Daughter releases book on eminent lyricist S.H. Bihari

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Shaheda Bihari, daughter to the late veteran lyricist and writer, Shamshul Huda Bihari (know as S.H. Bihari), has come out with a book on her father.

The Hindi and Urdu book, titled Isharon Isharon Mein after his iconic song from Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), contains songs and ghazals that were never released now. The book can be directly obtained from Shaheda (her phone contact is +91 9769553737) and its editor, Humayun Kabir (9820009677) and also from Siddharth Shandilya (9833221202).

Interestingly, among these rarities is included a geet that goes, Teri meherbaniyaan / Teri qadardaniyaan / Sadke hai tujhpe meri kayi zindaganiyaan (On your favors and appreciation, I am indebted for many births). The song’s antaras (inner verses) were changed for the 1985 film, Teri Meherbaniyan, with the second line of the mukhda  meaning the same and written as Kurbaan tujhe pe meri kayi zindaganiyaan.

Like many a lyricist-poet in films, Bihari had modified the words and turned it form a romantic ode to a sad tribute by a man to his beloved dog who has laid down his life for him!

Bihari, born in 1922 in Ara district in Bihar, was a Bachelor of Arts in History, wrote in Urdu and Hindi and was described by composer Laxmikant (-Pyarelal) as a “brilliant poet and accomplished lyricist whose songs were easy to tune.”

L-P did 16 films with him in a little over four years (including his last recording for Aulad in 1987, the year of his death), beginning with the musical blockbuster, Pyar Jhukta Nahin (1985), second only to Ram Teri Ganga Maili as a musical hit that year, which was film that Bihari also scripted the film (story and dialogues alone, and screenplay with Partho Mukerjee and Amir Shamji). This film proved his comeback after a hiatus. L-P and Bihari also had popular hits in Teri Meherbaniyan, Love ’86, Pyar Kiya Hai Pyar Karenge and Janam Janam.

But Bihari’s most popular and famous team was with O.P. Nayyar, who considered him his favorite songwriter. Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Kashmir Ki Kali, Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Kahin Din Kahin Raat, Kismat, C.I.D. 909, Ek Baar Mooskura Do, Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye, Mohabbat Zindagi Hai and Humsaya were the best-known combinations in which he write some or all songs.

Shankar-Jaikishan, Ravi, Madan Mohan, Usha Khanna, R.D. Burman, Bappi Lahiri, Ravindra Jain and Anu Malik were among his other composers in films.

The compilation is a compulsion for lovers of the “jovial genius” as Laxmikant termed him, while his admirers in the industry and music world realize that he never got his due as a writer and songwriter.