“He could sell a comb to a bald man”: Viju Shah remembers father Kalyanji’s genius, humor and legacy - Exclusive

On composer Kalyanji’s death anniversary, his son and acclaimed composer Viju Shah in an exclusive conversation with ETimes opens up about his father’s musical brilliance, timeless bond with his brother Anandji, and the philosophy that defined their iconic partnership. Beyond the unforgettable melodies, Viju recalls a man of humor, vision, and generosity—an artist who transformed Hindi film music while shaping the careers of generations of singers.In this heartfelt conversation, Viju Shah revisits memories that illuminate Kalyanji not just as a composer, but as a father, mentor, and humanitarian.What are your earliest memories of your father, Kalyanji?Besides being my father, he was my first guru, teaching me to play the Nagin been on the harmonium at the tender age of 5… even when my left hand could hardly reach the bellow. He put me under the tutelage of various gurus, emphasizing the importance of learning to read and write staff notation and becoming a complete musician—all of which he himself couldn’t do at the beginning of his career.His legacy of chartbusters tells a story of their ownMusically, his body of work in the film industry is enough to speak for itself. But if I had to sum it up in one line, I would say he was much more than just music.Kalyanji had a great sense of humorHe was a humorous person, well-known for his one-liners and never shying away from cracking jokes on himself. Very diplomatic in his answers, he never ran down anyone but always managed to get his message across.He connected with people not only from the film industry but from all walks of life—spiritual leaders, doctors, entrepreneurs, journalists. He had such strong convincing power that people used to joke he could sell a comb to a bald man. Many even sought his help in resolving personal and professional problems.Kalyanji was quite a visionaryHe had a great fascination for electronics. Back in 1957, he played the Nagin on an electric synth called the Clavioline. That explains the heavy usage of synths in his songs right from Don (1974) till he stepped away in the late eighties.He was a vivid visionary who nurtured young talent, evident in the number of singers he introduced, including Alka Yagnik and Sadhana Sargam. He never gave undue importance to academic education; for him, scaling new heights in music—or any chosen profession—was the real education.Kalyanji gave lyrics a lot of importanceHe always gave utmost importance to the lyrics of a song. For him, in the success of a film’s music, the weighting was 60% lyrics and 40% tune—though this was always a point of contention between us when we discussed songs.Kalyanji was heavily into charity?Not mentioning his charitable nature or his tireless fundraising through live concerts would be missing the wood for the trees. But it is not right for a son to keep singing praises about his father. I can only say that I am fortunate and truly blessed to have been born into his family.His famous tagline—“Nothing like music and humor”—has stood by me through all my ups and downs.Your favorite compositions of Kalyanji-Anandji?Main toh ek khwab hoon (Himalay Ki God Mein),Chhod de saari duniya (Saraswatichandra),Jeevan se bhari (Safar),Waqt karta jo wafa (Dil Ne Pukara),Qasmein wade (Upkar)—all carrying strong, meaningful lyrics.