{"id":3970,"date":"2018-01-12T01:04:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T19:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/?p=3970"},"modified":"2019-01-13T15:45:21","modified_gmt":"2019-01-13T10:15:21","slug":"c-ramchandra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/learningandcreativity.com\/silhouette\/c-ramchandra\/","title":{"rendered":"Tum Kya Jaano Tumhari Yaad Mein: Lingering Melodies of the Versatile C Ramchandra"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Lata-CR

C Ramchandra, Roshan and Lata Mangeshkar (Pic: Google Image Search)<\/p><\/div>\n

He was just 17 when he got his first break with Samrat Cinetone to play the hero and also the opportunity to sing his songs in Naganand, <\/em>1935. That was the beginning of the journey of Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar who came to be known to the world of cinema as C. Ramchandra, Chitalkar, Anna and some more pseudonyms. Today is the 100th birth anniversary of the affable genius CR, born 12th January 1918.<\/p>\n

While studying in Pune CR (C. Ramchandra) was drawn to the cinema world and he would skip school to see film shootings. Soon he tried his hand in acting with Lalit Pictures and Shalini Cinetone in Kohlapur, doing small roles and finally landed himself a good break as the lead in Naganand<\/em>.<\/p>\n

By 1937, CR had moved to Bombay to join Sohrab Modi\u2019s Minerva Movietone doing extra roles apart from working in the music department. Interested in music since childhood, he became adept at writing notations. The music directors at Minerva found it handy to let CR write the notations and guide the orchestra.<\/p>\n

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Bhagwan (Pic: Google Image Search)<\/p><\/div>\n

It was at Minerva that he met Bhagwan, the established actor and director. The Chandra Art Productions\u2019 The Criminal<\/em>, 1939 (shadow produced by Modi) and directed by Bhagwan, starring Hansa Wadkar, Chandrarao and Bhagwan, had music by Amir Hussain Khan (A. Hussain). CR was credited as assistant music director, as he completed all notations and got the songs recorded. The bond between Bhagwan and CR got sealed. Bhagwan knew here was a talent bomb waiting to explode.<\/p>\n

In 1939, Bhagwan got an assignment to direct a Tamil language film, Jayakodi.<\/em> He took CR along and it became CR\u2019s first independent assignment as a music director. The film had a decent run and the music was appreciated. Their next project together was another Tamil film by Bhagwan, Vanamohini <\/em>1941, this time a bigger hit and CR\u2019s second music venture also went down very well with the audience. He sang some of the songs in this film too.<\/p>\n

CR moved back to Pune to work in a couple of Marathi films, as an assistant. Bhagwan brought him back to Bombay to give him his first Hindi film, Sukhi Jivan<\/em> in 1942. A Harishchandra Pictures\u2019 production, directed by Bhagwan it starred Anil Biswas\u2019 first wife, Ashalata with Harishchandra Rao and Bhagwan. During making of this film CR got introduced to stalwarts of that era – Anil Biswas, Korganvkar, Robin Chatterji and directors like, Jayant Desai and Dwarka Khosla. These were the key people who helped farther CR build his career in music.<\/p>\n

Albela,<\/strong> <\/em>1951<\/p>\n

\"albela\"

Geeta Bali and Bhagwan in Albela (Pic: Google Image Search)<\/p><\/div>\n

Bhagwan did some 18 films with him all through from 1942 (Sukhi Jivan<\/em>) to 1966 (Labela<\/em>). CR and Bhagwan\u2019s 15th<\/sup> film together became a landmark in Hindi cinema. They had already given over 10 box office hits by then, but this is one that went on to earn immortality. Bhagwan Art Productions\u2019 Albela<\/em>, in 1951 was produced and directed by Bhagwan with Geeta Bali as his lead. It had 12 songs and each one a bigger hit than the other.<\/p>\n

CR sang most the songs himself (as Chitalkar), some solos and other duets with Lata. There is one duet by Rafi and Lata (Mehfil mein meri kaun yeh<\/em>) in the film. It was Bhagwan\u2019s unique direction that he used Rafi\u2019s voice here. The film has a double role by Bhagwan, in which one of the roles was of an established singing theatre artist who inspires our hero Bhagwan to become a singing star. In the smaller role of the theatre artist it was Rafi lending his voice while Chitalkar was the voice of the hero when he hits stardom. This idea was borrowed by director, H.S. Rawail in\u00a0Shararat<\/em>, 1959 where he had two Kishore Kumars. Having one Kishore sing in his own voice (Hum matwale naujawan<\/em>), he got the second Kishore sing, Ajab hai dastan teri ae zindagi<\/em>, in Rafi\u2019s voice. But let us get back to CR and his massive hit Albela<\/em> with this song that has now gained cult status:<\/p>\n

Shola jo bhadke, dil mera dhadke<\/em><\/strong> (Albela<\/em>, 1951) Rajinder Krishan \/ Chitalkar, Lata Mangeshkar and Chorus<\/span><\/p>\n