DEVELOPMENT OF MUSIC :

As described earlier music was more supporting element than an integral part of film in silent era. Though it was sounding during film show it was not film music. Even with introduction of talkie the theatrical style of musical narration was adopted for initial few years. Thus if we consider development of film music from 1931 to 1950 we can describe this development process in following phases:

1. Pre Independence Phase:
• Beginning of incorporation of music in film which was fully under influence of theatre. This was era of first 3 or 4 years i.e. 1931 to 1934, up to release of Chandidas (New Theatres).
• Period from 1935 to 1940.This era marked introduction of new style of music by New Theatres from Chandidas (1934) & Devdas(1935).
• Period of 1941 to 1947. In this era Punjabi style music & use of Dholak introduced from Dalsukh Pancholi’s film ‘Khajanchi’ (1941).
2. Post independence Phase (1947 to 1950) :

• The first major event was death of legendary singer / actor K.L.Saigal.
• Introduction of new singers/music directors like Kishore Kumar, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle , Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan, Hansraj Behal etc.
• Recession of big enterprises like New Theatres, Bombay Talkies, Prabhat etc. Bombay became main province & center of film industry.

In first phase music of films produced in Maharashtra region was highly influenced by Marathi stage music & Bhavgeet traditions. Majorities of artists/musicians were associated with theatre in some way. Only Bombay Talkies was exception in this. Its music was totally different from music of that period different tradition. New Theatres introduced Bengoli music along with Rabindra Sangeet. From 1941 Panjabi music was introduced in Hindi cinema. In this wave singer like Noorjehan, G.M.Durrani, Surinder Kaur, Shamshad Begum, Johrabai Ambalawali & music directors like Ghulam Haider, Firoze Nizami, Rafiq Ghazanavi came in limelight. Gujaratis were actively associated with film since beginning & Music directors and singers like Pransukh Nayak, Madhulal D.Master, Lalloobhai Nayak, Master Bhagwandas, Ishwarlal, Kantilal etc. were Gujarati. They constructed foundation on which music developed.