RMIM Archive Article "224".
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
#
# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: Anilda- first among equals
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# Posted by: subraman@cs.umn.edu
# Source: http://www.indiaxs.com
# Author: (Lata Khubchandani?)
#
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Anilda - First Among Equals
(Author: Lata Khubchandani?)
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Anil Biswas - an ageless, matchless, unforgettable, crusader for
music with values
In 1914 - in a Global environment of strife and hatred triggered
off by the First World War - there emerged a child of harmony and
melody in Barisal, East Bengal (now Bangla Desh): Anil Biswas.
The only aspect that the little boy imbibed from the 1914
environment of conflict was the spirit of a revolutionary, and
grew up to compose ageless, matchless and unforgettable melody.
In fact, it would be no exaggeration to call him a crusader for
music with values.
In 1930 young Anil moved to Calcutta and soon attained recogni-
tion as an actor, singer and music director. He was associated
with the then well-known Rang Mahal Theatre. In 1934, he moved to
Bombay at the behest of famous director of yester-years Hiren
Bose. Full of ideas and enthusiasm he was shocked and dishear-
tened, to confront the prevailing practice in Hindi film music of
literarily converting on celluloid a total imitation of the
manner of talking, singing and dancing as on the stage. The
talented composer from Barisal was taken aback by the casual and
mechanical manner in film-making. His convictions were that the
film should not be a stage replica. He could fathom the intrinsic
values and promise that films held for a multi-dimensional reve-
lation of the wide range of human emotions in a true to life
manner.
The revolutionary in Anil Biswas came to the fore and he set
about to give Hindi film music a new definition - a true to life
character. He believed in deriving inspiration from India's rich
musical heritage and his efforts contributed greatly in ushering
in the Golden Era in Hindi film music. Unlike the trend in those
days, Biswas firmly believed in following the correct and logical
sequence of composing music from lyrics and not vice-versa.
From 1935 - when he composed music for the film Dharam ki Devi -
right upto 1965, for 30 years, Anilda (as he is popularly known
as) conjured up music compositions of outstanding quality in
terms of variety, melody and lyrical harmony. He was the music
director for well-known studios like Sagar Movietone and Bombay
Talkies, many of whose films were hits due to Anilda's rich musi-
cal inputs in terms of background scores and lilting tunes.
One such film, Kismet, of Bombay Talkies ran for over three years
- a record which was broken only by Sholay in the '70s. The
immortal song Papihaare - sung by Anilda's sister Parul Ghosh
(wife of the renowned flute player Pannalal Ghosh) was from
Kismat. As also the patriotic song - the first of its kind - Door
hato ai duniyaa waalo.
Anilda's compositions have embellished over a hundred films
including, among others Aurat, Hamari Baat, Basant, Kismet, Jwar
Bhata, Pehli Nazar, Milan, Anokha Pyar, Gajre, Girls School,
Arzoo, Badi Bahan, Tarana, Do Raha, Humdard, Waris, Farar, Par-
desi, Angulimal, Sautela Bhai and Choti Choti Baaten.
Some of his evergreen immortal compositions are: Papihaare and
Main kiski laaj nibhaaun (sung by his sister Parul Ghosh); Door
papiha bola (by Suraiya); Raahi matwaale (duet by Talat &
Suraiya); Tumhaare bulaaneko (Lata); Seene mein sulagate (Talat &
Lata); Aa muhabbat ki basti (duet by Kishore & Lata); Zamaane kaa
dastoor (duet by Mukesh & Lata); Bar bar tum soch rahi ho (Duet
by Shankar Das Gupta & Lata); Ghar ghar mein diwali (Amir Bai);
Door hato ai duniya waalo (Chorus); Naachare mayura (Manna De),
Pee bina sunaa re (Manna De and Lata); Ab tere siva koun mera
(Amir Bai); Dheere, dheere aare baadal dheere and Rasiyaare, man
basiyare and Yaad rakhana ai chand taro (Meena kapoor).
From 1963 to '65 Anilda became the Director of the National
Orchestra for All India Radio, and from 1965 he was Chief Pro-
ducer of Light Hindustani music. His significant contribution has
been the title score for one of the first soap popular Hindi
serial Hum Log and the popular song Hum honge kaamyaab.
Eminent voices whom Anilda introduced were Mukesh and Talat Meh-
mood (erstwhile Tapan Kumar). He is perhaps the only music direc-
tor of his times who introduced new voices - particularly singing
stars like Ashok Kumar, Sardar Akhtar, Sitara Devi,Leela Chitnis,
Nalini Jaywant and Meena Kumari (then Baby Meena). Some of the
outstanding singers who sung for him were Talat Mehmood, Manna
De, Mukesh, Lata, Suraiya, Amir Bai Karnataki, Parul Ghosh,
Kishore Kumar, and Shankar Das Gupta and his dedicated inspiring
life-mate Meena Kapoor.
Another significant dimension introduced by Anil Biswas in his
role as an enlightened, knowledgeable and innovative music direc-
tor was his emphasis on the development of a "voice culture" by
his singers. This called for a smooth rendering unaffected by any
distortions due to "breathing" and relevant emotional nuances
most appropriate to the lyric. Anilda never set the 'cart before
the horse' - his musical compositions were based on lyrics and
never vice-versa.
Anilda's knowledge and perspective of the richness and importance
of the Ghazal as an exquisite melodious persona of human emotions
is reflected in the book Ghazaler Rong (Ghazal's colour).
The most recent honour conferred on Anilda recently is by the
Government of India, Ministry of Cultural Affairs. He has been
made 'National Fellow Emeritus'.
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From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian