From ‘Dekha Ek Khwab’ to ‘Tere Mere Honton Pe’: Songs composed by Pt Shivkumar Sharma that make up quintessential Yash Chopra romance

During his striving days in Bombay, the classical musician was also offered a role in a film starring Amitabh Bachchan. Sharma, in his youth was very well connected to Bollywood and due to his striking good looks, was often offered films. The musician had himself revealed that he was offered ‘Saat Hindustani’ at the age of 22 by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, but he declined, and had never regretted his decision.

Magic does not happen in a wink, although to others it may appear so. After his first foray into Bollywood films with V. Shantaram’s ‘Jhanak Jhanak Payel Baje’ while on one hand Shivkumar Sharma was ecstatic that santoor was used for the first time in a Bollywood film, on the other, he was acutely aware of the shortcomings of the instruments. Therefore, resisting the call of commercialisation, Sharma dedicated himself to the 100 stringed instrument, trying to perfect it. He persevered day and night, sometimes on an empty stomach, and finally morphed santoor into a version that took a significant place in classical music.

The combination of santoor and flute is like a match made in heaven, and so is the jugalbandi of Shivkumar Sharma, and Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. Sharma believed that his friendship with chaurasia is blessed by god. They had known each other for several decades and the goodwill and love they shared would always reflect when they performed duets.

Everyone thought that Yash Chopra took a risk chance by asking Hari Prasad Chaurasia and Shivkumar Sharma to compose music. But, Sharma along with Chaurasia proved the naysayers wrong, by creating a beautiful album for ‘Silsila’. Songs like ‘Neela Aasman’ and ‘Dekha Ek Khawab’ caught on like wildfire, and their popularity has only grown over the decades. Chopra, on the other hand, asked the duo to create music for his other films like ‘Chandni’ and ‘Lamhe’ too.

As long as Sharma lived, to him creating music was no less than worshiping god. Talking about the connection between his music and god, sharma had said, “Even now I meditate before a concert. Once on stage, I surrender myself before my guru and God. I get an extra energy by doing so. They take over and play through me. I become a drashta – an onlooker. The drashta or sakshi bhaav is a spiritual practice.”

In his life, the classical musician amassed many accolades. From international honours like an honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore, USA, in 1985 to the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986 and not to mention the Padma Shri in 1991, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001, the musician was a national treasure. He made India proud here as well as abroad.