Udit Narayan & Shailendra Singh remember Raamlaxman

Music composer Raamlaxman was much-loved by all the singers who sang for him. Udit Narayan has the fondest words for the deceased composer. “He was a very talented man. And so much fun to be with! Songs were such chart busters. I think the first song I sang for him was a fun song in film called I Love You in 1992. The same year I sang a lovely duet for Raamlaxman with Lataji: ‘Ruk Bhi Jao Jaan-E-Jaana’. I think this was the first time I had the honour of singing with Lataji. I was not a part of Raamlaxman’s biggest films Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aaapke Hain Koun since Salman Khanji preferred the great S P Balasubramaniamji. But I did have one chorus song in Hum Aapke Hain Koun: ‘Dhik Tana’. And several chorus songs in Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Saath Saath Hain. They were great fun to sing and they were big hits. Then there was the great Manmohan Desaiji Anmol where Raam Laxmanji took me as the hero (Rishi Kapoor)’s voice while Lataji sang for the heroine (Manisha Koirala). It was always a pleasure to sing for and to spend time with Raamlaxmanji.”

Shailendra Singh who sang innumerable hits for Raamlaxman, remembers the composer fondly. “Laxman was a very good composer. But he was an even better human being. He was fun to work with. He was full of anecdotes and he would make you laugh. And he was a good mimic. And the best part of singing for Laxman was that he never took too many retakes. He didn’t believe in them. He was always confident, ‘Jo record kiya who sahi hai’.And another distinctive characteristic of Laxman’s working style was the way he recorded the duets. He gave the male and the female singer the lyrics written in different colours. So the singer didn’t have to write his or her part of the song before singing. It was all there in perfect handwriting. All the two singers in a duet had to do was sing. And the recordings would be over in just 3 hours or so. I really enjoyed singing for him. My first song for Laxman and Ram when Ram was alive was in the film Agent Vinod, ‘Loveleena Aa Gaya Hoon Main’. After that all the songs in Tarana and Sanch Ko Aanch Nahin. I also sang for him in his two biggest hit soundtracks Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun. It was great working for him. From the songs that I sang for him my favourites are Loveleena from Agent Vinod, ‘Gunche Lage Hain Kehne’ from Tarana, ‘Hum Tum Donon Saath Mein Bheeg Jayenge Barsaat Mein’ in Tarana, the Ghazal ‘Mere Bass Mein Agar Kuch Hota Toh Tere Aankhon Mein Aansoon Na Aane Deta’ and Aankhon aankhon mein from Saanch Ko Aanch Nahin, O Basanti from Sun Sajna, His death is a personal loss for me. God bless his soul. May he rest in peace.”