At the recently concluded International Film Festival of India, Ranbir Kapoor revealed that the first song he played to his daughter Raha was ‘Kisi Ki Muskuraton Pe Ho Nisar’.From his grandfather Raj Kapoor clumsy (1959). For moviegoers, this bit of trivia was captured in a series of songs that the showman helped create on screen to truthfully express the most complex emotions with a touch of innocence.
On the occasion of Raj Kapoor’s centenary, while much is being written about him, his creative process remains unknown. In his mindscape, the melodious sound preceded the mise-en-scene. The entire film was like an opera for him, where the story revolved around music. Instead of technical juggling, he tied the whole experience into one Tone (pitch/tone)And establish a rhythmic bond with the audience.
Film critic Jaiprakash Chowksey, who was close to the Kapoor family, has mentioned an incident in his book on the filmmaker’s creative process. after Stay Awake (1956) Failed at the box office and Nargis moved on with her life, RK Films was going through a tough phase. At a time when Raj Kapoor decided to move on The country where Ganga flows (1960)His trusted associates Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra and Mukesh were surprised that at a low point, the director chose the story of dacoit reform, a subject which they felt had little scope for music. When Raj narrated the story with 11 song situations, they were left speechless. When the dacoits ask Raju to introduce himself, he sings ‘Mera Naam Raju’., Featuring the ubiquitous yet unique sounds that define his village. Shailendra expressed his belief with ‘Kaviraj Kahe Na Ye Taj Rahe Na Ye Raj Rahe Na Ye Raj Gharana’.
Raj Kapoor recorded all the songs of Ram Teri Gangadirty (1985) even before the script was completed. Photo Courtesy: The Hindu Archives
In another popular song from the film, ‘Hum bhi hain, tum bhi ho, dono hain aamne saamne’, Pran, who plays a dreaded dacoit, sings a verse ‘Hai aag hamare seene mein, hum aag se khelte aaye hain’ Let’s lip sync while expressing. The character’s emotional turmoil.
Inspired by a section in Ramcharitmanas Where a sailor tells Lord Ram that people are polluting his Ganga by washing away their sins in its waters, Raj recorded all the songs Ram Teri Gangadirty (1985) even before the script was completed. At a wedding in Delhi, Raj hears Ravindra Jain singing a song, where he portrays the difference in Radha and Meera’s love for Lord Krishna. Impressed, he made this idea the basis of his story. No wonder composer Pyarelal once said that if Raj Kapoor had chosen to be a brilliant musician, he would have been a brilliant musician.
Raj got his love for folk songs from his mother Rasrani Devi. He studied classical music for a short time. When his father Prithviraj Kapoor worked at New Theatres, he regularly visited its music room and developed an interest in Rabindra Sangeet. Traditional tunes like ‘Ho Bhaiya Teri Nav Main Hai Toofan’ (Vagabond, 1951) marked his storytelling.
Raj Kapoor chose his sailors carefully and Khwaja Ahmed Abbas and Shailendra steered the ideological boat of Raj’s vision with the oars of their social realism. Although he had seen life closely, Raj had little formal education. While Mukesh gave voice to his Chaplinesque Trump for the screen, Raj Kapoor used to say that Abbas and Shailendra provided the basis for his socialist ideas to flourish. Both will talk about Raj’s skill in touching the core of his idea and wrapping it in a glamorous wrap with his showmanship. starting with Rogue And Shree 420 (1955), The conflict of society was a prevalent theme in his films.
Raj Kapoor and Nargis Rogue
Photo Courtesy: The Hindu Archives
Director Lekh Tandon, who grew up with Raj in the shadow of Prithviraj Kapoor, once told this journalist – “In Nehruvian India, he taught the nation the song ‘Awara Hoon’, where two bars of music follow the words. One cannot hum a song without humming two strips of music.” Yunus Khan, who has recently written a book on Shailendra,It is said that while keeping the Jan Kavi with him, Raj considered the anger of the common man and was not afraid to raise anti-establishment voices in the mainstream. till My name is Joker, He was much more than a showman. Khan tells in ‘Mera Juta Hai Japanese’, Shailendra writes, ‘We will be kings, we will have big hearts, we will sit on the throne whenever we have intentions’. In ‘Dil Ka Hal Sune Dilwala’, There is a line, ‘Don’t shout at midnight otherwise the policeman will catch you’, “This should be understood in the context of the time when Majrooh Sultanpuri was arrested for reciting an anti-Nehru poem,” says Khan.
It is not just Raj subjects that have found acceptance in the Eastern Bloc countries. Audiences in the region also identified him as their favorite danube wavesOne of the most popular Romanian tunes that regularly features in the background scores of his films. starting with Barsaat (1949), This enhanced the romanticism and melancholy that was underlying much of his work.
Rahul Rawail, who has assisted Raj in many films, says that he would never reveal unnecessary details of a song. In policeman (1973), he does not touch religion in the love story. But there is a song in the background, ‘Beshak mandir masjid todo par pyar bhara dil kabhi na todo.’
Mukesh is singing while maintaining the rhythm of Raj Kapoor. Photo Courtesy: The Hindu Archives
For them, the song must have a context in the story. Song ‘Ghe Ghe Ghe Ghe Ghe Re Sahiba’‘I don’t want gold and silver, I don’t want diamonds and pearls’ has been presented simply., Sweetly conveying the viewpoints of two different characters.
Raj had a knack for understanding languages and also had a knack for musical instruments. “He’ll pick an instrument and just start playing it. I saw him playing the synthesizer on the set of Yesterday, today and tomorrow – This instrument had just arrived on the music scene,” recalls Ravel.
Raj strongly believed that a song’s popularity was indicated when it was included in the playlist of traditional wedding bands. He used to tell the musicians that the band would choose only those songs in which a player playing a small instrument also played a role. Tea
From ‘Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate’ and ‘Sun Sahiba Sun’ policeman were the creations of Raj Kapoor. Photo Courtesy: The Hindu Archives
It is said that Raj used to forget a face but not the tune. The tune of ‘live here, die here’,My name is Joker1970) attacked him when he was returning from a party during his visit to Romania in the 1950s. The tune of ‘Jaane Kahan Gone Those Days’Could be heard in the background scores of his films in the 1950s. At least two songs, ‘Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate’ and ‘Sun Sahiba Sun’ were his compositions. “Long before we found suitable conditions for these songs, Raj Saheb used to hum them,” recalls Rawail.
The tunes composed by Raj were also used by other composers, with or without his permission. in the days of policemanRaj Kapoor composed ‘Woh Kehte Hain Humse Abhi Umar Nahi Hai Pyar Ki’ in Laxmikant Pyarelal’s music room. Rajesh Roshan, who was learning from the composers at the time, was present. Fifteen years later, this song emerged as his composition Generous (1988) And that’s probably the only lasting memory of the film.
published – December 04, 2024 05:12 PM IST
