Cinemaazi remembers Ajit Merchant on his death anniversary

Singer-music director Ajit Merchant passed away this day, 18 March in 2011. Born in 1925, he started off as a drama artiste, before he found his calling in music. He went on to compose the music for Hindi films such as Refugee (1948), Raj Kumari (1955), Indra Leela (1956), Chandi Pooja (1957), Ram Bhakta Vibhishan (1958), Sapera (1961), Challenge (1964), Lady Killer (1968), as well as Gujarati films like Kariyavar (1948), Divadandi (1950), Lagna Mandap (1950), and Bahuroopi (1969). His break as a music director on All India Radio came by a stroke of luck—when the designated music director was not available for the day. Merchant’s compositions for the radio feature were appreciated, and there was no looking back. Working as an assistant to Ashok Ghosh composing music for a Ranjit Movietone film, Merchant got his first independent break as music director with Refugee (1948), followed by the Gujarati film Kariyawar (1948). Among his well-known songs are Roop tumhara aankhon se pi lun, Ujadi hui ishq ki duniya tere bagair, and Panchhi gaane lage prabhati. Ajit Merchant was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award by Maharashtra Rajya Gujarati Sahitya Akademi. 

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