Tuesday, July 4, 2017

RAM LAL – THE UNSUNG MUSIC DIRECTOR:

My late father  used to say in Hindi  , Jeewan-  Mrityu , Nafaa-  Nuksan , Yash – Apkash   apne haath mein nahin hota – and how true he was or many others  who subscribed and still  subscribe to this view.
Name ,  fame and financial well being  elude many despite  being endowed  with the best of talent  and capabilities. My source  informs me- though not confirmed  or mentioned   anywhere else  as far as my search goes – that  today is the death anniversary  of Ram Lal Chaudhary  or simply Ram Lal , a talented music director of the  bygone era of Bollywood.Starting as an assistant to music director Ram Ganguli , he played flute for the songs in  Raj Kapoor’s directorial venture Aag and  contributed to the music of the song – Zinda Hun Is Tarah ki Ghame Zindagi nahin – sung by Mukesh  and the song - Dekh Chaand ki Ore  Musafir, Dekh Chaand Ki Ore  sung by Shailesh and Shamshad Beghum .  As an independent music director ,   he composed beautiful melodies for  two movies   namely ‘Sehra’ and ‘Geet Gaya Patharon Ne’   which  are sung and hummed even today after decades. The semi classical number  ‘ Pankh Hotey  To Ud  Aatin Re’   sung by Lata Mangeshkar, ‘ Taqdeer   Ka Fasaana   Jaa Kar  Kise Sunayen ‘  sung  by Muhammad Rafi  and &  ‘ Tum to Pyar ho, o sajni…. ‘ sung by Mohammad Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar  are  simply unforgettable.  So  are the songs from  the film ‘Geet Gaya Patharon Ne’    like  ‘Tere Khayalon Main Hum’  , ‘ Saanson ke  taar Par ….Geet Gaya Patharon ne’ sung by Asha Bhosle  &  Mahendra Kapoor  as a duet and the solo version sung by Kishori Amonkar   set to  wonderful tune by Ramlal. Unfortunately he did not get any work after this , was in acute financial straits and was forcedb to  live a life of penury .

Our humble tributes to the great music director!

8 comments:

  1. Wonderful article abt a unsung talented Music Director.

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  2. My sincere tributes to the peerless composer, musician and human being

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    1. My sincere tributes to the peerless composer, musician and human being.

      Prakash Singh Rautela

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    2. A master musician. But treated very badly by the industry which now is where it deserves to be. In the dustbin of history.

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  3. Really, Ramlal was a greatly talented music artist and composer but also like others e. g. Dan Singh, greatly forgotton by the industry and was victim of groups' interests and politics of the film industry.

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  4. Noted flute artist Praveen Godkhindi has recreated the magic of "Pankh hote to.....". Its available on YouTube.

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  5. Swargiya sookh aur dookh, dono Great Ramlal ji k music n tunes me hai. Great great

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  6. He was under a contract with V Shantaram, who for some silly reason did not release hi from his contract to take outside work. A petty decision.

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