In our last issue you read how after a intense struggle Anand Bakshi won his first film assignment to pen songs in Bhagwan dada’s move BHALA AADMI bit the movie failed and Bakshi was left in lurch to struggle again. His wife and family began pressurizing him to leave Mumbai and settle for a job in home town Rawalpindi but Bakshi had made up his mind to make it in Bollywood.
He continued his struggle. Actor Sunil Dutt, who had helped Anand Bakshi in getting BHALA AADMI, advised him to meet Raj Kapoor. On his suggestion he went to RK Studio but each time he went he had to wait long hours and leave in disappointment. Once Hiren Khera, who was a close friend of Raj Kapoor asked him, “Bakshi sahaab, aap roz office mein aate hain. Lekin yahana aap ka kaam nahin hoga. (Bakshi sahaab, I see you daily coming to office. However you would not succeed in getting a job here.)
Hiren Khera was right because Raj Kapoor had a dedicated music team of Shanker Jaikishen and his regular lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Hence he asked Bakshi to try his luck with other film makers and promised that when he would make film he would give him a chance. Fortunately after few months Hiren Khera launched his own movie MEHNDI LAGI MERE HAATH and as promised he invited Bakshi to pen the songs. The movie had music by Kalyanji Anandji. Fortunately the movie’s music was a hit and this encouraged Hiren Khera to sign Bakshi again in his next movie JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE, once again with the music team of Kalyanji Anandji.
JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE was a romantic love story set in Kashmir and music was the backbone of the movie. Anand Bakshi knew its importance hence he gave his best shot. The result all the songs were super hit. Remember Pardesiyon Se Na Ankhiyan Milana...; Ek Tha Gul Aur Ek Thi Bulbul..; Ye Samaa Samaa Hai Pyar Ka... and na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe...
Beside excellent music JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE was a runaway hit celebrating Golden Jubilee all over India. The success of the movie made Anand Bakshi a most sought after lyric writer. After the new found success Anand Bakshi once in an interview said, “Bollywood mein Bhed Chaal chalti hai (In Bollywood there is a rat race).”
Lambasting the hypocrisy of Bollywood he said, “After JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE became hit I was flooded with offers. The producers who kicked me out of their offices began requesting me to pen their lyrics. Even Raj Kapoor, in whose office I was made to sit for hours during my struggle days, acknowledged my talent and offered me to pen lyrics for his movie BOBBY!”
Further in the 70’s during the Rajesh Khanna era the Anand Bakshi and Rajesh Khanna Jodi became hit and along with Rajesh Khanna, Anand Bakshi became the superstar lyricist and was paid highest in the industry.
Comments
Post a Comment