The One and Lonely Kidar Sharma: An Anecdotal Autobiography

Kidar Sharma was born in village Narowal, Punjab in the first decade of the last century. He had always been attracted to the world of entertainment, giving his first performance as a harmonium player in 1915. While graduating he wrote and performed in Punjabi stage plays and completed his maters in English. He started his career in 1932 when he joined new theatres in Calcutta as a backdrop screen painter and poster painter for B.N. Sarcar. He has been called a star maker and has given the film industry such great stars as Raj Kapoor, Madhubala, Geeta Bali, Mala Sinha (Hindi Films), Bharat Bhushan, Ramola and Tanuja to name a few and has been instrumental in giving the film industry music directors like Roshan, Snehal Bhatkar, Khan Sahip Jhande Khan, Buloo C. Rani and Jamal Sain. Some of his important films include Chitralekha, Armaan, Vish Kanya, Gauri, Mumtaz Mahal, Bhanwra, Chand Chokari Dhanna Bhagat, Duniya ek Sarai, Jogan, Neel Kamal. His other films include Shokhiyaan (Jamal Sain introduced as music director), Neki our Badi (in which he also starred), Bedardi, Thes Gunal, Mehkhana, Pehla Kadam, Sehme Huae Sitare, Pyase Nain, Fariyad, Bheegi Palken, Kaliyan, Rangeen Raten and Chora Chori. In 1958, he was asked by the international producers Shaw Brothers of Singapore to come and direct movies for them. He even made short films for Doordarshan including Aise Log Bhi Hote Hain, Kagaz Ki Nao, Ham Honge Kamyab, etc. His other contributions include his first book of poetry entitled Panchhee which was autographed by the greatest Indian poet Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. He has written most of the songs sung by the great K.L. Saigal including: Balam aeo baso more man mein, Maia kya janu kya jadu hai, So ja raj kumari, so ja, Dukh kay ab din beetal nahi, Panchhi kahye hot udas and Kahun kya as niraas bhaye. Kidar Sharma’s all round genius has included scripting, dialogue, directing, lyrics and the deep appreciation of the total and auditory impact that cinema truly is. He breathed his last on 29 of April 1999.