SHARDA RAJAN

Look back at the golden years of Bollywood music and the 1960s immediately come to mind.

- H. S. Billimoria

(1936-2023)

Melody was king and Shankar-Jaikishan ruled the music world. Not so long ago, they had taken a big risk by giving a huge break in 1949 to a newcomer called Lata Mangeshkar in their maiden venture, Barsaat.

Lata's career took off like a rocket thereafter and she was a regular feature in all SJ films.

Move forward to the 1960s. On a visit to Iran, Raj Kapoor was highly impressed by the singing of an Indian girl during a party in Teheran. He invited her to come to India and try her luck in Bollywood.