Anil Biswas (composer)

Quick Facts: Who was Anil Biswas (composer)?

Subject:

Anil Biswas (composer)

Known for:

Pioneering Indian composer known for blending Western orchestration with Indian classical music.

Born:

1914-07-07

Died:

2003-05-31

Century / Era:

1914s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Anil Krishna Biswas (7 July 1914 – 31 May 2003), professionally known as Anil Biswas, was an Indian film music director and playback singer from 1935 to 1965, who apart from being one of pioneers of playback singing, is also credited for the first Indian orchestra of twelve pieces and introducing orchestral music and full-blooded choral effects, into Indian cinema. A master in western symphonic music was known for the Indian classical or folk elements, especially Baul and Bhatiyali in his music. The most notable of the over 90 films he composed music for were: Roti (1942), Kismet (1943), Anokha Pyar (1948), Tarana (1951), Waris (1954), Pardesi (1957) and Char Dil Char Rahen (1959). He was also a pioneer in using the counter melody in film scores, employing technique of western music, ‘cantala’, where one line overlaps the other in contra-melody, recitative prose songs as in Roti (1942), besides he was the first one to start extensively using the Ragmala. Another important element that he introduced was western orchestration, using indigenous instruments both in the songs as well as in their melodic interludes, a trend that soon caught on and paved way for the musicals of Indian cinema today.

Career & Major Achievements

He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. Anil Krishna Biswas was born on 7 July 1914, in a small village of Barisal District in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh) in the household of J C Biswas, where at a young age he acted in a local amateur theater as a child star. He was fond of listening to music since his childhood. As he grew up, he displayed considerable musical talent, by 14 he was already accomplished in playing tabla, while singing and composing music at local music concerts; though soon he joined the Indian Independence Movement, while still doing his matriculation, and was repeatedly jailed for his revolutionary activities, leading to repeated disruption of his studies. Eventually in 1930, after his father's death he left for Calcutta in disguise to escape further arrest.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Anil Biswas first made name in Kolkata in the early 1930s, composing music for plays, later he joined 'Rangmahal Theatre', Kolkata, as an actor, singer, and assistant music director, 1932–34, during this period he sang and acted in several commercial stage productions. By this time he had masters singing styles like, khayal, thumri and dadra, and had become an accomplished singer of devotional music, in Shyama Sangeet and Kirtan styles. He also worked as a singer, lyricist and composer, with the 'Hindustan Recording Company', where Kundan Lal Saigal and Sachin Dev Burman worked, before migrating to Bombay themselves. He got assignments from renowned Bengali poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, all this got him into the notice of music director, Hiren Bose, and at whose behest he made his way to Bombay (Mumbai) in 1934. This was the period when playback singing was making its debut in Indian cinema, when Anil first joined Ram Daryani's, 'Eastern Art Syndicate', and was associated in composing music for 'Baal Hatya' and 'Bharat ki Beti', before making his debut as a film composer, with Dharam ki Devi (1935) for which he composed the background music, and also acted and sang the song, Kuch Bhi Nahin Bharosa..

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1914 (1914-07-07): Birth of Anil Biswas (composer) — Pioneering Indian composer known for blending Western orchestration with Indian classical music.
2. 1930: 1930 Milestone — Eventually in 1930, after his father's death he left for Calcutta in disguise to escape further arrest.
3. 1932: 1932 Milestone — Anil Biswas first made name in Kolkata in the early 1930s, composing music for plays, later he joined 'Rangmahal Theatre', Kolkata, as an actor, singer, and assistant music director, 1932–34, during this period he sang and acted in several commercial stage productions.
4. 1934: 1934 Milestone — He got assignments from renowned Bengali poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam, all this got him into the notice of music director, Hiren Bose, and at whose behest he made his way to Bombay (Mumbai) in 1934.
5. 1935: 1935 Milestone — This was the period when playback singing was making its debut in Indian cinema, when Anil first joined Ram Daryani's, 'Eastern Art Syndicate', and was associated in composing music for 'Baal Hatya' and 'Bharat ki Beti', before making his debut as a film composer, with Dharam ki Devi (1935) for which he composed the background music, and also acted and sang the song, Kuch Bhi Nahin Bharosa..
6. 1942: 1942 Milestone — The most notable of the over 90 films he composed music for were: Roti (1942), Kismet (1943), Anokha Pyar (1948), Tarana (1951), Waris (1954), Pardesi (1957) and Char Dil Char Rahen (1959).
7. 1986: 1986 Milestone — He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama.
8. 2003 (2003-05-31): Passing & Historical Legacy — Anil Biswas (composer) passed away on 2003-05-31, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Anil Biswas (composer)

True or False: “Anil Biswas was the first person to compose a film score entirely using only traditional folk instruments.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While he incorporated indigenous instruments, he is also credited with introducing Western orchestration and full-blooded choral effects into Indian cinema.

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