Kalyanji Virji Shah

Kalyanji
Birth name	Kalyanji Virji Shah
Born	(1928-06-30)30 June 1928 Kundrodi, Kutch, Gujarat
Died
Genres	Film score
Occupation(s)	music director, orchestrator, conductor
Years active	1954–2000

Kalyanji Virji Shah (June 30, 1928 – 24 August 2000) was Kalyanji of Kalyanji-Anandji duo. He and his brother, Anandji Virji Shah have been famous Indian film musicians, and won the 1975 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, for Kora Kagaz. He is a recipient of the civilian honour of Padma Shri (1992).

Birth and early life

Kalyanji was born to Virji Shah, a Kutchi businessman in Kundrodi, Kutch, Gujarat, who migrated from Kutch to Mumbai to start a Kirana (provision store).

He and his brothers began to learn music from a music teacher, who actually knew no music but taught them in lieu of paying his bills to their father. One of their four grand parents was a folk musician of some eminence. They spent most of their formative years in the hamlet of Girgaum (a district in Mumbai) amidst Marathi and Gujarati environs — some eminent musical talent resided in the vicinity.

Kalyanji's breakthrough was with the theme entitled Been music from the film Nagin (1954).

Personal life

The brothers were known for their humility and affable nature. They also were known for their love songs and poetry readings. Kalyanji's son Viju Shah is also a famous music director.

External links

• Kalyanji Virji Shah at the Internet Movie Database