Laxmikant-Pyarelal the ‘Most Successful Music Directors' of Bollywood
Like Shanker Jaikishen, Music Directors duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal, holds the same distinction of being the ‘Most Successful Music Directors', with the only difference Shanker Jaikishen ruled from the '50s to '70s while Laxmikant-Pyarelal from '70s till the late '90s. With the success of ‘Dosti' (1964), Laxmikant-Pyarelal took the Music Monarch of the 60's Shanker-Jaikishen by ‘Surprise' when this duo snatched that year's Filmfare's Best Music trophy for their movie Dosti. Next came the super hit number ‘Sawan ka Mahina…'(Milan) taking the nation by storm! Once again a Filmfare trophy fell in the lap of Laxmikant-Pyarelal thus establishing their forte in the trade!
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar was born on 3 November 1937. Due to financial crises, young Laxmi did not attend school. He learned to play the mandolin from celebrated mandolin player Hussain Ali, who was a friend of Laxmikant's father. But after his father died, little Laxmi was forced to do small roles in the film to make a living. But he learned music under the assistance of popular film music director Husanlal Bhagatram.
Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma was Born 3 September 1940. He was the son of a famous trumpeter Pandit Ramprasad Sharma aka Babaji. He played for films. Pyarelal learned violin at the age of 8 years. After that, he became a student of Goan musician named Anthony Gonsalves a violin specialist in film music. At the age of 12, the financial condition of the family shattered as Pyarelal was forced to work and help the family.
Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar got married to Jaya, sister of film actress Bindu. The couple had 2 children – His son Rishikesh acted in films. He made debut in Dilbar (1994) opposite Mamta Kulkarni. His daughter Rajeswari did Playback singing as a child.
Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma got married to Sunila Sharma. The couple has a son Gautam Sharma and a daughter Kanal Sharma. His daughter Kanal Sharma did playback in the film Oonch Neech Beech (1989).
1950
Laxmikant and Pyarelal First Meeting
Lata Mangeshkar and her family run a music academy exclusively free for underprivileged children called Sureel Kala Kendra. Once Lata Mangeshkar noticed little Laxmikant playing mandolin in a concert at Radio Club Colaba. Lata was impressed by the young boy's talent and admitted him at Sureel Kala Kendra. Incidentally, Pyarelal also attended the Lata Mangeshkar's music academy. Soon, Laxmikant and Pyarelal became close buddies. The two boys were so talented that Lata Mangeshkar recommended their names to many top film music directors like Naushad, Sachin Dev Burman, and C. Ramchandra.
Laxmikant and Pyarelal become Assistant to Kalyanji-Anandji
After working as individual musicians with top music directors the duo decided to join famous music director Kalyanji-Anandji as his assistants. Later they became Music Arrangers for many top music directors like Sachin Dev Burman and also worked for Rahul Dev Burman in his debut film Chhote Nawab.
Laxmikant and Pyarelal earned their big pay for film Devta
When Laxmikant and Pyarelal were working as Music Arrangers they got their first major film Devta (1956) produced by South filmmaker Narayanan Iyengar. The film had music by great film music director C.Ramchandra, who hired Laxmikant and Pyarelal as Music Arrangers and paid them Rs 6000/- It was a huge amount. Pyarelal in an interview informed that he had bought a gold ring for his father worth Rs 1200/-.
1960
Laxmikant and Pyarelal had a shaky start as independent music directors
Laxmikant and Pyarelal started their career as an independent music director with low budget C-Grade action and mythological films. Their first film Hum Tum Aur Who was an action film but the film was never released. Later the duo got three more films but destiny was cruel as all the 3 films failed to release. Their next film was Harischandra Taramati (1963) a mythological film but the film was an average hit! Thus the duo had a shaky start but they were confident of success.
Laxmikant and Pyarelal proved their excellence as their film Parasmani won a place in Binaca Geetmala Radio Show
Despite the repeated failure, Laxmikant and Pyarelal did lose heart. Eventually, they got Babubhai Mistri's film Parasmani. Laxmikant and Pyarelal put their heart and soul in the film and the result was stupendous as all the songs of the film was super duper hit! Remember the hit songs Chori Chori Jo Tumse Mili…….., Woh Jab Yaad Aaye…….., Ooi Maa Ooi Maa Yeh Kya Ho Gaya……..and the chartbuster all-time classic Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra……The music was so popular that the songs won entry into popular Ameen Sayani Radio Show Binaca Geetmala which only selected songs from A-grade movies!!
Laxmikant and Pyarelal won their First Filmfare Best Music Award out beating Shankar-Jaikishan
The huge success of Parasmani gave the ticket to Laxmikant and Pyarelal in A-Grade film Dosti. The film had great scope for music and Laxmikant and Pyarelal left no stone unturned. As a result, the music of the film became a winner. Surprisingly the music became so popular that Laxmikant and Pyarelal won their First Best Music Director Award out beating legendary Music Directors like Shankar-Jaikishan (for Sangam) and Madan Mohan (for Woh Kaun Thi?). Even today the film's songs are hummed like Jaanewalo Zara…. Chahoonga Main Tujhe Saanj Savere… Meri Dosti Mera Pyar… Rahi Manwa Dukh Ki Chinta……
Laxmikant and Pyarelal gave a tough fight to Shanker Jaikishen in the '60s
After the huge success of Dosti, Laxmikant and Pyarelal were flooded with offers and the two grabbed the opportunity with both hands giving quality music. In those days, Shanker Jaikishen were number one music directors and top favorites of A-Grade filmmakers but Laxmikant and Pyarelal with their foot-tapping music won the hearts of top A-Grade filmmakers. In 1966, A-Grade filmmaker J.Om Prakash, who had Shanker Jaikishen's music in his early hit films Aas Ka Panchhi and Ayee Milan Ki Bela switched to Laxmikant and Pyarelal and signed them for his next film Aaye Din Bahar Ke and thus started a tussle between Laxmikant and Pyarelal and Shanker Jaikishen.
1970
Raj Kapoor replaced Shanker Jaikishen with Laxmikant and Pyarelal in Bobby
After J.Om Prakash, soon top A-Grade filmmaker replaced Shanker Jaikishen with Laxmikant and Pyarelal like L.V. Prasad' Milan, S. Mukherjee's Shagird, Raj Khosla's Do Raaste etc. The biggest blow to Shanker Jaikishen came when Raj Kapoor broke the 20-year association with Shanker Jaikishen and replaced Laxmikant and Pyarelal in his film Bobby!
Interestingly Laxmikant and Pyarelal did not let down Raj Kapoor and gave their career's best musical score in Bobby. The song Hum Tum Ek Kamre Bandh Ho… became a national craze. After Bobby Raj Kapoor and Laxmikant and Pyarelal became a permanent association. Later Laxmikant and Pyarelal became a favorite of a top filmmaker like Manoj Kumar, Ramanand Sagar, V.Shantaram, Yash Chopra, Manmohan Desai, Subhash Ghai.
Interestingly after Parasmani, Laxmikant and Pyarelal gave many chartbusters that topped Ameen Sayani Radio Show Binaca Geetmala like Rahi Manwa Dukh Ki Chinta (Dosti); Sawan Ka Mahina… (Milan); Dil Vil Pyar Vyar… (Shagird); Bindiya Chamakegi…(Do Raaste).
Laxmikant and Pyarelal ruled Bollywood in the '70s
In the '70s Laxmikant and Pyarelal were the most popular Music Director giving innumerable musical hits like Do Raaste, Shor, Daag, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, . Bidaai, Dosti, Roti, Nagin, Parvarish, Dharamveer, Jaani Dushman, etc. Interestingly, Laxmikant and Pyarelal started the 70s winning their third Filmfare award with Jeene Ki Raah (1970) and then won 4 Filmfare Awards in a row from Amar Akbar Anthony (1978); Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1979); Sargam (1980) and Karz (1981)!!
Laxmikant and Pyarelal's songs that topped in Binaca Geetmala in the '70s were Jo main chali ….(Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli); Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai… (Shor); Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Bandh ho…. (Bobby); Mehngai Mar Gayi .. (Roti Kapda Aur Makaan); Humko Tumse Ho Gaya…. (Amar Akbar Anthony) and Ek shayar ki Gazal Dream Girl… (Dream Girl).
1980
With success of Ek Duuje Ke Liye Laxmikant and Pyarelal continued their dominance in ‘80s
The '80s saw a huge decline in melody thanks to the advent of action and multi-star cast films. But despite a drop in music Laxmikant and Pyarelal maintained their legacy giving quality music. In fact the decade began with Laxmikant and Pyarelal winning Filmfare award for two consecutive musical hits Sargam (1980) and Karz (1981).
The other hit films that consolidated the dominance of Laxmikant and Pyarelal in Bollywood were musical hit Ek Duuje Ke Liye, Hero, Pyar Jhukta Nahin and Aasha. Laxmikant and Pyarelal gave chartbusters songs of the decade that topped Binaca Geetmala hit song list like Dafali Wale dafli baja ( Sargam); Tere Mere Beech Mein kaisa hai yeh bandhan… (Ek Duuje Ke Liye); Tu Mera Hero Hai… (Hero); Chithi Aayi Hai……( Naam); Hawa Hawai….(Mr. India); Ek Do Teen… (Tezaab) and My Name Is Lakhan……(Ram Lakhan).
1990
Laxmikant and Pyarelal gave 90's biggest hit Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai…….
The decade 1990 saw the emergence of new music directors like Nadeem-Shravan, Jatin-Lalit, A.R. Rahman and the resurgence of Anu Malik. However, Laxmikant and Pyarelal lost hold of the music industry when big films like Roop Ki Rani, Choron Ka Raja, Prem, Prem Granth, and Trimurti, etc bombed at box-office Laxmikant and Pyarelal lost the trust of top filmmakers. Nevertheless, the duo gave many chartbusters like Jumma Chumma De De…. (Hum); Tu Mujhe Kabool…. (Khuda Gawah); Ilu Ilu…. (Saudagar); and of course the decade's biggest hit Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai…….
Death of Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar
On May 25, 1998, Laxmikant Kudalkar died due to cardiac arrest. He was 64.
Pyarelal Ramprasad Sharma is leading a retired life.
| # | Released Date | Type | Credited As | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 Jan 2011 | Film | Music Director | Yamla Pagla Deewana |
| 2 | 01 Jan 2002 | Film | Music Director | Kaun Karega Insaaf |
| 3 | 12 Apr 1999 | Film | Music director | Jai Hind |
| 4 | 04 Dec 1998 | Film | Music director | Maha Yuddh |
| 5 | 13 Mar 1998 | Film | Music director | Barsaat Ki Raat |
| 6 | 12 Dec 1997 | Film | Music director | Kaun Rokega Mujhe |
| 7 | 23 Sep 1997 | Film | Music director | Deewana Mastana |
| 8 | 23 May 1997 | Film | Music director | Mahaanta |
| 9 | 01 Jan 1997 | Film | Music Director | Mohabbat Ki Aag |
| 10 | 23 Aug 1996 | Film | Music director | Bhairavi |
