Kunal Ganjawala shares rare image of Raj Kapoor from the recording of ‘Ek Din Bik Jayega’ song
Mumbai-based playback singer Kunal Ganjawala recently took fans on a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a heartfelt Instagram post. On Sunday, he celebrated the birthday of legendary singer Sushma Shrestha, better known as Poornima, by sharing rare throwback photos and a touching tribute. This post has fans buzzing about Bollywood’s golden era, Hindi film music legends, and the unbreakable bonds in the music industry.
The first image is a priceless black-and-white snapshot from the recording session of the iconic song "Ek Din Bik Jayega" from Raj Kapoor’s classic film Dharam Karam. It captures some of Bollywood’s biggest names all in one frame: the legendary director Raj Kapoor, music maestro S.D. Burman, his son and hitmaker R.D. Burman, talented arranger Manohari Singh, actor Randhir Kapoor, and of course, Sushma Shrestha (Poornima). For those who might not know, one version of this timeless track features vocals by Sushma Shrestha and R.D. Burman himself – a true gem from Hindi playback singing history.
In a long, emotional caption, Kunal poured out his gratitude to Poornima, calling her his "guardian angel" and "fairy Godmother." He wrote, "Happiest Birthday to my dearest Sushma Shrestha Didi this day and forever. Thank you for being God’s chosen fairy Godmother to me and for tirelessly taking me along with you to all the major film and advertising studios of the early 90’s and introducing me to all the biggest composers from Anand Milind ji, Mr Anu Malik, Mr Aadesh Srivastav, dearest Ranjit Barot, Louis Banks & Leslie Lewis to name a few thereby giving me an unbelievable opportunity in those times of struggle by endorsing your faith in my talent & my original voice quality which was my shortcoming as per those times of course."
The second photo shows Poornima in a more recent light, highlighting her enduring charm as a playback singer. Kunal continued in his note, sharing how she single-handedly launched his career. "I cannot thank you enough ever for what you’ve done for me & what you’ve been to me & for single handedly bringing me into the professional arena didi cause coming with you meant i could be in those monitor rooms of the hallowed studios & take in all the vibe required for an enormous learning curve that it presented. Film Centre, Bombay Lab, Mehboob Studios, Sunny Super Sound, Sahara Studios & Western Outdoor to name some where just getting inside the studio premise took a lifetime."
He revealed how Poornima boosted his confidence during his early struggles when no one knew him and music was still a fresh adventure in his life. She even welcomed him into her home like family, treating him as an elder brother to her kids when it got late to head back. "You gave me a place in your home when it was late to get back home. I was given an equal place with your children like an older brother of theirs. I can never repay you for what you’ve done for me & for your kindheartedness. I stay eternally indebted."
Kunal wrapped up with more trivia about the throwback pic, noting it includes chief engineer Kaushik Baba ji from Film Centre in Tardeo. He playfully asked Poornima about the absence of the legendary Mukesh from the photo and added a fun fact: "PS this also happens to be the first song i ever sang in my life on stage." This emotional shoutout to Poornima’s role in Bollywood music and her mentorship has fans reminiscing about the magic of 90s Hindi songs and the stars who made them shine.
