Shailendra (born Shankardas Kesarilal; 30 August 1923 – 14 December 1966) was an Indian Hindi-Urdu poet, lyricist and film producer. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most celebrated lyricists of the Indian film industry. Known for his association with filmmaker Raj Kapoor, singer Mukesh, and composer duo Shankar–Jaikishan, he wrote lyrics for several successful Hindi film songs in the 1950s and 1960s. He also wrote songs in the Bhojpuri language for early Bhojpuri movies as his mother tongue was Bhojpuri.
Shankar Shailendra was born on 30 August 1923 in Rawalpindi, Punjab (now in Pakistan). He was born into a Dalit family belonging to the Chamar community and his ancestors were originally from the Ara district of Bihar. Due to financial crisis, his family later moved to Mathura from Rawalpindi where Shailendra completed his studies. At a young age, he lost his mother and sister. His village in Arrah, Bihar mostly comprised agricultural laborers and Shailendra’s father had shifted to Rawalpindi to find work at a military hospital. Shailendra came in contact with Indra Bahadur Khare at the Kishori Raman Vidyalay (now Kishori Raman Inter College) Mathura. Both composed poems, sitting on the rock located on the bank of a pond in between railway 27 quarters and railway line near to Mathura station. Afterwards Shailendra moved to Bombay for films and Indra Bahadur Khare became famous in Raashtreey Kavita.
Shailendra started his career as an apprentice with Indian Railways in Matunga workshop, Mumbai in 1947. He began to write poetry at this time.
The filmmaker Raj Kapoor noticed Shailendra, when the latter read his poem Jalta hai Punjab at a mushaira (poetic symposium). Kapoor offered to buy the poem Jalta Hai Punjab written by Shailendra and for his movie Aag (1948). Shailendra, a member of the leftist Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), was wary of mainstream Indian cinema and refused. However, after his wife became pregnant, Shailendra himself approached Raj Kapoor in need of money. At this time, Raj Kapoor was filming Barsaat (1949), and two of the film songs had not yet been written. For ₹ 500, Shailendra wrote these two songs: Patli kamar hai and Barsaat mein. The music for Barsaat was composed by Shankar–Jaikishan.
The team of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, and Shankar–Jaikishan went on to produce many other hit songs. The song 'Awara Hoon' from the 1951 film Awaara, written by Shailendra, became the most appreciated Indian film song outside India at the time. Shailendra wrote lyrics for the songs of most of Raj Kapoor’s films, Shree 420 released in 1955 is one of them. All songs of this film were hits and they are still sung on various occasions. One can easily understand the power and magic of Shailendra's lyrics from the song "Pyaar hua iqaraar hua hai, Pyaar se phir kyo darta hai dil", remains an evergreen Bollywood song.
In the days when composers would recommend lyricists to producers, Shankar–Jaikishan once promised Shailendra that they would recommend him, but did not keep their promise. Shailendra sent them a note with the lines, Chhoti Si Yeh Duniya, Pehchaane Raaste Hain. Kahin To Miloge, toh Poochhenge Haal ("The world is small, the roads are familiar. We'll meet sometime, and ask 'How do you do?'"). Shankar–Jaikishan realised what the message meant and, having apologised, turned the lines into a popular song. The song, sung by Kishore Kumar, appeared in the film Rangoli (1962), for which the producer Rajendra Singh Bedi wanted to sign Majrooh Sultanpuri as the lyricist. However, Shankar–Jaikishan insisted on Shailendra and the producer had to oblige.
Shailendra also wrote lyrics for several Bhojpuri films. Avijit Ghosh mentions in his book, Cinema Bhojpuri, that Shailendra penned songs for Ganga Maiya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (the first Bhojpuri film), Ganga, Mitwa and Vidhana Naach Nachawe. On page 184, Ghosh wrote that Shailendra received the best lyricist award for Ganga Maiyya... for all Bhojpuri and Magadhi films released till then at a function held in April 1965 in Calcutta. Shailendra also appeared on-screen as the male character singing the songs, "Chali Kaunse Desh Gujariya Tu Saj Dhaj Ke" from Boot Polish (1954) lip-syncing to Talat Mahmood's vocals as well as "Tedhi Tedhi Humse Phire Saari Duniya" from Musafir (1957) lip-syncing to Manna Dey's vocals. Both of these songs were written by him. He also played a cameo in Shree 420 (1955), playing the role of Raj's (Raj Kapoor's character) associate in the con to sell shares of his fictitious company, making phone calls to Raj while posing as a Japanese investor desperate to buy shares of his company.
During his struggling period, Shailendra came in contact with a distant relative who previously worked as a station master at the railway station of Jhansi, Bundelkhand. Through him, Shailendra met his daughter Shakuntala (2 August 1932 – 5 March 1991). Shailendra married Shakuntala in 1948, in a love marriage. They had three sons and two daughters:
Shailey Shailendra (born Hemant Shailendra; 9 December 1949 – 7 February 2007), a lyricist
Manoj Shailendra (born early 1950s)
Amla Shailendra Mazumdar (born 15 October early 1950s) writer, author of Shailendra – A Love Lyric in Print : A Daughter Remembers (published 4 August 2024)
Gopa Shailendra Chandra (27 June 1954 – 22 January 2015)
Dinesh Shailendra (born 9 April 1956), film director and writer
The only film Shailendra produced is Teesri Kasam (1966). Directed by Basu Bhattacharya and starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman, it was an adaptation of Phanishwar Nath Renu's famous short story Maare Gaye Ghulfam. However, In 1961 Shailendra invested heavily in the production of the movie Teesri Kasam (1966), directed by Basu Bhattacharya and starring Raj Kapoor and Waheeda Rehman. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, but was a commercial failure. Declining health resulting from tension associated with film production and anxiety due to financial loss, coupled with alcohol abuse, effected his early death on 14 December 1966 at the age of 43. After his death, his associates Raj Kapoor and Mukesh, both of whom were involved in the film, helped Shailendra's family to overcome from the financial problems and due payments to the creditors.
Contrary to this, Dinesh Shailendra, the youngest son of the legendary lyricist, has openly clarified in interviews (such as his detailed chat with The Hindu) that the popular industry myth surrounding his father’s passing is highly exaggerated. As one of the most successful lyricists of Hindi cinema's Golden Era, Shailendra was earning an exceptional income through constant film projects and music royalties. A single movie's distribution failure could not completely bankrupt him. According to Dinesh, it was not the lack of money that broke Shailendra, but the emotional trauma and betrayal by close associates in the industry. The delay in releasing Teesri Kasam was caused by distributors backing out and people he trusted turning their backs on him. This deep sense of betrayal—rather than poverty—shattered his mental and physical well-being.
Shailendra's song "Rula Ke Gaya Sapna Mera" Jewel Thief (1967) directly reflected his real-life feelings of betrayal during his final days.
Shailendra's son Shailey Shailendra also became a lyricist. At the age of 17, Raj Kapoor asked him to complete his father's song Jeena yahan, marna yahan for the film Mera Naam Joker. Shaily Shailendra completed the "mukhra" (lit. "face," or chorus) of the song whereas Shailendra completed the "antara" (verses) only before his demise. Lyricist, writer, and director Gulzar has repeatedly stated that Shailendra was the best lyricist produced by the Hindi film industry.
Shailendra's song Mera Joota Hai Japani was featured in the 2016 Hollywood movie Deadpool (2016). A street in the Dhauli Pyau locality of Mathura was named after Shailendra on 9 March 2016 - Geetkar-Jankavi Shailendra Marg – Mathura. Shailendra spent 16 years of his early life in Mathura before moving to Mumbai to work for Indian Railways in 1947.