While circling Al Shamil Studio in the evening traffic, trying to find a parking space, I catch a glimpse of him. He is standing amidst some people on the front porch. Luckily I find a parking spot nearby and rush to meet him. His eyes - after slight initial hesitation - light up with a smile of recognition. Immediately he is introducing me to the people around with a gusto that is so uniquely his. It has been four years since we last met. But he is still the same. The Anandji of old full of humour, enthusiasm, music and life!
The next afternoon I disturb his siesta with an impromptu request for a telephone interview. As usual this charming man, the second half of one of the most successful composer duos - Kalyanji-Anandji, agrees immediately. I don't have to ask many questions - just the occasional reminder and some friendly rejoinders keep the free-flowing conversation going. What follows here is entirely his narration. (Pardon me for I won't be able to recreate that special Anandji flavour in this translation!)
On his early life:
"Initially I was more interested in acting and my uncle used to encourage me. As a child I even did some small roles in films like Meghdoot and Bhakta Prahlad in the mid-forties. Kalyanjibhai was studying in a boarding school then and at first he was the one more interested in music. By 1950, we formed a small musical group. In 1954, Kalyanjibhai played that famous Been for the Nagin songs. It was played on an instrument called claviolin which we had specially brought from London. That brought us fame and we started doing shows all over India."
On the initial film music career:
"Producer-director Subhash Desai gave us the first break as composers in Samrat Chandragupta (1958). Initially we were hesitant but our father told us never to say 'No' to work. The Lata-Rafi duet Chaahe paas ho chaahe door ho from that film became a hit and we were on our way.
Kesariya Balam