BCR NEWS (New Delhi): Rich tributes were paid to legendary music director Anil Biswas on the occasion of his twelfth death anniversary which fell on May 31, 2015, at a Function organized by Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI) in New Delhi.
Speaking on the occasion, the GM of CSOI Col Rajinder Kumar stated that such was the stature of Anil Biswas that on his demise on May 31, 2003, the then PM of India Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said “Anil Biswas was a doyen of film music who stuck the rare balance between classical purity of music and popular pulse. He is an enduring legacy as he introduced many talented singers and innovations to the Indian Film music”.
The Function was followed by a musical program of compositions of Anil Biswas sung by top NCR singers. The program was planned and conceived by Amarjit Singh Kohli, Chairman, Sakha Cultural Society and produced by Shailaja Menon Madhavan who also scripted and compered the program and was also the main singer of the evening. Shailaja Madhavan was presented with prestigious SAKHA AWARD.
Mr Amarjit Singh Kohli, Chairman, Sakha Cultural Society, speaking on behalf of music lovers, urged the Government to posthumously award Anil Biswas with Padma Award which was denied to him during his lifetime. He said that Anil Biswas pioneered three things in film industry for the first time, which were acknowledged by the then prime minister of India Sh Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These were the introduction of full-fledged orchestra, folk music and classical music. Anil Biswas is credited with giving breaks to many singers including Begum Akhtar, Zohrabai Ambalewali, Mukesh, Talat Mehmood and many others. He was also a revolutionary and went to jail many times during the freedom struggle of India. He deserves to be honoured with Padma Award.
Anil Biswas who was born on July 7, 1914 in Barisal in Bangla Desh, died in New Delhi on May 31, 2003. He started singing and composing music in Calcutta in1932 when he was just 18 years old. In Calcutta he was rubbing arms with musical legends like RC Boral, Kundan Lal Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, SD Burman. He shifted to Bombay later and became a full-fledged music director of film “Dharm Ki Devi” in 1935 when he was just 21 years old. He is called the “Chacha” of Indian film music, RC Boral being called the father. His musical career spanned for more than 60 years from 1932 to 1975 and he gave music in 83 films. His famous compositions include “Door hato ai duniya walo” (Film Kismat, 1943), “Dil jalta hai to jalne de” by Mukesh (Film Pehli Nazar, 1945”), “Ai dil Mujhe aisi jageh le chal” by Talat Mehmood (Aarzoo, 1950.
According to Lata Mangeshkar it was Anil Biswas who taught her the two most important things that later shaped her singing career. Firstly, how to take breath in between the singing-lines without anyone noticing it and secondly how to pronounce words so that each line is clearly audible and clear to a listener.
