But her fans and the fans Rajshri’s melodies have never stopped wondering what Ravindra Jain’s songs in Rajshri’s Geet Gaata Chal, Paheli, Anhkiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, Tapasya and Chit Chor would have sounded like had Lataji had sung Shyam Teri Bansi, Ankhiyon Ke Jharonkhon Se, Do Panchhi Do Tinke and Jab Deep Jale Aana.
After his spectacular musicianship in Saudagar (Kishore Kumar’s Har Haseen Cheez Ka and Asha Bhosle’s Sajna Hai Mujhe Sajna Ke Liye were huge hits), Jain scored a big commercial hit in Chor Machaye Shor. Kishore Kumar’s Ghungroo Ki Terah Bajta Hi Raha Hoon Main and Kishore-Asha’s Le Jayenge Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge were mega-hits. The latter was so overpowering in its impact that Jatin-Lalit dropped the idea of composing a title song for Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.
“We just couldn’t match up to Ravindra Jainji’s blockbuster song. We came up with a number of compositions and finally gave up,” says Lalit Pandit.
Jain came up with another blockbuster score in Fakira (produced by the same Chor Machaye Shor banner) in 1976. Lataji’s Dil Mein Tujhe Bithake and Mahendra Kapoor/Hemlata’s Fakira Chal-chala Chal topped the charts for months.
Shabana Azmi, who lip-synced Dil Mein Tujhe Bithake says the song gave her a leg-in for commercial cinema. “It was played as a Bhajan and as love song. It benefited in two genres,” says Shabana.
It is a pity Jain got associated with small banners. His big opportunity in the 1980s was Raj Khosla’s Daasi when Rajesh Roshan who was signed to do the semi-classical score fell out with Khosla. Jain was summoned.
And what a magnificent soundtrack Jain came up with! Bhupinder’s Piya Bin Jiya Nahin Laage, Asha Bhosle’s Purani Chilmanein Utha and Manna Dey’s Nindiya Jagaye Ho Rama qualify as among the best songs of the three singers. Sadly Daasi flopped and the songs went unnoticed.
Jain’s biggest opportunity came when Raj Kapoor who had worked with the mightiest composers, picked Jain for Ram Tera Ganga Maili and Henna. The former was a full-blown musical masterpiece with Lataji’s title song and Sun Sahiba Sun topping the charts for a full year.
Why was Ravindra Jain left to compose for small-budgeted, inconsequential films even after an epic score in Ram Teri Ganga Maili? Why was he destined to be associated with Hemlata instead of Lata?
