Vijaya bhaskar

VijayaBhaskar(1925-2002)was a Popular Kannada Music director of yester years. He is known for his melodious songs composed in association with Puttanna Kanagal

Early days

VB was were very busy in Bombay, assisting music directors like Naushad and Madan Mohan. In Bombay VB was sitting in a restaurant in Matunga and chatting with a friend and then accidentally met B R Krishnamurthy(BRK). VB was speaking in Kannada and overheard BRK. BRK used to work as an assistant to R Nagendra Rao and had worked on several pictures with him. VB told him he was a musician. He asked him whether he would make music for a Kannada picture they were making. VijayaBhaskar finally came down from Bombay in 1953 to do the score for film Sri Rama Puja.

Quote from director

The songs of my first film Sri Rama Puja became very popular, but the film wasn't such a big success.Because of the unfamiliar sounds that my orchestra created, people started saying that I was good only to make Western scores. To add to it, I used to go around in a suit. Until I made the music for Santa Tukaram and Naandi, people continued with my Western label. In those days there used to be only four or five Kannada films in a year. Naandi and Santa Tukaram came together, around the same time. Naandi had songs like Chandramukhi pranasakhi and Haadonda haaduve, and Santa Tukaram had Jayatu jaya vittala, and there was nothing 'Western'".

Association with Puttanna

Puttanna Kanagal who was assisting BR Pantulu, with Bellimoda became independent Director. VB was the music director for Bellimoda. Film became an instant success and that bonded the both and thier association last until Puttanna's last breathe. After Belli Moda, there was Gejje Pooje , and later Nagarahavu. Nagarahavu was biggest commercial hit with Kanagal.VB worked with Kanagal continuously till the '90s and then there was a break when M Ranga Rao took over for films like Ranganayaki. VB came back for Manasa Sarovara.

Work

A recipient of Rajkumar award and Sur Singar prashasthi, vijayabhaskar has scored music for nearly 600 movies. They include films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Tulu and Konkani languages. The popular kannada films include "Rani honnamma, Santha Thukaram, Gejje Pooje, mana mechida madadi, belli moda, naandi, shara panjara, naagarahaavu, sakshaathkara, shubha mangala and neela". Influenced by R.C. Boral and Mukul mehta, Vijayabhaskar developed his own style of music. He also proved that kannada films too can have theme music. Vijayabhaskar did not limit his musical talent for commercial movies alone. He directed music for experimental movies like grahana, yellindalo bandavaru and naandi. . Vijayabhaskar took the credit for inspiring producers to select popular works of kannada poets through his music. The popular numbers include moodana maneya....(da.ra. bendre—belli moda) and uttara dhruvadin (da. ra. bendre—shara panjara).

Apart from music composition he has also given background score for several movies. Popular malayalam director [Adoor Gopalakrishnan] always preferred vijayabhaskar for his movies. Adooru Gopla Krishnan was very much impressed when vijayabhaskar gave music for his movie Mathilugal which had no songs at all. All in all VB gave music for three of Adoor Gopalakrishnan films in Malayalam -- Kathapurushan, Vidheyan and Mathilugal. In Hindi VB did G V Iyer's Vivekananda.

VB also went to London and did an English film. The film was called Robert Clive, and it was released in India also. It was shot mostly in India, and VB did a major part of the score

Vijayabhaskar left his last breathe on the morning of 3rd March 2002 (Sunday) following a cardiac arrest at his residence in J P Nagar, Bangalore. He was 77. He is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters. His body was cremated in wilson gardens crematorium here on 5th March.

Filmography

Kannada

♦Belli moda (1966) ♦Mallammana Pavaada (1969) ♦Kappu Bilupu (1969) Gejje Pooje (1969) Karulina Kare (1970) Sakshatkara (1971) Sharapanjara (1971) Nagara Haavu (1972), *ING:Vishnu Vardhan, Aarathi, Ashwath K S, Shubha Edakallu Guddada Mele (1973) Upasane (1974) (The Devotion) Katha Sangama (1975) Shubhamangala (1975) Bili Hendthi (1975) Phalithamsha (1976) College Ranga (Kaaleju ranga)(1976) Paduvaaralli Pandavaru (1978) Maanasa Sarovara (1982) Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage (1983) Amrutha Ghalige (1984) Runamukthalu (1984) Masanada Hoovu (1984)