By
Sharada Iyer
The significance of lyrics in a Hindi movie music has at all times been underestimated and but with out the proper phrases the apt emotion can by no means be conveyed by the on-screen character within the context of the state of affairs. Even after a number of a long time, the songs stay everlasting, the singers are revered, the actors/actresses are remembered, even the music director’s title is recalled many a time, however the lyricists stay unsung and forgotten.
This weblog is an try to recollect one such unsung song-writer Dev Kohli, whose debut music created a sensation and but he needed to endure a battle interval of 18 years the place he hardly bought any work. Not one to surrender hope, he waited and future did smile on him albeit virtually twenty years later to offer him the prospect to attain his 2nd super-hit music! At present we stroll down reminiscence lane remembering this lyricist’s contribution to Hindi cinema.
Allow us to take a look at his first hit music –‘Geet gaata hoon primary….’
Movie: Laal Patthar
It’s certainly troublesome to think about the journey of Dev Kohli whose debut music ‘Geet gaata hoon primary gungunata hoon primary…’ sung by Kishore Kumar from the movie Lal Patthar in 1971, was a super-duper hit. In actual fact, the music is a favorite amongst listeners even at the moment however sadly, he remained within the background and regardless of having labored with the hit music director duo of Shankar-Jaikishen, his path was not simple. It was solely after a ready interval of 18 years did he get his 2nd tryst with success when two of his songs from the 1989 blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya turned chartbusters – ‘Aate jaate hanste gaate…’ and ‘Aaja shaam hone aayi mausam ne li angdaayi…’.
It was within the 12 months 1964, on the age of twenty-two, that he landed in Mumbai (Bombay at the moment) to strive his luck within the movie trade. He used to fulfill with different writers and some music administrators and stored looking out for some work. Listening to the songs written by the lyricists of Hindi cinema’s ‘golden period’ had been his best supply of inspiration to affix movies and write songs.
His first break got here when his music director good friend G S Kohli, provided him an opportunity to write down one stanza of a song-‘Khushi se jaan le lo ji…’ sung by Asha Bhosle within the movie Gunda, for which G S Kohli himself had written the ‘mukhda’ and one of many stanzas. He requested Dev Kohli to write down the twond stanza. For this small contribution he not solely bought paid however was additionally given credit score within the titles together with the opposite two lyricists of the movie. Although Dev Kohli was touched by the music director’s assist, he felt it was not likely his music and didn’t deserve any credit score.
In the future he bought a name from music director Shankar of the well-known Shankar-Jaikishen duo to fulfill him within the music corridor of the recording studio. Being a newcomer on this area, he talked about that he had no expertise of writing lyrics to suit into the meter of an already composed tune, so Shankar defined the state of affairs to him and requested him to write down the ‘mukhda’ or the start traces of the music. By the point Shankar got here again from his lunch-break, Dev Kohli had provide you with the now well-known opening traces of the music – ‘Geet gaata hoon primary, gungunata hoon primary…’. Shankar appreciated them a lot he got here up with the tune on the spot. Quickly each the stanzas have been accomplished and the tune was additionally composed then and there. The music was prepared very quickly.
After such a dream break, he would have by no means imagined that issues wouldn’t work out in his favour. Folks loved his super-hit music however nobody remembered him. Jaikishen handed away earlier than the discharge of the movie and the magic and aura of S-J was by no means the identical. Shankar did name him just a few years later to write down a music for the movie Sanyasi (1975), however the music Dev Kohli wrote by no means bought recorded and therefore by no means made it to the ultimate model of the movie!
Throughout this battle interval he did get the prospect to write down just a few songs. Many occasions, he was requested to write down just one music from the complete movie. The songs did grow to be standard but he remained within the background.
Movie: Khoon Khoon (‘Maati ke jalte deepak ki …’)
Movie : Salaakhen (‘Saathi chal chal kahin akele mein…’)
Born on 2nd November in 1942 in Rawalpindi he was a part of a household of 4 brothers and two sisters. Dev Kohli misplaced his mom when he was nonetheless a baby of three years. His early education had been in a madrasa the place he learnt to learn and write Urdu. His father remarried and after partition the household shifted first to Delhi in 1948 after which to Dehradun in 1949. As a younger boy of 11-12 years, he was significantly influenced by his 16-year-old neighbour, who used to recite to him verses and poetry (shayari, ghazal, nazm, and so forth.,) of famend writers and poets. The younger Dev Kohli liked this and influenced by what he used to listen to he additionally began writing. In Dehradun, he improved his writing underneath the steerage of an ustad (trainer) and after just a few years inspired by him and his well-wishers he felt writing was his calling in life.
Listed below are just a few different chartbusters written by Dev Kohli.
Movie: Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (‘Didi tera devar dewaana…’)
Movie : Baazigar (‘Yeh kaali kaali aankhen…’)
Movie: Judwaa (‘Tan tana tan tan tan tara…’)
Movie: Musafir (‘Saaki saaki saaki aa paas aa…’)
Since he had labored with Rajshri Productions for the movie Ek Baar Kaho (1980) for which he had been requested to compose the title music, Sooraj Bharjatya approached him to compose the title music for his new movie Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989. Dev Kohli offers credit score for this to music director Raamlaxman who had urged Dev Kohli’s title to Sooraj. And after Maine Pyar Kiya, his luck took an enormous flip and he began getting many affords which stored him busy in the course of the 1990’s.
He talked about in certainly one of his interviews, that the period he had needed to work in sadly was not destined for him however he embraced what got here his means and when he was given a second likelihood with Maine Pyar Kiya, he determined to maneuver with the occasions. He modified his perspective to maintain tempo with the modifications happening within the music world and have become busy writing for songs with quick paced tempo and beats giving the general public what they needed. He gave his finest shot to no matter state of affairs got here his means whether or not it was a dance quantity, marriage ceremony music or love music.
Movie : Koi Mil Gaya (‘Haila haila hua hua…’)
Movie: Khiladi (‘Kya khabar thi jaana tumse pyar ho jayega…’)
Movie: Main Sahab (‘Sona sona dil mera sona…’)
Movie : Kaante
In his profession which spanned thirty years, he started working with many music directors- Vijay Singh, Anand Raj Anand, Anand-Milind, Rajesh Roshan, Himesh Reshammiya, Bappi Lahiri, Ravindra Jain, Dilip Sen- Samir Sen, Jatin-Lalit, Ram Laxman, Anu Mallik, Babul Supriyo, Vishal-Shekhar, Aadesh Srivastava and above all Shankar-Jaikishen. He additionally had the nice fortune to have his songs sung by the golden period singers Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, and Mohammed Rafi in addition to the youthful technology comprising of Udit Narayan, S P Balasubramanian, Kumar Sanu, Sunidhi Chauhan and Abhijeet.
He additionally wrote title songs of many films- Ek Baar Kaho, Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Mela and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman.
Dev Kohli had no regrets and remained humble all his life. He was revered inside the movie trade by others lyricists, artistes, administrators, and music administrators. Even when folks didn’t bear in mind his title, he was pleased that lots of his songs bought that reference to the lots to make him a part of their musical journey. He attributed the making of his persona to these 18 years of battle. It was a studying interval to remain calm and gave him the serenity and understanding to face the challenges thrown by life. He made peace with no matter got here his means and turned to spirituality and located solace in writing bhajans on Lord Krishna. He teamed up with Baba Sehgal for his well-known music ‘Tora tora…’.
He didn’t get married in his lifetime and handed away on 26th August 2023. If I had not determined to perform a little research and write on Dev Kohli, I’d have by no means recognized that it was the identical man who wrote ‘Geet gaata hoon primary…’ and ‘Yeh kaali kaali aankhen…’. Salute this lyricist for his peerless contribution.
I finish the weblog with a music from Hum Aapke Hain Kaun which was additionally certainly one of his private favourites. As soon as once more for this music additionally the lyrics have been written first after which the music was composed.
‘Maayi ni maayi munder pe teri bol raha hai kaaga…’
