Kalyanji Anandji started their musical journey from the onset of the 1960s and went on to work till the 1990s. Composer Lalit Pandit one of the ardent admirers of the dup says, “One of the most amazing part and a quality they possessed was they were always signed repeatedly by their producers and directors to do music .Producers like Manoj Kumar ,Feroz Khan,Prakash Mehra and many more loved working with the Kalyanji-Anandji.This was perhaps not only because of their beautiful music but also because of the wonderful nature of K-A.Both were extremely humorous and people enjoyed their music sessions which would generally go on all day.They were a full package.Masti and music and extreme knowledge of music of course. These combinations of qualities made them survive successfully in the music industry for so long.Their style also changed with times .What with the most modern songs of its time Aap jaisa koi and Laila main Laila for Qurbani … would you believe that these were the same composers who composed Chandan sa badan and Main to ek khwaab hoon!It’s hard to believe this but this is what KA were.”
Speaking of his favourite K-A soundtracks Lalit says, “Personally I have loved their entire sureela music of many films,their combination with Anand Bakshi and Mukeshji was unbelievable .Songs of Himalay Ki Gode Mein, Saraswatichandra ,Blackmail,Don,and hundreds more.It was Kalyanji-Anandji who gave Anand Bakshi the very first chance to write for their film Jab Jab Phool Khile.The songs were extremely memorable and so well-written by Bakshi Saab , Ek tha gul aur ek thi bul bul,Yahan main ajnabi hoon are so beautifully written.They indeed have given a treasure of music to their audience and this treasure will be cherished for ever.There was a particular song in which Shashi Kapoor was challenged by KA to shoot the entire song with his hand behind his back.Shashi Kapoor had done this song accepting the challenge.”
Lalit and his family of musicians were close to Kalyanji. “My sister Sulakshana and my father used to regularly visit Kalyanji and Anandji in their music room in the late 60s and 70s .Sulakshana Didi was a trained singer and both Kalyanji and Anandji loved her singing.In later years when Sulakshana Didi became a very successful heroin she would sing many songs of kalyanji anand ji.I remember their recordings of her song from a film called Sankoch with Jeetendraji and Sulakshanaji sang a beautiful song composed by Anandji Bandhi re kahe preet.The song was a huge hit at the time .Then in her very first film Uljhan with Sanjeev Kumar she sang her songs in the film for Kalyanji Anandji, the film had amazing music by the brothers. She went on to sing many songs and I had the wonderful opportunity as a child to witness these wonderful recordings and see they great composers at their work .Later in their career Kalyanji’s son Viju Shah joined the team and he added a lot in changing the sound of the composers.Viju later went on to become an independent composer , but always even back then he was the backbone of the aging duo. In films like Himalay Ki Gode Mein we notice in the credits the names of Laxmikant Pyarelalji as assistants in arranging the music for K-A.”
Lalit Pandit admires Kalyanji-Anandji for introducing new talent. “They had the knack of looking for young talent and recognising genuine talent .It was K-A who gave the first chance to Alka Yagnik and Sadhana Sargam and many others .Their home and music room always welcomed struggling singers and writers.A quality not many composers had.Their music will live on and so will their name.They worked successfully at a time when there were many brilliant composers existing and who were doing amazing work, like Shankar-Jaikishan , Laxmikant Pyarelal ,SD and RD Burman.All were at their best!And so were Kalyanji Anandji.
According to Lalit the duo’s greatest achievement was their adaptive talent. “I feel they transitioned in music from one generation to the other.Not many composers from their generation did that successfully except R D Burman.Right from the music of Saraswatichandra to Don and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and many more, they were able to adapt and change their music to the next decade and that was indeed amazing.Both Kalyanji and Anandji had an everyday jamming music room where recordings would be planned and their favourite lyricists like Indivar, Anjaan and Gulshan Bawra would be there everyday from morning to night.They were together a very formidable team which was indeed one of the reasons why they worked successfully for so long.But there was someone else.The two brothers had a third lesser known younger brother Babla.An extremely talented rhythm composer and a rhythm player himself.He assisted his elder brothers Kalyanji and Anandji and did some brilliant arrangements in their songs.It is a known fact that Babla composed the super hit song of Don , Khaike paan Banaraswala ,which was written by Anjaan Sahab and so brilliantly sung by Kishore Kumar.”