By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On His Birth Anniversary
Creative lyrics can be challenging. Even the most experienced songwriters undergo writer’s block at some point in their career. Beginning is often the most difficult part of the songwriting process and one who succeeds in doing so becomes popular before long.
Anand Bakshi,it would be conceded, was gifted with the art of creating songs and turning them into melodies .After partition, the boy lived in Delhi and continued writing couplets as part of his passion or say hobby.He later joined the Army & pursued writing and often recited his songs in various shows.He worked in the army for years and later turned a professional:he joined the film industry for greener pastures to become a writer-cum-singer but he became a lyricist in the process.He got initial break in “Bhalaa Aadmi” ( 1958).Bakshi got recognition with a quawwali “Meri Tasveer Le Ke Kya Karoge Tum Meri” under the baton KJAJ for film “Kala Samundar”. He rose like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes with his scintilating songs “Oonchey Himalay Ke Neeche”, “Kankariya Maar Ke Jagaya Kal Tu Mere Sapne Mein Aaya”, and Ek Too Jo Mila Sari Duniya” ( by Lata)& “Chand Si Mehbooba Ho Meri”( Mukesh) in director Vijay Bhatt’s ( of ‘Baiju Bawra’fame)musical hit “Himalay Ki God Mein” featuring Mala Sinha opposite Manoj Kumar.The film was nominated in various categories and won Filmfare Best Film Award followed by another hit ” jab Jab Phool Khile” with ” Pardesiyon, Se Na Akhiyaan milana”, Ek Tha Gul Aur Ek Thi Bulbul” & a romantic nay titillating number ” Yeh Sama,Sama Hai ye Pyaar Ka” picturised on Nanda.The music of both films was composed by Kalyanji Anandji.”Mr. X in Bombay” ( 1964) was another musical marvel with Kishore Kumar singing” Mere Mehboob Qyamat Hogi”.A Subba Rao’s ” Milan” starring Sunil Dutt,Nutan,Jamuna & Pran put the lyricist amongst the front-runner in Bollywood with soulful songs like,””Sawan Ka Mahina”, “Hum Tum Yug Yug Se” & “Bol Gori Bol Tera Kaun Piya” rendered by Mukesh-Lata Mangeshkar.The film won Filmfare Best Actress Award for Nutan,Best Music for Laxmikant Pyarelal,& Best Supporting Actress Award for Jamuna.Nutan & Sunil Dutt also won BFJA Awards.
Anand Bakshi made his debut as a singer with “Mom Ki gudiya” .He also lent his voice in film ” Maha Chor”,” Charas” & ” Balika Badhu”.A favourite of Rajesh Khanna,Anand Bakshi wrote many hit songs for “Aradhna” like””Roop Tera Mastana” ( Kishore),”Baghon Mein Bahar Hai” ( Rafi-Lata) & “Mere Sapno Ki Rani”( Kishore Kumar)with haunting music score by S.D.Burman. It was followed by another masterpiece ” Do Raaste” directed by Raj Khosla with hit songs like “Bindiya Chamkegi” ( Lata), “Yeh Reshmi Zulfen”(Rafi)& “Mere Naseeb Mein Ae Dost” (Kishore)to mention few.The film was nominated in six categories and won Filmfare Best Story Award.His other most popular songs include” Jhilmil Sitaron Ka Aangan Hoga” ( Jeewan Mrityu),”O Saathi Chal”Asha-Kishore (Seeta Aur Geeta),”Yeh Lal Rang Kab Mujhe Chhodega”-Kishore( Prem Nagar),” Koi Haseena Jab Rooth Jaati hai to”-Kishore Kumar & Hema Malini ( Sholay),”Mere Naina Sawan Bhadon”( Kishore & Lata separately), &”Parbat Ke Peechhe” Lata-Kishore(Mehbooba) “Sheesha Ho Ya Dil Ho”- Lata( Aasha)& ” Mere Naseeb Mein” Lata (Naseeb)to mention few.
