Mahendra Kapoor - The Vibrant Voice of India

He was one of the pillars of the Golden Era of Hindi Music, he had his own style of singing and was different from other singers of his time. Mahendra Kapoor had a very large vocal range, and he is sometimes known as The Vibrant Voice of India. He was the first Indian playback singer to record music in English. He was asked by the group Boney M to sing their songs in Hindi with Musarat from Pakistan, which resulted in the Pop Album M-3.
Mahendra Kapoor (9 January 1934 – 27 September 2008) was an Indian playback singer. Best known for the song MERE DESH KI DHARTI from Upkar.He started his career as a playback singer in V. Shantaram's Navrang in 1958, singing Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi, under the musical direction of C. Ramchandra.
 At an early age, he was inspired by singer Mohammed Rafi but he started learning classical music under classical singers like Pt. Hussanlal, Pt. Jagannath Bua, Ustad Niaz Ahmed Khan, Ustad Abdul Rehman Khan and Pt.Tulsidaas Sharma.
 He is perhaps most notable for lending his voice to actor Manoj Kumar in most of his films, mainly in the patriotic genre of music.He was a favorite singer for B R Chopra's films. Some of the films of BR Chopra camp were Dhool Ka Phool, Gumrah, Waqt, Hamraaz, Dhund and Nikaah
He sang in a large number of Indian languages and was the playback singer who has performed in the largest number of in Gujarati, Punjabi, Bhojpuri and Marathi movies. He also performed the title song for the TV series Mahabharat. In Marathi, he was very popular for being the voice of Dada Kondke in all his movies. In spite of being associated with Dada Kondke's colloquial style, his singing for Marathi movies was not limited to Dada Kondke's movies only.
.He remained a respected and popular figure across his five-decade cinema career. During his singing career, he sang more than 2500 songs in various languages.In 1972, he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.
On 27 September 2008, Kapoor died following cardiac failure. He was survived by his wife, children, children-in-law and grandchildren.

Song of Navrang 1958

Song of Dhool Ka Phool (1959)

Song of Ghunghat 1960

Song of Gumrah (1963)

Song of Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966)

Song of Upkar (1967)

Song of Hamraaz (1967)

Song of  Purab Aur Paschim (1970)

Song of Gopi (1970) 

R D Burman- The RDX of Music

From a very young age, he started taking an interest in music. When he was nine years old, R. D. Burman composed his first song, Aye meri topi palat ke aa, which his father used in the film Funtoosh (1956). The tune of the song Sar jo tera chakraaye was also composed by him as a child; his father included it in the soundtrack of Guru Dutt's Pyaasa His father sent him to learn instruments from the great maestro of that era. In Mumbai, he was trained by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan (sarod) and Samta Prasad (tabla). He also considered Salil Chowdhury his guru. He served as an assistant to his father and often played harmonica in his orchestras.
When he was in his teens, he was signed as an independent music director by none other than Guru Dutt for a film starring himself and Waheeda Rehman. The lyrics of this Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman-starrer film were written by Shailendra. Burman recorded two songs for the film before it was shelved. The first song was sung by Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle, and the second one had vocals by Shamshad Begum. Unfortunately, the film couldn't be completed, he had to wait for 2 more years.
When the noted Bollywood comedian Mehmood decided to produce Chhote Nawab, he first approached Burman's father Sachin Dev Burman for the music. However, S. D. Burman declined the offer, advising he was unavailable. At this meeting, Mehmood noticed Rahul playing tabla, and signed him as the music director for Chhote Nawab. 
His first hit film as a  music director was Teesri Manzil (1966). Nasir Hussain the producer of this film  went on to sign R D Burman and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri for six of his net  films including Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) and Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). Burman's score for Padosan (1968) was well received. Meanwhile, he continued to work as his father's assistant for films including Jewel Thief (1967) and Prem Pujari (1970).
He was always lookout for new and different sounds. A lot has been written about R D Burman creating sound from various sources, like a broom and a comb, a glass hit by spoon, blow wind into a bottle or beat the table or the human back. It is not important to create that sound, in my mind the genius is to apply that sound into music and make it part of the melody. 
In Padosan song Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein the beginning sound was created by rubbing Comb with a grooved pipe. The same sound again was used in "Chingari Koi Bhadke" from Amar Prem Song.

Song from Padosan 1968

Song from Amar Prem 1972

In the "Mehbooba Mehbooba" song from Sholay (1975), the song begins with the sound he created by blowing from his mouth into half-filled cold drink bottles. Nobody before or after him has had these ideas.

Song of Sholay 1975

Similarly, the sound from a bottle was used in the Warrant song "Ruk Jana O Jana", watch this video.

                         The bottle used by R.D.Burman in SHOLAY and WARRANT

We have all heard the most popular song  'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', from Yaadon Ki Baaraat  The song starts with a  spoon-on-glass sound . It is is an actual recording of a glass being struck by a spoon.

Song from Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)

He created a different sound by a school bell dipping in a bucket full of water, Watch the above song "Yeh Din To aata Hai Ek Din Jawani Mein" from 1983 film Mahan.

Song from Mahan 1983

R D was very fond of new and different types of musical instruments.He introduced Thumba to Bollywood, Pancham and his group had gone for some shows in Africa. There they saw this African Instrument called Tumba. This triggered Pancham and thus he brought TUMBA to India. The legendary TUMBA played in “Aya Hoon Main Tujhko Le Jaunga” from Manoranjan is a classic example of his rhythmic playing.  
In the film Jawani Diwani in the song "Samne Yeh Kaun Aya", he invented an instrument called Pedal Matka to produce a different sound. watch this video below.

                                                      R.D.Burman's Pedaal Matka Effect

Ameen Sayani is radio, and radio is Ameen Sayani.

When we think of Radio Ceylon, only one name emerges in our brain and that of Ameen Sayani. He is definitely the most popular and most renowned radio announcer from India. He achieved worldwide fame, and especially in all across South Asia when he presented his hit countdown show Binaca Geetmala How can we forget  his signature address ‘Behenon aur bhaiyo…!’
His best-known radio show was; Binaca Geetmala, later renamed as Cibaca Geetmala which has been broadcasted since 1952 from Radio Ceylon, and later from Vividh Bharati, AIR – for a total of over 42 years. 
Ameen Sayani (Born on 21 Dec 1932) started his career as an English broadcaster but when he went for an audition for AIR’s Hindi section, he was told after the test that there are hints of English and Gujarati in his accent and he cannot be recruited. But Sayani was not someone to be disheartened and went on to become one of India’s most loved radio presenters.
Ameen Sayani is from the family of Freedom Fighters, his mother was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. As advised by Mahatma Gandhi, his mother published The fortnightly, RAHBER (1940 to 1960), was simultaneously published in the Devnagri (Hindi), Urdu and Gujarati scripts – but all in the simple "Hindustani" language promoted by Gandhi. Sayani assisted his mother, Kulsum Sayani, in editing, publishing and printing a fortnightly journal for neo-literates.
He was introduced to All India Radio, Bombay, by his brother Hamid Sayani. Ameen participated in English programs there for ten years.
Beside announcer he has produced, compered (or spoken for) over 54,000 radio programmes and 19,000 spots/ jingles since 1951.

He has conferred the Padma Shri award in 2009. Besides this, Ameen Sayani has been felicitated with many awards:

• Living Legend Award (2006) from Federation OF Indian Chambers OF Commerce & Industry, with India Radio Forum
• Kaan Hall Of Fame Award (2003) from Radio Mirchi (FM Network of the Times Group)
• Golden Abby by Advertising Club, Bombay (2000 ) for the OUTSTANDING RADIO CAMPAIGN OF THE CENTURY ( “Binaca/Cibaca GEETMALA” ).
• Hall Of Fame Award (1993) from Indian Academy Of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA)
• Person Of The Year Award (1992) Limca Book Of Records
• Gold medal(1991) from Indian Society Of Advertisers (ISA) presented by Mr. K.R. Narayanan, then Vice-President of India.

1958 Annual Binaca geetmala

Choodi (Bangles) Songs of Bollywood

Choodi or Bangles have always been an inseparable part of Indian culture. It is the most important ornament that an Indian woman wears. For married women, bangles hold a special significance as they are a sign of their Suhaag. 
No wonder, bangles feature in so many of our films as well as folk songs. This topic came to my mind a few days back when I was watching the movie of Ashok Kumar, Achhut Kanya released in 1936. The movie has a song and dance by Mumtaz Ali, the father of legendry comedian Mehmood. In this song, he played a Choodi Wala. I have included this rare song in this Blog.
This song belongs to the time when things were looking up for Mumtaz Ali. It reflects in the easy grace with which he sings and dances to this song.

Song of Achhut Kanya 1937

Another popular Choodi song before Independence is from 1941 film Khajanchi. This song was sung by Shamshad Begam. The song is picturized on Manorama who teases her brother (played by S D Narang) in this song by singing this song about “Choodi”( glass bangles)

Song of Khajanchi 1941

This song is from the 1953 film Paapi, Raj Kapoor played a double role in this film. This Choodi song became very popular, sung by Mohammad Rafi for Raj Kapoor.

Song of Paapi 1953

The next song is from “Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyaan” (1967)  that was produced by Kishore Sahu to launch his daughter Naina Sahu.

Song of Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyaan 1967

Song of Do Raste 1970

Song of Gambler 1971

Song of Jaani Dushman” 1979

Song of Chaandni (1989) 

Song of Aaj Ka Arjun 1990

Song of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)

The Milestone Songs of Salil Chowdhury

Very few know that Bimal Roy's classic film Do Bigha Zameen was written by him. He also gave the music of this film. This film took his career to new heights when it became the first film to win the Filmfare Best Movie Award and won the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Bollywood got a genius like him. 
Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1923 – 5 September 1995) was an accomplished composer and arranger who was proficient in several musical instruments, including flute, the piano, and the esraj.
Popularly known as Salil Da made his debut in the Hindi Film Industry in 1953 as the Music Director for Do Bigha Zamin.

Salil Chowdhury's contribution to modern Indian music is not as well known as it deserves. The composer's 96th birth anniversary falls on November 19,2019. A tribute.with his Milestone Songs

Song from Madhumati 1958

Song from Parakh 1960 

Song from Usne Kaha Tha 1960

Song from Chhaya 1961

Song from Maya 1961

Song from Kaabuliwala 1961

Song from Anand 1971

Song from Rajnigandha 1974

Laxmikant of Laxmikant Pyarelal - A Musical Prodigy

 Laxmikant(3rd Nov 1937- May 25, 1998)  spent his childhood amidst dire poverty in the slums of Vile Parle (East) in Mumbai. He lost his father very early in his life.
His father’s friend, a musician himself, advised Laxmikant to learn music. Accordingly, Laxmikant learned to play the mandolin from the well-known mandolin player Hussain Ali and later from Bal Mukund Indorker and violin from Husnalal (of the Husanlal Bhagatram fame). When he was only 10 years old, he played mandolin in a Lata Mangeshkar concert in Radio Club, Colaba. Lata was so impressed that she talked to him after the concert and asked him to join  Sureel Kala Kendra, a music academy for children, run by the Mangeshkar family. Here he met the young Pyarelal, who was 3years younger to him. They used to spend long hours at the recording studios, sometimes getting work for each other and even playing together whenever they got the opportunity.
Lata Mangeshkar saw talent in him and Pyarelal, helped them to fight poverty by recommending them as a musician to the music directors of that time like Shankar Jaikishan,, OP Nayyar, etc.
In 1953, they became assistants to Kalyanji-Anandji and worked with them as assistants till 1963. They worked as music arrangers for many music directors including Sachin Dev Burman (in Ziddi) and also for his son Rahul Dev Burman (in his first film Chhote Nawab). Laxmikant–Pyarelal and R D Burman remained very good friends, even when Laxmikant–Pyarelal started giving music independently. R D Burman played mouth organ for all songs of Dosti. Laxmikant once made a guest appearance playing the role of himself as a Composer of Song “Dil Ki Baat” in Teri Kasam (1982), which had music by R D Burman.
Laxmikant was a diehard fan of Shankar Jaikishan, in fact In their early days, Laxmikant–Pyarelal's music was very similar to Shankar-Jaikishan's music,  Laxmikant–Pyarelal's first film as music director was not released. The first released movie which featured them as music directors was Babubhai Mistry's Parasmani (1963), all the songs of the film became immensely popular, esp. "Hasata Hua Nurani Chehara", "Wo Jab Yaad Aaye".In the third quarter of 1963, LP’s first-ever songs Hasta Hua Nurani Chehara form Parasmani hit the “Binaca Geet Mala”.
Laxmikant–Pyarelal hit the big time with Rajshri Productions' 1964 film Dosti. The film had two newcomer heroes who never became popular, and the film was a success due to its music. They won their first Filmfare Best Music Director Award for this movie, ahead of stalwarts like Shankar-Jaikishan (for Sangam) and Madan Mohan (for Woh Kaun Thi?). Then came Lootera, a superhit musical non-star cast film, which is remembered only because of Lata Mangeshkar's superhit songs with Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
In 1966 L-P consolidated its place in Hindi film music. L-P's first musical hit film, with a big star cast, Aaye Din Bahar Ke was released, followed by Pyar Kiye Jaa.In the same year few more of their films released such as Sant Gyaneshwar (Songs: "Jyot Se Jyot Jagate Chalo",); in Hum Sab Ustaad Hai (Songs: "Pyar Batate Chalo", "Ajanabi Tum Jane Pehachane Se"); in Mr. X in Bombay (Songs: "Mere Mehboob Quayamat Hogi", "Chali Re Chali Re Gori", "Khoobsurat Haseena"); and in Shriman Fantush..(Songs: "Sultana Sultana Tu Na Ghabarana", "Yeh Dard Bhara Afasana"). 
In 1967 LP received their second Filmfare Trophy for Milan without any stiff competition. That year this Jodi gave a series of hits, one after another. Non-star cast film Farz was L-P's first golden jubilee musical hit, followed by big star cast films such as Anita, Shagird, yet another Golden Jubilee hit, Patthar Ke Sanam,
They dominated the music industry along with R D Burman in the 70s and 80s.theycomposed over 3000 songs, or even more, in nearly 500 films. After Milan, they won 5 more Filmfare awards. for Best Music Director.
Their music in Bobby has been rated the 17th best soundtrack ever by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks". Other soundtracks in the list include Amar Akbar Anthony (25), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (27), Dosti (32), Hero (36), Ek Duuje Ke Liye (44), Karz (50), Ram Lakhan (59), Kranti (61), Tezaab (65), Do Raaste (74), Milan (75), Khalnayak (77) and Prem Rog (85).
Laxmikant died on May 25, 1998, Pyarelal went to self retirement.

You would also appreciate my Youtube channel Link is given below 

The Iconic Mirror Scenes of Bollywood

https://youtu.be/tcAAE7QwScA

Here are the songs of their Award-winning films of LP

Song of Dosti 1965

Song of Milan 1967

Song of Jeene Ki Raah 1970

Song of Amar Akbar Anthony 1977

Song of Satyam Shivam Sundaram 1978

Song of Sargam  1979

Song of Karz1980

Sahir Ludhianvi - Tum Na Jane Kis Jahan Mein Kho Gaye

Sahir(March 8th, 1921- 25th Oct 1980) made his debut as a lyricist with the film "Azadi Ki Raah Par" in 1948. The film had four songs written by him. His first song was "Badal Rahie Hai Zindagi". However, it was the year 1951 that would bring him fame and recognition. That year 3 of his films released having the music of S D Burman in all of these three films,
Three of his songs that sky-rocketed in popularity and are hummed even today. First was "Thandi Hawaayen Lehraa Ke Aayi" from Naujawan. The second was from a landmark film  Baazi."Tadbeer Se Bigdi Hui Taqdeer Bana Le" and the third was"Tum Na Jane Kis Jahan Mein Kho Gaye" from Sazaa.
This was followed by the chartbuster Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan from Jaal(1952), Sahir took film lyrics to the heights of genuine poetry. Now his pairing with S D Burman was to create many immortal sings. Both of them worked together in 18 films. While 1957 saw the end of Sahir’s partnership with SD Burman.,
Sahir’s mastery over the Urdu language, immaculate diction, intensity of feelings and emotions and enchanting style of expression made him a lyricist of a different kind — a class apart. In Guru Dutt’s Pyasa, his songs Yeh duniya agar mil bhee jaye to kya hai, Jinhen naaz hai Hind par woh kahan hain, Jane woh kaise log thhey jinke pyar ko pyar mila won him acclaim.

After S D Burman, his pairing with O P Nayyar and Ravi also created many immortal songs. It was the songs of Naya Daur and Tumsa Nahin Dekha established the pairing with O P Nayyar and with Ravi from the 1963 film Gumrah.
Sahir did work with other composers including, Roshan, Khayyam, and N Dutta, their collaboration produced the score for Milaap (1955), Chandrakanta (1956), Saadhna (1958), Dhool Ka Phool (1959). 
In 1958, Sahir wrote the lyrics for Ramesh Saigal's film Phir Subah Hogi, its music was given by Khayyam. The song Woh Subah Kabhi Toh Aayegi with its minimal background music remains popular.  Khayyam collaborated with Sahir in many films including Kabhie Kabhie and Trishul.
From about 1950 until his death( 25 October 1980), .Sahir Ludhianvi wrote songs for a total of 122 movies from 1948 up to his death including three unreleased movies, one Punjabi movie and two Pakistani movies. Six movies with his songs were released posthumously. The 50s and 60s were Sahir's most prolific years. He wrote songs for 84 films during these two decades.

Song of Baazi 1951

Song of Naujawan 1951

Song of Sazaa 1951

Song of Jaal 1952

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Song of  Devdas 1955

Song of  House No 44 1955

Song of Munimjee 1955

Song of Funtoosh 1956

Song of Pyaasa 1957

Song of Naya Daur 1957

Song of Tumsa Nahin Dekha 1957

Song of Sadhana 1958

Song of Dhool Ka Phool  1959

Song of Barsaat Ki Raat  1960

Song of Hum Dono  1961

Song of Gumraah   1963

Song of Taj Mahal  1963

Song of Waqt 1965

Song of Aa Gale Lag Jaa   1973

Song of Kabhi Kabhi  1976