A number of exceptions apart, songwriting in Hindi movies was primarily a male occupation earlier than the Seventies. However Maya Govind not solely overcame the biases and wrenched out house for herself but additionally constructed a profession that stretched to almost 4 many years.
Her greatest work harmonized aesthetically interesting and evocative poetry with a movie’s situational wants aptly mirrored in songs equivalent to ‘Kajre ki baati ansuan ke tel mein’ (movie: Sawan Ko Aane Do, 1979), ‘Chaar din ki zindagi hai’ (movie: Ek Baar Kaho, 1980), Ab chiraagon ka koi kaam nahi (movie: Baawri, 1982), ‘Teri meri prem kahani’ (movie: Pighalta Aasman, 1985) and ‘Chanda dekhe chanda’ (movie: Jhoothi, 1986). These songs weren’t chartbusters, however they proceed to thrill discerning music lovers even as we speak.
Born in Lucknow, Govind taught Hindi, music, and historical past in Bal Vidya Mandir. She additionally wrote poetry and was fairly well-liked in kavi sammelans the place she impressed actor Bharat Bhushan. Within the mid-Sixties, Bhushan’s brother, producer R Chandra, signed her for 3 movies: ‘Megh Malhar’, ‘Baap Bete’, and ‘Mushaira’. “We even recorded two mujras for ‘Mushaira’ which have been composed by Khayyam,” she instructed this reporter in a 2018 telephone interview. Sadly with the demise of R Chandra, none of those movies have been made.
In 1972 she got here to Bombay after receiving a telephone name from Ramanand Sagar asking her to jot down songs for Jalte Badan (1973). The film perished on the field workplace however ‘Wada bhool na jaana’, a Lata-Rafi duet composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal, turned an airwaves favorite. In a gathering organised by Sagar, Govind additionally met Guru Dutt’s brother, Atma Ram, who signed her for ‘Aarop’, which too didn’t succeed however resulted in maybe the best music of her profession. In 1975, the humorous ‘Karale saaf karale’ sung by Mehmood and Usha Mangeshkar (movie: Qaid, composer: Nitin-Mangesh) completed twenty eighth in Binaca Geetmala’s annual programme.
The 80s and 90s have been a fecund interval for her. Maya Govind labored with most high music administrators, notably RD Burman (Rang Birangi), Khayyam (Baawri), Kalyanji Anandji (Pighalta Aasman, Kalyug aur Ramayan), Bappi Lahiri (Dalaal), Anu Malik (Yaarana, Fundamental Khiladi Tu Anadi) and Jaidev (Trikon Ka Chautha Kon). Some well-liked tracks penned by her throughout this era have been ‘Chadh gaya upar re’ (movie: Dalal), ‘Mere piya ghar aaya o Ram ji’ (Yaarana) and the title observe of ‘Fundamental Khiladi Tu Anari’.
Maya Govind, who had married dialogue and screenplay author Ram Govind, additionally wrote lyrics for tv serials equivalent to ‘Draupadi’ and ‘Kismat’. Her books embody ‘Neeli Jheel Ki Darpan Mein’ and ‘Maya Raag’. Followers can watch her recite poems in outdated movies posted on YouTube.
