Music director Shravan Rathod (of Nadeem-Shravan music director duo), who was battling for life at Raheja Hospital in Bombay, breathed his last this evening (22nd April). He had been admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 and other complications. He was 66 and is survived by his wife and two sons, music director duo Sanjeev-Darshan.
Nadeem-Shravan scored super-hit music for a number of films in the 1990s. In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that after delivering chartbusting numbers in a row, they literally ruled the music world in the 1990s. Aashiqui, Saajan, Phool Aur Kaante, Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin, Sadak, Deewana, Raja, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, Dilwale, Jeet, Raja Hindustani, Pardes, Dhadkan, Raaz, Andaaz, Judaai, Aa Ab Laut Chalen and many other films boasted of their super-hit music. Kumar Sanu, Alka Yagnik, Anuradha Paudwal and Udit Narayan rendered a number of blockbuster songs under their composition. Sameer was their most favourite lyricist and the team of Nadeem-Shravan and Sameer gave scores of super-hit songs. Nadeem-Shravan fruitfully used three music instruments — bansuri, sitar and shehnai — in many of their super-hit songs. Although they got their first Hindi film in 1981, they hit big time only in 1990 with Aashiqui. Every single song from the film was a chartbuster. The album sold 2 crore units and till today remains the highest-selling Bollywood album. Their super-hit run hit a terrible roadblock whn T-Series boss Gulshan Kumar was shot dead. Nadeem was accused of having paid money to get the music czar killed. He fled to London and many years later, the UK government refused to extradite him to India as there was no prima facie case against him. Ultimately, Nadeem was exonerated by four courts, including the House of Lords, in the UK and the sessions court in Bombay. But Nadeem had by then acquired British citizenship and moved to Dubai. Not many may be aware that Nadeem Shravan debuted in 1973 with a Bhojpuri film, Dangal which was released in 1977. The song Kashi hile, Patna hile from the film became a runaway hit.
Quite ironically, their last film together was Dosti: Friends Forever, after which the two friends-cum-partners split.
Shravan had suffered paralysis a few years back. With other co-morbidities too, the doctors attending on him at Raheja Hospital were concerned for his health when he was admitted there with COVID-19. They had told his sons that although his condition hadn’t deteriorated after admission, it was critical.