Hariharan on Shiv-Hari: 'Those were lovely days'

Singer Hariharan worked quite a few times with Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, who passed into the ages on May 10, and flautist Hari Prasad Chaurasia.

"Shiv-Hari (as the duo were called in Bollywood) gave me a big break in the films Lamhe, Sahibaan and Darr. It was so good to work with them. I did rehearsals prior to the recording day and the melody was ingrained in my mind," Hariharan remembers.

As composers, Shiv-Hari were a class act, according to Hariharan.

"All their songs had huge orchestras. I got to sing two duets with Lata Mangeshkar: Kabhi Main Kahun Kabhi Tum Kaho in Lamhe and Likha Hai Yeh In Hawaon Pe in Darr."

"Most of their songs were melody-based," he adds.

"Simple at times, they had a lot of harmony in their orchestration. They used a lot of folk music in their film songs in Silsila and Sahibaan. Sahibaan was a marathon recording at Mehboob studio in Mumbai. Anuradha Paudwal and I were singing the song. Hariji came in the singers's booth and said, 'Everything is fine, just concentrate on expressions and sur,' smiled, and went away. That jolted us and the next take was perfect."

Hariharan remembers his recordings with Lataji for Shiv-Hari: "Kabhi Mai Kahun was my first song with Lataji. I had rehearsed the song a couple of days before recording with Shiv-Hari. There was a huge orchestra and about 50 chorus voices. Shivji and Hariji were very supportive. They made me relax and I was able to give my best.

"Likha Hai Inn Hawaon Mein in Darr was a breezy song. I enjoyed recording the song. There was a solo part of mine in the middle of the song and Lataji complimented me for it. Those were lovely days and I have such great memories."