Vasant Desai was one of the most accomplished music composers of the golden era of Hindi cinema. He was known for his classical-based, soulful music in films like “Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1953),” “Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955),” “Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959),” “Sampoorna Ramayan (1961), “Aashirwaa” (1968), and Guddi (1971).
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Willum Skeener
Vasant Desai was born on June 9, 1912, into a wealthy family in Sonwad village, Maharashtra. Vasant Desai was a man of many talents; although he was always interested in music and was a good singer, he started his career as an actor in Prabhat Film Company’s Khooni Khanjar (1930).
He then sang a few songs, starting with “Jay Jay Rajadhiraaj” in “Ayodhaya Ka Raja (1932).” One more notable song that he sang was the popular Kajri “Barsan Laagi” in “Amrit Manthan (1934).” Due to not getting suitable roles in films, he decided to concentrate on his music career and composed songs in Prabhat’s films like “Dharmatma (1935)” with music director Master Krishnarao and “Sant Dnyaneshwar (1936)” with music director Keshavrao Bhole. He also sang the song “Aaj Bhaag Jaag Gaye Logo Hamare” in Dharmatma, “Kaaraj Ki Jyot Sada Hi Jare” in Amar Jyoti, “Kaaraj Ki Jyot Sada Hi Jare” in Sant Sakhu, and “Hai Duniya Mein Paap Ghulami” in Wahan.
It was the time when he realised that, to become a good musician, he needed training in classical music. Vasant Desai started his training in classical music under Ustaad Aalam Khan and Ustaad Inaayat Khan. He will continue to learn the music and the craft of music composition for the next several years.
His first Hindi film as an independent composer was Wadia Movietone’s “Shobha” in 1942, followed by “Ankh Ki Sharm (1943)” and “Mouj (1943).” He left Prabhat Films and joined Rajkamal with V. Shantaram. In 1943, the film “Shakuntala” opened the doors of success for him. It was a huge musical hit, and he became an important part of Rajkamal.
Throughout the 1940s, he continued to compose for films like “Parbat Ke Apna Dera (1944),” “Subhadra (1946),” “Jeevan Yatra (1946),” “Matwala Shair Ram Joshi (1947),” “Udhaar (1949),” and many more.
His collaboration with V. Shantaram resulted in iconic films like “Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946),” Dahej (1950), Sheeshmahal (1950), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955), Toofan Aur Diya (1956), and Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), which are now considered classics. Desai worked very hard for the music of these films; he used pure classical, folk, and thematical music perfectly for these films. Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje was purely based on a dance theme, so he composed classical dance tunes. He used the voice of great vocalist Ustaad Amir Khan for the title song of the film.
Some of his notable songs in include Pareshan Hoon Ki Kyon Meri Pareshani Nahin Jaati ( Parbat Pe Apna Dera), Chit Dole Nit Dol (Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani), Aa Ja Nigahon Mein Aa Ja (Dahej), Jise Doondhti Phirti Hai Meri Nazar (Sheesh Mahal), Dua Hai Yeh Jale Dil Ki (Anand Bhavan), “Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje,” “Nain So Nain Naahi Milao,” and “Saiyan Jao Jao Mose Naa Bolo,” (Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje), “Nirbal Se Ladaai Balwaan Ki Yeh Kahani Hai Diye Ki Aur Toofan Ki” (Diya Aur Toofan), “Ae Malik Tere Bande Hum,” “Saiyan Jhoothon Ka Bada Sartaj Nikla,” and “Tak Tak Dhoom Dhoom Tak” ( Do Ankhen Barah Haath), Dil Hum To Haare (Ardhangini), “Chhum Chhananana Bichhua Bole Re” (Do Behnen) and many more.
His relationship with V. Shantaram comes to a standstill when V. Shantram decides to drop Vasant Desai from Navrang (1956) and chooses C. Ramchandra in place of him, which leaves Desai’s heart broken.
He did a comparatively lesser number of films after that, but he managed to maintain the style and melody of his tunes. The use of classical music was clearly visible in his music in this era. The period saw the release of Mausi (1958), Ardhangini (1959), Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), School Master (1959), Sampurna Ramayan (1961), Yaadein (1964), Bharat Milap (1965), Ladki Sahyadri Ki (1966), Ram Rajya (1967), Ashirwad (1968), Guddi (1971), and Rani Aur Laal Pari (1975).
Sunil Dutt’s Yaadein (1964) was considered a milestone, not only in Vasant Desai’s career but in Hindi films at large. It was a movie with only one artist, and the story was portrayed with the help of background music and dialogue. It was a big task for Vasant to compose the music for it, yet he came out with a perfect background score and a perfectly composed “Dekha hai sapna koi” sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Some other notable songs of Vasant Desai in his later career are “Dil Ka Khilauna Haay Toot Gaya,” “Jeevan Mein Piya Tera Saath Rahe,” “Kah Do Koi Na Kare Yahan Pyar” (Goonj Uthi Shehnai), “Mere Godi Mein Gopala”
(Pyar Ki Pyas), “Ek Tha Bachpan,” “Rail Gaadi Rail Gaadi Chhuk Chhuk” (Ashirwad), “Bole Re Papihara,” “Humko Man Ki Shakti Dena,” “Hari Bin Kaise Jiyoon Ri” (Guddi), Bikhre Taar Mile Phir Man Ke (Grahan), and many more.
Later, in 1974, when Gulzar made “Achaanak,” a songless film, he called it Vasant Desai for its music. The film has a great scope for background music, and Gulzar knew that Vasant was the perfect man for the job. He also did background scores for the films “Zalzala,” “Ferry,” and “Kabhi Andhera Kabhi Uajala.”
Vasant Desai used the voice of veteran Ashok Kumar for his 1968 film Aashirwaad. ‘Railgadi Railgadi’ by Ashok Kumar is perhaps Hindi film’s first ‘Rap song’. “Ek thaa bachpan,” sung by Lata Mangeshkar, was composed in Raag Pooriya Dhanashri. He composed “Jeevan Se Lambe Hai Bandhu,” sung by Manna Dey in Raag Shiv Ranjini.
Vasant Desai introduced Vani Jayram in “Guddi (1970)” as a playback singer. “Bole Re Papihara,” sung by Vani, is one of the few remembered rain songs to date. He introduced Dilraaj Kaur in “Rani Aur Laalpari (1975)” as a playback singer. One of Vasnat Desai’s most famous songs was Doordarshan’s “Ek Chidiya Anek Chidiyan, which is a rare gem of a song sung by his disciple, a young “Sadhna Sargam.”
Maithreem Bhajata is a benediction composed in Sanskrit by Sant Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati of the Kanchi Mutt. The song was set to a Ragamalika by Vasant Desai. It was rendered at the United Nations on October 23, 1966, on the occasion of UN Day, by Bharat Ratna Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi.
In Marathi, some of Desai’s memorable songs are “SSanga mukund kuni ha pahila,” “Uthi uthi Gopala” from Amar Bhoopali (1951), “Manuskichya shatrusange yuddha amuche suru” from Chota Jawan (1963), “Deh devache mandir” from Preeti Sangam (1972), “Ramya hi swargahuni Lanka” from Swayamwar Zale Siteche (1974), and many more.
Vasant Desai composed music for only 46 films but always gave his heart and soul to the project and never ever diverted from his classical music base. His favourite poets were Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kavi Pradeep, Gulzar, Pt. Narendra Sharma and above all, Mahakavi Bharat Vyas.
Vasant Desai died on December 22, 1975, in a tragic elevator accident.
Vasant Desai’s extensive and remarkable collection of songs is a valuable gem of musical heritage. Although he may not have received widespread recognition for his contributions to cinema and school music curriculum, Desai’s songs continue to delight listeners with their inherent melodic beauty and classic finesse.
