The story of Laxmikant Pyarelal has a fairytale quality. Hustling gigs, they both got their first break when spotted at Lala Mangesiikar’s home-based music academy. Laxmikant played the mandolin and Pyarelal the violin. Their meeting led to a friendship that would last a lifetime: whether they wrote separately or together, they always credited themselves as a duo.
Pyarelal’s background was fairly comfortable but Laxmikant’s was tough and it was he who kept them focused when trying to make the break from session musicians to music directors. Which they did with a bang in 1964 when, from nowhere, they won Filmfare’s “Best Music Director” award for their soundtrack to ‘Dosti’. From then on it was work, work, work with, for example, 44 movies in the 3 years between 1966 and ’69, and over 150 films in the 1970s, in addition to the occasional session work.
Laxmikant Pyarelal kept a sharp eye on changing trends and cast their net wide when it came to styles and structure. Times Square Records sifted through hundreds of their songs to bring the listener the gems: some of their greatest hits and a few rarities, from some of their earliest recordings to their last. The album contains comprehensive liner notes that help give context to the musicians, the songs and their films.
Bollywood Remembers Laxmikant Pyarelal is an indispensable album by two of Bollywood’s most influential musicians.
Buy the album:
- In North America: Bollywood Remembers Laxmikant Pyarelal. Other recordings available: Nagina, Haathi Mere Saathi / Dushman, Ram Avtar, Amba, Do Waqt Ki Roti, Hamara Khandan, Bees Saal Baad, Do Qaidi, Deshwasi, Biwi Ho To Aisi, Ganga Tere Desh Mein
- In Europe: Bollywood Remembers Laxmikant Pyarelal- Best of the EMI Years
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
