Kanu Roy was one of the genius composers of Indian cinema who, despite his immense talent and significant contributions, Roy’s name often remains overshadowed, underrated, and criminally underutilised. Some of his notable films include Uski Kahani, Anubhav, Avishkaar, Griha Pravesh, and Sparsh.
Early Life
Kanu Roy was born on December 9, 1912, into a modest family in Calcutta. He moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) with the dream of becoming a playback singer. Roy’s initial years in Bombay were struggles and great hardships.
He joined the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and started working as one of its music directors. It was during this time that he met the renowned composer Salil Chowdhury. Under Chowdhury’s guidance, Roy sang a few songs and assisted in music direction. Chowdhury advised him to branch out as an independent music director, which set the course for Roy’s future career.
It’s worth noting that there’s some confusion about him being an actor. The mix-up arises because there was another accomplished character actor with the same name. This actor appeared in movies like Mahal (1949), Kismet (1943), China Town (1963), and Pagla Kahin Ka (1970). However, it’s essential to clarify that these were two distinct individuals.
Breakthrough
Kanu Roy’s rise to prominence began with his collaboration with filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya. Bhattacharya, known for making films on tight budgets, offered Roy the opportunity to compose music for his film “Uski Kahani” (1966), his first film as a director. Despite the constraints of working with limited resources, Roy’s compositions for the film were well received and marked the beginning of a fruitful partnership between the two.
From “Uski Kahani,” the songs “Aaj Ki Kaali Ghata,” sung by Geeta Dutt with lyrics by Kaifi Azmi, became an instant hit. The film also had the soulful gem “Tera Hai Jahan Saara Apna Magar Tu Nahin Hai,” written by Kaifi and sung by Hemant Kumar.
Anubhav and Work with Geeta Dutt
Kanu gets his next chance 5 years later when he composed music for Basu Bhattacharya’s “Anubhav (1971),” starring Sanjeev Kumar, Tanuja Samarth, and Dinesh Thakur. The film that happened to be the last instance of Geeta Dutt’s work as a singer, making it her swan song of sorts.
The film has three of her finest songs: “Koi Chupke Se Aake,” written by Kapil Kumar; “Mera Dil Jo Mera Hota”; and “Meri Jaan Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho” by Gulzar. Kanu Roy made use of just two instruments while recording the song “Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho Meri Jaan,” the sound of raindrops and a curious and haunting percussion called the vibraphone. It also has a rare gem of Manna Da, “Phir Koi Phool Khila,” written by Kapil Kumar.
Roy’s collaboration with Geeta Dutt, in particular, is noteworthy, as he gave Geeta Dutt some of her last memorable songs before her untimely death. A few people claim him to be the brother of Geeta Dutt, which is not true. Geeta Dutt’s brother was Mukul Roy, who gave music in a few films like “Sailaab (1956)” and “Detective (1958).”
Avishkaar (1973)
Roy’s collaboration with Bhattacharya continued with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore starrer “Avishkaar (1973),” for which he composed the hauntingly beautiful song “Hansne Ki Chaah Ne Kitna Mujhe Rulaya Hai,” sung by Manna Dey, and “Naina Hain Pyase Mere,” sung by Asha Bhosle. In the film, Kanu Roy used Jagjit and Chitra Singh’s voices for “Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye,” a thumri written by the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah.
Griha Pravesh and Sparsh
Another notable film in Roy’s career, “Griha Pravesh (1979),” featured the song “Machal Ke Jab Bhi Aankhon Mein,” sung by Bhupinder Singh, “Pehchan To Thi Pehchana Nahin,” by Chandrani Mukherjee, and “Logon Ke Ghar Mein Rehta Hoon,” by Bhupinder and Yesu Das. It also has songs like “Boliye Sureeli Boliyan,” “Zindagi Phoolon Ki Nahin,” and “Aap Agar Aap Na Hote.” The film’s music, characterised by its minimal orchestration and soulful melodies, showcased Roy’s ability to create evocative compositions with limited resources.
In 1980, he composed for Sai Paranjpye’s National Award-winning “Sparsh,” where he gave songs like “Khali Pyala Dhundhla Darpan” and “Geeton Ki Duniya Mein Sargam Hain Hum.”
Other Work
He also gave music to Basu Bhattacharya’s “Tumhara Kalloo (1975) and Joginder Shelly’s “Shyamla (1979).” Apart from Basu Chatterjee, Kanu Roy also teamed up with a lesser-known director named Birendra (Mohanty?) for the film titled “Mayuri,” released in 1985; the film is untraceable today.
The film holds significance due to its special album featuring four songs by Nutan, the veteran actress. Nutan contributed three solos—”Mera”jeevan ek barfeeli dhara,” “Mera dil jawaan hai,” and “Yeh kaisi hai khamoshi”—as” well as a duet with Amit Kumar titled “Tum tum na rahe.”
Kanu Roy’s legacy lies in his minimalism and his classical base. Very few composers have the guts to take a step back and let the lyrics take the lead in a song. Songs of Pyasa are the classic example of that, where S. D. Burman allowed Sahir’s poetry to shine; Kanu Roy is also from that school. Be it “Mujhe Jaan Na Kaho Meri Jaan,” “Machal Ke Jab Bhi Aankhon Mein,” or Kanu Roy, Roy’s restrained composition gives Gulzar the space to showcase his talent. The minimal arrangement, a trademark of Kanu’s music, enhances the impact of these songs, making them classics.
Death and Legacy
Kanu Roy passed away on 20 Dec 1981, largely unsung and unrecognized. He was soon forgotten by everyone except a few music enthusiasts who hold him in the highest order.
Kanu Roy’s legacy in Indian cinema is characterised by his unique ability to create soulful, emotionally deep, and evocative music with simple and minimal arrangements and resources. His compositions, often marked by their. Despite facing financial struggles and limited recognition during his lifetime, Roy’s work has attained immortality, and although people forget him, his songs will always be cherished by music lovers.
Kanu Roy on IMDB
