The Mind Creative MAR 2014 MARCH 2014 | Page 24

Music has been synonymousThe Mind Creative March 2014 with Bollywood movies since the thirties and a production that has no songs, in fact, might not be considered a “proper “movie at all. The success of most movies in Bollywood is driven by the songs and music that they offer. The industry produces over 800 movies every year and the number of songs would run into many thousands. However, it is quite sad, that Bollywood has often failed to recognise the “behind the curtain” skills and talents in the music industry. Some of these momentous talents have made priceless contributions to the music industry and yet have faded into nothingness. This is one of those stories. The larger than life world of Bollywood cinema is synonymous with the name of Amitabh Bachhan (often known the Big B). In a movie produced in 1977 titled Amar, Akber, Anthony, this erstwhile actor in one of the overdone scenes, jumps out of a giant egg and breaks into a song “My Name is Anthony Gonsalves”. However, there was hardly anyone who realized that the song was specially created by Pyarelal (one of the composers of the movie) as a tribute to his mentor Anthony Prabhu Gonsalves. Anthony Gonsalves was born in Majorda, Goa. His father, a choir master, trained him on the violin at a very early age in Western classical music and urged him to play the violin at the village church. A child prodigy, Anthony was appointed the choir master at the church at the age of twelve. By the time he was sixteen, he was already a seasoned musician and in 1943 he decided to go to Bombay to work as a Composing at the piano musician. In tinsel town, his skill and talent were recognized quickly and he soon made a name for himself as music teacher. He also joined music director and maestro Naushad as a violinist. 24