By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
मोहब्बत आज क्यों मचलने लगी
शमा जैसे महफ़िल में जलने लगी
छुरी मान लो दिल पे चलने लगी
कोई दिल की हसरत निकलने लगी
बदलने लगा रंग हालात का
के है आजवादा मुलाकात का
किसी को पता न चले बात का
के है आज वादा मुलाकात का
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, the subject of this write up, was gifted with the art of creating songs and turning them into melodies . After partition, Bakshi 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 eventually settled as 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” ,” 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” picturized 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-runners 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” ( ‘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.
Anand Bakshi started writing songs for films in 1957 .Though his earlier films were not remembered by most cine goers, the lyricist hit the limelight with Himalay Ki Gode Mein (1962) followed by Jab Jab Phool Khile, Mr. X in Bombay & Lootera (1965).
