Bollywood’s hit duo Nadeem-Shravan’s Shravan Rathod is no more

IN 1990, when Hindi film music was during a stage of flux, churning out almost everything, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s Aashiqui awakened a melody-starved nation with gentle tunes that remain popular to the present day. The soundtrack for a quaint romance between a model and a club singer sold 20 million units, turning it into the bestselling Bollywood soundtrack of all times and cementing music composer duo Nadeem-Shravan’s career within the mainstream industry.

Shravan Rathod, one half the music duo, died of Covid-related complications Thursday night at Mumbai’s SL Raheja hospital. He was 66.

Crooned by Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudwal, Nadeem-Shravan compositions suddenly brought melody back to the sport . The tune resonated. Not just with the masses, but also Hindi film music’s staunchest critics, although one song came under the spotlight for plagiarism.

The duo followed Aashiqui with impressive soundtracks in Saajan (1991), Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Sadak (1991), Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Deewana (1992), Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Dilwale (1994) and Raja Hindustani (1996) among others.