Shankar–Jaikishan, consisting of Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi (15 October 1922 - 26 April 1987, aged 64) and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal (4 November 1929 - 12 September 1971, aged 41), also known as S-J, were an Indian composer duo of the Hindi film industry, who worked together from 1949 to 1971. They are widely considered to be the greatest music composers of the Hindi film industry. From 1949 until Jaikishan's death in 1971, they composed musical scores for 136 films, introducing a new level of orchestral richness in film music. S-J collaborated with legendary singers such as Mukesh (singer), Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Talat Mahmood, Lata Mangeshkar, Suman Kalyanpur, Asha Bhosle and Sharda (singer). They also worked extensively with lyricists Shailendra (lyricist) and Hasrat Jaipuri, with whom they created some of the most memorable songs in their career.
Along with other artists, Shankar–Jaikishan composed timeless and enduring melodies during the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. Their best work was noted for being raga-based while maintaining both melodic charm and orchestral richness.
Although primarily active in the Hindi film industry as a composer duo, they strongly influenced the next generation of Indian music directors. Their songs remain popular in India and abroad, and continue to inspire composers decades after their deaths.
After Jaikishan's death in 1971, Shankar continued working as a music director and composed music for 43 films until his death in 1987. During this solo period, he continued to be credited under the name "Shankar–Jaikishan".
Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi (15 October 1922 – 26 April 1987) was from Hyderabad, British India. During his formative years, Shankar played the tabla and learned the art formally from Baba Nasir Khansahib. For many years, Shankar studied as a disciple of the legendary composer Khawaja Khurshid Anwar, in whose orchestra he performed.
Shankar started his career with a theater group run by Satyanarayan and Hemawati, before shifting to Prithvi Theatre where he played tabla and performed some minor roles in plays. It was at Prithvi Theatre that he learnt to play and mastered several other instruments like Sitar, Accordion and Piano. Besides his work at Prithvi Theatre, he also started working as an assistant to the leading composer duo of Husnlal Bhagatram and nurtured the ambition of becoming an independent music director.
Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal (4 November 1929 – 12 September 1971) was born to Dahyabhai Panchal and his wife. As a child he lived in Bansda (Vansada), a town in the present-day state of Gujarat. Jaikishan was adept at playing the harmonium. Subsequently, he obtained his musical lessons from Sangeet Visharad Wadilalji and later from Prem Shankar Nayak. After moving to Mumbai, he became a disciple of Vinayak Tambe.
Apart from working at Prithvi Theatre, Shankar used to frequently visit the office of a Gujarati director, Chandravadan Bhatt, who had promised Shankar a break as composer when he produced a film. It was outside the office of Bhatt that Shankar saw Jaikishan a number of times. He started a conversation one day and discovered that Jaikishan was a harmonium player, and also visiting the same producer in search of work. Shankar later recollected that they developed a liking for each other and it was he who then and there assured Jaikishan of the job of a harmonium player at Prithvi Theatre (without asking Prithviraj Kapoor, fondly referred to as 'Papaji'). Papaji honoured Shankar's selection and gladly accepted Jaikishan as a harmonium player at Prithvi. Soon, the two developed a close friendship to the extent that the people started referring to them 'Ram-Lakshman' and by several similar-meaning nicknames. Apart from following their musical pursuits, they also used to play significant roles in various plays including the famous play Pathan.
While working in Prithvi Theatre, Shankar and Jaikishan used to compose tunes and were in touch with Raj Kapoor, who was working as an assistant to the famous director Kidar Sharma and was aspiring to be an actor/director. Thus, the three had met at Prithvi Theatre.
Breakthrough and rise to prominence (1949–1959)
Shankar-Jaikishan began their career in 1949 with Raj Kapoor's romantic drama Barsaat. The film proved to be an All Time Blockbuster at the box office and its soundtrack album a major success which not only established Shankar-Jaikishan, but also made Lata Mangeshkar the leading playback singer of Bollywood as songs sung by her, such as "Hawa Mein Udta Jaye, "Jiya Beqarar Hai", "Barsaat Mein Humse Mile" proved to be superhits. The soundtrack was listed by Planet Bollywood at number 1 on their list of the 100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks. Rakesh Budhu of Planet Bollywood gave 10 stars stating, "Barsaat is ideally one of Hindi cinema's best soundtracks". They began the new decade with another Raj Kapoor film Awaara (1951), which again proved to be a huge commercial success and its soundtrack the best-selling Hindi film album of the 1950s with a number of chartbuster songs, including "Hum Tujhse Mohabbat Kar Ke", "Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi" and "Awaara Hoon", which made Mukesh the playback voice for Kapoor and one of the leading playback singers of his time along with Mohammed Rafi.
From 1952 to 1954, they composed for films like Daag (1952), Patita (1953), Aah (1953) and Boot Polish (1954), all of which had notable numbers, such as "Ae Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal" (Daag), “Yaad Kiya Dil Ne” (Patita), "Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat" (Aah) and "Nanhe Munne Bachche Teri Mutthi Mein Kya Hai" (Boot Polish).
Shankar-Jaikishan hit the big league in 1955 with Shree 420 and Seema, both of which had songs written by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Songs from both the films "Mera Joota Hai Japani", "Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua", "Ichak Dana Beechak Dana", "Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh" in the former and "Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hai", "Kahaan Jaa Raha Hain", "Ye Duniya Gam Ka Mela Hai" in the latter proved to highly popular among the masses and played a major role in box office success of both the films. The following year, they composed for Raja Nawathe's Basant Bahar and Anant Thakur's Chori Chori. Both the films were received well by critics as well as audience and their success was attributed to melodious songs by the duo many of which found a spot in the year-end annual list of Binaca Geetmala, such as "Badi Der Bhayee", a solo by Rafi, "Panchhi Banoon, Udti Phiroon", a solo by Mangeshkar, "Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum Tum Mile", "Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi" and "Nain Mile Chain Kahan", all three duets by Mangeshkar and Manna Dey. Chori Chori also won Shankar-Jaikishan their first Filmfare Award for Best Music Director. In the late-1950s, they delivered back-to-back musical hits with Bimal Roy's Yahudi (1958), L. V. Prasad's Chhoti Bahen (1959) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anari (1959), all three of which were critically and commercially successful, especially Anari which emerged as the highest-earning film of 1959 and one of the best-selling Hindi film album of the decade. It also won Shankar-Jaikishan their second Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.
Shankar-Jaikishan began the 1960s with films, such as Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai. Commercially, both the films emerged huge hits and their songs proved chartbuster, which were - "Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh" and "Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai" (Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai), "Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai" and "Aa Ab Laut Chalen" (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai). For Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Shankar-Jaikishan won their third Filmfare Award for Best Music Direction. From 1961 to 1963, they delivered a string of superhit songs like "Teri Pyari Pyari Soorat Ko" and "Ek Sawal Main Karoon" (Sasural), "Sau Saal Pehle" and "Jiya O Jiya" (Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai), "Dil Mera Ek Aas Ka Panchhi" and "Tum Roothi Raho" (Aas Ka Panchhi), "Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe" and "Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par" (Junglee), "Tera Mera Pyaar Amar" and "Tujhe Jeevan Ki Dor Se" (Asli-Naqli), "Main Chali Main Chali" and "Aawaz Deke Humein Tum Bulao" (Professor), "Allah Jaane Kya Hoga Aage" and "Dil Mera Chup Chap Jala" (Hariyali Aur Rasta), "Mujhe Kitna Pyar Hai Tumse" and "Dil Tera Deewana Hai Sanam" (Dil Tera Deewana), "Ruk Ja Raat" and "Yaad Na Jaye Beete Dinon Ki" (Dil Ek Mandir). The soundtrack of Junglee proved to be one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1960s and for their work in the romantic comedy Professor, Shankar-Jaikishan received their fourth Filmfare Award for Best Music Director.