Ram Kadam (composer)

Ram Kadam (August 1916 – February 19, 1997 (native from city Miraj, dist : Sangli) was a noted Indian lavani composer and film score composer, who worked in Marathi cinema, during the 1940s to the 1990s, composing for nearly 200 films. He is most known for composing Lavani songs, a folk form of Maharashtra, and popular Lavani-based songs of hit film, Pinjra (1972), directed by V. Shantaram. He also composed music of plays.

Kadam initially played the clarinet in a band at Miraj, in southern Maharashtra. Thereafter, he learnt classical singing from noted classical singer Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, the doyen of Kirana gharana at Miraj. Subsequently, he also learned Lavani style of folk singing from noted Tamasha-singer Patthe Bapurao.

Kadam started his film career as an office boy at the Prabhat Films based in Pune, co-founded by V. Shantaram, soon he started assisting music director, Sudhir Phadke . His first break as an independent music director came with Meeth Bhakar (1949) directed by Bhalji Pendharkar, he continued to work at Prabhat for the next nine years, before working independently. His noted films were Gavgund (1951), Sangte Aika (1959) directed by Anant Mane and Pinjra directed by V. Shantaram, which was a big hit, and still remembered for his songs. He also composed music for plays like Nartaki and Katha Aklechya Kandyachi.

In time, Kadam became noted lavani composer, beside being a leading composer of Marathi cinema, and composed music score for around 200 films, and later in his career became a film producer. He co-produced a tamasha-theme film Kela Ishara Jaata Jaata (1965) with frequent collaborators lyricist Jagdish Khebudkar and director Anant Mane . Thereafter he co-produced films, like Sugandhi Katta and Choricha Mamla.

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