Shankar–Jaikishan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shankar–Jaikishan
Shankar (left) and Jaikishan (right) on a 2013 stamp of India
Background information
Also known as	S-J
Genres	Film score, Indian classical music, Fusion music, Indo jazz
Occupation(s)	Film Music director
Years active	1949 – 1987

Shankar–Jaikishan (also known as S-J) was a famous Indian music duo. They composed music for Hindi films from 1949 to 1971. Many people think they were among the best music composers in the Hindi film industry.

After Jaikishan passed away in 1971, Shankar continued to work alone. He still used the name 'Shankar–Jaikishan' until he passed away in 1987. They created many popular and "everlasting" songs in the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. Their music often used traditional Indian melodies with a modern touch.

Meet the Composers

Shankar

Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi was born on October 15, 1922, in Hyderabad, British India. From a young age, Shankar played the tabla, a type of drum. He learned from a famous teacher named Baba Nasir Khansahib.

Shankar also worked with a theater group. Later, he joined Prithvi Theatre. There, he played tabla and acted in small roles. He also learned to play other instruments like the Sitar and Piano. Shankar wanted to become a music director.

Jaikishan

Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal was born on November 4, 1929, in Bansda, British India. He was very good at playing the harmonium. Jaikishan also took music lessons from different teachers. He later moved to Mumbai to continue his music studies.

How Shankar and Jaikishan Met

Shankar often visited a film director's office, hoping to get a chance to compose music. There, he met Jaikishan, who was also looking for work as a harmonium player. They quickly became friends. Shankar helped Jaikishan get a job at Prithvi Theatre, where Shankar already worked.

Their friendship grew very strong. People even called them 'Ram-Lakshman,' like the famous brothers from Indian stories. While working at the theater, they started composing music together. They also met Raj Kapoor, who later became a famous actor and director.

Their First Big Break: Barsaat

In 1948, Raj Kapoor directed his first film, Aag. Shankar and Jaikishan helped with the music. For Raj Kapoor's next film, Barsaat, he had some disagreements with his music director. He then asked Shankar to compose the music.

Shankar insisted that Jaikishan be his partner. This is how the famous music duo 'Shankar-Jaikishan' was formed. They became the main music composers for many of Raj Kapoor's films. For Barsaat, they worked with lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. They also brought in the talented singer Lata Mangeshkar.

Barsaat was a huge success. It featured two new things in Hindi cinema: a title song ("Barsaat Mein Humse Mile") and a cabaret song ("Patli Kamar Hai").

Early Success (1949–1959)

Shankar and Jaikishan quickly became known as "S-J." They composed music for many popular films during this time. Some of their early hits include Awara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), and Anari (1959). Their songs were loved by many people.

Working Together

S-J had a close team. This included lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. They also worked with popular singers like Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, and Asha Bhosle. Two important assistants, Dattaram Wadkar and Sebastian D'Souza, helped them a lot. Dattaram managed the rhythm section, and Sebastian wrote down the music notes.

They were very creative and successful. Even with strong competition from other talented music directors, S-J remained at the top. They worked with almost all the famous singers of their time. They were known for getting the best out of every singer.

Shankar and Jaikishan were the main composers for Raj Kapoor's film company, RK Films. They were paid regularly by RK Films. They also worked with many other big stars like Kishore Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, and Dev Anand.

Their Unique Music Style

Statue of Jaikishan at Bansada, his hometown.

Shankar-Jaikishan changed Hindi film music. They used their knowledge of Indian classical music but also added Western beats and instruments. They were pioneers in using a full orchestra to make songs more expressive.

Their songs often had a special structure:

• A `prelude` (introductory music) set the mood.
• Then came the main part of the song, called the `mukhda`.
• `Interludes` (music breaks) played between stanzas. They usually used different interludes for each part.
• Finally, an `epilogue` (ending music) concluded the song.

They also helped promote Indian classical music. They often included at least one song in a movie based on a semi-classical style. Their music for films like Basant Bahar and Amrapali was entirely based on Indian classical music.

S-J also used Western dance rhythms like the waltz in many of their songs. They even made sad songs sound new by composing them with a faster beat.

How They Worked as a Team

Shankar and Jaikishan often composed songs separately, even though they worked as a duo. Shankar usually worked with Shailendra, and Jaikishan with Hasrat Jaipuri. However, they also worked together on many songs. Shankar was the senior partner and often arranged the orchestra for both their songs.

They had an agreement not to say who composed which song. This made it fun for fans to guess if a song was by Shankar or Jaikishan! Shankar was great at dance numbers and emotional songs. Jaikishan was a master of romantic songs and simple, catchy tunes. He was also very good at creating background music for films.

For example, the background music for films like Sangam (1964) and Mera Naam Joker (1971) is still considered some of the best in Hindi cinema. Both Shankar and Jaikishan contributed to the background scores for RK Films. They often combined their ideas, making their songs a true team effort.

Indo-Jazz Music

S-J's 1968 album, Raaga-Jazz Style.

Shankar Jaikishan also played a big part in developing jazz music in India. They created a new style called Indo jazz. Their 1968 album, Raaga-Jazz style, was one of the first Indo-jazz recordings in India. In this album, they mixed Indian Ragas with Western instruments like the saxophone and trumpet.

Awards and Recognition

Shankar-Jaikishan won the Filmfare Best Music Director Award nine times. They were the first composers to win this award three years in a row!

Their songs were also very popular on the radio show Binaca Geetmala. Their compositions were named the most popular six times. In 1959, seven of the top ten songs were by S-J.

Government Recognitions

• In 1968, the Government of India honored Shankar-Jaikishan with the Padmashri award.
• In 2013, a special postage stamp with their faces was released to honor them.

Filmfare Awards (Winners)

Other Awards

• The Sur-Singar Awards:
  • 1968 – For the song "Jhanak Jhanak Toree Baje Payaliya" from Mere Huzoor
  • 1971 – For the song "Re Man Sur Mein Ga" from Lal Patthar
• Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards:
  • 1968 – Best Music Director for Brahmachari
  • 1971 – Best Music Director for Andaz

Alleged Differences Between Shankar and Jaikishan

There were some rumors that Shankar and Jaikishan had disagreements. One story says that Jaikishan once mentioned a song was his own composition, which upset Shankar. Also, Shankar started promoting a new singer, Sharda, which some say caused issues with Lata Mangeshkar.

However, both Jaikishan and their lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri always said there was no real fight. They explained that they divided their work to handle their busy schedules. This division was not strict, and they often helped each other. Towards the end of Jaikishan's life, they were still working closely together on films.

Jaikishan's Passing and Shankar's Later Years

Jaikishan passed away on September 12, 1971, due to health issues. At the time, the duo was incredibly popular. Many people attended his funeral. A restaurant where Jaikishan often visited even kept his favorite table reserved for a month to honor him.

After Jaikishan's death, Shankar continued to work under the Shankar-Jaikishan name. This was part of an agreement they had. However, it was a difficult time for Shankar. He missed Jaikishan and their lyricist Shailendra, who had also passed away.

Shankar continued to compose music, and some of his later songs were very good. For example, his music for the 1975 film Sanyasi was a big hit. But many of his films during this period did not do well at the box office. This meant his great music often went unnoticed.

Shankar's Passing

Shankar passed away on April 26, 1987. His death received little attention from the media or the film industry. Only his family and a few friends attended his funeral. This was very different from Jaikishan's funeral, which saw many people from the film industry.

A crossroad in Mumbai named after Shankar-Jaikishan.

After Shankar's death, the Shankar-Jaikishan music banner, which had been active for almost 40 years, came to an end. Many believe this marked the end of a golden era of music in Bollywood.

Raj Kapoor later spoke highly of Shankar in an interview. It was only after Raj Kapoor's own death in 1988 that people truly understood how important Shankar–Jaikishan were to his films.

Their Legacy

• Their main lyricists were Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. They wrote the most songs for S-J.
• They also worked with many other lyricists like Anand Bakshi and Neeraj.
• They were the main composers for Raj Kapoor's RK Films from the very beginning until Jaikishan's death in 1971.
• The soundtrack for Barsaat is considered one of the best Bollywood soundtracks ever. Other top soundtracks by S-J include Awaara, Sangam, and Shree 420.

Images for kids

• 

  Statue of Jaikishan at Bansada, his hometown.

• 

  S-J's 1968 album, Raaga-Jazz Style.

• 

  A prominent crossroad junction at Churchgate, Mumbai has been named after Shankar-Jaikishan.

See also

• Dattaram Wadkar