Ravi- The composer who has been forgotten

Everyone seems to have forgotten yesteryears' Super hit music director Ravi who has bequeathed a great number of great songs which are incomparable, unforgettable and are just inimitable super hits, a pleasure to listen to, even today. Though everyone remembers the songs, but Ravi has somehow been forgotten. Even Sonu Nigam’s TVS Saregama talent contest which brought on stage many great music personalities of yesteryears once again in limelight and paid rich tributes, gave a pass by to Ravi. He is rarely seen, rarely heard of, and rarely ever written about. I feel very sad about it, hence this review to remind the readers of a great composer. To take you down the memory lane: Ravi made his debut with a Devendra Goel’s Vachan which also saw the debut of Rajendra Kumar. Ravi maintained his relationships and did many movies for Devendra Goel and also for Rajendra Kumar, the Jubilee Kumar.Some of his great movies & songs are: 1. Chaudhveen ka chand: Everyone remembers the exquisite title song soulfully rendered by Rafi in Raga- Bhopali. In addition there were other hits like Yeh Lucknow ki sargam, Mili khak mein mohobbat. 2. Gumraah: The famous “ Chalo ek baar phir se , ajnabi ban jayen hum dono” which fetched a film fare award to Mahendra Kapoor. There were other beautiful songs in the movie including: In hawawon mein, Aa bhi jaa, App aaaye to khayal-e-dile-nashad aaya. 3. Nazrana: The famous Rafi song in a RajKapoor movie! “ Baazi kisine pyaar ki, jeeti ya haar dee”, and Mukesh’s pathos filled “ Ik who bhi diwali thi, ik yeh bhi diwali hai” which brings tears to eyes. 4. . Do Badan : A series of superhit songs , “ Naseeb mein jiske jo likha tha”, “ Rahe gardishon me hardam”, “ Lo aa gayi, teri yaad , tum nahin aaye”. 5. Kaajal: Effervescent “Chhoo lene do najuk hoton ko”, “ Yeh julf agar khulke”, “ Tora Man darpan kehlaye” 6. Khaandan: “ Tumhi mere mandir” , Badi der bhayee nand lala. 7. Gharana: “ Husn wale tera jawab nahin. 8. Grihasti: Jeevan jyot jale 9. Bharosa: Is bhari duniya mein koi bhi hamara na hua. 10. Kaun apna kaun paraya: Jara sun haseen na-ye naazneen, 11. Humraaz: another BR Chopra movie featuring hit songs of Ravi, once again by Mahendra Kapoor… “Ae Neele gagan ke tale” and, “Kisi pathar ki moorat se”, These are some of the songs that readily come to mind. There have been many many more. The last remembered film of Ravi,Insaf ka Tarazu was another BR Chopra hit, in which the Pakistani singer Salma rendered a few old type songs like Dil ke armaan ansuome beh gaye etc.. The movie also featured Ghulam Ali’s Chupke chupke raat bhar. I think this was the last movie that Ravi did and after that where did he vanish? I remember Ravi and miss him.So far in my life, I met only one person from Bhilwara who said his favorite MD is Ravi! Despite his songs being superhits, Ravi never had a fan following, I dont know why.

His other good mvies are; China Town, Pyar kiya do darna kya, DusLakh,Aadmi aur Insan.

Of late, very recently, Ravi surfaced from his exile,appeared in the Total Recall show on TimesNow, and created a controversy saying the famous "Been" sound in Nagin was created by him and not by Kalyanji as we had known all these years.I don't know why he kept quite so many years, and is now coming up with this after Kalyanji's demise.Even Hemantda never denied it. It was surprise knowing that Ravi was an assistant to Hemant Kumar.