How Kalyanji Virji Shah Created Dhamal In Music World!

Music director duo Kalyanji Anandji is a name that brings to our memory some of the most cherished songs that have swayed over the hearts of music lovers. 

Who can forget the songs like Chandan sa badan… (SARASWATICHANDRA), Main to ek khwab hoon…(HIMALAY KI GOD MEIN), Pardesiyon se na… (JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE), Mere desh ki dharti … (UPKAR), Khaike paan Banaraswala … (DON) and the western numbers like Laila o Laila… (QURBANI), Oye oye..Tirchi Topiwale... (TRIDEV) etc. 

August 24 marked the death anniversary of the legendary Kalyanji Virji Shah, the elder brother of the musical duo Kalyanji Anandji. Raaga.Com pays him a humble homage. 

Born in a Kutchi family in Kutch, (Gujarat) business run in the blood of the family, however the two brothers were least interested in business and had a passion for music. 

Though the brothers would spend time in their father’s provision shop after school, their heart lay in music and would spend long hours listening music on a neighbor’s gramophone. 

Anandji in an interview said, “One day our father observed our genuine love for music hence he persuaded a local music teacher to teach us music. In the name of fees my father gave him household grocery and provisions free.” 

In the year 1952 famous music director Hemant Kumar was impressed by my elder brother Kalyanjibhai and offered him to be his assistant. It was during his tenure as assistant he introduced the famous ‘been music’ for the movie NAAGIN. 

Recalling the incident Anandji informed, “Hemant Kumar was giving music for NAAGIN, starring Vyjayanthimala and Pradeep Kumar. The ‘been music’ was an important element of the film. While discussing music with Hemant Kumar, Kalyanjibhai came up with the idea of introducing the ‘been music’ effect by the new electronic instrument called the ‘clavioline’, which was making waves in England. Hemant Kumar was impressed and that’s how Kalyanji Bhai imported the instrument from London and created a dhamal in Indian Music world”. 

Later Kalyanji Anandji became independent music director with SAMRAT CHANDRAGUPTA and with the movie JAB JAB PHOOL KHILE they became star music directors.