Kalyanji Virji Shah and Anandji Virji Shah made the spellbinding duo music composers - Kalyanji Anandji. They are known for their work on Bollywood film soundtracks, particularly action scripts in the 1970s. Some of their best works of Kalyanji Anandji are Don, Saraswatichandra and Safar.

Kalyanji and Anandji were born to a wealthy businessman who traveled from Kutch to Mumbai to start a prospering grocery and provision business. The two brothers began to learn music from an Indian music teacher, who taught them in exchange of paying his bills to their father. One of Kalyanji and Anandji`s fore-grand parents was a folk musician of some distinction. They spent most of their youthful years in the region of Girgaum, which is a district in Mumbai amidst Marathi and Gujarati ambience and also amidst some eminent musical talent that lived in the vicinity.

Kalyanji started his musical career with a new electronic instrument called the Clavioline. This instrument was used as the famous "nagin been" and used in the film Nagin (1954). The musical stalwart Hemant Kumar had given the music of this film. Kalyanji then, along with his brother Anandji started an orchestral group and named the duo as Kalyanji Virji And Party. This team organized musical, shows in Mumbai and outside. This was the first endeavor made for holding live melodious shows in India.

Kalyanji Anandji`s advent in the Bombay Film Industry as music composers was a whirling point for the musical industry. When celebrated music directors like S.D Burman, Hemant Kumar, Madan Mohan, Naushad, Shankar Jaikishan were dominant in the music world in Hindi films, and it was a golden period of film music, it was very tough to create a distinguished place amongst them. Inspite of such tough possibilities, they came and won the heart and mind of Indian people.

Kalyanji Virji Shah had his first hit film was - Nirupa Roy hit, Samrat Chandragupta (1959). The songs of this film include `Chahe Paas Ho` (Lata - Rafi), which is remembered to this day. He did a few more films like Post Box 999 the official joining of Anandji. The official duo Kalyanji Anandji started with the film Satta Bazar and Madari (1959). Chalia (1961) was their major hit in the early days. 1965, two important scores, Himalay Ki God Mein and Jab Jab Phool Khile, established them as composers to reckon with. Kalyanji-Anandji`s music was full of variety and different kinds of notes. They have done together some of the topmost songs of almost all genres. Both Kalyanji and Anandji worked as music composers for more than 250 films, 17 of which were considered as Golden Jubilees and 39 to be Silver Jubilees.

The factor behind the success of Kalyanji-Anandji is hard work, apart from their incomparable talent. Kalyanji-Anandji were composers in the industry who were not only known for their talent but also for their polite and congenial nature. Kalyanji-Anandji always kept society in the fore front as a thankful gesture and organized many charitable concerts for various NGOS and several charitable institutions not only in India but also abroad. They worked along with some of the unforgettable names in Bollywood, like Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Rekha, Sridevi and many others.

Another quality of Kalyanji-Anandji is that they were tireless in discovering new talents and training them as well. Manhar Udhas, Kumar Sanu, Alka Yajnik, Sadhna Sargam, Sapna Mukherjee, Udit Narayan, Sunidhi Chauhan have now become popular names, who got their first break from Kalyanji Anandji. They also helped to introduce great lyricists like Anand Bakshi, Gulshan Bawra, Anjaan, Verma Malik and M G Hashmat.

During the years of 1990s and early 2000s, their work was introduced to a young Western audience by three albums. The album `Bombay The Hard Way: Guns Cars And Sitars` was a blended album put together by US DJ Dan The Automator; `Bollywood Funk` was an Outcaste assemblage album put together by Sutrasonic DJs Harv and Sunni. John Lewis compiled `The Beginners Guide To Bollywood` from Time Out magazine. All three of these records revolved around the tracks by Kalyanji Anandji from 1970s films that featured funk break beats, guitars and Motown-style orchestrations.

Kalyanji Anandji worked in close association with Prakash Mehra in films like Zanjeer, Haath Ki Safai, Hera Pheri, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Laawaris, Ghungroo, Imaandaar and Jaadugar. They worked with Manoj Kumar for film including Upkar and Purab Aur Paschim. Kalyanji Anandji also worked with Feroze Khan for films like Apradh, Dharmatma, Qurbani and Jaanbaaz. They were also influential in the contemporary music trends and thus worked with Manmohan Desai for films including Chaliyaa, Bluff Master and Sachcha Jhuta.

On August 24, 2000, Kalyanji expired but his era with Anandji will always be revered and remembered for their great contributions. Kalyanji`s dream for training new and young talents and promoting them is still ongoing by Anandji in the name of Little Stars.

Kalyanji Anandji were honored with the following awards -

Cine Music Directors Award - 1965 for Himalay Ki God Mein	IMPPA award - 1992 for contribution to films
1st National Award - 1968 for Saraswati Chandra	Padmashree by the Government of India for outstanding contribution in Music Industry
Filmfare Award – 1974 for Kora Kagaz	IIFA Award - South Africa 2003 Life Time Achievement Award
1st Platnum Disc by HMV for Muqaddar Ka Sikandar	Sahara Parivar Award – U.K. 2004 Life Time Achievement Award
1st Paltinum Disc By Polydor Qurbani	B M I Award (U S A) in 2006 For Gramy Award Winning Rap Song (Don’t Funk With My Heart)

Songs by Kalyanji Anandji

"Bekhudi Mein Sanam" Film - Haseena Maan Jayegi, 1968	"Phool Tumhe Bheja Hai Khat Main" Film - Saraswatichandra, 1968
"Chahe Paas Ho" Film - Samrat Chandragupta, 1959	"Qasme Wade Pyar Wafa" Film - Upkar, 1967
"Chandan Sa Badan" Film - Saraswatichandra, 1968	"Salaam-e-ishq Meri Jaan" Film - Muqaddar Ka Sikander 1978
"Chhalia Mera Naam" Film - Chhalia, 1960	"Tirchi Topiwale" Film - Tridev, 1989
"Dum Dum Diga Diga" Film - Chhalia, 1960	"Yaari Hai Meri Imaan" Film - Zanjeer, 1973
"Jeevan Se Bhari Teri Aankhen" Film - Safar, 1970	"Yeh Mera Dil" Film - Don, 1978
"Jo Tumko Ho Pasand Wahi Baat Karenge" Film - Safar, 1970	"Yudh Kar" Film - Yudh, 1985
"Khaike Paan Banaraswala" Film - Don, 1978	"Zindagi Ka Safar Hai Ye Kaisa Safar" Film - Safar, 1970
"Kya Hua Kya Nahin" Film - Yudh, 1985	"My Guru" Film - "Thicker Than Water", 2003
"Laila O Laila" Film - Qurbani, 1980	"Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas" Film - "Blackmail" "1973"
"Main To Ek Khwab Hoon" Film - Himalay Ki God Mein, 1965	"Pardesiyon Se aakhiyan milana" Film - "Jab jab phool khile" "1965"
"Mere Desh Ki Dharti" Film - Upkar, 1967	"Akele Hai Chale Aao" Film - "Raaz" "1967"
"Mera Jeevan Kora Kagaz" Film - Kora Kagaz, 1973 — this soundtrack won a Filmfare Award and topped in Binaca Geetmala for the year 1974.	"Apni to jaise taise" Film - `Laawaris, 1978
"Mere Toote Hue Dil Se" Film - Chhalia, 1960