Lallubhai Nayak
- Primary Cinema: Hindi
Composer and actor Lallubhai Nayak—also credited as Laloobhai Naik—is known for his work in films such as His Highness (1937), Patrani (1956) and Leatherface (1939).
He debuted as a music composer in 1937, with the film His Highness, co-composing along with Shankarrao Vyas. This Prakash Pictures production was directed by Balwant Bhatt and written by Batuk Bhatt. The cast comprised Jayant, Sardar Akhtar, Gulab, Shirin, Umakant, Jal Writer, Lalloobhai, M Ismail, M Zahoor, Radha, Jehangir, Lekhraj, Chhotejan, Bashir Qual, Madhav, Horse Bahadur, Dog Tiger, and Dog Tommy. The film typified the studio’s penchant for action-packed storytelling. Woven around the premise –‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’, it revolved around the palace intrigue in the kingdom of Rajnagar after its king passes away, bequeathing the throne not to the queen’s mad son but to his nephew. The songs included Aayi bahaar kaisi chaman mein sung by Shirin – I, Ae ri sakhi kaaki chhabi tore man ko hai bhai rendered by Sardar Akhtar and Shirin – I, the Sufi/ qawwali genre Chale kyon mori naiya kinare kinare (Ummeeden ahl-e-kashti nakhuda ke hai ishare par) sung by Bashir Qawwal, Tek ko nibhana manwa chahe jiya jaay, and Jhoothi jhoothi hai prem kahani, among others.
The following year, he composed for the actioner State Express (1938), a successful stunt film featuring a vivacious prince (Jayant), his evil uncle, and a stunt-performing masked heroine (Sardar Akhtar). The film had the added attraction of a performing gorilla. Directed by Vijay Bhatt for his production company Prakash Pictures and written by Sampatlal 'Anuj' Srivastava, the film had the basic ‘stunt’ film features, including two dogs Tommy and Tiger (given poster credit) and crashing trains. Cited by Rajadhyaksha and Willemen as a "successful film" doing well at the box-office, the film is considered one of the “best stunt films” from Bhatt, who generally made mythologicals. The film’s songs were largely rendered by Sardar Akhtar, such as Aao aao aao hey prem pujari aao, Bane na prem ka deewana, Baar baar man ko samjhaun, Panchhi ban ke ud jaaun, and Us but ki talaash mein main jaun kahan kahan. It also featured Banale apni bigadi baat by Rajkumari and Sabse shreshth naari sansar hai pujari rendered by Jayant, Lallubhai Nayak, and Sardar Akhtar.
In 1939, he composed for Prakash Pictures’ Leatherface/ Farzand-e-Watan, an action-adventure genre film directed by Vijay Bhatt. Said to be a remake of Badmash Ka Beta (1933), it also marked the film debut of Meena Kumari as a child artiste. Written by Batuk Bhatt and Sampatlal ‘Anuj’ Srivastava, this stunt film saw the hero Samar (Jairaj) singlehandedly take on the might of the oppressive state led by the warlord chief (M Zahoor). He falls in love with the chief's sister Ila (Mehtab) and fights his revolution from the tavern of Dulari (Shirin) with little more than a band of adventurers, a leatherface mask, his faithful dog Tiger, and his horse Bahadur. This film also became one of Bhatt’s well-known stunt films, doing well at the box office. Its soundtrack featured songs such as Dheere dheere jaat wohi prem naiya, Aaye nahin chitchor ban upvan chhayi hariyali, Kis ki ada se chalte hain, Phulwari mere desh ki phoolon se hai bhari, Lo waade bahari aayi azaad hue sab bhai, and Raahe wafa mein mar mit jao.
Years later, he was also part of the musical department of the Prakash Pictures film Patrani (1956), directed by Vijay Bhatt. The cast of this historical romantic drama included Vyjayanthimala, Pradeep Kumar, and Shashikala Jawalkar.
As an actor, he also featured onscreen in roles in State Express and Leatherface.
References
Cinemaazi.com
https://myswar.co/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0623225/
Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema
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Filmography (1)
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Hero No.1 1939
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