Ravi (Ravi Shankar Sharma), born in 1936, came to Mumbai aged 24, to become a singer. He won his only National Film Award for best music direction in 1994 for Parinayam and Sukhrutham, and two Filmfare Awards (Malayalam) - Sargam (1992) and Parinayam (1994). In the 1980s and 90s, Ravi worked successfully in Malayalam films such as Bombay Ravi. Salma Agha won in 1983 for Ravi’s Dil Ke Armaan (Nikaah).
Asha won it for Ravi’s Garibon Ki Suno (Dus Lakh) in 1968. Mahendra Kapoor won it for Ravi’s Chalo Ek Baar (Gumraah) in 1964, and Neele Gagan Ke Tale (Humraaz) in 1968. Lata won the 1965 Filmfare for Ravi’s Tumhee Mere Mandir (Khandan). Rafi was eternally grateful to him for his first Filmfare Award for best singer for Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho (Chaudhvin Ka Chand) in 1960. Two Filmfare Awards for Gharana (1962) and Khandan (1966). Just consider his oeuvre in his two-decade stint in the Hindi film industry - songs ranging from romantic (Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho), to peppy (Baar Baar Dekho), to madcap (CAT Cat Maane Billee), to seductive (Shishe Se Pee), to pathos-filled (Sab Kuchh Luta Ke Hosh), to heart-rending (Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se), to rumbustious (Dil Karta Oh Yaara Dildara), to devotional (Badi Der Bhai Nandlala). He was certainly under-rated despite composing memorable music in 112 films. So, with all these songs being an integral part of the aural scenery of middle-aged Indians since their childhood, Ravi not being on the recall list is an enigma. In fact, Ravi wrote lyrics for many more songs. Two of the most popular ones have not only been composed by Ravi but have been penned by him as well - Chanda Mama Door Ke (Vachan) and Tim Tim Karte Taare (Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan). Two songs stand out - Amma Ek Roti De (Samaj Ko Badal Dalo) and Gareebon Ki Suno (Dus Lakh). Now think of beggars singing on the streets, or traffic intersections, or on local trains during the 1960s. No self-respecting wedding band could do without Ravi in its repertoire.
Round it off with Ai Meri Zohra Jabeen (Waqt) in the pre-wedding mehndi ceremony, and you had Ravi ruling the nuptial musical landscape. How true that was.Īdd to the mix the optional Mera Yaar Banha Hai Dulha (Chaudhvin Ka Chand) and Doli Chadh Ke Dulhan Sasural Chali (Doli). When I first met Ravi in the mid-90s, he very proudly (justifiably) told me that no Indian wedding used to be complete without at least two of his songs - Babul Ki Duyaen Leti Ja (Neel Kamal) and Aaj Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (Aadmi Sadak Ka). Chances are, if you ask any middle-aged music lover to state (not rate) the names of seven Hindi music directors of the 1960s, very few would come up with Ravi.