophy and said, "This is your award!" Such selfless men are rare. He later presented me with my first car! You must be the only composer who was never, ever replaced by his mentor. Does that give you special satisfaction?

It does. Devendra Goelsaab gave me my independent break in Vachan (1955) and worked with me all the way till the last film for his banner, Aadmi Sadak Ka in 1977. He would always tell anyone who pressurized him to change his music director, "Meri film chale na chale, Ravi ka music hit hai!" We did about a dozen films together, including Narsi Bhagat, Pyar Ka Sagar, Dus Lakh, Door Ki Awaz, Ek Phool Do Mali, Dhadkan and Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka. Some of these films were not produced by him.

The record was broken by his swan song Do Musafir.

Yes, but Goelsaab explained to me that the producers had some commitment to Kalyanji-Anandji and his insistence on me had to be overruled. I told him it was perfectly fine and even attended the muhurat of the film. But the interesting part was that the film was released only after his death. Thus in his lifetime, Goelsaab never saw any name other than mine in any of his films' credit tittles after our long association began!

You seemed to prefer Asha Bhosle to Lata Mangeshkar Why?

That is not true. Both sisters were unique in their strengths and could sing every kind of song. As you know I had a string of loyalists in the South, from S.S.Vasan and Vasu Menon to Sivaji Ganesan and later A.V.Meiyyappan and A.Bhimsingh, and my music for them was dominated by Latabai. Over here, Latabai would be extremely busy with others and my Mumbai producers like B.R. Choprasaab, S.D.Narang and Narendra Suri would tell me to go ahead with Asha.

Your B.R.Chopra work was dominated by Mahendra Kapoor and Rafi was there only for the title-song of Waqt.

Rafisaab had some differences with Choprasaab. But I convinced him to sing this song, and he similarly sang specific songs later for other music directors in their films. But all my songs with Mahendra Kapoor - for BR Films as well as others - were hits. You are quite a prolific tunesmith.

Yes, it's all God's blessings. I always give the choice of at least 3-4 tunes to a filmmaker, with my suggestions and preferences mentioned. And this is because I have never made a tune until the lyrics were written! Why is that?

I believe that the lyricist should be given a free hand in writing for the situation. Making tunes is easy. I made 16 tunes for 'Dil ke armaan aansuon mein beh gaye...' (Nikaah) because Salma Agha had limitations. Choprasaab was keen on using the best tune and getting Asha to sing it, but Salma threatened to walk out of the film as she was the heroine. So I made a 17th simpler tune, and it not only became a chartbuster but also won Salma awards! Without a musical base, when you make so many tunes, isn't there a risk of coming up with something that you have heard somewhere and is in your subconscious?

There is, but I am very careful about it. If I find out something like this has happened, I junk the tune and make another. So far no one has accused me of copying a song. On the contrary, my 'Baar baar dekho hazaar baar dekho...' from China Town has been officially copied by a West Indies band after taking the rights! But there are metres you have repeated, like in 'Woh dil kahaan se laaoon teri yaad jo bhulaaye...' from Bharosa which was recycled in 'Dil mein kisike pyar ka jalta hua deeya...' in Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka.

No, a metre is not the same as a tune. Metres can coincide even in completely different songs. The song that finally came in Ek Mahal.. was a tune that I had suggested for different lyrics, but everyone had rejected it at successive times. One such time was the Bharosa case, so I composed a different tune there. Since the words were the same, the metering had to be the same too. If you hum out my 'Milti hai zindagi mein mohabbat kabhi kabhi...' from Aankhen, you will find that the same metre is there too, but in a completely different composition. So you do make use of the tunes that are not accepted by a filmmaker.

Yes, when a completed song is found to fit the metre of the tune, and the mood is correct too. You once said that you were not too happy about the song 'C-A-T cat, cat maane billi...' from Dilli Ka Thug.

Well, (S.D.) Narangsaab wanted me to copy some rock'n'roll songs that he loved. He made me hear different songs. But what I did was mix elements from three of them. There is nothing wrong with being inspired by something. Where is the dividing line between inspiration and copy?

Let me give you two examples of what I mean. A Western song that I had heard was in my mind somewhere. When Sahir Ludhianvi wrote 'Dil karta, o yaara dildara...' for Aadmi Aur Insaan, I changed just a single note in the hook of that song. It transformed the composition completely and I was applauded for an excellent Punjabi folk composition! Then there is the popular folk song 'Allah megh de paani de...'. This tune has been used by many others without any changes, and even as it is with the same mukhda. When I was assisting Hemantda, he too wanted to use it. I told him that we would make a few changes. The result was 'Saiyyan chhod de patang...', which no one will ever dream of believing it was sourced from there! You mainly worked with Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni and Rajendra Krishan.

Yes, hamari teams ban gayi thi. Sahirsaab would openly call me his favourite composer and suggest my name to whichever producer signed him before a music director was fixed. I was very fortunate to work with such brilliant writers. I also worked with Prem Dhawan, Gulshan Bawra, Indeewar, Varma Malik, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Asad Bhopali, Hasrat Jaipuri, Bharat Vyas and Shailendra and later Hassan Kamal. You had two very notable exceptions for those days - Kavi Pradeep and Anand Bakshi.

I have been honoured this year with the Kavi Pradeep Shikhar Sammaan by the Malwa Rangmanch Samiti of Ujjain, Pradeepji's birthplace, for lifetime contribution to music. I interacted with Pradeepji a lot while assisting Hemantda on films like Jagriti. I did work with Bakshisaab in a Punjabi album that was released only in the U.K. He wrote a devotional song. In films, he had formed teams with others. You occasionally wrote lyrics. Why was that?

Lyrics must be perfect for a mood and a situation. Every music director contributes to so many of his songs. Sometimes, I sensed that I could write words for a situation better than a songwriter, as in 'Auladwalon, phoolon phalo...' in Ek Phool Do Mali. For some of my last few Hindi films, I wrote all the lyrics. You were the first choice for so many South banners and filmmakers making Hindi films. Where did you record the songs?

I would record the songs in Mumbai, but in those days I would be in Madras for at least a week every month, doing the background scores and having discussions on stories and music. The filmmakers would have blind faith in me, especially S.S.Vasansaab of Gemini. I would send him tapes of my compositions, with a list of my suggestions, and he would tell me to record the tune of my choice. I would offer suggestions about scripts and incorporate pieces of music that gave scope for some visual embellishments. I remember contradicting Vasansaab and Ramanand Sagarsaab about a scene they wanted to cut in Ghunghat. I told them that the film would become a big hit only because of that scene, and they listened to my advice. After the feedback at the premiere, Vasansaab told me that I was right. you are back in the South, as Bombay Ravi in Malayalam films. How did that chapter begin?

I was approached some time in the late '80s by a producer who told me that he was my fan . My first two Malaylam films Panchaagni and Nakhakshathangal were made simultaneously and were directed by the famous Hariharan. How did you approach music there?

I was frankly scared when I began work, because my principle of composing after the lyrics was unshakeable. The situations were given to the writer and explained to me to get the mood. It was amusing that for the first song the writer asked me to hum out the tune, and was shocked when I said that I wanted the lyrics first! The lyrics that were approved went 'Manyal prasadanam nitteel charti...'. I asked the writer the complete meaning sentence by sentence to ensure that I did not break any word into two, or take the wrong pauses. To give an example, 'Roko mat, jaane do' and 'Roko, mat jaane do' are completely opposite in meaning. To my surprise, they okayed the very first tune I made as fantastic. The song won Chitra a National award and I won a State award for the film! After that almost every film I did was a musical hit. I kept getting awards, and films like Vaishali, where I was told not to use a single Western instrument because it was a period film, Parinayam and many others were bumper hits. Vaishali also got me the National Award. Do you use Mumbai's singers there?

No, I use the Southern greats like Yesudas and Chitra to lend authenticity to the accents. Rahman brings in a Southern influence to his Hindi songs. Do you bring a Northern shade down there?

I use Southern instruments like chuda, adakka and others to retain the nativity. But I think that my music has worked because they find my Northern flavour exciting when merged with their language, their singers and their instruments. You are doing a Bengali film for the first time. Why not do Hindi films too?

Musically, Hindi films have gone completely off-track. I did a film called Ek Alag Mausam last year. I was not at all convinced of the story, and the film came and went without anyone being aware of it.

How come you never did a Marathi film in five decades?

Simply because I was never offered one!

Ravi did get recognition that many of his more known/high profile contemporaries did not get---- he won 2 filmfare awards-- Gharana, 1961 and Khandaan, 1965 -- while OPN, Naushad, Salil Chaudhary, Kalyanji-Anandji, Roshan, Hemant Kumar got only once while Madan Mohan did not even get once. Also we was awarded Padmashree that many others did not get.

Naushad did not get filmfare award for Mughal-E-Azam, Madan Mohan did not get for Woh Kaun Thi, inspite of having much much better and superhit scores than Gharana and Khandaan. So Ravi that way was vey lucky.

Ravi on asha.

Ravi
Ravi Shankar Sharma shot to fame with scores for films like Mehendi, Ghar Sansar, Dilli Ka Thug and Chaudvin Ka Chand. He worked closely with Asha in many films. Says he, "I started my career as [singer-music director] Hemant Kumar's assistant. Lataji and Ashaji would often come to the studio to sing. "My first film was Vachhan (1955), directed by Devendra Goel. Ashaji sang for it. One of her songs, Chandamama door ke became very popular. My mother used to sing this song to put me to sleep. I adapted the lyrics and composed it. Ashaji won her first award from my song in Grahasti.

"We had a great relationship. She loved my wife's pickles. Ours was the only house she would come to, to eat pickles. Our families used to drive to Darjeeling and Kashmir."

More Info wid Pics

http://www.downmelodylane.com/ravi.html

Originally posted by: salilu

VJ, Qwest-ji, Barnali Di, Swar... please contribute. Not much public information is available about this composer.

Salilu ji. Thanks for your great post I was really busy with my mother she was very sick had all the intension to do some posting.!!!!!!!! SORRY.

Thanks a lot for Ravi ji's interviews, Barnali di.

Music composer Ravi in tune with the times Harish C. Menon [Friday, March 03, 2006]

< ="text/"> Mumbai, March 3 (IANS) Music composer "No north Indian marriage is complete without my songs 'Babul ki duayen' and 'Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai'. This is a matter of great satisfaction to me," said Ravi Shankar Sharma, popularly called Ravi. "I first realised my musical potential when I started singing 'bhajans' (devotional songs) in temples at the age of 11," Ravi told IANS. A young Ravi's melodic journey gained momentum under the guidance of legendary singer and music director Hemant Kumar who also had him joining the "Vande Mataram" song's chorus in "Anandmath" (1952). This association with Hemant Kumar lasted many years with films like "Shart" (1954) and "Nagin" (1954). Few know that the "been" (a flute variant) in the evergreen song "Man dolay" in the Pradeep Kumar-Vyjayanthimala starrer "Nagin" was played by Ravi. His most famous and popular association was with filmmaker B.R. Chopra and singer Mahendra Kapoor beginning with songs like "Chalo ek baar phir se" and "Aap Aaye to khayal-e-dil-e-nashaad" in "Gumraah" (1963). "Ravi's tunes were the most melodious of the times. They were easily picked up by the masses, who usually don't care much for music beyond their understanding," said Chopra, a Dadasaheb Phalke awardee. However, Ravi's first independent venture was with Devendra Goel's "Vachan" (1955) with its songs like "Ek paisa dede babu" - written by Ravi himself - and "Chanda mama door ke" becoming instant hits. In a career spanning 55 years and 200 films in Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, his lilting melodies got him the Padmashri award in 1971. His trademark tuneful quality was epitomised in Guru Dutt's film "Chaudhvin Ka Chand" (1960) with the title song described as the most beautiful description of a woman, thanks to Shakeel Badayuni's glowing lyrics. Ravi was also a big hit with South Indian moviemakers and earned the sobriquet 'King of Madras' with "Gharana" (1961), which won him his first Filmfare award, "Bharosa" and "Khandaan". However, his most winning note in the south sounded after national award winning Malayalam director Hariharan introduced him as 'Bombay Ravi' to Kerala's music lovers with "Nakhakshathangal" (1986). "Ravi is my favourite as his music is rooted deep in Indian culture and is as rustic as a Malayali can hope it to be," Hariharan said. "Even for 'Nakhakshathangal', we wanted to create the musical atmosphere of temple town Guruvayoor in Kerala. So we recorded the sounds of the area and sent them to him." "Manjal prasadavum" from the movie, sung by K.S. Chitra, brought him overnight fame in 'God's Own Country' apart from earning him a national award. Ravi's songs of Hariharan's "Mayookham" (2005), too, are all chartbusters. That Kerala has a special place in Ravi's heart was evident much earlier in "Humraaz" (1967) where he used the southern percussion 'tayambaka' as a prelude in the song "Na munh chhupa ke jiyo". "Because of his simple orchestration, Ravi was underrated by purists, especially in comparison with composers like Shankar-Jaikishen and S.D. Burman," said Manohar Iyyer of 'Keep Alive', a vintage music organisation. "Though his tunes went down well with the family-social theme movies of the 1960s, critics felt his music was not rich enough," Iyyer said. Ravi, whose vintage hit "Chaudhvin Ka Chand" continues to haunt listeners, can still carry a tune - the tune of success - even as he turns 80 on Friday.

Thanks a lot Manju di. Ravi ji has been very popular in Kerala. After Salilda, I think he was the most successful in Malayalam among the composers from the Hindi film world.