P.L. Raj(1934-2002)
- Additional Crew
- Cinematographer
Starting as a group dancer, and then assisting Krishna Kumar in songs
such as "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu" from the movie Howrah Bridge, in
which he has danced along with Helen, he started his real career as
Dance Director in the movie Love Marriage, starring Dev Anand and Mala
Sinha. One of his first major hits was Junglee starring Shammi Kapoor
and Saira Banu for SMK Productions (Subhod Mukerjee Productions)
Through out the nearly 4 decades in this film industry, he has given some of the best choreographed songs ever picturised in this industry, to mention just a few that have received critical acclaim, Chitralekha which bagged him the Nehru Awards, Khaike Paan Banaraswala from Don, Yahoo, Chaheh koi mujhe Junglee kaheh, from Junglee, Chuhona chuhona mujhe chuhona from Sagar, Jaha teri yeh nazar hai, meri jaan mujhe khabar hai from Kalia. Also to mention the movies there is Sargam, Ek Dujhe Ke Liyeh, Raja Jani,Sholay, Muqaddar Ka Sikkander, Shagird etc.
His involvement not only in the costumes to be used in the picturisation of the songs, but it would start right from the time the songs were being composed to the recording stage and finally to the shoot where in most of the times he has been handling the camera himself!!! He was well versed in playing most of the instruments which were shown in his songs, like the mrudangam, tabla, flute, harmonium, dholak, dafli, keyboards etc.
His last film to be choreographed was Devdas (Bengali) for Shakti Samantha productions in the year 2001, after which he succumbed to cancer of the throat on 9th July 2002.
His legacy is being taken forward in some another way by his eldest son Leslie Lewis (singer , producer) through music as well as his daughters, Eliza Lewis and Greta Lewis, both doing dubbing of Content Localization.
Through out the nearly 4 decades in this film industry, he has given some of the best choreographed songs ever picturised in this industry, to mention just a few that have received critical acclaim, Chitralekha which bagged him the Nehru Awards, Khaike Paan Banaraswala from Don, Yahoo, Chaheh koi mujhe Junglee kaheh, from Junglee, Chuhona chuhona mujhe chuhona from Sagar, Jaha teri yeh nazar hai, meri jaan mujhe khabar hai from Kalia. Also to mention the movies there is Sargam, Ek Dujhe Ke Liyeh, Raja Jani,Sholay, Muqaddar Ka Sikkander, Shagird etc.
His involvement not only in the costumes to be used in the picturisation of the songs, but it would start right from the time the songs were being composed to the recording stage and finally to the shoot where in most of the times he has been handling the camera himself!!! He was well versed in playing most of the instruments which were shown in his songs, like the mrudangam, tabla, flute, harmonium, dholak, dafli, keyboards etc.
His last film to be choreographed was Devdas (Bengali) for Shakti Samantha productions in the year 2001, after which he succumbed to cancer of the throat on 9th July 2002.
His legacy is being taken forward in some another way by his eldest son Leslie Lewis (singer , producer) through music as well as his daughters, Eliza Lewis and Greta Lewis, both doing dubbing of Content Localization.
