Shailendra was a popular Indian Hindi-Urdu lyricist. Noted for his association with the filmmaker Raj Kapoor, singer Mukesh, and the composers Shankar-Jaikishan, he wrote lyrics for several successful Hindi film songs in the 1950s and the 1960s.
Biography
Shailendra was born at Rawalpindi and brought up in Mathura. His ancestors belonged to Akhtiyarpur, Ara district of Bihar. He came in contact with poet Indra Bahadur Khare at the Kishori Raman School. Both started composing poems, sitting on the rock located on the bank of a pond in between railway 27 quarters and railway line near to Mathura station. Afterwards Shailendra moved to Bombay for films and Indra Bahadur Khare got fame in Raashtreey Kavita.
Career as a lyricist
Shailendra started his career as an apprentice with Indian Railways in Matunga workshop, Bombay in 1947. He started writing poetry during these days. The filmmaker Raj Kapoor noticed Shailendra, when the latter was reading out his poem Jalta hai Punjab at a mushaira. Kapoor offered to buy the poem Jalta Hai Punjab written by Shailendra and for his movie Aag. Shailendra, a member of the left wingIPTA, was wary of mainstream Indian cinema and refused. However, after his wife became pregnant, Shailendra himself approached Raj Kapoor in need of money. At this time, Raj Kapoor was filming Barsaat, and two of the film songs had not yet been written. For 500, Shailendra wrote these two songs: Patli kamar hai and Barsaat mein. The music for Barsaat was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan. The team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra and Shankar-Jaikishan went on to produce many other hit songs. The song "Awara Hoon" from the 1951 filmAwaara, written by Shailendra, became the most appreciated Hindustani film song outside India at the time. Shailendra had penned down plenty songs lyrics for Raj Kapoor's film. Shree 420## released in 1955 is one of them. All songs of this film were super hits and till date people sing in various occasions. One can easily understand the power and magic of Shailendra's lyrics from the song " Pyaar hua iqaraar hua hai, Pyaar se phir kyo darta hai dil ", is till date evergreen golden classic song of Bollywood. In the days when composers would recommend lyricists to producers, Shankar-Jaikishan once promised Shailendra that they would recommend him around, but didn't keep their promise. Shailendra sent them a note with the lines, Chhoti Si Yeh Duniya, Pehchaane Raaste Hain. Kahin To Miloge, toh Poochhenge Haal. Shankar-Jaikishan realised what the message meant and having said sorry, turned the lines into a popular song. The song was featured in the film Rangoli'', for which the producerRajendra Singh Bedi wanted to sign up Majrooh Sultanpuri as the lyricist. However, Shankar-Jaikishen insisted on Shailendra and the producer had to oblige. Apart from Shankar-Jaikishan, Shailendra also shared a rapport with composers such as Salil Chowdhary, Sachin Dev Burman, and Ravi Shankar. Apart from Raj Kapoor, he shared a rapport with filmmakers such as Bimal Roy and Dev Anand.
Shailendra's son Shaily Shailendra also became a lyricist. At the age of 17, Raj Kapoor asked him to complete his father's song Jeena yahan, marna yahan for the film Mera Naam Joker. Shaily Shailendra completed the "mukhra" of the song whereas Shailendra completed "antara" only before his demise. Lyricist, writer, and director Gulzar has stated on many occasions that Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry. Shailendra's song Mera Joota Hai Japani was featured in the 2016 English-language movie Deadpool.
