Raj Kapoor, the eternal dreamer of Indian cinema, had a knack for spotting raw talent, but even he tested the limits of patience with composer Ravindra Jain. What began as a young musician’s obsession evolved into one of Bollywood’s most cherished musical partnerships, culminating in the timeless ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili.’
Born in Aligarh on February 28, 1944, Ravindra Jain was blind from birth, yet his ears captured the world’s rhythms. Home-taught by his father, he faced brutal rejections from five All India Radio stations. Destiny intervened via Radhe Shyam Jhunjhunwala, who introduced him to Mumbai’s film scene in 1969.
Jain’s first brush with recording stardom was in 1971 for ‘Lori,’ directing Mohammed Rafi on the romantic ‘Ye silsila hai pyar ka.’ Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle followed, but the film stalled. Undeterred, ‘Kanch Aur Heera’ (1972) marked his release debut, with Rafi’s poignant ‘Nazar aati nahi manzil’ showcasing his unique blend of melody and emotion.
A string of films followed—’Saudagar,’ ‘Chor Machaye Shor,’ ‘Tapasya,’ ‘Insaaf Ka Tarazu’ (as ‘Chit Chor’ elements), ‘Geet Gaaya Pattharon Ne,’ and others—building his reputation. But Raj Kapoor loomed large. Jain hounded him with meetings, calls, and tapes. ‘Bide your time,’ Kapoor advised. ‘Work consistently.’
Years later, at a Pune birthday party, Kapoor called Jain to sing. ‘Sun Sahiba Sun’ mesmerized him. ‘You’re my man for Ram Teri Ganga Maili!’ The 1985 blockbuster, starring Mandakini and Rajiv Kapoor, wove a tale of love, caste, and redemption along the Ganga. Jain’s evocative score, including ‘Yaara o dhol bajayinge,’ clinched Filmfare glory and etched his name in history.
This tale of tenacity reminds us: in cinema’s chaos, persistence composes symphonies.