Music director Anandji Shah from the Kalyanji Anandji duo was felicitated and awarded by an American organisation as his song was the most played song in the US for the year 2005.

A hip hop group named Black Eyed Peas had used Kalyanji- Anandji’s compositions in a song called Don’t Phunk With My Heart. The song which is a part of the album, Monkey Business also won the Grammy award .

Though the group hadn’t taken permission from Anandji, but they did take permission from the record company Sa Re Ga Ma. Shah didn’t make money on this deal, but he’s happy that he’s getting the credit for the same.

“Black Eyes Peas liked my song Aye Naujawan Hai Sab from the Feroz Khan film Apradh. This was one song where a sitar and a tabla was used within a cabaret and was termed as a hip hop song. Apart from that they used another song of mine from Don – Yeh Mera Dil Pyar Ka Deewana and mixed it to use in their song,” says Anandji.

Anandji feels that everything Indian is being liked and adapted abroad. “It’s a big wave and songs too have become a part of it.”

Like the IPRS in India, BMI controls everything including royalties in the US and are honouring all these Grammy award winners and “they sent me a registration letter that I should go to the US for the award,” says Anandji who misses his partner-in-rhyme Kalyanji which whom he ahs belted multiple hits. “It would have been nice if Kalyanjibhai had been with me to share this moment of glory,” he sighs.