Today is Pandit Narendra Sharma's  death  anniversary.  Poet  par
excellence,  as  he  was,  who wrote gems like 'Baandh Priti Phul
Dor', 'Aise Hain Sukh Sapan Hamaare' ,  'Man  Mor  Hua  Diwaana',
'Nain  Diwaane  Ik  Nahi Maane', 'Jyoti Kalash Chhalke', "Panchhi
Aur Pardesi Dono Nahi Kisi Ke Meet' etc. etc.  Pandit  ji  worked
extensively with two music composers: Anil Biswas -- in 1940s and
Sudhir Phadke in 1950s. He also worked with Sachin Beb Burman  in
Afsar (1950) and Radha Krishna (1954), also with Vasant Desai and
Snehal Bhatkar in Udhdhar  (1949),  Nrusinh  Avtar  (1949),  Nand
Kishor (1951) etc.

In mid 1950s he joined AIR, Delhi. It was the  time,  AIR  didn't
pay attention towards the film music and didn't bother to collect
gramophone records -- which was to become a  treasure  in  future
years  --  and  compelled people to move needle on their receiver
sets  to  search  Radio  Ceylone  (now  Sri  Lanka   Broadcasting
Corporation),  and Goa Radio on short wave frequencies. [ I still
do that, as many of above songs can be heard only there, and that
after  Portuguese  hand  over of Goa in early 1960s, Goa radio is
also silent ever since. ] It was he, who proposed  to  the  union
ministry  governing  radio broadcasting to float a new channel of
entertainment. Yes, I am talking about  Vividh  Bharati!  It  was
only  through  his  sole  efforts  it  could  born. Then low key,
entertainment radio in 1958! This is one reason  AIR  has  almost
all  songs of late 1950s and later, but sadly have missed the bus
of 1940s/early and mid 1950s.

After retiring he returned to filmdom for a  brief  time  in  mid
1970s.  Here  he  gave some nice lyrics, showing his class again,
for Meera Shyam (1976)  'Sanware  Mat  Ja,  Radhike  Araj  Kare',
Satyam  Shivam  Sundaram  (1978)  title  song etc. Around 1980 he
worked with Hridaynath Mangeshkar for a couple of films.

To todays generation he might seem to be a 'Vaishnav  kavi',  for
his  many  songs on Sri Krishna; he had actually had a variety of
songs flowing out of his pen.  Those who are  familiar  with  his
output  of  Veena  (1948), Malati Madhav (1951), Afsar (1950) can
say that they are testimonial in that regard.

He belonged to a  class  of  poets,  to  have  blessed  the  film
industry,  that  included,  besides  him at the top there, people
like Kedar Sharma, Pradeep, Sarawati Kumar "Deepak",  Pt.  Bharat
Vyas,  Pt.  B  C  Madhur,  Pt. Indra and others, carving a way of
their own, using "shudhdh hindi". I believe,  what  Panditji  has
achieved  is  matched  by  very few. To reach at the bottom of an
ordinary man's heart with such a clear and high class quality  in
poetry shows class of a maestro.

Here is a song commemorating this great poet

#148
        Song: Kismat Ka Dosh Baaware, Dosh Nahi Bhagwaan Ka
                Dukh Dena Insaan Ko Ye, Kaam Hai Ye Insaan Ka

        Film:   Sajni (1956)
        Music:  Sudhir Phadke
        Lyrics: Pt. Narendra Sharma
        Singer: Sudhir Phadke, Lata Mangeshkar
        *ing:   ?

This philosophical song has his stamp all over. Sung quite nicely
by  Lata  and  composer-singer. Initially I thought, it was Manna
De!

I know only few other songs from this film, all  written  by  Pt.
Narendra  Sharma.   Unfortunately  Sudhir Phadke doesn't show the
glitter of his class, so glaring and profoundly visible in  Malti
Madhav or Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan. This duet and one Lata solo

        Nidniya Bulane Wali Sapane Dikhane Wali
        Murali Bajaai Pyaare Poonam Ke Chand Ne

are good to very good. Other than these two the rest of the songs
probably fail to qualify for 'being great'.

        Ja Re Chndra Ja Re, Chandra Kahin Aur Ja Re
        Gokul Se KrishnaChandra Jayenge Sakaare         (By Lata)
and
        Raat Andhiyari Hai Maat Dukhuyari Hai           (By Lata)

are both fading away from my memory.

        Saajan Ke Paas Chali Sajni (2)
        Milan Ki Rajani Aa Gayi (2)                     (By Lata)

(may be called title song), is a decent number, but not striking.




 
Author: Snehal B. Oza