Bollywood's most celebrated Golden Age writer died penniless, burdened by heavy debts; Javed Akhtar blamed Raj Kapoor

Indian Express

a day ago

In 1947, a young apprentice named Shankardas Kesarilal, who would later be known as Shailendra, worked at the Matunga workshop of Indian Railways. Between shifts, he scribbled poetry and performed at mushairas. At one such gathering in Bombay, he recited his poem 'Jalta Hai Punjab', which caught the attention of a budding filmmaker named Raj Kapoor. Kapoor offered to use the poem in his debut film Aag, but Shailendra declined. A member of the left-leaning Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), he was skeptical of mainstream cinema. However, when his wife became pregnant and he needed money, he returned to Kapoor. At the time, Barsaat was in production and two songs were still unwritten. For Rs 500, Shailendra wrote 'Barsaat Mein' and 'Patli Kamar Hai', composed by the then-upcoming duo Shankar–Jaikishan.
This marked the beginning of a creative partnership that would help shape the emotional grammar of post-independence Hindi cinema. The trio of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, and composer duo Shankar–Jaikishan became one of the most influential teams in film history. Shailendra's lyrics for 'Awara Hoon' gained popularity not just in India, but also internationally, particularly in the Soviet Union and parts of the Middle East. In Shree 420, his words shaped some of Indian cinema's most iconic songs, including 'Pyaar Hua Iqraar Hua'. While closely associated with Raj Kapoor's films, Shailendra also collaborated with directors like Bimal Roy (Do Bigha Zameen, Madhumati, Bandini) and Vijay Anand (Guide, Kala Bazar), and with composers such as Salil Chowdhury, S.D. Burman, and Ravi Shankar.
His bond with Raj Kapoor grew so deep that he decided to produce his first film, putting money behind Kapoor and actress Waheeda Rehman in 1960. The film was Teesri Kasam, directed by Basu Bhattacharya. It was an adaptation of Phanishwar Nath Renu's acclaimed short story Maare Gaye Gulfam. Today regarded as a cult classic, the film was a box office failure and led to a financial crisis for Shailendra. In the words of lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar, it was because of Raj Kapoor that Shailendra suffered major losses during the production of Teesri Kasam. Started in 1960, the film wasn't released until 1966 due to repeated delays and Kapoor allegedly not allotting dates for the shoot. Akhtar even went so far as to claim that these financial burdens contributed to Shailendra's death, and that Kapoor was responsible.
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This claim did not sit well with Raj Kapoor's son, actor Rishi Kapoor, who, in his book Khullam Khulla, demanded a public apology from Javed Akhtar for defaming his father. He wrote: 'Despite all the goodwill, Javed managed to hurt me very deeply a while ago. In a programme on some television channel, during an episode dedicated to lyricist Shailendra, who was a member of my father's core group until his dying day, Javed blamed my father for the lyricist's untimely death. I cannot fathom why. Perhaps it was to spice up the episode. Quite a few people have told me that he has always had a hang-up about my father. I am hurt and upset about it to this day, and I have let him know that I do not appreciate his baseless, irresponsible and false accusation. He did say that he did not mean it the way it came across, so I let sleeping dogs lie.'
Rishi further wrote, 'Javed had claimed that Shailendra died because of the debts that piled up during the making of his film Teesri Kasam (1966), a film my dad worked in. He alleged that Papa had delayed the film with the result that Shailendra had run up those debts. I wonder what debts he was referring to because my father paid for everything and he was not paid for the film either. He even completed the film with his own funds. The truth is that my father kept telling Shailendra not to make the film. Shailendra died because his own brother-in-law cheated him. My father took it upon himself to pay Shailendra's hospital bills and cleared all his debts. I have checked this with all the senior people who worked with RK, I have asked my mother about it, I have interrogated everyone who was around at that time. I think Javed should publicly apologize for his defamatory statement or furnish substantial proof that my father had anything to do with Shailendra's death. Having made such an accusation, he should have the courage to back it up with evidence or admit that it was a mistake.'
Rishi even noted that he spared Javed Akhtar out of respect for his second wife, Shabana Azmi: 'I am extremely fond of Shabana, so I didn't allow the situation to get out of hand. But I did tell Farhan Akhtar at a party that Anil Ambani had hosted for Steven Spielberg that I was extremely upset, and that one day my patience would wear out and it wouldn't be pleasant. I am a patient man, but I have never been afraid of anyone and I don't mean to start now.' However, things eventually settled between the Akhtars and the Kapoors. In fact, Javed Akhtar was among those who visited Rishi Kapoor during his final days in the US while he was undergoing cancer treatment.
Shailendra's death might remain a controversial chapter, but his contribution is timeless. Gulzar, on many occasions, has said that Shailendra was the finest lyricist the Hindi film industry has ever produced. His songs, like 'Mera Joota Hai Japani', continue to be remembered and sung, even making their way into global pop culture, such as their use in Marvel's film Deadpool. It's a testament to what a great craftsman he truly was.