Mukesh- The Man With Golden Voice

 

‘Dil jalta hai to jalne de’. was the first major song from Mukesh from ” Pehli Nazar”(1945). It was Anil Biswas who composed this song and wanted him to sing in Saigal style The song became so popular that he was branded for the sad songs. He was next to Saigal for such types of songs. Initially, all the composers used Mukesh mainly for such songs.

After this film, however, Anil Biswas helped Mukesh to develop his own distinct style, away from the Saigal effect. Mukesh's songs of Anokha Pyaar-1948, Lajawab-1950, and Aaram-1951 are a testimony to this effort becoming a success. Just listen to the ‘ Aye Jaan e Jigar’ song and you will agree.  The anguish of a failed lover, despondency of a purposeless life, the Heartache-all this is expressed by Mukesh like no other singer.

Naushad also recognized Mukesh's voice, he took him for the first time in the 1948 film 'Anokhi Ada'.Mukesh coming out a winner with his ‘ kabhi dil dil se takrata to hoga’. Mela-1948 put a stamp of approval on Mukesh from none other than Dilip Kumar. He sang many songs for him, in fact he was the voice of Dilip Kumar in Andaz(1949) and Rafi was the voice of Raj Kapoor in that film.

Along with Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey, and Kishore Kumar, he was one of the most popular and legendary singers of his era. Amongst the numerous nominations and awards he won, his song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from filmRajnigandha (1973) won him the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. Mukesh was also popular as being the voice of the actor Raj Kapoor.

Mukesh won 4 Filmfare Awards,Sab Kuch Seekha Humne from Anaari 1959,Sabse Bada Naadan from Pehchan 1970,"Jai Bolo Beimaan Ki" from Beiman 1972 and "Kabhi Kabhie Mere Dil Mein" from Kabhi Kabhi 1976

Mukesh died of a heart attack on 27 August 1976 in Detroit, Michigan, US, where he had gone to perform in a concert. His body was flown to India by Lata Mangeshkar, where a grand funeral ceremony was held in the presence of several actors, with personalities of the Indian film industry and fans paying tribute.

In this blog, we have chosen a few of his Jolly & Happy Songs. Watch the video below from my Youtube channel

https://youtu.be/nwsts_0XeUQ

50 Years of Jawani Diwani

 

Jawani Diwani was released on 14th July 1972, It was a musical romance film directed by Narender Bedi, and starring Randhir Kapoor, and Jaya Bhaduri, A landmark movie primarily because of RD Burman's fast, pounding and melodious score. The movie was a hit despite the unusual and forgettable pairing of Randhir and Jaya.Bhaduri.

 It was an era when music was the dominating element and enlisting Rahul Dev Burman for the job ensured half the battle was won After Hare Rama Hare Krishna it was once again Asha Bhosle was at her best combined with Kishore Kumar.

In so far the plot is concerned, this is the simple story of a boy (Randhir Kapoor) meeting girl (Jaya Badhuri) at school, with the usual problems with parents.  The plot does not appeal but the music lingers. 

Songs from “Jawani Diwani” impressed the youth and a cross-section of music lovers. “Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani” was a peppy number and went down well with the young brigade. “Saamne Yeh Kaun Aaya” could be heard at most parties. “Nahi Nahi Abhi Nahi” and “Agar Saaz Chheda Tarane Banenge” became popular too but the icing on the cake was “Jaane Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha” which had a distinct RD touch, a unique blend of instruments that only he could use.

If you have not seen this film, you must see, enjoy its music and picturization of its songs

The Soundtrack

Song	Singer
"Samne Yeh Kaun Aaya"	Kishore Kumar
"Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani"	Kishore Kumar
"Jaan-E-Jaan Dhoondta Phir Raha Hoon Tumhe Raat Din"	Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle
"Agar Saaz Chheda, Tarane Banenge"	Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle
"Nahin Nahin, Abhi Nahin, Abhi Karo Intezar"	Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle
"Hay Tauba"	Asha Bhosle

Song from Jawani Diwani 1972

If you have liked this Blog,you would also appreciate my Youtuber Channel

https://youtu.be/ZEnEKZcyPjI

50 Years of Pakeezah

 

Pakeezah took 16 years to reach the celluloid. The film started on July 16, 1956, and was released on February 4, 1972. It was a dream project of Kamal Amrohi, he wanted his wife Meena Kumari to be Sahibjaan of Pakeezah. The mujra 'Inhin logon ne' was shot on July 16, 1956, interestingly at that time the script was not ready, nor the star cast was decided, even the hero was not decided, the next several years went in scouting for locations, deciding on a leading man, writing and rewriting various bits of the film.

Meena Kumari gave her best performance in this film despite her worsening health condition. She attended the premiere of the film at Maratha Mandir. The film was received lukewarm at the Box Office but when the news of Meena Kumari admitting to the hospital spread, it gained momentum.it was Meena Kumari's untimely death on 31 March 1972 which acted as an ultimate push and made it one of the top grosser of that year. Pakeezah was house-full for 33 weeks and even celebrated its silver jubilee in many cinema halls all over the country.

This movie is one among the very few Indian movies, that would never fade away with the passage of time, nor would its spellbinding appeal ever diminish, even as the Indian cinema transforms into the abyss of artificially styled pop culture

The story is About Sahibjaan Who Was Brought Up By Brothel Madame Nawabjaan.... She Grows Up & Becomes Popular Dancer/Singer... Forest Ranger Salim is Enthralled By Her Beauty & Innocence, Convinces Her To Elope With Him But Trials And Tribulations Await As She is Recognized By Men Wherever She Goes With Salim... When He Renames Her Pakeezah (Pure) Takes Her To A Priest To Be Legally Married, She Refuses, Returns To The Brothel..The Story Moves Further...

 The music of the film was recorded by the end of 1959. It was composed by Gulam Muhammad. Kamal Amrohi wanted this film to be a musical so 15 songs were recorded earlier.The shooting of the film was halted in 1964 due to mutual differences between lead heroine Meena Kumari and her director-husband Amrohi. In 1968, the composer of the film passed away. So, when the film was revived in 1969, Naushad was roped in to complete the background music for the film. Many exhibitors suggested Kamal Amrohi change the music according to the then-popular trend and style. To this Amrohi said that he would have readily done this if only Ghulam Mohammed was still alive but now he cannot betray a man, who gave him such melodious songs, after his death. So he kept his music intact but used fewer songs as planned to keep up with the fast-changing trend.

The music and dancing are of the highest possible quality. You may notice in the first dance scene the director has all sorts of things occurring in the background: another girl dancing, a drunk falling downstairs.

Songs of Pakeezah 1972

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube Channel, the link is given below

https://youtu.be/vTuSFXOjGfU

50 Years of Amar Prem

 

There are a few Hindi films that touch one more than Amar Prem. The film has completed 50 years, released on 29th Jan 1972. The film belongs to Sharmila Tagore as far as performances go. She preserves fully the dignity of the character even as she skillfully walks the audience through all the traumatic moments of the character´s life

The film was directed by Shakti Samanta. It was a remake of the Bengali film Nishi Padma (1970), directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote the screenplay for both the films based on the Bengali short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The highlight of the film was its music, composed by R D Burman.

The movie is about a schoolboy, who is ill-treated by his stepmother, and becomes friends with a prostitute neighbor. The film stars Sharmila Tagore playing a prostitute with a heart of gold, with Rajesh Khanna in the role of a lonely businessman and Vinod Mehra as adult Nandu, the young child, who they both come to care for. The essence of the movie revolves around three characters –– Anand, Pushpa, and Nandu, a child who is tortured at home by a stepmother (Bindu). Nandu is showered with affection by Pushpa

The score and soundtrack for the film was composed by R.D.Burman, with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The soundtrack was melody-based, which gave Lata Mangeshkar her finest classical solo of the decade, Raina Beti Jaaye. How can we forget the immortal songs  like "Chingaari Koi Bhadke", "Kuchh Toh Log Kahenge", "Yeh Kya Hua" sung by Kishore Kumar

Songs of Amar Prem 1972

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube Channel, the link is given below

https://youtu.be/-OglRQvXmlw

O P Nayyar- The heady cocktail of OP-Asha captured the imagination of music lovers

 

O P Nayyar and Asha Bhonsle gave us some of the most memorable songs of Hindi Cinema. Songs like ‘Jaayiye aap kahan’ (Mere Sanam), ‘Raaton ko chori chori’ (Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi), ‘Zara haule haule’, ‘Meri jaan tumse sadke’ and ‘Aaj koi pyar se’ (all in Sawan Ki Ghata), ‘Aayiye Meherbaan’ (Howrah Bridge) and ‘Aankhon se jo utri hai dil mein’ (Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon) to sense the profound wavelength the two worked on. 

Born on 16th Jan 1926, he came to Bombay for giving music for films. initially, he was offered the background score for Kaneez (1949), and 1952's Aasmaan(produced by Dalsukh M. Pancholi), was his first film as music director. His real break came with Guru Dutt's Aar Paar in 1954. After that, he gave music for  Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955) and C.I.D. (1956). The songs of all these three films established him among the top composers of that time.

The two met in 1952 at the music recording of a song for the film titled 'Chham Chhama Chham'.  the first solo song of both was AA PARDESI BALMA MORE ANGINA

O P Nayyar is often credited with helping Asha Bhosle develop a distinct style, very different from that of her older sister Lata, who dominated the scene in the 1950s and 1960s. Though Asha sang her first solo song back in 1949, she had to wait till films like CID (1957) and Naya Daur (1957) came along, giving her a taste of success with a style of her own-fearless, breezy and sensuous.

Asha lived under the shadow of her older sister, whose rare finesse, softness, and subtlety of expression, ruled the roost then. She had to contend playing second fiddle for most parts. It is often said that it was OP Nayyar who convinced her that she was individualistic enough to strike out on her own. Under his guidance, Asha developed her carefree and fanciful style. She also mastered cabaret-style singing bringing sensuality into her music. Her duets with Mohammad Rafi, composed by Nayyar, were all chartbusters in their time. Songs from films like Kashmir Ki Kali and Tumsa Nahin Dekha remain immensely popular to this day.

After long years of a professional association, the two parted ways on a rather bitter note in 1972, never to work together again. The last song they created was the Filmfare Award-winning song  'Chein se humko kabhie'  in Pran Jaaye Par Vachan Na Jaaye (1974). 

Song of 'Chham Chhama Chham' 1952

Song from  Jaali Note 1960

Song from Phagun (1958)

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958)

Song from Kismat (1968)

Song from Kismat (1968)

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube channel Bollywood Unplugged, the link is given below

https://youtu.be/BFj560iRLJA

Mohammad Rafi was the Favorite Voice of Dharmendra

 

According to Dharmendra, it was Rafi Sahaab’s voice that gave a boost to his film career. Mohammad Rafi sang 104 songs for Dharmendra. The first song Rafi sang for Dharmendra was 'Jane Kya Dhoondti Rehti Hain Yeh Ankhen Mujhme' for the film 'Shola Aur Shabnam released in 1961. This was Dharmendra's second film. In his first film, no song was picturized on him.

There were 2 songs that were picturized on Dharmendra in Shola Aur Shabnam, this was a duet with Lata Mangeshkar'Jeet Hi Lenge Baazi'.   These songs are popular even today.   

Song of Shola Aur Shabnam 1961

Song of Shola Aur Shabnam 1961

The next song Rafi Saab sang for Dharmendra was a duet from the 1964 film 'Pooja Ke Phool', in the same year Rafi sang 4 songs for Dharmendra inAap Ki Parchaiyan, recall the song 'Main Nigahen Tere' 

Song of Aap Ki Parchaiyan 1964

 Rafi Sahaab did have a typical style while singing for Dharmendra too so that one always identified the performer and the singing voice as one. He always sang for him in a very soft voice

In an interview in the seventies when asked for his favorite song sang for Dharmendra, he mentioned 'Kahin se maut ko laao ke gham ki raat kate '(Film: Mera Qusoor Kya Hai, Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna, Music: Chitragupt Srivastav, 1964). He also mentioned that there were quite a few songs that were close to his heart like “Mujhe dard-e-dil ka pata na tha” (Akashdeep, 1965, Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri and music: Chitragupt), 

What a strange that Rafi Saab's last recorded song was for Dharmendra for the 1981 film 'Aas Paas'

Song of Akashdeep 1965

Song of Aas Paas 1981 Rafi's last recorded song

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube Channel , the link is given below

https://youtu.be/ICerIYlkDCY

I post here some of my fav songs of Rafi picturized on Dharmendra

Song of Aye Din Bahar Ke 1966

Song of Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966) .

Song of Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967) 

Song of Izzat (1968) 

Song of Mere Hamdam Mere Dost (1968) 

Song of Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970) 

Song of Pratiggya (1975) .

Ameen Sayani- The voice that Mesmerized the Nation

 

Ameen Sayani is one of the most imitated announcers even today. His style of addressing the crowd with "Behno Aur Bhaiyo" is still treated as an announcement with a melodious touch. He started at a time when Radio set was unaffordable to most Indians. People used to collect at Paan shops or restaurants or gather every Wednesday evening 8-9pm on the Community Radio in their little village or towns to listen Binaca Geetmala

In this blog, I am going to talk about the songs broadcasted on the first final or annual program of Binaca Geetmala. The first program of Binaca Geetmala was broadcast for the first time on 3^rd December 1952.  There were 5 programs during the 5 Wednesdays and the final program was broadcast on 31^st December 1952

There were 9 songs in the final program of 1952

 No. 9 - Main pagal mora manwa pagal – Film - Ashiana

                                                                                                                                                                                                       No. 8- Tasveer banata hoon teri- Film-Deewana

Song of Deewana 1952

No. 7- Dekho Jaadu bhare more nain- Film-Asmaan

Song of Aasman 1952

No. 6- Mohabbat hi na samjhe wo zalim-Film- Parchhai

Song of Parchhai 1952

No. 5- Main dil hoon ek arman bhara- Film- Anhonee

Song of Anhonee 1952

No. 4- Ye hawa ye raat ye chandani- Film Sangdil

Song of Sangdil 1952

No. 3- Dil mein chupakepyar ka- Film- Aan

Song of Aan 1952

No. 2- Aye mere dil kahi aur chal- Film-Daag

Song of Daag 1952

No. 1- Tu ganga ki mauj main- Film Baiju Bawra

Song of  Baiju Bawra 1952

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube Channel   Bollywood Unplugged

the link is given below

https://youtu.be/ZEnEKZcyPjI