Kalyanji–Anandji were an Indian composer duo: Kalyanji Virji Shah (30 June 1928 – 24 August 2000) and his brother Anandji Virji Shah (born 2 March 1933). The duo are known for their work on Hindi film soundtracks, with many evergreen songs being composed by them.
Kalyanji and Anandji were children of a Kutchi businessman who migrated from Kundrodi village in Kutch to 'Bombay' (now Mumbai) to start a grocery and provision store. Their younger brother and his wife are the husband and wife duo Babla & Kanchan. The brothers began to learn music from a music teacher, who taught them in lieu of paying his bills to their father. One of their great-grandparents was a folk musician of some eminence. They spent most of their formative years in the Mumbai locality of Girgaum amidst Marathi and Gujarati environs and among some eminent musical talent that resided in the vicinity.
Kalyanji started his career as a musician, with a new electronic instrument called the clavioline. which was used for the famous "Nagin Been," used in the film Nagin (1954) which had the music of Hemant Kumar.[2][3] Kalyanji then, with his brother Anandji, started an orchestral group called Kalyanji Virji and Party which organised musical shows in Mumbai and outside. This was the first attempt made for holding live musical shows in India.
Kalyanji Anandji's arrival in the Bombay film industry as music composers was a turning point. When big music directors like S. D. Burman, Hemant Kumar, Madan Mohan, Naushad, Shankar–Jaikishan and O. P. Nayyar were ruling the Hindi film music world and it was a golden period of film music, it was very tough to make a place amongst them. They still managed to attain success amongst the competition.
The Bharat Bhushan – Nirupa Roy hit Samrat Chandragupta (1958) was his first film as Kalyanji Virji Shah. Songs like Chahe Paas Ho (Lata–Rafi) that are remembered to this day were what made the movie a commercial success. This was followed by his composing music scores for more films like Post Box 999 before Anandji who was assisting him, joined him officially to form the Kalyanji-Anandji duo in Satta Bazaar and Madari (1959). Chhalia (1960) was their earliest major hit. In 1965, two decisive scores, Himalay Ki God Mein and Jab Jab Phool Khile, established them as composers to reckon with.[2][4][1]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, their work was introduced to a young Western audience by three albums. Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars was a mix album put together by US DJ Dan The Automator; Bollywood Funk was an Outcaste compilation album put together by Sutrasonic DJs Harv and Sunni; while The Beginners Guide To Bollywood was compiled by John Lewis from Time Out magazine. All three of these records concentrated on Kalyanji Anandji tracks from 1970s films that featured funk breakbeats, wah-wah guitars and Motown-style orchestrations. In 2005, The Black Eyed Peas's "Don't Phunk with My Heart" used music pieces from two of their songs: "Ae Naujawan" from the 1972 film Apradh and "Yeh Mera Dil" from the 1978 film Don, which won the American hip-hop group a Grammy Award.[5]
The composers composed some popular songs rendered by Kishore Kumar such as "Jeevan se bhari teri aankhe", "Zindagi ka safar hai ye kaisa Safar", "Pal Pal dilke paas", "Neele Neele Ambar Par". Their composition called "Pal bharke liye" was used in an episode of The Simpsons. Remixed version of the song "Apni Toh Jaise Taise," originally from the 1981 film Laawaris was used in 2010 Bollywood film Housefull. The Calcutta High Court restrained producer Sajid Nadiadwala from the cinematic use of the song.[6]
The duo composed 270 songs for Kishore Kumar. Their superhit songs with Kishore Kumar included all-time hit "Zindagi ka safar" from Safar (1970), "O Saathi Re" from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Mera Jeevan Kora Kagaz from Kora Kagaz (1974), Jeevan se bhari teri aankhein from Safar (1970), "Pal pal dil ke paas" from Blackmail (1974),『Neele neele ambar
par 』from Kalakaar (1985), "Samjhauta gamon se kar lo" from Samjhauta (1973), "Apne jeevan ki uljhan ko" from Uljhan (1975) and the chart buster qawwali "Qurbani Qurbani Qurbani" from Qurbani (1980).[2][8]
The duo composed many songs for Mohammedd Rafi. At their initial stage as music director, Mohd Rafi was their first choice of singer.[2] They made numerous popular song with him. All songs of Jab Jab Phool Khile were a huge hit and catapulted them to fame and there was no looking back after that. Besides Jab Jab Phool Khile, there were many popular songs with Mohammed Rafi from films like Qurbani (Kya Dekhte Ho), Bluff Master (Govinda Ala Re Ala), Raaz ( Akele Hain Chale Aao), Sacha Jhutha (Yuhi Tum Mujhse Baat Karti Hoo), Maryada (Tum Bhi Aja Ke), Haat Ki Safai (Vadaa Karle Sajna), Gopi (Sukh Ki Hain Saab Sathie), Qatilon Ka Qatil ( Yeh To Allah Ko Khabar & Oh Mere Chorni), Geet (Aja Tujh Ko Pukarein Mere Geet) & Bairaag (Sare Shaher Mein App Sa) to name a few of the popular songs. In the film, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, where most of the song was sung by Kishore Kumar, they used Mohammed Rafi to sing Kishore Kumar Rote Hua Aate Saab some lines on the sad version of the song. The collaboration of Kalyanji & Anandji with Mohammed Rafi created everlasting songs in a unique style. According to them, Rafi could sing every kind of song.[2]
The duo composed 326 songs for Lata Mangeshkar in their career (24 under the name Kalyanji Veerji Shah and 302 under the name Kalyanji–Anandji), the 4th highest number songs composed by any composer for Lataji's career after Laxmikant-Pyarelal (712), Shankar–Jaikishan (453) and Rahul Dev Burman (331). Their association with the singer goes back to 1954, when Kalyanji played the famous 'been' tune in Lata Mangeshkar's numbers like 'Man Dole Mera Tan Dole' in the movie Nagin (1954).[2] Lata's influence on their music in the initial years can be gauged from the fact that in their first musical score Samrat Chandragupt (1958), Lataji was the only female playback singer, having sung 8 out of 8 numbers in the movie. However, since 1979, they started using Lata Mangeshkar's voice very sparingly, even though they kept on offering songs to other senior singers like Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. Since the 1980s, Lata's voice could only be heard in their scores like Bombay 405 Miles (1980), Katilon Ke Kaatil (1981), Khoon Ka Rishtaa (1981), Log Kya Kahenge (1982), Raaj Mahal (1982), Vidhaata(1982), Yudh (1985), Pighalta Aasman (1985), Mangal Dada (1986), Kalyug Aur Ramayan (1987), Desh Drohi (1988), Galiyon Ka Baadshah (1989) and Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen (1994). Among these, Kalyug Aur Ramayan and Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen had been in the making since long, especially the second one which was in the making since 1966, its music having been released in 1968 itself.
Some of her evergreen songs include the immortal "Salaam-e-ishq Meri Jaan" from Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978), "Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezaar" from Don (1978), Kabhi Raat Din Hum Door Thay from Aamne Saamne (1967), "Yeh Saman" from Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), "Humare Siva Tumhare Aur Kitne Deewane" from Apradh (1972), Lata's national award-winning song "Roothe roothe piya" from Kora Kagaz (1974), "Main Pyaasa Tum saawan' from Faraar (1975), Hum Thay Jinke Sahare fromSafar (1970), "Ja Re Ja O Harjaee" from Kalicharan (1976), "Thoda Sa Thehro" from Victoria No. 203 (1973).[1]
The duo composed 297 songs for Asha as well. Their well known songs with Asha is led by all-time hit "Yeh Mera Dil" from Don (1978). It earned Asha's 7th and last Filmfare Award as best singer. It was copied by world's leading band Black Eyed Peas in 1990 and their song earned Grammy Award. Their other hits with Asha includes "Kya Dekhte Ho" from Qurbani (1978) Aaiye aapka tha hamein intzar (Mahal-1969), Husn ke laakhon rang (Johny mera naam-1970), "O Saathi Re" from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978).[2]
The duo composed the great number Kasme vaade pyar wafa ke in Manna Dey's voice in "Upkar" (1968) and the chart buster qawwali "Yari hai imman Mera Yaar Meri Zindagi" from Zanjeer ( 1973).[1][2]
The duo composed many heart touching melodies in the voice of Mukesh like " chandsi mehboba ho meri aia maine socha tha ha tum bilkul wais ho jaisa maine socha tha ", " hum chodel hai mehfil ko yaad aa ye kisi ko mat rona ", "koi jab tumhara hriday tod de " , " kya khoob lagthi ho , badi sundar dikhthi ho ","jo tumko ho pasand wohi baat kahenge".
They also composed many memorable songs for Mahendra Kapoor, "Mere Desh Ki Dharti sona ugle ugle heere moti" in Upkaar, and the unique song "Ek tara bole to tum kya kahe"
"Twinkle Twinkle little star" in Purab Aur Pacham and "O Shanker mere" from Bairaag. Mahendra Kapoor has been the preferred playback singer of Kalyanji Anandji giving numerous hit songs.
Their songs repeatedly entered the top popularity ratings of Binaca Geetmala and topped the list many times. Some of their notable compositions, by song title, are as follows:
