Anandji Virji Shah Age, Wife, Children, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Other Name	Anandji Veerji Shah, Anand V Shah
Nickname	Kalyanji Anandji, Chote Miyan
Profession	Music Director, Orchestrator, Conductor
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 4" (163 cm)
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Grey
Career
Debut	Film: Satta Bazaar (1959)
Awards	• 2015: Lifetime Achievement Award by Global Indian Music Academy (GiMA) Awards for his outstanding contributions to music • 2015: Maestro Award by the Whistling Woods International College in Mumbai • 2012: Sixth Akshaya Samman Award by the Akshaya Mohanty FOundation for his outstanding contribution to music • 2011: Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award for his outstanding contributions to music • 2006: BMI Film & TV Award by the Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) for the composition of the part of the song Don't Phunk with My Heart • 2004: Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sahar Parivaar Awards for his outstanding contributions to music • 2003: Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards for his outstanding contributions to music • 1992: Padma Shri Award (fourth highest civilian award by Government of India) for his outstanding contributions to music • 1992: Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) Award for contributions to music • 1974: Filmfare Award in the Best Music Director category for the film Kora Kagaz • 1968: National Award in the Best Music Director category for the film Sarawatichandra • 1965: Cine Music Directors Awards for the film Himalay Ki God Mein
Personal Life
Date of Birth	2 March 1933 (Thursday)
Age (as of 2024)	91 Years
Birthplace	Kundrodi, Cutch State, British India (now Kutch district, Gujarat, India)
Zodiac sign	Pisces
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Mumbai
Religion	Hinduism
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Family
Wife/Spouse	Shanta Ben Shah
Children	Son- Deepak Shah Daughter- Rita Prakash Valambia
Parents	Father- Virji Premji Shah
Siblings	Brother(s)- 2 • Kalyanji Virji Shah (music director) • Babla (singer)
Other Relatives	• Sister-in-law- Kanchan • Nephew- Viju Shah (Music composer) • Nephew- Vaibhav Shah (percussionist, musician)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Anandji Virji Shah

• Anandji Virji Shah’s childhood was in Girgaon, Bombay (now Mumbai), as his businessman father migrated from Cutch state, British India (now Kutch, Gujarat), to open a kirana store in Bombay.

• The renowned film director V. Shantaram and actress Divya Khote were his family’s neighbours in Girgaon.

• At age 11, he and his classmates sang the chorus in the film Meghdoot (1945).

• At the start of their musical career, Anandji’s elder brother Kalyanji started an orchestral group named Kalyanji Virji and Party with him. The group was the pioneer in organising musical shows in Mumbai and other areas.

• Anandji assisted his elder brother in the music direction of the films Samrat Chandragupta (1958) and Post Box 999 (1958). They officially came together as Kalyanji Anandji from the film Satta Bazaar and Madaari in 1959.
  

  Anandji Virji Shah with elder brother Kalyanji

• One of the earliest hits of the duo was the songs in the film Chhalia (1960). Another popular music composer duo, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, assisted them in this film.
  

  Anandji (second from right) with R D Burman and Laxmikant- Pyarelal

• Other milestone hits in their early musical career were the scores in the films Himalay Ki God Mein (1965) and Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965).

• Many of the songs composed by Kalyanji Anandji appeared multiple times on the popularity chart of the radio program Binaca Geetmala broadcast on Vividh Bharati Service of All India Radio network.

• Kalyanji Anandji gave the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar 302 songs, many of which are evergreen hits. Some of the popular songs under the trio’s credit are Kabhi Raat Din Hum Door Thay from Aamne Saamne (1967), Roothe Roothe Piya from Kora Kagaz (1974), Main Pyasa Tum Sawan from Faraar (1975), Salaam-e-ishq Meri Jaan from Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978), Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezaar from Don (1978).

• Some of the duo’s popular songs sung by Kishore Kumar are Zindagi Ka Safar from Safar (1970), Mera Jeevan Kora Kagaz from Kora Kagaz (1974), Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas from Blackmail (1974), O Saathi Re from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), the qawwali Qurbani Qurbani Qurbani from Qurbani (1980), and Neele Neele Ambar Par from Kalakaar (1985).
  

  Anandji (left) with Kishore Kumar and Kalyanji

• The combination of Kalyanji Anandji and singer Mohammed Rafi gave everlasting hit songs such as Govinda Ala Re Ala from Bluff Master (1963), Akele Hai Chale Aao from Raaz (1967), Aja Tujh Ko Pukarein Mere Geet from Geet (1970), and Sare Shaher Mein App Sa from Bairaag (1976).
  

  Anandji with Mohammed Rafi and Kalyanji

• They had a long and close association with renowned singer Mukesh. Under their musical direction, he sang 91 songs. Some of the popular songs are Hum Chhod Chale Hain Mehfil Ko from the film Ji Chahta Hai (1964), Chand Si Mehbooba from the film Himalay Ki God Mein (1965), Koi Jab Tumhara Hriday Tod De from the film Purab Aur Paschim (1970), and Kya Khoob Lagti Ho from the film Dharmatma (1975).
  

  Anandji (right) with Kalyanji (middle) and Mukesh (left)

• The renowned singer Asha Bhosle sang 297 songs for Kalyanji Anandji, some of which were popular internationally. Some of their popular hits are Aaiye Aapka Tha Humen Intezar from Mahal (1969), Husn Ke Laakhon Rang from Johny Mera Naam (1970), Yeh Mera Dil from Don (1978), Kya Dekhte Ho from Qurbani (1978), and O Saathi Re from Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978).

• They mentored many popular singers, such as Kumar Sanu, Anuradha Paudwal, Alka Yagnik, Sadhana Sargam, Udit Narayan, and Sunidhi Chauhan and also gave them their career’s first hit songs.

• The duo composed music for over 250 films.

• The duo retired from music direction with the film Tridev (1989) when Kalyanji’s son and Anandji’s nephew, Viju Shah, started his musical direction career.

• After their retirement, their compositions were used by DJ Dan The Automator in the album Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars (1998), the DJ team of Sutrasonic, DJ Harv and DJ Sunni in the album Bollywood Funk and became popular with the Western audience.

• The music group Black Eyed Peas’s Grammy Award-winning album Don’t Phunk with My Heart used Kalyanji Anandji’s music pieces from Ae Naujawan from Apradh (1972) and Yeh Mera Dil from Don (1978).

• Anandji was known for his mimicry on stage.