Veteran music composer Vanraj Bhatia passes away at 94

He had composed music for yesteryear classics such as 'Ankur' and 'Bhumika'

Vanraj Bhatia, who composed music for parallel cinema classics such as “Bhumika”, "Junoon", "36 Chowringhee Lane" and "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro", died at his home on Friday, according to a friend. He was 94.

"I was in regular touch with him. His caretaker informed me around 9 am that he has passed away. He had dementia, arthritis. He was bedridden for over a month," music historian and friend Pavan Jha told PTI.

Bhatia lived alone at his apartment in Rungta Housing Colony on Napean Sea Road.

A legend in the music world, Bhatia leaves behind an impressive legacy through his compositions in films as varied as “Ajooba” and “Ankur”, and also television.

"He provided the soundtrack of our childhoods in the 80s and 90s and with him, we have lost a legend," lyricist-writer Varun Grover told PTI.

"Vanraj Bhatia was the man behind some of the most beautiful soundtracks of Indian parallel cinema. His wide range (Marathi folk in 'Bhumika' to Hindustani classical in 'Sardari Begum' to cool experimental in 'Bharat Ek Khoj') made him one of the most exciting composers of that era," he said.

Born into a Kutchi business family in Mumbai, Bhatia started training in music from a young age. He became interested in Western classical music in his teenage years and started taking piano lessons.

After his post-graduation from Elphinstone College, University of Bombay, in 1949, Bhatia studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he graduated with a gold medal in 1954. He also trained in Paris.

Bhatia started his professional journey by composing music for advertisements. He made his cinema debut with director Shyam Benegal's first film "Ankur" in 1974. It was the beginning of one of the most fruitful collaborations in Hindi cinema music, including “Bhumika”, “Manthan” and “Mandi”. Bhatia went on to become the go-to composer for directors in the new wave of Indian cinema music of the 70s and 80s.

Bhatia won the National Film Award for best music direction for Govind Nihalani's critically-acclaimed Tamas and also composed for Kundan Shah's Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Aparna Sen's 36 Chowringhee Lane, Saeed Akhtar Mirza's Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho!, Kumar Shahani's Tarang and Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Khamosh

Besides, the music director composed the background score of mainstream Hindi films such as Ajooba, Damini and Pardes and several TV shows, including Khandaan, Wagle Ki Duniya, Banegi Apni Baat, Bharat Ek Khoj and Tamas. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2012.

His last work was an opera titled "Agni Varsha" which was performed in New York.

The tributes came in quick and fast.

"Shocked to learn about the passing away of Vanraj Bhatia. Wagle ki Duniya , Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, he leaves behind countless memories in his scores. My condolences to his loved ones & fans," Union minister Smriti Z Irani said on Twitter.

Actor-director Farhan Akhtar paid homage to Bhatia's "brilliant" musical works. "RIP #VanrajBhatia .. apart from the many other brilliant musical works he created, I vividly remember the theme of ‘Tamas’ that started with a shriek so filled with anguish, it could send a chill up anyone’s spine and break anyone’s heart," he tweeted.

Lyricist and censor board chief Prasoon Joshi said working with Bhatia was always a learning experience.

"Will always remember #VanrajBhatia as a very inspiring musician who constantly explored with his melodies and compositions. Recordings with him will replete with new learning. You will live on through your music," he wrote.

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta posted, "RIP Maestro" and also shared a video of Bhatia's old interview