While there are any number of people who’ve come to Bombay in
the hopes of becoming a big movie star, not all have succeeded in having their
face projected onto the movie screen. They’ve gone on to make a name for
themselves in Bollywood – some as successful film directors, others as
cameramen and some as dance or fight directors.
Then of course for every Dev Anand or Rajesh Khanna who made
it big, there are several hundreds who remained where they started in Bollywood
– as spot boys or canteen waiters hanging on the periphery of the industry,
hoping to be noticed by a big shot.
This is the story of a man who wanted to become an actor, definitely
had the looks to become a hero and so, enrolled himself in the Film Institute
of India at Pune to learn the craft of acting. What he also had going for him
was another talent – one where he could more than carry off a tune. And when he was in his second year at the Film
Institute, Lady Luck really smiled on him.
The name of the young man was Shailendra Singh and his
father's friend, a Mr V P Sathe who was among the script writers for RK Films,
recommended him to Raj Kapoor.
Raj Kapoor’s last film, “Mera Naam Joker” had failed miserably
at the box office in 1970, and he now resolved to make “Bobby” – as a launch
pad for his second son, Rishi Kapoor. And as all the male stars of those times
had established voices giving playback vocals for them, he wanted a completely
fresh voice for his son.
Remembering V P Sathe’s recommendation, he asked him to call
the young fellow over to meet him. Shailendra Singh who till that time had only
recorded a few private ghazals for HMV, performed them in front of Raj Kapoor.
He was impressed enough by the voice of the young singer to ask him his name.
On learning that his name was Shailendra, Raj Kapoor’s eyes turned wistful at
remembering his old friend, the lyricist, Shailendra who had passed away some
years ago. He said so to Shailendra, “Aaj tumne mujhe mere yaar ki yaad dila
di.”
Without further delay, he introduced Shailendra Singh to
Laxmikant Pyarelal and told them that his was the voice that would playback for
Rishi Kapoor in “Bobby.” Now Laxmikant Pyarelal were caught in a bind – this
was the first prestigious assignment they had bagged for R K Films. And they
would certainly not want to risk it with a rank newcomer…in fact they were
already thinking of using Mohammad Rafi’s for the Rishi Kapoor songs.
But Raj Kapoor was adamant – and finally every Rishi Kapoor
song, a solo or a duet, had Shailendra Singh lending the vocals.
When the music of the movie released, it broke all records of
that time – and every song of the movie was a runaway hit. The album was being played
everywhere – from Durga Pooja Pandals in the East, wedding festivities in the
North to tourist buses in the South. In the West of India, needless to say, it
seemed as if it was playing in a continuous loop.
The next singing sensation had arrived – or so it had seemed.
But most inexplicably, Shailendra Singh’s career never reached
the heights it had promised. His next project was a movie produced by his
father named “Agreement” where he starred opposite Rekha and also sung the
songs filmed on himself. But the movie tanked very badly and its music too was
no great shakes. In a matter of weeks, it had undone the starry heights that he
had reached as a singer.
Subsequent films like “Do Jasoos” in which he acted went
further in denting his stardom. From a voice with great potential, he became
the second choice to singers like Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar. Yes, he
would notch up the occasional hit song like “Humne Tumko Dekha” from “Khel Khel
Mein” or “Gunche Lage Hain Kehne” from “Tarana” and “Hoga Tumse Pyara Kaun”
from “Zamane Ko Dikhana Hain.”
It is sad indeed that anyone familiar with Hindi film music will
acknowledge that Shailendra Singh the singer, was capable of a far greater body
of work than history has gone on to record.
Here is the song that had propelled him to singing stardom from the film "Bobby."
MAIN SHAYAR TOH NAHIN
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