Salil Chowdhury (photo from personal
collection)
Salil Chowdhury (
Bengali: সলিল চৌধুরী) (1922-1995) was a
famous
Hindi,
Malayalam and
Bengali composer,
poet and a
playwright. He was born on 19 November 1922 and
died on 5 September 1995.
He was
widely recognized and acknowledged in the Mumbai
film
industry as one of the most prodigious composers ever . He
was also an accomplished arranger and was proficient in several
musical instruments, including
flute, the
piano, and the
esraj.
Regarded as one in the
league of intellectuals having born in the state of West Bengal
, he was also widely acclaimed and admired for his
inspirational and original poetry. He was fondly and
reverently called
Salilda in
Bollywood.
Early childhood
Much of
Salil Chowdhury's early childhood was spent in the tea gardens of
Assam
, where his father was a medical doctor .
Salil chowdhury was a resident of subhas gram in kolkata suburbs, a
place famous for being the paternal house of subhas chandra bose .
A lot of his childhood was spent in listening to the
Western Classical collection of his father,
which shaped his musical thinking . Salil's father was reputed to
stage plays with
coolies and other low-paid
workers of the tea-gardens.
His father's strong anti-British
feelings,
and constant concern for the condition of the tea-estate workers
were a source of inspiration to him. He graduated from
Bangabashi College, Kolkata
and it was
during this period of time that his political ideas were formulated quickly along with
a considerable maturity in his musical ideas .
Early Influences
Living through the
Second World
War, the
Bengal famine and the
precarious political situation of the 1940s, he became acutely
aware of his social responsibilities . This is when he joined the
IPTA (Indian Peoples Theater Association) and became a member of
the Communist Party of India. During this period he wrote numerous
songs and, together with IPTA, took them to the masses . The
theatrical outfit travelled through the villages and the cities and
his songs became exceptionally popular and went on to become the
voice of the masses . These songs were influential, echoing protest
and human empowerment, that made people conscious of the
rampant social injustice surrounding them . In fact, Salil always
retained his strong feelings against the social injustice and he
very often wrote songs which reflected this outlook. He called
these songs the 'Songs of
consciousness and
awakening'. These compositions became
ringing songs of cheer during India’s
Independence movement and, interestingly, are
still performed all over Bengal .
Transformation of Bengali music
Salil Chowdhury's Bengali songs brought in sweeping changes to
Bengali music dramatically and almost abruptly.
The people of West Bengal were thrilled with the new wave of music introduced
by Salil Chowdhury. The new wave seeped in with Salil
Chowdhury continued its influence on Bengali music for the next
three
decades.Most notable singers of west
bengal sang for him at the peak of their careers.Singers like
Shyamal Mitra, Manabendra Mukherjee Pratima Banerjee all sang for
him.
Distinct phases in his music
There are two distinct phases in Salil's life. The first phase,
very much non-professional in intent and appearance, started in the
pre-
independence era of the 1940s and
went on till mid '50s . This was followed by the second phase which
was more professional in its content. During the first phase he was
a
lyricist,
songwriter,poet and a playwright. He was much
more
mature composer than anything else in
the second phase. The composer in Salil reached the greatest
heights in his second phase which basically started when he arrived
in Bombay to compose music for the film '
Do Bigha Zameen'. This was the Hindi version
of the successful Bengali Film 'Rikshawalla'. He himself wrote the
story of 'Rikshawaala' and composed its music as well.
Career
Since
Do Bigha Zameen, he has
composed for over 75
Hindi films, over 40
Bengali films, around 26
Malayalam films, and several
Marathi,
Tamil,
Telugu,
Kannada,
Gujarati,
Oriya and
Assamese films. To the music
connoisseurs, he was better known as the
non-
conformist music composer whose
unceasing search for perfection towered above everything else in
his life.
Legacy
Salil's music was a unique blending of the Eastern and the Western
music traditions. He had once said: 'I want to create a style which
shall transcend borders - a genre which is emphatic and polished,
but never predictable'. He dabbled in a lot of things and it was
his ambition to achieve greatness in everything he did. But at
times, his confusion was fairly evident - 'I do not know what to
opt for: poetry, story writing, orchestration or composing for
films. I just try to be creative with what fits the moment and my
temperament' he once told a journalist.
Salil's love for Western classical music started when he was a
young boy growing up in an Assam tea garden where his father worked
as a doctor. His father inherited a large number of western
classical records and a gramophone from a departing Irish doctor.
While Salil listened to
Mozart,
Beethoven, Tchaikovsky,
Chopin, etc. everyday, his daily life was surrounded
by the sound of the forest, chirping of the birds, sound of the
flute and the local folk-music. This left a lasting impression in
young Salil. He became an excellent self-taught flute player and
his favourite composer was Mozart. His compositions often used folk
melodies or melodies based on Indian classical
ragas but the orchestration was very much western in
its construction. He developed a unique style which was immediately
identifiable .
Quotes on Salil Chowdhury
The noted playback singer,
KJ Yesudas
said: 'When Salil and I sat together by the piano and heard his
compositions, I was overwhelmed by a divine feeling that his music
brought and I have never felt this magnitude of divinity in any
other composer’s music.'
Raj Kapoor once said about Salil: 'He can
play almost any instrument he lays his hands on, from the tabla to
the sarod, from the piano to the piccolo'.
His music for movie "Anand" is noteworthy and popular. His
compositions "Jiya lage na", "O sajana barkha bahar aayi", rendered
by Lata Mangeshkar, "Koi hota jisko apna", "Gujar gaye din "
rendered by Kishore Kumar are very difficult to sing and they are
very impressive and melodious.
Partial discography
- Hindi films
- 1953 Do Bigha Zameen
- 1954 Biraj Bahu; Naukri
- 1955 Amaanat; Taangewaali
- 1956 Awaaz; Parivaar; Jagte Raho
- 1957 Aparadhi Kaun; Ek Gaaon ki Kahaani; LaalBatti; Musafir, Zamaana
- 1958 Madhumati
- 1960 Jawaahar; Honeymoon; Qaanoon; Parakh; Usne Kaha Tha
- 1961 Chaardeewaari; Chhayaa; Kaabuliwaala; Maaya; Memdidi; Sapan Suhaane
- 1962 Half Ticket; Jhoola; Prem
Patra
- 1965 Chand Aur Suraj; Poonam Ki
Raat
- 1966 Pinjre Ki Panchhi; Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose; Jawaab
Aayega
- 1969 Ittefaq; Sara Akaash
- 1971 Anand
- 1971 Gehraa Raaz; Mere Apne
- 1972 Annadata; Anokha Daan; Anokha Milan; Mere Bhaiyaa; Sabse
Bada Sukh
- 1974 Rajnigandha
- 1975 Mausam; Chhoti Si Baat; Sangat
- 1976 Jeevan Jyoti; Mrigayaa; Udan Choo
- 1977 Minoo; Anand Mahal
- 1979 Jeena Yehaan
- 1980 Chehre Pe Chehra; Chemmeen Lahrein; Chirutha; Kuhaasa;
Naani Maa; Room no.203; Daisy
- 1981 Plot no. 5; Agni Pareeksha; Atmadaan
- 1982 Dil Ka Saathi Dil; Darpok ki Dosti; Artap
- 1984 Kanoon Kya Karega
- 1986 Zevar
- 1988 Trishaagni
- 1989 Kamla Ki Maut; Nehru the Jewel of India
- 1990 Triyaatri
- 1991 Netraheen Saakshi;
- 199? Aakhiri Badlaa
- 199? Tiriacharittar (or Striyascharittram)
- 1994 Swami
Vivekananda
- 1995 Mera Damaad
- ???? Hamaari Shaadi; Maange Miley na Pyaar; Raat Ki Uljhan;
Mitti Ka Dev
- Bengali films
- 1949 Poribartan
- 1951 Barjaatri
- 1952 Paasher Baari
- 1953 Baansher Kella
- 1953 Bhor Hoye Elo
- 1954 Aaj Sondhaay
- 1954 Mohila Mahal
- 1955 Rickshawaala
- 1956 Raat Bhore
- 1956 Ak din Raatre
- 1959 Baadi Thekey Paaliye
- 1960 Ganga
- 1961 Rai Bahadur
- 1964 Kinu Goaalaar Goli
- 1964 Ayanaanto
- 1964 Laal Paathor
- 1966 Paari
- 1972 Marjina Aabdullah
- 1972
Raktaakto Baangla †This film was made in Bangladesh
- 1977 Kobita
- 1977 Sister
- 1979 Jibon Je Rakam
- 1979 Srikaanter Will
- 1979
Rupali Soikate †This film was made in Bangladesh
- 1980 Byapika Bidaay
- 1980 Parabesh
- 1980 Akaler Sandhaney
- 1980 Antarghaat
- 1982 Artap
- 1985 Protiggya
- 1985 Debikaa
- 1985 Mowchor
- 1986 Jibon
- 1989 Swarnatrishaa
- 1990/91 Aashrita **(background: Salil) (MD:Hridaynath
Mangeskar)
- 1994 Mahabharoti
- 19?? Komol Gandhaar
- 19?? Haraaner Naatjamaai
- 19?? Ei Ritur Akdin
- 19?? Chalo Kolkataa
- 19?? Obhisake
- 19?? Aswamedher Ghoraa
- 19?? Sei Samoy
- Malayalam films
- 1965 Chemmeen
- 1968 Ezhuraathrikal
- 1970 Abhayam (Background music only)
- 1973 Swapnam
- 1974 Nellu
- 1975 Neelaponman
- 1975 Raagam
- 1975 Rasaleela
- 1975 Thomasleeha (or St. Thomas)
- 1975 Prateeksha
- 1976 Aparadhi
- 1976 Thulavarsham
- 1977 Dweep
- 1977 Samayamayilla Polum
- 1977 Etho Oru Swapnam
- 1977 Madanolsavam
- 1977 Vishukkanni
- 1978 Devdasi
- 1979 E Ganam Marakkumo
- 1979 Chuvanna Chirakkukal
- 1979 Puthiya Velicham
- 1980 Air Hostess
- 1982 Anthiveylile Ponnu
- 1990 Vaasthuhaara (background music only)
- 1994 Thumboli Kadappuram
- 1984 Vellam (background music only)
- Tamil films
- 1971 Uyir (Salil composed background music only - MD was Ramana
Sridhar)
- 1973 Karumbu
- 1978 Parumavazhai
- 1979 Azhiyatha Kolangal
- 1980 Thooraththu Idimuzhakkam
- Kannada films
- 1971 Samsayaphala
- 1975 Onde Rupa Eradu Guna
- 1977 Chinna Ninna Muddaduve; Kokila
- Other films
- Gujrati 1971 Ghar Sansaar
- Assameese 1970 Aparajeyo
- Assameese 1985 Manas Kanya
- Oriya 1981 Batasi Jhada
- Marathi 1962 Sunbai
- Telugu 1974 Chairman Chalamayya
Awards and Recognitions
See also
References
External links
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