By Jagmohan Singh Barhok

कच्ची कली सी नाजुक दिल मेरा
कोई सुंघ के ऐंवें मरोड़ गया
जियोंदा रहे ओ जी सदके
जेड़ा ला के मुहब्बतां तोड़ गया

‘Kachi kali See Nazuk Dil Mera ,Koi Sungh ke Aiyven Marod Gaya Jeonda Rahen Ve Jee Sadke Ve, Jehra La Ke Mohabbattan Tod gaya’

The above song was wonderfylly penned by Manohar Singh Sehrai and sweetly tuned by Sardul Singh Kwatra, for film “Kaude Shah”( 1953), a blockbuster directed by S.P.Bakshi,starring Daljit and Shyama in the lead. Other popular songs of the film included the likes of ‘Oh Jatta Chadd De toon Mera dupatta’ ,’Chum Chum Kardi Gali Vichon Langhdi Ve Mere Sajna De Daachi Badaami Rang Dee’ & Meri Patli Patang Naale Peela Peela Rang’sung by Mohammad Rafi, Shamshad Begum, Talat Mahmood and Rajkumari. The film did very well at the box office in the East Punjab Circuit, Delhi and Pakistan’s Punjab.

Kwatra’s debut Punjabi film was “Posti” (1950),directed by K. D. Mehra featuring Majnu and Shyama in the lead. Three songs of the film became very poular – ‘Do Guttan Kar Merian’by Asha Bhonsle, ‘Kajjle Di Paanian Dhaar’ by Rajkumari and a duet, “Ja Bhaira Posti” by Mohd. Rafi and Shamshad Begum. Kwatra also did some Hindi films as a music -director like- “Goonj” (1952) ) “Bewafa” featuring Raj Kapoor, Nargis and Ashok Kumar as lyricist (1952) “Son of Alibaba” ( 1955), “Charminar” ( 1956) and “Mirza Sahiban” (1957) as producer and music director respectively-featuring Shammi Kapoor, Shyama, Madan Puri and Tun Tun and “Sarfarosh” (1964).

Well known playback singer Raj Kumari known for hits like “Mahal”(1949) and” Anhoni”(1949) also prominently figured in his films as a singer. Kwatra learnt music during his schooling and on maturing became adept as a music composer. Soulful, catchy and racy music being his forte.

The Punjabi film industry was in an enviable shape in 60s,and 70s.Punjabi filmmakers and distributors aired their grievances and predicaments, from time to time, but were not suitably taken notice of by the State agencies. Paucity of financial assistance was the other major hurdle . There was no film studio, processing laboratory or a ‘tinsel town’ like in Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. In these strenuous circumstances, coupled with the emergence of other talented music composers like Laxmi-Pyare and Kalyanji- Anandji, Kwatra struggled hard to survive but eventually failed to hold ground. His other films iclude “Deccan Queen” (1961), “Kala Chashma” (1963) & Punjabi hit “Satluj De Kande” (1964).

His last film was “Ankheeli Mutiyaar” (1983) directed by Dara Singh and written by Shabaab Alawalpuri starring Shashi Puri, Hansani Dutt, Mehar Mittal and Rattan Aulakh with cinematography by Baldev Singh, a close friend of mine, who did many multi-star Hindi movies like “Mitti Aur Sona”, “Sawan Bhadon”, “Nagina” and “Hasina Maan Jayegi” to name some. Before this he composed music for “Lambardaarni” a Punjabi film directed by Veerendra starring Dara Singh, Veerendra, Aruna Irani, Mehar Mittal and Asha Parekh in guest appearance.

Strangely and unfortunately, too, Kwatra did not receive the kind of recognition and status he richly deserved.

I met the veteran music-director in Chandigarh and Bombay twice but was unaware of his latent talent. I knew about his work many years later when he had left the country sometime in 1980s to finally settle in USA where he reportedly died on 6 July 2004. Others opined he died in 2005.