This was the Golden period of Hindi Cinema, when films had beautiful lyrics and most melodious music. Unlike the present, where you can count the original music directors to at best five, there was no dearth of innumerable music directors then. However, according to me(which many would agree), the following are the top 5 music directors of that golden era and their compositions even today are listened by one and all with great zeal.
1.Sachin Dev Burman [ S D Burman]:
His composed songs are truly immortal and vibrant. Think of any kind of music, such as Classical, Folk, Melody, Rhythm, Comedy, Pop, it is all there in his compositions. He was popularly known as Burman-da in film industry. His compositions are all original and seldom repeated a tune of an older film into a new one unlike many great contemporaries of his time likeShankar- Jaikishen Duo. His noteworthy films are Taxi Driver [ ing: Dev Anand, Kalpana Kartik]; Devdas [ing: Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Vyajayantimala]; Chalti Ka Naam Gadi [ing: Kishore Kumar, Madhubala]; Paying Guest [ing: Dev Anand, Nutan]; Pyaasa & Kaagaz Ke Phool [ing: Gurudutt, Waheeda Rehman]; Meri Surat Teri Aankhen [ing: Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Asha Parekh]; Sujata [ing: Sunil Dutt, Nutan]; Bandini [ing: Ashok Kumar, Nutan]; Guide, Kaala Bazzar, Baat ek Raat Ki & Solva Saal [ing: Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman]; Aradhana [ing: Rajesh Khanaa, Sharmila Tagore]; Prem Nagar [ing: Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini]; Chupke Chupke [ing: Dharmendra, Sharmila, Amitabh and Jaya]; Isq par Jor Nahin [ing: Dharmendra, Sadhana]; & last but not the least Abhimaan [ing: Amitabh Bachhan, Jaya Bhaduri]. He received Film Fare awards for Taxi driver and Abhimaan and National Award for Abhimaan. He received Sur Sansad Award for his classical compositions in Meri surat Teri Aankhen. One never gets tired of listening to his compositions again and again. Sachin Tendulkar’s father Mr. Ramesh was an ardent fan and admirer of him and he truly named his son after the great SDB. For all time Sachin Tendulkar will remain the all time great in the history of Cricket.
S D Burman’s greatest contribution to Indian music was exploitation of Kishore Kumar’s voice to the maximum and rediscovering him in Aradhana with those superb numbers “Mere Sapnon Ki Rani…” and “Roop tera Mastana.” In early days Kishore was mostly singing playback for Dev Ananad when ever S D composed. The other contibution is grooming his son Rahul Dev Burman to a perfect one about whom I am going to mention later.
2.Shankar-Jaikishan [Duo]:
They were the best in creating popular and humming music and have won the highest number of Filmfare awards until today, ever since the awards were instituted. They were also very good at classical music [ Basant Bahar, Amrapali] . They have given lilting music in numerous films. The notable ones are: Barsaat, Aah, Awaara, Shree 420 & Chori Chori [ing: Raj Kapoor, Nargis]; Dil Apna aur Preet Parai & Dil Ek Mandir[ing: Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar]; Junglee, Professor, Boy Friend, Tum Se Achha kaun Hai [ing: Shammi Kapoor with different heroines]; Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahti Hai, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker [ing: Raj kapoor with different heroines]; Sasural, Suraj, Aayee Milan Ki Bela, Jhuk Gaya Aasman & Arzoo [ing: Rajendra Kumar with different heroines]; Patita, Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Asli Naqli & Love Marriage [ing: Dev Anand with different heroines] etc.
3.O.P. NAYYAR:
He was known as Rhythm King. He is the only music director, who has never used Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar’s voice, considering her voice not suitable for his style of music. Yet, he churned out hits after hits using the magic voices of Aasha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Shamsad Begum. Aasha Bhosle owes a lot to him to give her chance for singing for heroines in her early days when other music directors used her mainly to sing for dancers and vamps. He got his only Film Fare award for Naya Daur [ing: Dilip Kumar & Vyajayntimala] in 1956. His memorable compositions are for films such as Howrah Bridge [ing: Ashok Kumar, Madhubala]; C.I.D. [ing: Dev Anand, Shakila]; Phagun [ing: Bharat Bhusan, Madhubala]; Naya Andaz [ing: Kishore Kumar, Meena Kumari]; Tumsa Nahin Dekha [ing: Shammi Kapoor, Ameeta], this film really launched the Rebel Star Shammi Kapoor by sheer power of the hit music in the film; Aar Paar [ing: Guru Dutt, Shyama]; Kashmir Ki Kali [ing: Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore]; Mere Sanam [ Biswajit, Aasha Parekh]; Phir wohi Dil Laya Hoon [ing: Joy Mukherjee, Aasha Parekh] & Kismat [ing: Biswajit, Babita] etc. He got also a classical music award for his song “Dekho Bijli Dole….” In Phir wohi Dil Laya Hoon. Also he composed classical songs for the film ‘Kalpana’ [*ing: Ashok Kumar, Padmini ] such as ‘Tu Hi Mera Prem Devata”.
4.NAUSHAD:
He is called the ‘Sangeeton ka Badshah’ and is famous for his classical and folk compositions in films such as Baiju Bawra [ing: Bharat Bhusan, Meena Kumari]; Ganga Jamuna & Leader [ing: Dilip Kumar, Vyajayantimala]; Kohinoor [ing: Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari]; Dil Diya Dard Liya & Ram aur Shyam [ing: Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman]; Amar & Uran Khatola [ing: Dilip Kumar, Nimmi]; Andaaz [ing: Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Nargis]; Mere Mehboob [ing: Rajendra Kumar, Sadhna]; Deedar [ing: Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Nargis]; Dulari [ing: Suresh, Madhubala, Geeta Bali] and Saathi [ing: Rajendra Kumar, Vyajayantimala]. Mohammed Rafi sang the most difficult classical composition of his in Baiju Bawara “ Oh Duniya Ke Rakhwale…”, in which his tone breaks down in the middle while singing on a high pitched note. Incidentally Naushad won the only Film fare award for Baiju Bawara only. In the forties he composed music sung by late K.L. Saigal [ Shahjahan and others]. The only problem with him was that he did not change his tunes as the years progressed. Besides his tunes were not hummable by common man.
5.MADAN MOHAN:
He was the self taught music director who had not taken any formal training. But his compositions especially the classical and semi-classical ones were so perfect that every music director who tested the new singers in “SA RE GA MA” forum anchored earlier by Sonu Nigam asked the budding play back singers the compositions of Madan Mohan invariably, as these songs were yardstick to measure the range of voices of singers. Madan Mohan’s songs were very melodious. His compositions are “Wo Kaun Thi?” [ing: Manoj Kumar, Sadhana]; Mera Saaya [ing: Sunil dutt, Sadhana]; Bhai Bhai [ing: Ashok Kumar, Nirupa Roy, Kishore Kumar, Nimmi]; Heer Ranjha [ Raaj Kumar, Priya Rajvansh]; Kinare Kinare [ Dev Anand, Meena Kumari]; Sanjog [ing: Pradeep Kumar, Anita Guha]; Man Mauji [ing: Kishore Kumar, Sadhana]; Adalat [ing: Pradeep Kumar, Nargis]; Haqeeqat [ing: Dharmendra, Balraj Sahni]; Dulhan Ek Raat Ki [ing: Dharmendra, Nutan]; Dekh Kavira Roya [ing:Anoop Kumar, Ameeta]& his last classic Mausam [ing: Sanjeev Kumar, Sharmila Tagore]
Apart from these there were a few more music directors who shone for a brief period in these 30 years with a few hits to their credit. They can be placed at 6th to 10th position onwards. They are(not in order) Hemant Kumar [ Nagin, Bees Saal Bad, Sahib Bibi Ghulam etc.]; Salil Choudhury [ Madhumati, Chhaya, Parakh, Anand etc.]; C. Ramchandra [ Anarkali, Albela, Aasha, Barish, Navrang, Stree, Azad etc.]; Roshan [ Taj Mahal; Barsaat Ki Raat, Devar, Dadi Maa, Mamta etc]; Ravi [ Ghunghat, Gharana, Chaudhavin Ka Chand, Gumrah, Dilli Ka Thug, China Town, Nikaah etc.]
