In a 2020 interview tied to MX Player’s Times of Music, composer Pyarelal Sharma argued that music should not be dismissed simply because a listener dislikes its style. The surviving half of Laxmikant-Pyarelal also explained how he approached reworking a song: keep its melody intact, but reshape its rhythm and musical treatment.
What the interview was about
Devarsi Ghosh’s conversation with Pyarelal Sharma was published by Scroll.in on June 21, 2020, around Sharma’s appearance on Times of Music, a series in which composers reinterpreted one another’s songs. The series was announced as an 11-episode run in a Rolling Stone India launch report published June 20, 2020; that was the plan at launch, not confirmation of the eventual episode count.
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Sharma was speaking as the surviving member of Laxmikant-Pyarelal. His composing partner, Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar, died in 1998. Scroll characterized the duo’s output as soundtracks for “over 600 Hindi films”; that is the publication’s description, rather than an independently audited total.
What Pyarelal said about contemporary music
Sharma pushed back on the familiar claim that new music is inherently worse than older music. His point was about the listener’s taste and perspective, not a claim that every song or production choice is equally successful:
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“Music is never bad. If you say today’s music is bad, your thinking is wrong.”
He also described music-making as collaborative, resisting the idea that one person should claim all the credit. In the interview, the contrast between the duo’s orchestral sound and later electronic production was part of a conversation about changing approaches—not a blanket verdict that one era or technology is superior.
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- World Music / World
What Pyarelal and Salim-Sulaiman performed
The Times of Music series listing describes the episode pairing Pyarelal with Salim-Sulaiman. In the exchange, Salim-Sulaiman reworked “Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi,” while Pyarelal took on “Shukran Allah.” The format invited each act to revisit the other’s musical material, making the episode a meeting of different compositional and arranging sensibilities.
What changed—and what stayed the same
For his version of “Shukran Allah,” Sharma said he wanted to preserve the tune while changing the way it was presented. He explained:
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“On listening to what I have done, you will realise I haven’t disturbed the melody. I ensured that I didn’t put in elements that came in way of the tune. I only played with the rhythm section and the musical style.”
That distinction is the key to understanding his approach. The melody remains the song’s recognizable core; rhythm and style can change around it. Sharma said he and Laxmikant had often wondered how their own songs might sound if treated differently, adding, “We always wondered how our songs would sound if done differently,” as quoted in the Scroll interview. The series gave him an opportunity to apply that curiosity to another composer’s song.
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- Import, Soundtrack
The Laxmikant-Pyarelal catalogue in context
The interview’s selected filmography points to the breadth of the duo’s work across Hindi cinema. Among its examples are Dosti (1964), Milan (1967), Bobby (1973), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Karz (1980), Hero (1983), Tezaab (1988), Ram Lakhan (1989) and Khalnayak (1993). These are selected landmarks, not a complete filmography.
Where to check the episode
The series listing identifies the Pyarelal and Salim-Sulaiman episode, but the available sources do not establish whether it can currently be streamed in every location. Amazon MX Player’s About Us page describes the platform generally; it does not confirm this episode’s present regional availability. Check the service’s current catalogue in your location before expecting to watch it.
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