Contribution of singers for the RK Banner:
RK Production contributed in the making of successful bollywood films for the last 60 years. Music had played a very significant part in the success of those films. Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, etc., played a major role, although a lot of songs in these films were sung by other singers as well. Lata Mangeshkar in fact created her identity with the songs “jiya beqarar hai”, “hawa me urta jaye” in the film Barsaat, 1949, and continued her brilliance with songs like “dum bhar jo udhar mu phere” in Awara, 1951, “rajaki ayegi baraat” in Aag, 1953, “Jago Mohan Pyare”, in Jagte Raho, 1956, “ban ke panchi gaye pyar ka tarana”, in Anari, 1959, “woh basanti” in Jis desh Me Ganga Behti Hai, 1961, to name a few.
Mohammad Rafi, had sung very significant songs under RK Banner, which became hits and sometimes brought the climax of the films. In Shri 420, 1955, Rafi started the song “ramaiya vasta maiya” which was continued by Lata and was finished of by Mukesh. In the award winning film Boot Polish, Rafi’s song “nanne munne bacche tere muthi me kya hai” was very big hit. Rafi made the tragic end for the film Sangam, 1964, with the song “ki tum naraaz nahi hona”. Mukesh and Manna Dey matched Raj Kapoor’s voice and both had sung huge number of songs under RK Banner, including “awara hoon”, “sab kuch sikha humne”, “har dil jo pyar karega”, “jane kaha gaye woh din”, “dost dost na raha” etc. ( by Mukesh), “ pyar hua ikraar hua”, “mur murke na dekh”, “yeh raat bheegi bheegi”, “dil ka hal sune dilwala”, “chalat musafir”, etc., (by Manna Dey). Geeta Dutt sung “bolo sha wai wai” in Jagte Raho, Asha Bhoshle had sung “mur mur ke na dekh”, in Shree 420, etc.
But as the span of production under RK Banner continued for more than 50 years, a number of singers died, composers died, resulting in fresh use of new talents under the RK Banner. Shailendra Singh made his debue in Bobby, 1973, with the song “mai shayar to nahi” and suited Rishi Kapoor along with Chanchal who made his debue in the same film. Other hit songs of Shailendra Singh include “hum tum ek kamre me bandh ho”, “ge ge ge ge, mere saiba”, etc. Suresh Watkar, Ravindra Jain sung songs in films like Prem Rog, 1982, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, 1985, etc., and these voices evenly matched with Rishi Kapoor or Rajeev Kapoor, etc. As playback singing contributed a lot in the creation and nurturing of images of actors and actresses for the last 50 years, the suitability of singers with heroes and heroines had made notable impact on the liking of the films by viewers.
It is a tragedy that Raj Kapoor died in 1988, otherwise the 4th generation of his family, Ranbir Kapoor may have made a debue under RK Production. Although Ranbir Kapoor, has made his debue in the film Sawaariya, he has not brought forward the legacy of his family under a film produced under RK Banner. For the last 5 years competition in the world of playback singing is very stiff and the heroes and heroines are expected to have suitable combination with all singers. Only time can tell whether Ranbir Kapoor’s voice matches with Sonu Nigam, or Udit Narayan, or Himesh Reshamiya, etc. If Rishi Kapoor, produces any film in future under the RK Banner, he has to weigh the choice of singers who can suit his son’s voice and the acceptability of the songs will depend on that criteria.
In a nutshell it can be said that RK Banner, had shaped, carried forward the musical significance of bollywood films in the last century and the present generation of the Kapoor family has to rise up to the expectations of the filmlovers in India and abroad to maintain the rich standard of music that had been the hallmark of successful films made in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
Mohammad Rafi, had sung very significant songs under RK Banner, which became hits and sometimes brought the climax of the films. In Shri 420, 1955, Rafi started the song “ramaiya vasta maiya” which was continued by Lata and was finished of by Mukesh. In the award winning film Boot Polish, Rafi’s song “nanne munne bacche tere muthi me kya hai” was very big hit. Rafi made the tragic end for the film Sangam, 1964, with the song “ki tum naraaz nahi hona”. Mukesh and Manna Dey matched Raj Kapoor’s voice and both had sung huge number of songs under RK Banner, including “awara hoon”, “sab kuch sikha humne”, “har dil jo pyar karega”, “jane kaha gaye woh din”, “dost dost na raha” etc. ( by Mukesh), “ pyar hua ikraar hua”, “mur murke na dekh”, “yeh raat bheegi bheegi”, “dil ka hal sune dilwala”, “chalat musafir”, etc., (by Manna Dey). Geeta Dutt sung “bolo sha wai wai” in Jagte Raho, Asha Bhoshle had sung “mur mur ke na dekh”, in Shree 420, etc.
But as the span of production under RK Banner continued for more than 50 years, a number of singers died, composers died, resulting in fresh use of new talents under the RK Banner. Shailendra Singh made his debue in Bobby, 1973, with the song “mai shayar to nahi” and suited Rishi Kapoor along with Chanchal who made his debue in the same film. Other hit songs of Shailendra Singh include “hum tum ek kamre me bandh ho”, “ge ge ge ge, mere saiba”, etc. Suresh Watkar, Ravindra Jain sung songs in films like Prem Rog, 1982, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, 1985, etc., and these voices evenly matched with Rishi Kapoor or Rajeev Kapoor, etc. As playback singing contributed a lot in the creation and nurturing of images of actors and actresses for the last 50 years, the suitability of singers with heroes and heroines had made notable impact on the liking of the films by viewers.
It is a tragedy that Raj Kapoor died in 1988, otherwise the 4th generation of his family, Ranbir Kapoor may have made a debue under RK Production. Although Ranbir Kapoor, has made his debue in the film Sawaariya, he has not brought forward the legacy of his family under a film produced under RK Banner. For the last 5 years competition in the world of playback singing is very stiff and the heroes and heroines are expected to have suitable combination with all singers. Only time can tell whether Ranbir Kapoor’s voice matches with Sonu Nigam, or Udit Narayan, or Himesh Reshamiya, etc. If Rishi Kapoor, produces any film in future under the RK Banner, he has to weigh the choice of singers who can suit his son’s voice and the acceptability of the songs will depend on that criteria.
In a nutshell it can be said that RK Banner, had shaped, carried forward the musical significance of bollywood films in the last century and the present generation of the Kapoor family has to rise up to the expectations of the filmlovers in India and abroad to maintain the rich standard of music that had been the hallmark of successful films made in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.
