On Thursday night, music composer Shravan Rathod, of the popular Nadeem-Shravan duo, passed away due to Coronavirus-related complications in a hospital in Mumbai. The 66-year-old composer reportedly was on ventilator support for the last few days. His wife Vimladevi and son Sanjeev are admitted to another medical facility, while his younger son Darshan, tested negative. The composer and his wife had attended the Kumbh Mela recently.

Nadeem-Shravan were one of the most successful composer duos in the history of film music and together they ruled the Bollywood music space all through the 90s. Their music for the film Aashiqui (1990) was a huge hit and the soundtrack went on to become one of the best-selling Bollywood albums of all time.

Shravan, son of classical singer Pt Chhaturbhuj Rathod, was first introduced to Nadeem Saifee at a college function in 1972. Impressed with each other’s musical skills, they joined hands to compose music together and began their journey with the Bhojpuri film, Dangal in 1973. They started bagging full film assignments only in the late 80s with films like Ilaka (1989), but it was Aashiqui (1990) that proved to be a game-changer in their musical career.

Nadeem-Shravan ruled the industry with one hit album after another for films like Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin (1991), Saajan (1991), Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Sadak (1991), Deewana (1992), Damini (1993), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Raja (1995), Jeet (1996), Raja Hindustani (1996), Pardes (1997), Sirf Tum (1999), Dhadkan (2000) and Barsaat (2005), among others.

The duo weathered the tumult caused in their musical journey when Nadeem was accused of having played a role behind the murder of music baron, Gulshan Kumar in 1997. Nadeem, who was in London at that time, never returned to India though he was acquitted of all charges by a Mumbai sessions court. He currently resides in Dubai. They continued to work and score music, but split after Dosti: Friends Forever (2005).

While Nadeem went solo, Shravan started focussing on the music career of his composer sons, Sanjeev and Darshan. He cherished his musical journey with Nadeem and rued the fact that Hindi film music, today, copies a lot of Western music. In an interview in 2018, he had said, “Nadeem and I used the bansuri, sitar and shehnai in all our compositions. The soul of India is contained within these three instruments. R D Burman always used the bansuri. That is why his songs have lasted.” Shravan’s brother’s Roopkumar Rathod and Vinod Rathod, too, made a name for themselves in the music industry as singers.

As soon the news of his demise became known, messages of condolences began pouring in from the music fraternity. Salim Merchant, Sunidhi Chauhan and Shreya Ghoshal were among those who expressed grief and shock over Sharan’s death on social media.

I still can’t believe that Shravan bhai is not with us anymore. Itna pyara insaan, itna zabardast music director... they (Nadeem-Shravan) ruled the music industry in the 90s. Mujhse unhone ek se ek gaana gawaya aur bahut saara pyaar diya. Shravan bhai loved me like an elder brother. Whenever there would be trouble or any problem, he would call me or come home and say, ‘Tumhe kya takleef hai? Mujhe batao, main tumhara bada bhai hoon.’ Aisa pyaara insaan humein chhod ke gaya. Logon ke sukh-dukh ko samajhte the woh. Such an artiste, a fankaar humare beech nahi rahe. In these dark times, he has left us. He had gone to the Kumbh Mela recently and had called me from there saying, ‘I have come to the Kumbh Mela for the holy bath.’ I told him that he should’ve told me about this earlier and that I could have also gone with him. But after he got off the phone, I thought to myself that during the pandemic, why did he go there? He already had health issues. He did not listen to others and went there, and now he is no longer with us. May his soul rest in peace.

Shravan ji was sweet, gentle, ever-smiling and such a gifted composer, who while teaching the song to the singer would show the subtle nuances of the track. This is a great loss, I will remember him forever.

I have lost my eldest brother, and it is like losing my father all over again. Shravan bhai, along with Nadeem, had made some great melodious music in that era. He will always be the torchbearer of our family.

This is terribly shocking news and I still cannot believe that Shravan ji is no longer with us. We have known each other for a long time, aur meri zindagi ka ek bahut important part the woh. When we used to record with them, he would personally give me inputs. He would teach me the little nuances of a composition, especially the classical parts. Shravan ji contributed in a big way to every song of mine that I sang for them. He would always call me Tiger, and sometimes, make me sing more than once. I will miss him a lot and feel extremely sad that he is no longer with us.