Shailendra's Angry Two Lines Turned into a Hit by Kishore Kumar

It’s often said that "what’s written in destiny, will eventually come to you." This phrase perfectly applies to one of Bollywood’s legendary lyricists, Shailendra. Known for penning many iconic songs for Raj Kapoor’s films, Shailendra’s career was marked by memorable collaborations, particularly with music directors Shankar-Jaikishan.

One such story, tied to Shailendra’s name, has gone down in Bollywood history. In the 1960s, Shailendra, in a fit of anger, penned two lines that would later become the foundation of a blockbuster hit, sung by Kishore Kumar, making waves across the country.

The story goes back to the year 1960 when Raj Kapoor often worked with his close friends in the industry. During that time, the famous music director duo Shankar-Jaikishan, and lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri were the main creative force behind Raj Kapoor’s films.

In 1960, a film called College Girl was being made under the direction of T. Prakash Rao. The film starred Shammi Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, and the music was composed by the renowned duo Shankar-Jaikishan. However, the producers decided to bring in a different lyricist, not Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri. This decision greatly upset Shailendra, who was known for his close ties with the music director duo.

When Shailendra learned about this decision, he was furious. He immediately went to meet Hasrat Jaipuri to share the news. Both lyricists then went to the music room of Shankar-Jaikishan, only to find that they were not present. In a fit of frustration, Shailendra asked for a piece of paper and a pen from an office boy present there. In his anger, he quickly wrote two lines on the paper and handed it over to the office boy, instructing him to deliver it to Shankar-Jaikishan. These lines, written in a moment of fury, would later change the course of Bollywood music history.

Shailendra, along with Hasrat, left the studio, vowing never to work with Shankar-Jaikishan again. As their rift became public, news of the fallout reached Raj Kapoor, who was deeply concerned. He immediately called all four men—Shailendra, Hasrat, Shankar, and Jaikishan—to meet him at Chowpatty Beach.

Raj Kapoor, who was deeply fond of all these talented individuals, told them that if they could not work together, he would stop making films altogether. He said, "If you all are going to part ways, what will I do with my films?" After a long discussion, Raj Kapoor managed to bring them all together, and they decided to bury the hatchet and continue working together in the future.

Now, coming to the second part of the story. In 1962, when the film Rangoli was being made, it featured Kishore Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. Kishore Kumar not only acted in the film but also sang in it. During the recording of the music, Shankar Ji was working on one of the songs when Shailendra walked into the music room. Shankar Ji asked him to write the mukhda (chorus) of the song, as the antara (verse) had already been written. Shailendra replied that he hadn’t written any lyrics for the song.

To this, Shankar Ji replied, "You had written some lines in anger when you came to my office that day. I’ve turned them into the antara." Those two lines, written in a moment of rage, were:

“Chhoti si ye duniya, pehchane raaste hain, tum kahin to miloge, kabhi to miloge, to poochhenge haal.”

These two lines, initially written in anger, were transformed into a beautiful melody by Shankar-Jaikishan and became a massive hit. The song, sung by Kishore Kumar, resonated with audiences and was loved by people for its melody and depth.

It’s hard to imagine that the two lines, written in such a hasty and emotional moment, would go on to become one of Bollywood's most enduring classics. Shailendra, who had written them in anger, never anticipated that they would be turned into such a timeless piece of music, adored by generations of fans. Kishore Kumar’s magical voice, combined with Shankar-Jaikishan’s composition, turned these two simple lines into an unforgettable song that continues to be cherished to this day.