Mumbai: Veteran music director Ravi Shankar Sharma, popularly known as Ravi who gave several hit songs like Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho" and "Dil Ke Aarman Aansu Bankey Rah Gaye", died here tonight following prolonged illness, family sources said.
86-year-old Ravi, who has composed music for over 70 Hindi and 14 Malayalam films, breathed his last at Bombay Hospital.
Sharma`s wife Kanti died long ago and he is survived by son Ajay who is married to Varsha Usgaonkar, a Marathi and Hindi film actress.
"He (Ravi) is no more with us. He was keeping ill for a week and was admitted to Bombay Hospital where he passed away today", one of his nephews told PTI.
Among the music composer`s popular numbers are Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho, Tora Man Darpan Kahlaye, `Baar Baar Dekho Hazaar Baar Dekho` in Shammi Kapoor-starrer "China Town" (1962), `Dil Ke Aarman Aansu Bankey Rah Gaye` from "Nikaa" (1982) and `Milti Hai Zindagi Mey Mohabbat Kabhi Kabhi" from the 1968 movie "Aankhen" starring Dharmendra and Mala Sinha.
Ravi began his career in 1955 by composing the music for "Albeli" and went to do the same for movies like "Dilli Ka Thug" (1958), "Humraaz" (1967), "Neelkamal" (1968), "Ek Phool Do Maali" (1969) and "Mehendi" (1984).
"Just heard about the demise of composer Ravi saab. He was one of my most favorites. Never got a chance to meet him. Now I won`t ever. R.I.P", national award-winning playback singer Shreya Ghoshal wrote on twitter.