Enchanting music at RK; An analysis in the wake of Lata crediting it entirely to Raj Kapoor,(ssmurthy)...

It is on record during the felicitation function of

"Ram Teri Ganga Maili" Lata credited all of RK Film's music to RajKapoor irrespective of whosoever the Music Director was, much to the embarassment of Ravindra Jain aghast at the statement, sitting in the front row at the statement.

Maybe Lata spoke being part of the creative process of the music of RK Films, Lata was surfacing the stark reality of RK's involvement and to a great extent in being the tunesmith who shaped and moulded the RK style of music through SJ.

But in reality it was the SJ style of music which finally got evolved, in as much as SJ strode royally even outside the orbit of RK and scored brilliantly, returning back to their homeground, always with a refreshed stock, added versatility, finer nuances,experience and richness, much to the delight and benefit of RK.
The Amiya SJ combination with films like Daag, Patita,Badshah,Seema, Kathputli, Apne Huye Paraye etc is the nearest rival to the RK SJ combo.
So many other combinations like that of SJ with FCMehra : viz,Singapore, Ujala, Amrapali etc,

with LVPrasad : viz Choti Behan, Sasural, Hamrahi, and Beti Bete, to name a few, all boast of SJ music to boot, for their musical appeal and success making this aspect debatable.

Mind you, over the years I was tossed between RK Films and its music, turning inwards soulfully in all earnestness, the debate whether RK Films have registered in you through it's music? or the music entered you, through the film?
and

Gradually the critical and sublime truth dawned on me that it has been through its music
and

That is where SJ stands tall in their shining splendour, irrespective of what ever claim or credit, any one may think of.

Inevitably RK was hooked on to this SJ Style and only needed some MD to conduct the music from these extracts of SJ tunes from his stockpile, accumalated over the camaraderie sessions of yesteryears .

Though getting into the sanctum sanctorum of SJ in RK Films was a huge prestige and considered privilege of many MD's, they soon realised much to their consternation, this bane as LP atleast backed out after Prem Rog, giving place to Ravindra Jain to face the aftermath of such feelings, sitting in the front row at the felicitation function.

Much as Shankar would have been pondering on his Dost's no response on a situation which warranted the best prop, Mukesh ji spilled out the beans to one of the partners of LP, that inspite of their respect for Shankar, their hesitancy in accepting the offer would make no difference to RK, since the decision of dispelling the old guard, giving place to a junior version of RK, has already been taken and if it is not them, it will be some one else.

That is how LP have entered RK's Bobby.

Shankar still waited till RK's "Ram Teri Ganga Maili" which was similar musically, themewise to JDMGH and much to the alley of Shankar,

but it did not happen and

Shankar could never be his normal self again to get back to the anchor which launched more than a thousand scores of musical virtuosity.

The trauma of depression has started full galore on Shankar leading to the inevitable plight.

Sixteen years after he was seperated from his musical soulmate and inspite of he being a wrestler constantlyl practicing, he has met a sad and insignificant exit,

Which again only confirms that the physcho status of the person has a lot to matter and that the ways of Nature are ever so inscrutable.

The tears which got hold of Raj's eye's on the day following Shankar's demise, was symbolic of this trauma as he paid glowing tributes to his salad days composer in the vividh bharati programme, on how spontaneously Shankar had composed then and there, the opening lnes of

"Hoton pe sachai rahtee hai "

which as I recall are just the ideal lyrics and composition, humanity can ever conceive of,

as Shailendra and Shankar have spontaneously cruised at it.

with kind rgds
ssmurthy