Happy Birthday VANI JAYARAM- Meera of Modern India

Vani Jayaram  with her crystal clear voice took the Hindi Films audience to a different world by rendering superhit Hindi numbers such as “Humko Manki Shakthi Dena…” and “Bole Re Papihara…’, both from Jaya Bhadurai-starrer ‘Guddi’.
Vani Jayaram was born(30th Nov 1945) in Vellore in Tamil Nadu, in a family of musicians.She was considered to be a child prodigy,She recognized the different ragas of Indian classical music before the age of five. Her voice was first heard on All India Radio, Madras, at the age of eight.
Vani Jayaram studied Carnatic music under the tutelage of Kadalur Srinivasa Iyengar, T. R. Balasubramanian and R. S. Mani. Her Hindustani classical music guru was Ustad Abdul Rahman Khan.
After her marriage to Jayaram she settled in Mumbai, where she realized her dream.
She got her break in Hindi Films by  music director Vasant Desai in Guddi.She recorded three songs for Guddi, and "Bol Re Papi Hara," a song based on the Hindustani raga "Miyan Malhar", instantly made her an household name in India. For that song she was awarded the Tansen Samman (for best classical-based song in a Hindi film),
She went on to sing a few songs each for music directors of Hindi cinema, including Chitragupt, Naushad (a classical song in Pakeezah and a duet with Asha Bhosle in Aaina), Madan Mohan (a duet with Kishore Kumar in the film Ek Mutthi Aasmaan), O.P. Nayyar (several songs from the film Khoon Ka Badla Khoon including duets with Mohammed Rafi and also with Uttara Kelkar and Pushpa Pagdhare), R. D. Burman (a duet with Mukesh in Chhalia), Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant Pyarelal, and Jaidev (a duet with Manna Dey in Parinay and a solo in Solwa Saawan). Her songs in Meera (1979), composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar, won her the Filmfare Award.
Besides Hindi and Tamil, Vani Jayaram has recordings in other languages of India. These include some songs in Gujarati, Marathi, Marwari, Haryanvi, Bengali and Tulu, and a huge repertoire in Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu and Oriya. For her work in some of these languages, she has been awarded many prestigious awards. Vani won the National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer three times.

Song from Guddi 1971

Song from Guddi 1971

A Classical Song from Pakeezah (1972)

A Duet with Kishore Kumar  from Ek Mutthi Aasmaan (1973)

A Duet with Mukesh  from  Chhalia (1973)

A lovely Duet with Manna De from Parinay (1974)

The Award Winning Song from Meera (1979) 

Remix Music in Bollywood

The remix songs have become a tend in Bollywood since 1990s. These have been popular among young generation even in 21st century.These songs can be correctly named as Live Wire that can set the floor on fire.The old hit songs are given a new attire and appearance with the adding a different beats and music to sound different and acceptable to the present generation. In the 2010’s, older songs are being recycled in a way that hasn’t been done before. The newest remix in town is David Dhawan’s Judwaa 2 and Tan Tana Tan released last month after much hype.

SOMEWHERE AROUND mid-1990s when Indipop was going through a bad phase, when Bhangra was the only thing which made money and when remixing only meant adding that predictable stereotyped `jhankar' beats, one album which stood out was Jalwa.

It was a remix album — with a difference. Lesser-known Hindi film songs were treated by Jayanta Pathak, and the end result was a very energetic, groovy set of some 10 songs which rocked the music scene and for the first time, discos in the country actually grooved to a Hindi song called Yeh Hai Jalwa.

Here are some of the popular Remix Songs of 90s

Jalwa

                                                            Kaliyon Ka Chaman

                                                                Raat baaki Baat Baaki Jalwa Remix

hawa mein udati jaaye bombay vikings

Pardesiya Yeh Such DB

kanta laga Shefali Zariwala

                                                     koi sehri babu-hindi remix

                                                  Alisha Chinai - Made In India Video

Song from Judwa 2

Ban Ja Rani Remix | Guru Randhawa, Shraddha Vajpayee | DJ Chetas | Remix 2017

The Great Classical Vocalists in Hindi Films

Among all genres, Hindustani classical music has had arguably the greatest impact on Hindi film music. Thousand of songs have been composed based on Hindustani ragas.There are some such songs those were sung by the Great Classical vocalists in Hindi films other than our great playback singers.
 Great Hindustani vocalists, right from Pandit D V Paluskar to Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ustad Amir Khan,Pt Bhimsen Joshi,Kishori Amonkar,Pt Jasraj, Nirmala Devi have lent their voice to the Hindi films occasionally. 
Some of these songs  are  Aaj gawat man mero in Baiju Bawra by Pt D V Paluskar and Ustad Amir Khan;  jhanak jhanak payal baje by Ustad Amir Khan from the movie Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, the title song in Geet Gaya Pathoron Ne, sung by Kishori Amonkar; and Humein Tumse pyaar kitna in Kudrat sung by Begum Parveen Sultana are known to one and all. A few others–such as prem jogan banke by Ustad bade Ghulam Ali Khan from Mughal-E-Azam and Ketaki Ghulab Juhi by Pt Bhimsen Joshi in Basant Bahar–are well-known .
Though these songs were not hit or popular among masses but they are precious gems.The trend of Classical Songs has diminished in our films but still there are some Music Directors who take the services of Hindustani Classical Vocalists. Vishal Bhardwaj in Maachis  composed a song with  Sanjeev Abhyankar. In this blog I have taken the songs sung by these great Classical singers.

Song from Baiju Bawra 1952

Song from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje,1955

Song from Geet Gaya Pathoron Ne 1964

Song from Basant Bahar 1956

Song from Mughal-E-Azam 1960

Pt Sanjeev Abhyankar from Godmother 1999

Song From Kudarat 1981

Happy Birthday Bappi Lahiri-The Disco King of Bollywood

The singer-composer Bappi Lahiri who turned 65 has crooned disco numbers like 'I am a disco dancer', 'Ramba ho', 'Hari Om Hari' and 'Yaar bina chain kahan re'.He was the pioneer of disco beats in India and his refreshing, vibrant, and rhythmic music had the entire nation dancing in 80s and 90s.
 He began to play the tabla at the tender age of three. Even at that tender age, Bappi showed signs of greatness as he played the tabla with the proficiency of an experienced professional. He received his first opportunity in a Bengali film, Daadu (1972) at the age of 19 and the first Hindi film for which he composed music was Nanha Shikari (1973). The film which established him in Bollywood was Tahir Husain's Hindi film, Zakhmee (1975),
He introduced Vijay Benedict and Sharon Prabhakar to the Bollywood and paved the path to fame for Alisha Chinai and Usha Uthup through his compositions.
He is also known for soundtracks like Wardat, Disco Dancer, Namak Halaal, Dance Dance, Commando, Gang Leader, Sailaab and Sharaabi 
Along with Biddu, Bappi popularized the use of synthesized disco music in Indian cinema with an Indian flavour. Most of his songs werer rendered by singers such as Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle  In 2011, he sang the song Ooo la la Ooo la lain the movie The Dirty Picture for Vishal-Shekhar. In late 2016, Bappi Lahiri lent his voice to the character of Tamatoa in the Hindi-dubbed version of Disney's 3D computer-animated fantasy adventure film Moana; he himself also composed and sang a song in the film

Song from Zakhmee 1975

Song from Chalte Chalte (1976)

Song from Aap Ke Khatir (1977)

Song from Suraksha (1979)

Song from Pyaara Dushman (1980)

Song from Wardaat (1981)

Song from Namak Halaal (1982)

Song from Himmatwala (1983)

Song from Disco Dancer (1983)

Song from Sharaabi (1984)

Song from Thanedaar (1990)

Song from Dirty Picture 2011

Relax & Enjoy your SUNDAY with These BOLLYWOOD FUN SONGS Part 9

Sunday,A day to refuel your soul and be grateful for your blessings.Take a deep breath and relax.Enjoy your family,your friends,a cup of coffee with these Bollywood  7 FUN Songs

Song from Adhikar (1954)

Song from Bandi ,1957

Song from Sitaron Se Aagey. 1958

Song from Naughty Boy 1962

Song from Ustadon Ke Ustad 1963

Song from Mere Sanam 1965

Song from ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAN 1974

Geeta Dutt- One of the greatest singers of the 20th Century.

Geeta Dutt born on 23rd Nov 1930 had a brief span of life. Her music career extended over a period of just 15 years.She appeared on the world of film music in 1947 and with her very first song “Mera sundar sapna beet gaya” she attained unprecedented fame and popularity winning the hearts of millions of music lovers.It was S D Burman who discovered and groomed her.
  She rendered songs from her heart making them so endearingly heart rendering. When she sang "Thandi Hawaa Kaali Ghata" you can feel the cool breeze of an overcast day. When she sang "Koi Door Se Awaaz De" you can sense the feelings of a hauntingly disturbed soul celebrating the resplendence of life on one side and yet lamenting setbacks on the other. As critic Subhash K. Jha puts it aptly "Geta Dutt's voice conveys the sweetness of honey and the pain of the bee sting."
Here are my 10 favorite songs of GeetaDutt.

Song from Do Bhai (1947),

Song from Baazi – (1951)

Song from Pyaasa – (1957)

Song from Aar Paar (1954)

Song from Kaagaz Ke Phool – (1959)

Song from Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962)

Song from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam – 1962)

Song from Shart – (1954)

Song from Anubhav – (1971)

Song from Howrah Bridge – (1958)

Controversy in Bollywood Films

 Controversies and Bollywood Films go hand in hand.Some time its real and some time these are intentional.
In India, sex, politics,history, nudity, religious sentiments are the main ingredients for controversy. There have been a lot of movies in the past too that have stirred some serious controversies. The first controversy appeared way back in 1921 a silent film  Bhakta Vidur.In this film the Hindu mythological character Vidura was moulded on the personality of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This was the first Indian film to face a ban.
Recently the controversy of Padmavati by the Karni Sena has delayed the release of this film.Earlier also  Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ran its agitation against the release of Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (ADHM) and Shah Rukh Khan's Raees since they feature Pakistani actors.
I am discussing some of those Bollywood films which made contoversy at the time of their release.
Kissa Kursi Ka (1977)

The 70s film that sparked a controversy was Kissa Kursi Ka. With the film throwing subtle references at the political system and corruption in the country, it was banned by the censors immediately. Moreover, all the prints and posters too were confiscated by the authorities. 

Aandhi (1975)

A Gulzar's Film, its film posters showcasing a woman politician, the story was allegedly based on the life then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. The film was banned instantly. However, it was released on state-run television channel and was an instant hit!

Fire (1998)

Fire continues to remain as one of the most controversial films in India.The film created uproar on the first-day of its release and was resend to the censors.It was one of the first mainstream Bollywood films to explicitly show homosexual relations. After its 1998 release in India, certain groups staged several protests, setting off a flurry of public dialogue around issues such as homosexuality and freedom of speech.

Black Friday (2005)

The film was blocked by the censors, fearing pandemonium in the nation. Moreover, it had to undergo various screenings before it saw its release in 2007.Black Friday narrates one of the most horrific events in the history of Mumbai – The 1992-93 riots and bombings. 

Water (2005)

After several controversies surrounding the film in India, the Indian censor boards cleared the film with a "U" certificate. It was released in India on 9 March 2007.This movie showcases the difficult and simple lives of widows in ashrams. It hurt the feelings of Hindus which led to burning of posters of this movie on the ghats. Activist Arun Pathak also organised a suicide protest to stop the film production

My Name Is Khan (2010).

Directed by Karan Johar, produced by Hiroo Johar and Gauri Khan, and starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in lead roles..Before its release, the film generated a great deal of publicity for itself due to three main reasons: first, the multiple political controversies surrounding the film and its lead actor.After Shahrukh Khan (who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team) criticised the fact that members of the Pakistani Cricket Team were not bought by the clubs competing in the 2010 Indian Premier League (IPL), he was condemned by Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist political party. There were consequent protests and demonstrations against him and demands that cinemas in India refuse to screen My Name Is Khan.

Parzania (2007)

The film is inspired by the true story of a ten-year-old Parsi boy, Azhar Mody, played in the film as Parzaan Pithawala in the film, who disappeared after the 28 February 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre during which 69 people were killed and which was one of many events in the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.

Aakarshan (2011)

The film is a socio-political drama based on the controversial policy of caste based reservations in Indian government jobs and educational institutions.This film touched the sensitive nerves of some people when it portrayed the  caste based reservation system in India. As a result, the movie was banned in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh before its release. The ban from Uttar Pradesh was later lifted by the Supreme Court

The Story of Babul mora naihar chhooto hi jaye-The Queen of Thomris

We all have heard this famous song of K L Sehgal.After close to nearly 80 years of it being released (for the 1938 movie, Street Singer), this still remains a favorite of the discerning listener of vintage Indian film music. This is being one of my favorites of K l Sehgal songs.
A thought came in my mind why not write a blog on this Immortal song.Very few  would know that this Bhairavi thumri, was composed by Wajid Ali Shah,when he was expelled to Calcutta, he wrote the parting song Babul Mora,picturing the mind of a heart broken man. He expressed his pain of parting in the lyrics of ‘Babul mora naihar chhuto jaye’, It has been one of the favorite thumris of many a singers over generations—from Ustad Faiyaz Khan—the most well-known singer of Agra Gharana and arguably one of the best voices on record—to Alisha Chinoy. 
The most famous version of Wajid Ali Khan’s Babul Mora was sung by Kundan Lal Saigal in the movie Street Singer in 1938. The music was composed by Rai Chand Boral, who is considered as a father figure among  cine-music composers.  
The list of luminaries who sang ‘Babul Mora’ includes-  Bhim Sen Joshi, Kesarbai Kerkar, Siddheshwari Devi, Rasoolan Bai, Khadim  Hussain Khan, Mushatq Hussain Khan, Girija Devi, Kishori Amonkar, Jagmohan, Padma Talwalkar, Shanti Vaidyanathan Sharma, Mahender Chopra (son-in-law of K.L.Saigal) and none other than Ghazal queen Begum Akhtar.
Thumri arose in popularity during the 19th century in the Lucknow court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. At that time it used to be a sung by courtesans accompanied by dance. It is said that Thumri is a short piece of semi-classical rendition usually sung at the conclusion of a classical music concert. 
The Saigal version is set in Raag Bhairavi – Bhairavi had traditionally been performed in the early morning hours.  However, due to the fact that performances lasted all night, it has now become common to consider Bhairavi to be the finale.
To my readers I have taken the videos of various version of this immortal song sung by the great singers of their time In fact the latest version with modern instruments by Rajesh Panwar at New Jersey in 2015. 

K L Sehgal

Song from Street Singer 1938

Kanan Devi

Song from Street Singer 1938

Kesar Bai Kerkar

                                                 kesarbai kerkar sings 'babul mora' 

MALKA JAAN

Ustad Khadim Husain Khan

Begum Akhtar

                           Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaaye - Beghum Akhtar version

Girija Devi

                                  Jugalbandi babul mora shobha gurtu & girija devi 

Sidheshwari Devi

                                       Babul Mora - Thumri in Bhairavi - Girija Devi

Pandit Bhimsen Joshi

                                 Pt Bhimsen Joshi -Babul Mora Raga Bhairavi, 1960s

Kishori Amonkar

                               Kishori Amonkar - Raag Bhairavi Thumri - Babul Mora Naihar Chhuto Hi Jai

Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh 

Song from Avishkar

Alisha Chinoy

Ruchira Kedar

                                      Ruchira Kedar Live "Babul Mora" Bhairavi Thumri

 Rajesh panwar 

                               Babul mora naihar by Rajesh panwar At New jersey 2015