Veteran composer Vanraj Bhatia dies at 94

Vanraj Bhatia, who composed music for parallel cinema classics such as Bhumika , 36 Chowringhee Lane and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and gave lilt to jingles remembered decades later, died at his home on Friday, according to a friend. He was 94.
A legend in the music world, Bhatia leaves behind a prodigious legacy of compositions in films, television serials as well as about 6,000 jingles, including the famous La Lalala track for Liril soap that still strikes a chord and the ad for Dulux paint.
“He provided the soundtrack of our childhoods in the 80s and 90s. With him, we have lost a legend,” lyricist-writer Varun Grover told PTI.
His last years were spent as a recluse, said industry insiders. There were also reports of financial difficulties that led to help from several people, they said.
Bhatia started his professional journey by composing music for advertisements. He made his cinema debut with director Shyam Benegal’s first film Ankur in 1974.
It was the beginning of one of the most fruitful collaborations in Hindi cinema music, including Bhumika, Manthan and Mandi.
Bhatia went on to become the go-to composer for directors in the new wave of Indian cinema music of the 70s and 80s.
Bhatia won the National Film Award for best music direction for Govind Nihalani’s critically-acclaimed Tamas and also composed for Kundan Shah’s Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Aparna Sen’s 36 Chowringhee Lane, Saeed Akhtar Mirza’s Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho!, Kumar Shahani’s Tarang and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Khamosh.
Besides, the music director composed the background score of mainstream Hindi films and several TV shows. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2012.
His last work was an opera titled Agni Varsha which was performed in New York.(PTI)