Ravi

Biography Ravi was born in Delhi on 3 March 1926. He had no formal training in classical music; instead he learned music by listening to his father sing bhajans. In 1947 he went meet the famous singer Mohammed Rafi who was singing at the independence day celebration event ‘Jashn e Jamhooriat’ at the Coronation Hotel, Fatehpur, Delhi. He told Rafi that he wanted to be music director. According to Ravi, Mohammed Rafi advised him to first learn music and notation. He taught himself to play harmonium and other classical instruments and worked as an electrician at the Post and Telegraph, Delhi,

Ravi composed several hit songs and received Filmfare nominations for the following films: Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960), Do Badan (1966), Hamraaz (1967), Ankhen (1968), and Nikaah (1982). He won Filmfare awards for Gharana (1961) and Khandan (1965). The first movie was Panchagni. The songs Saagarangale and Aa raatri maanju poyi (sung by Yesudas and Chitra) were hits. That same year, Hariharan's Nakhakshathangal also came out and Chithra won her second National Award for the song Manjalprasaadavum from the same film. All the songs from the Malayalam movie Vaisali released in 1989 were super hits and Chithra won her third National Award for the song Indupushpam Choodi Nilkum from the same film. Ravi was a constant in Hariharan films and their combination is regarded as one of the best ever in Malayalam. Ravi has composed for many films produced by South Indian banners: Ghoonghat, Gharana Grihasti, Aurat, Samaj ko badal dalo (Gemini), Meherban, Do Kaliyan (AVM), Bharosa, and Khandan (Vasu Films).

Awards Padma Shri Award by the Government of India in 1971 Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, (1962, 1966) in films Gharana (1961), Khandan (1965) Sanskriti Kalashree Award (2006–07), Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Filmography

Hindi Ravi was responsible for a number of hit tunes of Hindi film songs. His music went on to inspire later day music directors too. The opening bars of "Chanda Mama Door Ke" inspired the tune for the hit song "Ek Do Teen" in the 1988 film Tezaab. Ravi is reportedly quoted as saying, "Since I choose written poetry to compose, the lyricist and the composer have full freedom to write and compose." Ghunghat (1960)