The duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Tere bina aag yeh chandni (This moonlight is fiery in your absence), written by the famous lyricist Shailendra, would mark the beginning of my golden period in playback singing. Then followed one smash hit after another: Lapak jhapak tu aare badarwa (Rains you come frolicking) in Boot Polish, Dil ka haal sune dilwala (It's the benevolent soul who is sensitive to the heartbeats of another) in Shri 420, Yeh raat bheegi bheegi (This rainy night) in Chori Chori, and Jhoomta mausam (This frisky season) in Ujaala.

The most interesting feature of Shankar and Jaikishan's melodies was their sheer novelty and, in that respect, they remain unrivalled. The man on the street enjoyed singing them for fun and their appeal has survived the passage of time. Their commitment to their work was truly commendable and considering their taste and flair for innovation, which they introduced to suit a song's mood and lyrics, along with the kind of effort that went into their compositions, it is hardly surprising that they should have produced such memorable hits.

Photograph: A still from the movie Shree 420