Jaidev:

The
exceptionally
talented
music
composer, who remains unsung and forgotten
In the labyrinthine world of Hindi film music, the underrated,
low profile and unassuming performers, as in others walks of
life, always came second. Unable to market their talents in the
viciously cut-throat, unpredictable and Byzantine world of Hindi
cinema, they faded away, unsung and unrecognized and are
largely forgotten now. About coming second, one is reminded of
erudite and scholarly memoirs by the late BK Nehru, the
veteran diplomat and Governor, by the name, Nice guys finish
second. But, that was in the tortuous and complex world of
politics and diplomacy, far away from music and other
performing arts. The common aphorism Nice guys finish
second seems to apply in varying measures in other walks of
life too. At least, that is the common perception in the present
age of incessant media hype, instant publicity and fame.
Of the exceptionally talented quartet of Hindi film music
directors - Roshan, Madan, Mohan, Khayyam and Jaidev - who
emerged in the fifties and sixties to create some sublime
cinematic music, it was Jaidev Verma, who, hailing originally
from Lahore and later Ludhiana in Punjab, remains the most
unsung and unheard of them all. The music composer in such
films like Hum Dono, Mujhe Jeene Do, Reshma aur Shera, Do
Boond Pani, Gaman, Gharonda, Kinare Kinare, Ankahee is lost
to the present day world of Hindi films music, as he was largely
ignored in his prime, when the big-budget mainstream avoided
him. The creator of such immortal melodies in the films like
Hum Dono as Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalaat Pe, Allah Tero
Naam and Abhi Na Jao Chhor Kar, and Tere bachpan ko
Jawani ki dua deti hun in the 1963 decoit saga Mujhe Jeene
Do, Jaidevs name however is still firmly emblazoned in the
hearts of connoisseurs of vintage Hindi cinema songs, and like
vintage wine, they tend to grow on us and make us pine for
more. Allah Tero Naam, the classical raga based prayer song,
stirring poetry which makes a strong anti-war statement and
poignantly reminds us that war only brings death and
destruction all around with women and children being its worst
victims, remains the perennial favourite of all. Who can forget

his pensive melody Kabhi Khud pe Kabhi Halaat pe Rona aaya

which appeared to sum up Jaidevs struggles and setbacks and
heartbreaks? He was one of the rare talents who had a through
grounding in Hindustani classical music and was trained under
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and performed as a Sarod player with the
legendary ustad in many of the concerts in the fifties. Despite
winning three National Awards for Best Music Direction for
Reshma Aur Shera [1972], Gaman [1979] and Ankahee [1985]
and despite his virtuosity in blending folk and classical music,
commercial success eluded him largely.
Roshan, Madan Mohan and Jaidev were great friends and each
was a genius in his own right. They were great human beings
too, with keen interest in literature, languages, music and wine.
The tragedy was that despite being supremely talented and
towering over others in innovativeness and virtuosity, they
were commercially ignored and were never given the
importance and never had the same fame and fortune as like
many of their contemporaries who were clearly no patch on the
talented trio and could never hold a candle to them. They
produced music with much less fecundity; may be, because
they were not very prolific, they could carve out their identity
though uniqueness of their compositions. Each of their
creations was fabulous and remains a collectors item.

Jaidev in particular hardly composed for 30 films in the three

decade long musical journey and had barely one hundred and
fifty songs to his credit. But he never compromised on musical
purity to maintain his usual standard of excellence; lack of
commercial acclaim which did rankle him, could however never
drain out his creativity. While his great attention to detail,
adherence to classical structure, magical blending of folk music
as in Reshma aur Shera - placed him in a unique category of
the greats, it could never earn him mass adulation and he was
sadly confined to small budget films. In the ruthlessly

commercial film world of seeking instant fame and success,

mass adulation too eluded such geniuses like Salil Chowdhury,
Vasant Desai, as it happened with Madan Mohan, Roshan and
Jaidev, who proved misfit in the hurly burly world of film music,
where plagiarism and cutting corners were, more often than
not, the norm. Recipient of Sur Singar Samsad, Jaidev died
unheard, crestfallen and dispirited in 1987, and as in life, so
after his death, his legacy remains forgotten. Some of the
sublime songs he created remains permanently etched in
memory and the higher sensitivity of his music, his struggles,
his setbacks, his agonies all demand that we revisit them in
paying our tribute to this immensely talented composer.
Let us take Mujhe Jeene Do, the Sunil Dutt and Waheeda
Rehman starrer decoit saga, where the most memorable part of
the film was its music, heavenly and sublime. The musical
scores by Jaidev and the astounding lyrical philosophy of Sahir,
takes the music to another level, so unique, so memorable, so
appropriate to the occasion. Lata's Raat Bhi Hai Kuch Bheegi
Bheegi and Tere Bachpan Ko Jawani Ki Dua Deti Hoon
mesmerise and hyptonise us into another world. This makes
watching the film, and listening to its mesmerizing songs, an
unforgettable experience. In Tere Bachpan ko Jawani ki, an
heart wrenching melody, Sahir very poignantly captured the
dilemma of a mother, which is universal and cuts across all
divides, who is anxious to give a better and safe future to her
child while realising all the time the insecurity and tragedy
unfolding as the child cannot avoid the unhappy legacy of
being a dacoits son, as death lurks around for the outlaw, who
runs for cover and meets his nemesis even when he goes to
surrender, unarmed. Could there have been anything more
poignant than this lilting melody, this ode to motherhood?
I think Raat bhi hai kuch bheeghi bheegi' is one of the most
beautifully and sublimely picturised songs. In the hands of
Sahir, with his astounding lyrical philosophy, and the great
Jaidev with his heavenly notes, even a mujra song, sung by a
courtesan, primarily to titillate and entertain her clients, which

in the hands of lesser men is, more often than not, reduced to
being cheap, vulgar and gross and addressing the lowest
common
denominator,
becomes
soulful,
mesmerizing,
hypnotizing, captivating. The song is beautiful in every respect:
Lata Mangeshkars mellifluous voice, Waheeda Rahmans grace,
beauty, her sensuousness, her delicate frame and her apparent
vulnerability, the picturisation and cinematography, all make it
an abiding classic. The black and white photography heightens
its beauty; the reflection of Waheeda's silhouette in the shining
marble floor where she is dancing, the sheer contrast is
breathtaking. Both Sunil Dutt and Waheedas expressions are
unforgettable and as the tension builds in the backdrop of the
gun wielding dacoits eyeing each other, the audience
anticipates a tragedy to unfold or to end up with violence and
bloodshed. Only Sahir could write like poetry, Jaidev could
compose such a marvelous song and what can one add about
the spiritual voice of Lataji? Where is such music and melody
and where is such poetry these days? Behoshi may hosh hai
kam kam sheer lyrical magic. Who can reach such literary
heights these days?
Tum aao to aankhayn kholay
sooni huee payal ki chham chham.
Taptay dil par yun girti hai teri nazar ke pyar ki shabnam.
Jaltey huey jangal par jaisay barkha barsay ruk ruk tham tham.
In the 1977 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film Alaap, Jaidev creating
such sublime and ethereal music in the golden voice of
Yesudas, such melodious raga-based music, that would
continue to enthrall music connoisseurs for generations to
come, though the film did not succeed. Who can forget
Yesudass Koi gata main so jata and Chand Akela Jaaye Sakhi
Ri, Aau Ritu Sawan Ki by Bhupender, Mata Saraswati by Lata
Mangeshkar, Nai Ri Lagan Aur Meethi Batiyan by Yesudas and
others? In a heart rending scene, Amitabhs melancholic and
deeply pensive crying aloud Koi gata, main so jata (Someone
sings, as I fall asleep, penned by Bachchans real-life father,

poet Haribans Rai Bachchan, in the ethereal and near divine

voice of Yesudas) sounds like an elegy for both him and just
deceased Sarjubai, the classically trained singer, whom the
main male protagonist treated as his mother; in creating effect,
it was a masterpiece. Sadly, like the movie, Jaidev did not
receive his due acclaim in his life.
In Muzaffar Alis Gaman (1978), the high watermark was its
music, its unforgettable poetry of Shahrayar and Makhtoom
Mohiudeen, it lyrical realism, its epitomizing the tragic social
ethos of separation and heartbreaks, of loneliness and the
changing socio-reality reality and values in the society. Who can
ever forget the angst ridden, emotionally cathartic, Seene
mein jalan aankhon mein toofan sa kyon hai/Is shahr mein har
shaqs pareshaan sa kyon hai/Dil hai to dharakne ka bahaana
koi dhoondhe/Pathhar ki tarah behi o bejaan sa kyon hai? Or,
the soulful ghazal rendered by Chhaya Ganguli, 'Aapki yaad aati
rahen raat bhar, Chasham-E-Nam Muskuraati Rahi Raat Bhar,
Aap Ki Yaad Aati Rahi, Raat Bhar Dard Ki Shamaa Jalati Rahi?
Muzaffar Alis Gaman is a poetry in visuals indeed, and
watching it is a memorable, yet melancholic, experience. Quite
justifiably, Jaidev won the National Film Award for Best Music
Direction in 1979 for his work and for the Song "Aap ki Yaad
Aati Rahi" Chhaya Ganguly won the National Award for Best
Playback Singer female. There is another unforgotten number
from the same film, the pensive ghazal written by Shahrayar,
and rendered by Hariharan, so heartrending and perfectly
mirroriing the agony and dilemma of the leading characters:
ajeeb saaneha mujh par guzar gaya yaaro.. main apne saaye
se kal raat dar gaya yaaro
har ek naqsh tamanna ka ho gaya dhundhala har ek zakm mere
dil ka bhar gaya yaaro
bhatak rahi thi jo kashti vo gaqr-e-aab hui chadha hua tha jo
dariya utar gaya yaaro
vo kaun tha vo kaha ka tha kya hua tha use suna hai aaj koi
shaks mar gaya yaaro