Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal

Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal was born on 4th of November in Vansada village, Gujarat. He belonged to a royal musician family, and his father was a court musician of the ruler of Dharampur. Before entering the music industry, he worked as a carpenter. This debonair musician wanted to be an actor, who was his prime motivation for moving to Mumbai. He even got the chance of acting in two films – ‘Shri 420’ (1955) & ‘Begunaah’ (1957). The popular song of that era ‘Aei Pyaase Dil Bezubaan’ from ‘Begunaah’ was picturised on him. Jaikishan was a great harmonium player. Initially, his mother trained him in classical music.

Later, he obtained music lessons from Sangeet Visharad Wadilalji and Prem Shankar Nayak & became adept at playing harmonium. He became a disciple of Vinayak Tambe, after shifting to Mumbai. He used to visit frequently, the Gujarati Director Chandravadan Bhatt’s office, in search of work as a music director. One day, Shankar (who worked as a Tabla player at Prithvi Theatre, Mumbai) saw him outside Bhatt’s office, and he became friends with Jaikishan. Shankar assured Jaikishan, the job of a harmonium player at Prithvi Theatre. Great actor Prithviraj Kapoor One of the most notable names in the Indian film i >> Read More... (Owner of Prithvi Theatre) honored & accepted Jaikishan as a harmonium player there.

Then he (and Shankar) worked as an assistant music director for Raj Kapoor’s directorial debut venture ‘Aag’ (1948). During the song recording for Raj Kapoor’s film ‘Barsaat’, RK gave the responsibility of a music director to Shankar, who insisted on taking Jaikishan as his partner. Thus, came into existence, this new pair of music directors named Shankar-Jaikishan. The duo composed popular songs such as ‘Mera Juta Hai Japani’, ‘Pyar Hua Iqraar Hua’, ‘Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Yeh’, etc. Achievements: Jaikishan with Shankar won the Best Music Director Award for eight films.

The duo received their first award in 1957 for Anant Thakur's ‘ Chori Chori Story soon >> Read More... ’ Movie (1956). This film's music has popular tracks such as 'Aaja Sanam' and 'Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi'. They also got awarded for their music in Raj Kapoor's ' Mera Naam Joker Story Soon >> Read More... ' (1970) in 1972. It is known for hit songs like 'Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo' and 'Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan'. This duo won so many awards because the music, they created, has a kind of magic in it, which touched the hearts of the people. Jaikishan died at a very young age of 41, on 12 September 1971 which led to the separation of the magical duo.