<div>The song ‘Don’t Phunk With My Heart’ by American hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, featuring compositional samples from two songs ‘Ae Naujawan’ (film ‘Apradh’) and ‘Yeh Mera Dil’ (‘Don’), won the Grammy Award in 2006. Not many would know this, but the music pieces of the two songs were composed by eminent duo Kalyanji-Anandji. <br /><br />82-year-old Anandji Virji Shah is one of the last living legends of the bygone musical era and he travels all over the country and abroad to attend concerts and performances while also sharing his experiences with the legends of yesteryears and the golden age of Hindi film music.<br /><br /> The Padma Shri was recently in the City for ‘Kalyanji-Anandji Nite’, a musical charity event by Rotary Bangalore Indiranagar wherein singers from Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru rendered several songs composed by the duo including famous numbers of Amitabh Bachchan. He was also honoured with a Vocational Excellence Award by the organisation.<br /><br />Anandji has some very fond memories of his late brother Kalyanji who passed away in 2000. “Our orchestra band, ‘Kalyanji Virji and Party’, was the first that had started doing stage shows in India. We then went on to do shows with Amitabh Bachchan abroad. Whenever needed, we did charity shows to raise funds for different causes in the country,” he reminisces adding, “Both of us shared a very good, healthy rapport. We would always dish out an array of songs to producers and directors. Irrespective of whose composition they chose, the other never felt bad but would assist in making the song better.”<br /><br />He highlights the fact that though they were blessed with legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar, they felt they had to give new composers a new breed of singers as well and guided much of the 90s talent like Alka Yagnik, Sadhna Sargam and Kumar Sanu.<br /><br />So what does Anandji feel about today’s generation which runs after instant fame and success? “Well, food cooked fast won’t give the desired results. It has to simmer slowly to get the flavours right. Similarly, instant fame and success don’t last. Only through patience, can one achieve good lasting results,” he states saying that both perseverance and luck have played an important role in his musical career. <br /><br />He is hopeful though, that with the new, varied lot of singers and composers, the good days of Indian music will soon return. <br /><br />The seasoned composer is currently connecting with his philosophical side and is busy making tunes of religious albums. <br /><br />And when one asks him what is it that keeps him going at this age, he expresses with a smile, “My basic funda is to eat only when am hungry and that’s what keeps me fit. Besides, am an inquisitive person— I keep learning new things, explore new technology and read a lot. I also enjoy spending time with my family that’s my world.” <br /><br />Accompanied to Bengaluru by his sons Deepak and Dhiren, Anandji says that he loves the cool weather, greenery and aura of the City and it reminds him of his favourite holiday destination Nairobi. He signs off with a word of advice for aspiring musicians. “If you’re passionate about music, work hard, but treat it as a hobby that you love, so you won’t ever feel the pressure.”<br /><br /></div>
<div>The song ‘Don’t Phunk With My Heart’ by American hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, featuring compositional samples from two songs ‘Ae Naujawan’ (film ‘Apradh’) and ‘Yeh Mera Dil’ (‘Don’), won the Grammy Award in 2006. Not many would know this, but the music pieces of the two songs were composed by eminent duo Kalyanji-Anandji. <br /><br />82-year-old Anandji Virji Shah is one of the last living legends of the bygone musical era and he travels all over the country and abroad to attend concerts and performances while also sharing his experiences with the legends of yesteryears and the golden age of Hindi film music.<br /><br /> The Padma Shri was recently in the City for ‘Kalyanji-Anandji Nite’, a musical charity event by Rotary Bangalore Indiranagar wherein singers from Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru rendered several songs composed by the duo including famous numbers of Amitabh Bachchan. He was also honoured with a Vocational Excellence Award by the organisation.<br /><br />Anandji has some very fond memories of his late brother Kalyanji who passed away in 2000. “Our orchestra band, ‘Kalyanji Virji and Party’, was the first that had started doing stage shows in India. We then went on to do shows with Amitabh Bachchan abroad. Whenever needed, we did charity shows to raise funds for different causes in the country,” he reminisces adding, “Both of us shared a very good, healthy rapport. We would always dish out an array of songs to producers and directors. Irrespective of whose composition they chose, the other never felt bad but would assist in making the song better.”<br /><br />He highlights the fact that though they were blessed with legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar, they felt they had to give new composers a new breed of singers as well and guided much of the 90s talent like Alka Yagnik, Sadhna Sargam and Kumar Sanu.<br /><br />So what does Anandji feel about today’s generation which runs after instant fame and success? “Well, food cooked fast won’t give the desired results. It has to simmer slowly to get the flavours right. Similarly, instant fame and success don’t last. Only through patience, can one achieve good lasting results,” he states saying that both perseverance and luck have played an important role in his musical career. <br /><br />He is hopeful though, that with the new, varied lot of singers and composers, the good days of Indian music will soon return. <br /><br />The seasoned composer is currently connecting with his philosophical side and is busy making tunes of religious albums. <br /><br />And when one asks him what is it that keeps him going at this age, he expresses with a smile, “My basic funda is to eat only when am hungry and that’s what keeps me fit. Besides, am an inquisitive person— I keep learning new things, explore new technology and read a lot. I also enjoy spending time with my family that’s my world.” <br /><br />Accompanied to Bengaluru by his sons Deepak and Dhiren, Anandji says that he loves the cool weather, greenery and aura of the City and it reminds him of his favourite holiday destination Nairobi. He signs off with a word of advice for aspiring musicians. “If you’re passionate about music, work hard, but treat it as a hobby that you love, so you won’t ever feel the pressure.”<br /><br /></div>
