Bound by music

Pyarelal Sharma, one half of the veteran composer duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, has now stepped away from film music and turned his focus on world music. The composer talks to Srabanti Chakrabarti about his journey in the industry.

If you are asked to name a successful Indian film music composer duo, it’s highly likely that most of you will mention Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Not only has their partnership been the longest, but they are also one of the most successful composers in the history of Indian film music. While Laxmikant passed away sometime back, Pyarelal Sharma will celebrate his 78th birthday on September 3. But a conversation with the famed composer will make you realise that there is still so much music left in him. And so much of energy that he still participates in world music conferences.

“My father, the late Ramprasad Sharma, was a great musician and teacher, and used to run a music school in our house. He taught about 1,500 students and legends like Naushaad and Hridaynath Mangeshkar were his students. At the age of eight, Baba told me that I should learn a little bit of music myself. He used to teach me various types of music and the various nuances of Western classical music. He taught me whatever I could learn at that age. I started playing violin for the Bombay Symphony Orchestra at the age of 13. Today, it’s known as the Symphony Orchestra of India,” Pyarelal reminisces, while going down memory lane.

A chance encounter

Pyarelal became friends with Lata Mangeshkar, and that is how he got to meet his partner Laxmikant. “I would visit Latadi very often and I met so many great musicians, including the legend Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, at her home. I met Laxmikant for the first time at Sureel Kala Kendra, a music academy for children, run by the Mangeshkar family. Latadi recommended our names to music directors like Naushad, Sachin Dev Burman and C Ramchandra. Since we were of the same age, had similar musical interests and financial background, Laxmikant and I became good friends. We started spending long hours at the recording studios, sometimes getting work for each other, and even playing together whenever we got the opportunity.” Thus started the journey of one of the legends of Indian film music.

The veteran composer would practise for eight hours everyday. He learned to play the violin from a Goan musician named Anthony Gonsalves. “I would visit him on Sundays and practice for long hours. You cannot find such talented musicians with so much dedication these days,” he says.

Speaking about dedication, Pyarelal recalls an incident when they were recording with Mohammed Rafi for the film Pratigya. “In those days, Rafi sahab was the only singer who used to go abroad for one-and-a-half month every year. We were composing songs for Pratigya and so requested him if he could return to India for a few days to record our songs. He said that was not possible, but he would come to our studio and would record all the songs on the very same day. So from 10 am to 4 am next morning, Rafi sahab was with us and we recorded all the songs, including the famous Yamla Pagla Deewana.”

Laxmikant-Pyarelal got their first big success with Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi from the film Mr X in Bombay (1964). And then there was no looking back. The tinge of justified pride is visible in Pyarelal’s eyes when he says, “We are the only Indian music composers to have won four back-to-back Filmfare Awards for Amar Akbar Anthony, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Sargam and Karz.”

Bond for life

Their partnership was legendary and that is what gave birth to so many super hit songs. “The way I was destined to marry my wife Suneela, I feel I was destined to meet Laxmikant. I miss him everyday. He was a great soul. I still remember when I got married in 1978, people used to ask Suneela whether she was getting married to Laxmikant-Pyarelal. People never thought of us as two separate individuals. Apart from Sundays, we met each other every day for almost 60 years. Laxmiji would never say no to me and that is a reason we never fought. Only once did a small misunderstanding creep in. Otherwise, Pyarelal is nothing but Laxmikant.”

Like it used to happen in those days, they were very close to their contemporary music directors. Be it Shankar Jaikishan or R D Burman, they were all good friends. “The way Shankar Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri made songs, and the quality they produced, was exemplary. And Pancham was a genius. He was an open-hearted person. Even today, I can challenge anyone to compose songs like the ones in Padosan, Kati Patang, Amar Prem — they were priceless compositions by him.”

While the veteran composer is not very fond of today’s music, he also says that he does not have the right to criticise it, because change is the only constant in life. “I might not like songs like Dabangg or Sheela Ki Jawani, but when I see my children enjoying the same song, I realise the difference. Hindi film music went through a bad patch in the early 2000s, but things are much better now. The lyrics in some songs today upset me. Music directors need to remember that it’s simple to make a complex melody, but extremely difficult to make something simple.”

Last year, Pyarelal released an album titled, Aawaaz Dil Se, which was put together by singer-musician Pankaj Chaturvedi. “I would love to compose for films. Currently, I am focusing on promoting symphony orchestra and world music. I’m planning to organise a full-fledged symphony orchestra music festival this October. It will feature 150 musicians.”