Remembering legendary musician Jaidev Verma on his 98th birth anniversary.
Jaidev (3 August 1919–6 January 1987; born Jaidev Verma) was a music composer in Hindi films, most known for his work in films: Hum Dono (1961), Reshma Aur Shera (1972), Prem Parbat (1973) and Gharonda (1977).
He won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction, three times for Reshma Aur Shera (1972), Gaman (1979) and Ankahee (1985).
Jaidev was the first music director to bag 3 National Award. Ali Akbar Khan took Jaidev as his music assistant, in 1951, when he composed music for Navketan Films’s Aandhiyan (1952) and ‘Hum Safar’. From film ‘Taxi Driver’ on, he became assistant to music composer, S. D. Burman.
His big break as a full-fledged music director came with Chetan Anand’s film, Joru Ka Bhai, followed by Chetan Anand’s next Anjali, both of these films became very popular.
Though it was with the film Navketan’s Hum Dono (1961) that Jaidev true came into the limelight, with classic songs like, “Allah Tero Naam”, ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar”, “Main Zindagi Ka Saath” and “Kabhi khud pe Kabhi Halat pe”. His other big success came with Sunil Dutt star, Mujhe Jeene Do (1963).
Though many of Jaidev’s films failed at the box office, many of them, such as Alap, Kinare Kinare and Ankahee, are remembered for his imaginative musical scores. He had a unique capability to mix traditional and folk music into Hindi film situations, giving him a unique advantage to other music directors of his times.
He also known for his non-film album of the couplets of Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s classic work Madhushala set to music and sung by singer Manna Dey.
He is one of the favourite composers of Lata Mangeshkar besides Salil Chowdhury and Madan Mohan. He also composed music for Nepali film Maitighar .
Jaidev never married, though he remained close to his sister’s family, who later settled in the United Kingdom. He died on 6 January 1987, at the age of 68. His last work was for the television series Ramayan.
