Anybody who has watched a Raj Kapoor film knows that music was always integral to the showman’s cinema. He had frequent collaborators for his films, particularly the team that gave him the iconic songs. While everybody knows about Mukesh voicing him or Shankar-Jaikishen composing the songs, less has been said about the man who penned those songs. For years, poet Shailendra was Raj Kapoor’s go to man for his songs, and it was for a good reason. For decades, Shailendra remained the most respected lyricist in India, and the highest-paid too.
Born in 1923, Shailendra began composing poems while still in school in Mathura. He began his career as an apprentice with Indian Railways in 1947 in Mumbai. It was here that his poetry took form. At a mushaira, he was noticed by Raj Kapoor, who bought his poem for the 1948 release Aag. Thus began the collaboration and a career in films. Shailendra wrote the songs for most of RK’s biggest hits like Barsaat, Awara, Shree 420, among others, while also working outside RK Films to write songs in films like Madhumati, Guide, Anuradha, Do Bigha Zameen, and Kala Bazar.
In a film career that stretched, Shailendra was extremely prolific, writing over 90 songs. As per reports, at the peak of his fame and demand, Shailendra charged an amount higher than even music composers, which made him the highest-paid lyricist in India. Even Javed Akhtar and Gulzar have not been able to charge that amount at their respective peaks.
Shailendra turned film producer in 1961 with Teesri Kasam and while the film won a National Award, it was a commercial failure. This failure led to Shailendra drinking more frequently and soon became an alcoholic. His health deteriorated due to alcohol abuse coupled with anxiety from financial losses and the famed lyricist died in 1966. He was just 43.
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