Celebrating the centennial of a beloved Hindi lyricist - Shailendra - Page 2

The last song I will post to make it an even 10. Then I'm hoping some of you will continue...

Song: Hai re woh din kyon na aaye

Film: Anuradha (1960)

Music: Pandit Ravi Shankar

This song is lyrically so simple but conveys a wealth and depth of feeling. He says so much with so little. Economy in words is something Shailendra excelled at.

Her world is robbed of light without her music (sooni meri beena, sangeet bina - see the wordplay here?) and nothing will dispel it..

Jhilmil woh taare, kahan gaye saare?

Manbaati jale, bujh jaaye

This last line...uff! A light shines in her heart and is quickly extinguished. Heartbreaking!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v57QxIkF3nI

ETA: I thought this was raag Kalavati - since it closely resembled 'Kahe tarsaaye' but I found out this is Janasammohini.

Wow. Nice thought behind the thread ❤️

Thank You, Riya, for such a lovely writeup on Shailendra's 100th Birthday

Articles link:

https://hindi.business-standard.com/lifestyle/entertainment/shailendras-100th-birth-anniversary-shining-populist-star-in-cine-world

https://bollywoodwallah.in/shailendra-100th-birth-anniversary-shailendra-the-world-maker-of-evergreen-songs-remained-unbreakable-with-raj-kapoor/

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/shailendras-birth-centenary-tu-zinda-lyrics-8914772/

https://www.jagran.com/entertainment/bollywood-shailendra-100th-birth-anniversary-awara-hoon-song-writer-shailendra-once-rejected-raj-kapoor-offer-23517210.html

https://twitter.com/FilmHistoryPic/status/1696754853584728355?s=20

Song: Tu zinda hai toh ..

Lyricist - Shankar Shailendra

Music composer - Salil Chowdhury

IPTA Bombay

https://youtu.be/ucVcJ9MBxnw

Biopic on the musical legend and a highly gifted lyricist of the Golden Era of Indian Cinema, Shankardas Kesarilal, popularly known as ‘Shailendra’.

https://youtu.be/8NJT51aX0uY

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

Back in the day, I remember weekday mornings and afternoons tuning into Vividh Bharati's classic radio. I remember the RJ announcing names such as Hasrat Jaipuri, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shakeel Badayuni, Qamar Jalalabadi along with the more famous names of the singers and music directors during the song credits.

I must shamefully confess I did not pay much attention to the contribution of the lyricists to the song. The song, to me, would be a Lata or a Rafi or a Kishore or a Mannada song or perhaps even an OPN or SDB or Naushad song, but rarely ever did I remember a song as being solely that of the lyricist.

It was only much later, when I began to pay attention to the lyrics of a song - more in a bid to memorize it for Antakshari or Karaoke nights or whatever  - did the more memorable and poignant verses stay with me and I actually made an effort to look up who the lyricist might be. And eventually grew to recognize these poets by their poetry. (I can make a fairly good guess on the Golden Era lyricists now based on their writing styles!)

OMG, this is so relatable! Made me nostalgic

It is always such a treat to read your brief, informative posts, Priya

What a beautiful tribute to Shailendra.

Originally posted by: LizzieBennet

I must shamefully confess I did not pay much attention to the contribution of the lyricists to the song. The song, to me, would be a Lata or a Rafi or a Kishore or a Mannada song or perhaps even an OPN or SDB or Naushad song, but rarely ever did I remember a song as being solely that of the lyricist.

It was only much later, when I began to pay attention to the lyrics of a song - more in a bid to memorize it for Antakshari or Karaoke nights or whatever  - did the more memorable and poignant verses stay with me and I actually made an effort to look up who the lyricist might be. And eventually grew to recognize these poets by their poetry. (I can make a fairly good guess on the Golden Era lyricists now based on their writing styles!)

All of us pretty much in the same boat.

When we start listening to song it is about singer, then the music director, then comes the writers and finally the people who arrange the music. 

 It is only when we grow up do we realize the importance of writers.

Writers and arrangers are given the least credit. It is good that we have started to give recognition to writers, but arrangers still remain in the shadows.  

Unknown Story - How Lyricist Shailendra created beautiful song Khoya Khoya Chand with SD Burman ? - YouTube

Amla Shailendra talks about her father.

'Awara hoon...' fame lyricist Shailendra's daughter on his songs(BBC Hindi) - YouTube