of the job of a harmonium player at Prithvi Theatre (without asking Prithviraj Kapoor, fondly referred to as 'Papaji'). Papaji honoured Shankar's selection and gladly accepted Jaikishan as a harmonium player at Prithvi. Soon, the two developed very close friendship to the extent that the people started to referring them 'Ram-Lakshman' and by several similar-meaning nicknames. Apart from following their musical pursuits, they also used to play significant roles in various plays including the famous play Pathan. While working in Prithvi Theatre, Shankar and Jaikishan used to compose tunes and were in touch with Raj Kapoor, who was working as an assistant to the famous director Kidar Sharma and was aspiring to be an actor/director. Thus, the three had met at Prithvi Theatre. Barsaat: the first break Raj Kapoor made his debut as a director with the film Aag in 1948. Its music director Ram Ganguly was assisted by Shankar and Jaikishan. However, during the recording of a song for his new venture Barsaat, Raj Kapoor had some serious differences with Ram Ganguly and decided to assign its music to Shankar who insisted on taking Jaikishan as his partner. Thus came into existence the new pair of music directors 'Shankar-Jaikishan' who would become a permanent feature in Raj Kapoor films in near future. Himself being a trained singer (he and Mukesh learned vocal music from the same Guru), Raj Kapoor thus took on board this new team of composers Shankar and Jaikishan with lyricists Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri (a former bus conductor). On the insistence of Shankar, they co-opted the upcoming singing talent Lata Mangeshkar, and repeated Mukesh as Raj Kapoor's ghost voice for the songs of Barsaat. The film also had the distinction of featuring two firsts in Hindi cinema — a title song ("Barsaat Mein Humse Mile") and a cabaret ("Patli Kamar Hai"), which were also the first two songs written by Shailendra. Early works between 1949 and 1959 The two became known by the acronym "S-J". Their early works include Barsaat, Awara, Badal, Poonam, Nagina, Aurat, Parbat, Kali Ghata, Aah, Patita, Shikast, Badshah, Mayurpankh, Naya Ghar, Seema, Shree 420, Basant Bahar, Halaku, Rajhath, New Delhi, Kathputli, Anari, Chori Chori, Daag, Begunah, Yahudi, Main Nashe Mein Hoon, Kanhaiya, Boot Polish, Choti Behan, Shararat, Love Marriage and Ujala. Musical collaborators S-J formed a core team with lyricists Shailendra (himself regarded as perhaps the greatest modern day Hindi film music