For a long time, writing about cinema was somewhat non-prestigious, often seen as publicity or gossip or both. However, a dedicated group of individuals emerged over the years who were committed to uncovering the authentic history of Hindi cinema and film music.
Researchers such as Feroze Rangoonwala, Har Mandir Singh Hamraaz, Nalin Shah and Virchand Dharamsey became the cornerstone of credible information on Hindi films. Harish Raghuvanshi from Surat was also a part of this esteemed group. Raghuvanshi’s passing on August 27, 2024, marked the end of a passionate and relentless quest to unearth authentic details of the bygone eras of Hindi and Gujarati films.
In 1985, Raghuvanshi created Mukesh Geet Kosh, a comprehensive compilation of songs by his favourite singer Mukesh. This work was inspired by Har Mandir Singh Hamraaz’s Geet Kosh, which catalogued details of films and songs decade by decade. The publication of the first volume of Geet Kosh (1951-1960) in 1980 spurred Harishbhai to embark on his own project.
The index of Mukesh Geet Kosh included the first lines of all 992 songs and 519 films in alphabetical order. The book provided the full text of all the songs with detailed information such as the film’s title, release year, lyricist, music director, co-singer and record number.
Before printing, Harishbhai meticulously prepared a voluminous hand-written directory of the songs since computers were not yet available. This was the first individual artist compilation of its kind in India. It established a framework for future researchers and was the first to precisely count the number of songs sung by popular singers.
Despite Mukesh’s immense popularity – which led many to assume that he had recorded thousands of songs – Harishbhai determined the figure to be 992, claiming nearly 97 per cent accuracy. During a conversation, Harishbhai recounted how Mukesh’s son, Nitin Mukesh, was displeased with this number and reproached him for what he perceived as a hasty job. However, when Harishbhai asked him to recall even one song not listed in the book, he could not.
With the help of Hamraaz, Harishbhai released the second edition of Mukesh Geet Kosh in 2020, increasing the total to 1,053 songs, including 106 non-film songs and recordings in 11 languages.
Another significant achievement in Raghuvanshi’s research was the creation of the Gujarati Film Geet Kosh, the first comprehensive reference of its kind in any regional language. Modelled on Hindi Film Geet Kosh, Harishbhai meticulously compiled details of Gujarati films from 1932 to 1994. Published in 1995, it remains the definitive and most authoritative book on Gujarati cinema.
Harishbhai was deeply committed to data. Compiling filmographies – a comprehensive list of films of artists, lyricists, and music directors – was his passion.
He began his work before the advent of Google. Driven by a dedication to accuracy, he painstakingly verified even the smallest of details. He often remarked that preparing 80-90 per cent of a filmography was relatively easy, but the remaining portion tested patience and perseverance.
His extensive collection of books, magazines and clippings was his primary source for mining and cross-checking data, which led to valuable insights. For instance, his research revealed that the renowned singer Geeta Dutt had sung more songs in Gujarati than in Bengali.
Many forgotten and older artists expressed their gratitude for his thorough documentation of their contributions. Additionally, Harishbhai was known for his promptness, often being the first to make a birthday call to friends and some of the forgotten artists of cinema.
There are two compilations of his articles in Gujarati: Inhein Na Bhulana (2003), about forgotten artists, and Bollywoodmaan Gujaratio (2021), about 110 Gujaratis who contributed to Hindi cinema in in various capacities.
These lists dispel the popular notion that Gujaratis were active in film industry only as financiers. Raghuvanshi also produced Silent & Hindi Talkie Films Index with Hamraaz in 2013 – an alphabetical index of film titles between 1913 and 2012.
The collaboration between Hamraaz and Harishbhai yielded remarkable results for film enthusiasts, music lovers, writers, and researchers. One notable achievement was the Saigal Geet Kosh.
Recognising the lack of a definitive book on the legendary singer-actor KL Saigal, the duo decided to create one to commemorate Saigal’s birth centenary in 2004. Harishbhai, who had an extensive collection of material on Saigal, began sending it to Hamraaz in Kanpur, who simultaneously gathered additional material and rare songs.
Despite never meeting in person during the project, their collaboration was seamlessly coordinated. Both were meticulous in their research and personal conduct. The launch of the Saigal Geet Kosh in Ahmedabad and Rajkot was memorable, marking rare occasions when the typically stage-shy Hamraaz and Harishbhai appeared together to present their work.
Harishbhai’s remarkable contributions are even more impressive considering the numerous challenges he faced throughout his life. After his young son became immobile following an accident in 1992, Harishbhai and his wife Nainaben devoted themselves to his care.
Additionally, Harishbhai battled various health issues, including vision problems, thyroid issues and Parkinson’s disease. Despite these struggles, his wry humour and unwavering passion for compiling accurate film history remained undiminished.
He had already assembled data for the second volume of the Gujarati Film Geet Kosh, which has since been acquired by a Gujarati company. The company is currently working on a comprehensive Geet Kosh covering the period from 1932 to the present.
Harish Raghuvanshi, who was born on October 15, 1949, was neither a journalist nor a conventional scholar. But his body of work, like that of a few others in his field, serves as the foundational base for authentic cinema history.
