Shailendra (30 August 1923 – 14 December 1966) was a popular Indian Hindi-Urdu Poet, lyricist and film producer.[1] He is regarded as one of the greatest and most celebrated lyricist of Indian film industry.[2][3][4][5][6] Renowned for his association with the filmmaker Raj Kapoor, singer Mukesh, and the composers Shankar–Jaikishan, he wrote lyrics for several successful Hindi film songs in the 1950s and the 1960s.[7]
Early life
Shankar Shailendra was born on 30 August 1923 in Rawalpindi, Punjab (now in Pakistan).[8][9] He was born into a Chamar family [10][11][12] His ancestors belonged to Ara district of Bihar.[13] Due to financial crisis, his family later move to Mathura form Rawalpindi where Shailendra completed his studies.[13] At a young age, he lost his mother and sister. His village in Arrah, Bihar mostly comprised agricultural laborers and Shailendra’s father had shifted to Rawalpindi to find work at a military hospital.[14] Shailendra came in contact with Indra Bahadur Khare at the Kishori Raman Vidyalay (Now Kishori Raman Inter College) Mathura. Both started composing poems, sitting on the rock located on the bank of a pond in between railway 27 quarters and railway line near to Mathura station. Afterwards Shailendra moved to Bombay for films and Indra Bahadur Khare got his fame in Raashtreey Kavita.[15]
Career as a lyricist
Shailendra started his career as an apprentice with Indian Railways in Matunga workshop, Mumbai in 1947. He started writing poetry during these days.
The filmmaker Raj Kapoor noticed Shailendra, when the latter was reading out his poem Jalta hai Punjab at a mushaira (poetic symposium).[16] Kapoor offered to buy the poem Jalta Hai Punjab written by Shailendra and for his movie Aag (1948). Shailendra, a member of the left wing Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), was wary of mainstream Indian cinema and refused. However, after his wife became pregnant, Shailendra himself approached Raj Kapoor in need of money. At this time, Raj Kapoor was filming Barsaat (1949), and two of the film songs had not yet been written. For ₹ 500, Shailendra wrote these two songs: Patli kamar hai and Barsaat mein. The music for Barsaat was composed by Shankar–Jaikishan.[17][18]
The team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, and Shankar–Jaikishan went on to produce many other hit songs. The song 'Awara Hoon' from the 1951 film Awaara, written by Shailendra, became the most appreciated Hindustani film song outside India at the time.[19] Shailendra had penned down plenty songs lyrics for Raj Kapoor's film. Shree 420 released in 1955 is one of them. All songs of this film were super hits and till date people sing in various occasions. One can easily understand the power and magic of Shailendra's lyrics from the song "Pyaar hua iqaraar hua hai, Pyaar se phir kyo darta hai dil", is till date evergreen golden classic song of Bollywood.[20]
In the days when composers would recommend lyricists to producers, Shankar–Jaikishan once promised Shailendra that they would recommend him around, but didn't keep their promise. Shailendra sent them a note with the lines, Chhoti Si Yeh Duniya, Pehchaane Raaste Hain. Kahin To Miloge, toh Poochhenge Haal ("The world is small, the roads are familiar. We'll meet sometime, and ask 'How do you do?'"). Shankar–Jaikishan realised what the message meant and having said sorry, turned the lines into a popular song. The song, sung by Kishore Kumar, was featured in the film Rangoli (1962), for which the producer Rajendra Singh Bedi wanted to sign up Majrooh Sultanpuri as the lyricist. However, Shankar–Jaikishan insisted on Shailendra and the producer had to oblige.[21]
Shailendra also wrote lyrics for several Bhojpuri films. Avijit Ghosh mentions in his book, Cinema Bhojpuri, that Shailendra penned songs for Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (the first Bhojpuri film), Ganga, Mitwa and Vidhana Naach Nachave. In page 184, Ghosh also writes that Shailendra received the best lyricist award for Ganga Maiyya... for all Bhojpuri and Magadhi films released till then at a function held in April 1965 in Calcutta.
In 1961 Shailendra invested heavily in the production of the movie Teesri Kasam (1966), directed by Basu Bhattacharya and starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film. However, the film was a commercial failure.[25] The falling health resulting from tensions associated with film production and anxiety due to financial loss, coupled with alcohol abuse, ultimately led to his early death on 14 December 1966.[26]
Legacy
Shailendra on a 2013 stamp of India
Shailendra's son Shaily Shailendra also became a lyricist. At the age of 17, Raj Kapoor asked him to complete his father's song Jeena yahan, marna yahan for the film Mera Naam Joker. Shaily Shailendra completed the "mukhra" (lit. "face," or chorus) of the song whereas Shailendra completed the "antara" (verses) only before his demise. Lyricist, writer, and director Gulzar has stated on many occasions that Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry.[27]
Shailendra's song Mera Joota Hai Japani was featured in the 2016 Hollywood movie Deadpool (2016).[28]
A street in the Dhauli Pyau locality of Mathura was named after Shailendra on 9 March 2016 - Geetkar-Jankavi Shailendra Marg – Mathura.
Shailendra spent 16 years of his early life in Mathura before moving to Mumbai to work for the Indian Railways in 1947.
Shailendra's wife is Shakuntala Shailendra and his five children are Late Shailey Shailendra, Manoj Shailendra, Mrs.Amla Mazumdar, Late Mrs. Gopa Chandra and Dinesh Shailendra.[citation needed]
