Hansraj Behl (19 November 1916 – 20 May 1984) was an Indian

music composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, who composed music both for

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

and Punjabi films.

Early life and education

Born in

Ambala Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-area ...

British Punjab Punjab was a province of British India. Most of the Punjab region was annexed by the East India Company in 2 April 1849, and declared a province of British Rule, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British co ...

, Hansraj received his early education in music from Pandit Chunnilal. His father was a zamindar (landlord) in his area.

Career

Hansraj Behl opened a music school in

Anarkali Bazaar Anarkali Bazaar ( Punjabi, ur, ) is a major bazaar in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Anarkali also serves as a neighbourhood and union council of Data Gunj Buksh Tehsil of Lahore. It is situated in the region that extends from the south of Lahor ...

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

Punjab, British India Punjab was a province of British India. Most of the Punjab region was annexed by the East India Company in 2 April 1849, and declared a province of British Rule, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British co ...

and released a few non-film records through

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice (HMV) was the name of a major British record label created in 1901 by The Gramophone Co. Ltd. The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a Jack Russ ...

(HMV). Hansraj, along with his younger brother Gulshan Behl and later day poet and film songs lyricist

Verma Malik Verma Malik (13 April 1925 – 15 March 2009) was a Bollywood film songs lyricist. He was an active freedom fighter during the British Raj. He wrote many patriotic songs and bhajans and recited them immediately prior to penning lyrics for fi ...

, travelled to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

in 1944 to pursue a career as a music director in Hindi film industry. His uncle Chunnilal Behl introduced him to the famous actor

Prithviraj Kapoor Prithviraj Kapoor (born Prithvinath Kapoor; 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was an Indian actor who is also considered to be one of the founding figures of Hindi cinema. He was associated with IPTA as one of its founding members and establish ...

. He managed to make his debut as a composer with film ''Pujari'' (1946), directed by

Ardeshir Irani Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani (5 December 1886 – 14 October 1969) was a writer, director, producer, actor, film distributor, film showman and cinematographer in the silent and sound eras of early Indian cinema. He was the one of the greatest l ...

. He introduced the noted playback singer

Asha Bhosle Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in the ...

who made her Hindi film debut when she sang, along with

Zohrabai Ambalewali Zohrabai Ambalewali (1918 – 21 February 1990) was an Indian classical singer and playback singer in Hindi cinema in the 1930s and 1940s. She was considered one of the most popular female playback singers of early and mid 1940s. She is best k ...

, the song ''Saawan aaya'' for Hansraj Behl's film ''Chunariya'' (1948). In 1964 he gave music for hit Punjabi film by Padam Prakash Maheshwary titled ''

Satluj De Kandhe ''Satluj De Kandhe'' ( pa, ਸਤਲੁਜ ਦੇ ਕੰਢੇ), also spelled as ''Satluj De Kande'', is a 1964 National Award winning Punjabi romantic film directed by M. M. Billoo Mehra and produced by Padam Prakash Maheshwary. It stars Balra ...

'', starring

Balraj Sahni Brigadier Balraj (born Balasegaram Kandiah) was a senior commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Early life Balraj was the fifth and youngest child of Kandiah and Kannagias. He received his primary education in Kokkuthoduwaai ...

, Nishi, Wasti, and Mirza Musharraf. The patriotic hit, "Jahan Daal Daal Pe Sone Ki Chidiya Karti Hai Basera.." sung by

Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...

in the film ''Sikandar-e-Aazam'' (1965), starring

was one of his last memorable number. Hansraj Behl and

Master Ghulam Haider Ghulam Haider (1908 – 9 November 1953), also known by the honorary title Master Ghulam Haider, was a Pakistani music composer who worked both in India and later in Pakistan after its independence in 1947. He changed the face of film so ...

are widely considered to be two well-respected music directors of

Indian Film Industry The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Ko ...

even among the musicians. He worked with film song lyricists like

Pandit Indra Chandra Pandit Indra Chandra was an Indian lyricist of Hindi language films from the 1930s through the 1950s. He wrote lyrics for 913 songs in 132 films, including Mr. Sampat (1952) and Bahut Din Huwe ''Bahut Din Huwe'' () is a 1954 Indian Hindi-la ...

, D. N. Madhok,

Prem Dhawan Prem Dhawan (1923–2001) was an Indian lyricist, music composer, choreographer and actor of Bollywood known for his patriotic songs, especially for the lyrics and compositions for the 1965 Manoj Kumar starrer, ''Shaheed''. He was a winner ...

Asad Bhopali Asad Bhopali (10 July 1921 – 9 June 1990) was an Indian Hindustani poet and lyricist. The ''Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema'', compiled by Gulzar and Saibal Chatterjee, describes him as one of the "few names that stand out for their contribution ...

Qamar Jalalabadi Om Prakash Bhandari (9 March 1917 – 9 January 2003), better known as Qamar Jalalabadi, was an Indian poet and lyricist of songs for Hindi movies. He composed the title track of the popular television serial Vikram Aur Betaal. Early life He w ...

and

Naqsh Lyallpuri Jaswant Rai Sharma (24 February 1928 – 22 January 2017), popularly known by his pen name Naqsh Lyallpuri, was an Indian ghazal and Bollywood film lyricist. He is best known for the songs "Rasm-e-Ulfat Ko Nibhayen" ('' Dil Ki Rahen'', 1973), "T ...

during his four-decade-long career and scored music for nearly 67 films.

Filmography

* ''Pujari'' (1946) *

Phoolwari ''Phoolwari ''() is a 1946 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Chaturbhuj Doshi for Ranjit Studios. The film starred Motilal and Khursheed in lead roles, with Madhubala and Dixit appearing in supporting roles. Its music was c ...

(1946) *

Lachhi (1949 film) Lachhi ( pa, ਲੱਛੀ) is a 1949 Punjabi film. The film was a big hit. Hansraj Behl composed the music and Mulk Raj Bhakhri penned the lyrics. Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum,S.Balbir are the lead playback singers. Its so ...

Punjabi Movie * ''Chhai'' (1950) Punjabi Movie * ''Shaan'' (1950) * ''Chunariya'' (1948) * ''Chakori'' (1949) * ''Karwat'' (1949) for B. R. Chopra * ''Khiladi'' (1950) * ''Khamosh Sipahi'' (1950) * ''Nakhre'' (1951) Miss Bombay * ''Rajput'' (1951) * ''Moti Mahal'' (1952) * ''Jaggu'' (1952) * ''Apni Izzat'' (1952) * ''Lal Pari'' (1954) * '' Dost'' (1954) * ''Mast Qalandar'' (1955) * '' Rajdhani'' (1956) * ''Changez Khan'' (1957) * ''Milan'' (1958) * ''

Bhangra (film) ''Bhangra'' ( pa, ਭੰਗੜਾ) is a 1959 Punjabi romance, comedy and drama film directed by Jugal Kishore, starring Sunder, Nishi and Manju in lead roles. Synopsis Sunder, the son of moneylender Kaude Shah, goes to a poor farmer, Bulak ...

'' (1959) - Punjabi * ''

Sawan Sāwaṇ or Sāuṇ ( pa, ਸਾਵਣ, ਸਾਉਣ, ) is the fifth month in the Nanakshahi calendar. Many Indian calendars started in different eras such as Shaka Calendar (national calendar of India) traditional Vikrama as well as the Nanak ...

'' (1959) *''

Do Lachhian ''Do Lachhian'' ( pa, ਦੋ ਲੱਛੀਆਂ) is a 1960 (sometimes written 1959) Punjabi film directed by Jugal Kishore, starring Gopal Sehgal, Daljeet, Indira Billi and Krishna Kumari in lead roles. Synopsis ''Do Lachhian'' is a romanti ...

'' (1959) Punjabi Movie * ''Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh'' (1960) *

(1964) - Punjabi Movie * ''Sikandar E Azam'' (1965) * ''Rustom-E-Hind'' (1965) * ''

Do Aankhen ''Do Aankhen'' is a 1974 Bollywood drama film directed by Ajoy Biswas. The film stars Rekha. Cast *Rekha *Biswajeet *Deb Mukherjee *Kumari Naaz *Jankidas *I. S. Johar *Ashok Kumar Music Songs in the film were composed by musi ...

'' (1974) * '' Sher Puttar'' (1977) Punjabi Movie * '' Jai Mata Di'' (1977) Punjabi Movie * ''Jatt Punjabi'' (1979) - Punjabi Movie * ''Kunwara Mama'' (1979) - Punjabi *'' Chaska'' (1981) - Punjabi Movie * ''Jatt Da Gandasa'' (1982) - Punjabi Movie * ''Jeeja Sali'' (1985)- Punjabi Movie * ''

Insaaf Ka Khoon ''Insaaf Ka Khoon (Hindi: इन्साफ का खून)'' is a 1991 Bollywood film starring Rajendra Kumar and Asha Parekh. Plot Janki (played by Asha Parekh) lives a middle-class lifestyle along with her husband, Balraj and a young daug ...

'' (1991)

References

External links

*
Hansraj Behl songs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Behl, Hansraj 1916 births 1984 deaths People from Ambala Indian film score composers Cinema of Punjab 20th-century composers 20th-century Indian musicians Singers from Haryana 20th-century Indian male singers 20th-century Indian singers Films scored by Hansraj Behl