Baazi- The Film that was a trendsetter and gave Bollywood many Legends

There are some films which are iconic, Navketan's Baazi released in 1951 is also such film which gave the Hindi Film Industry many legends. The film is notable for two reasons: first, being the directorial debut of Guru Dutt and second, it was the film which inspired many urban crime thrillers in the fifties. This was the second film of Dev Anand's production house Navketan Films, and as per a commitment was given by Dev Anand to Guru Dutt in their days of struggle, the movie was directed by Guru Dutt.

The movie begins with hands being shown gambling, just in case if we viewers missed the point. A look at the credits makes you feel that the ‘who is who’ of the remaining years of the 50s are represented there. First of all this film gave us the Star Dev Anand who in the years to come to become the Style Icon of Bollywood. The second person to become Legendary Director of Bollywood was Guru Dutt.the third legend in making was S D Burman the great composer of Golden Era of Bollywood. Next legendary personality was Kalpna Kartik who later married Dev Anand made her debut with this film.

Kalpana Kartik in Baazi

S D Burman

 Balraj Sahni, who had just returned after a stint with the BBC was entrusted with the story, screenplay and dialogues. Zohra Sehgal was brought in to choreograph the dance sequences. A young poet named Sahir Ludhianvi was given a chance to pen lyrics for the songs who later became a Legendary Lyricist and poet. 

Sahir

Raj Khosla served as an assistant director who became a legendary Director. A bus conductor who Sahni had seen entertaining passengers was called in for a cameo, to play a drunkard, and while the film credits him by his real name Badruddin, after Baazi, the world knew him as Johnny Walker.

The other Legendary personalities were the Cinematographers V Ratra and his assistant V K Murthy who gave memorable cinematography of all Guru Dutt’s films, (including Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi aur Ghulamand Kagaz ke Phool) has earned Murthy a place in the history of Hindi cinema. He was awarded a ‘lifetime achievement award’ by the Indian International Film Academy in 2008. This came as belated recognition by the Bombay film industry for the contribution made to its evolution by technicians such as V.K. Murthy.  

V K Murthy

 In his autobiography Romancing with Life, Devsaab reminisces: “Baazi gave me an image that stayed in the minds of people, and made a genuine star out of me. For the first time, I felt and saw what stardom was in terms of adulation and fan following. I became a phenomenon after the release of Baazi.”
Songs of Baazi 1951

S D Burman - A glimpse of his singing career

SD Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late '20s when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932
Not many of us know that he sang for other music directors also. He made his film debut singing in Yahudi ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by Pahari Sanyal. Then in 1934, he recorded some songs for the film ‘Seeta’ produced by the East India Film Co., under the music direction of KC Dey but the recording is not available. As early as 1941, he had rendered a song for a Hindi film under the music direction of Madhulal Damodar Master. This song happened to be his debut song for Hindi films.
The song is ‘Prem ki pyaari nishaani’ from TAJ MAHAL (1941). The film was produced under the banner of Mohan Pictures and directed by Nanabhai Vakil. S D Burman has rendered this song in slow tempo emphasising on phonetics of some words in keeping with the mood of the song. The song does not have any musical interlude.

Song of TAJ MAHAL (1941)

                               Dakley Kokil Roj Bihaney--Sachin Dev Burman (1932)

In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of Filmistan, who asked him to give a score for two Ashok Kumar starrers, Shikari (1946) and Aath Din. Staying close to KL Saigal, KN Singh and Manna Dey in Bombay, he would sing at private get-togethers with friends. And then on their suggestion, the song “Dheere Se Jaana Bagiyan Mein” was recorded and found immense success with the listening public.

Dheere Se jaana bagiyan mein by S D Burman

                             Jhan Jhan Jhan Manjira - Classical Song by SD Burman

                                             S.D.Burman sings for Anil Biswas

                                 S D Burman-Ummeed Bhara Panchi(Aath Din)-1946

                                  SD Burman Bengali Folk Song - Bandar Chharo 1943

                                                     Biroho Boro Bhalo Lage

                                             Zindagi aye zindagi tere hain do roop

The Original of Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko Pukare from Kala Pani

                      Ghum Bhulechhi Nijhum Nishithe Jege Thaki -S.D.Burman

S D Burman and Majrooh Sultanpuri- The Creator of Many Immortal Songs

What a day is October 1, the birth anniversary of two of the Golden Era of Bollywood music’s most creative and consistent artists. While music director SD Burman, born in 1906, continued to create melodic magic till his death in 1975, the 1919-born lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri remained active for over five decades, till he passed away in 2000. And the best thing about both these geniuses who shared birthdays was that they combined to create many outstanding songs together.
 Over the years, of course, a large chunk of their films featured Dev Anand, examples being ‘Paying Guest’, ‘Nau Do Gyarah’, ‘Kala Pani’, Manzil’, ‘Solva Saal’, ‘Bombai Ka Baboo’, ‘Baat Ek Raat Ki’, ‘Jewel Thief’ and ‘Teen Deviyan’. On the birth anniversary of the two legends, I look at 15 compositions born of their partnership.
Incidentally, the coming together of the two owed much to the break in the partnership of SD Burman and Sahir Ludhianvi. After the success of Pyaasa (1957), Burman and Ludhianvi fought bitterly to gain credit for the success of the music of Guru Dutt's iconic film. Faced with what he believed to be the obstinacy of the lyricist, Burman decided he would never work with Ludhianvi again. Thus began a partnership with Sultanpuri that lasted till Burman's final years.
Besides the Dev Anand films, SD and Majrooh combined on such classics as ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’ (which had Kishore’s ‘Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi’, the Kishore-Manna Dey song ‘Babu samjho ishaare’ and the Kishore-Asha superhit ‘Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka’) and ‘Sujata’ (which had Talat Mahmood’s unforgettable ‘Jalte Hain Jiske Liye’, Geeta Dutt’s ‘Nanhi kali sone chali’, Asha and Geeta’s ‘Bachpan ke din’ and SD’s own rendition of ‘Sun mere bandhu’). The Lata song ‘Pawan Deewani’ from ‘Dr Vidya’ was a major hit too.
Here I would like to share this information that the first song written by Majrooh and composed by Sd Burman was " Woh Sapne wali Raat sung by Geeta Roy in the film Pyar (1950). After a gap of 7 years, they worked together in Paying Guest (1957).They worked together for more than 15 years, creating some memorable compositions. While there was a difference of 13 years between the two (Burman was born in 1906, Sultanpuri in 1919), they were inextricably linked by a common birthday. 
The two of them also worked in films like ‘Lajwanti’, ‘Sitaron Se Aage’, ‘Talaash’, ‘Phagun’ and ‘Sagina’ (remember ‘Saala mein to saahab ban gaya’?) But their biggest hit arguably was in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1973 film ‘Abhimaan’, which had ‘Tere mere milan yeh raina’ (Lata-Kishore), ‘Teri bindiya’ (Lata-Rafi), ‘Lutey koi man’ (Lata-Manhar Udhas), Kishore’s ‘Meet Na Mila’ and three Lata solos ‘Nadiya Kinarey’, ‘Ab Toh Hai Tumse’ and ‘Piya bina’.
Maana Janaab Ne Pukaara Nahin' — Paying Guest (1957)

Song of Paying Guest 1957

Aankhon Mein Kya Ji' — Nau Do Gyarah (1957)

Song of Nau Do Gyarha 1957

Chhod Do Aanchal - Paying Guest (1957)

Song of Paying Guest 1957

Hai Apna Dil To Awara' — Solva Saal (1958)

Song of Solva Saal 1958

Hum Bekhudi Mein — Kala Pani (1958)

Song of Kala Paani 1958

Koi Aaya Dhadkan Kehti Hai' — Lajwanti (1958)

Song of Lajwanti 1958

Accha Ji Main Haari' — Kala Pani (1958)

Song of Kala Paani 1958

Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si' — Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)

Song of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)

Jalte Hain Jiske Liye' — Sujata (1960)

Song of Sujata(1960)

Chal Ri Sajni Ab Kya Soche - Bombai Ka Babu

Song of Bombai Ka Baboo (1960)

Pawan Diwane - Dr. Vidya (1962)

Song of Dr. Vidya (1962)

Na Tum Humein Jano

Song of Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962)

Aise To Na Dekho - Teen Deviyan

Song of Teen Deviyan (1965) 

Hothon Pe Aisi Baat - Jewel Thief (1967)

Song of Jewel Thief (1967)

Meet Na Mila Re Mun Ka - Abhimaan

Song of Abhimaan (1973) 

Lata Mangeshkar and S D Burman gave Bollywood many Immortal Songs

Lata Mangeshkar was born on September 28, 1929 in Indore MP. She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in the world. She has the credit of having sung in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages.Lataji started her career in 1942, Her first Hindi song happened the next year in 1943, with ‘Mata Ek Sapoot Ki Duniya Badal De Tu’ in the movie Gajaabhaau.
 She did playback singing for celebrated music directors like Sachin Dev Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Sankar Jaikishan, Naushad, Madan Mohan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Khayyam and Pandit Amarnath HusanLal Bhagat Ram. Her collaboration with music director duo Laxmikant Pyarelal produced some of the most super hit songs of the time that are still hummed with equal enthusiasms by Indians. The duo considered Lataji instrumental in their success. ‘Dil Vil Pyar Vyar’ from Shagird (1968), Sheesha Ho YaDil Ho from Asha (1980), Mere Naseeb Mein from Naseeb (1981) and Ye Galiyan Ye Chaubara from Prem Rog (1982) are some of their most popular collaborations. 
1990s onwards, Lataji worked with music directors like Anu Malik, Jatin Lalit and A.R. Rahman. Films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dil Se, Rang De Basanti featured acclaimed songs sung by Lataji.
Lataji has received numerous awards and honours for her illustrious career as a playback singer. Some of the Awards she won are Padma Bhushan (1969), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Maharashtra Bhushan Award (1997), NTR National Award (1999), and ANR National Award (2009). She was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's Highest Civilian Award in 2001. She won 3 National Film Awards (1972, 1974, 1990), and 12 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards (1964, 1967-1973, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991). She has also won the Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer four times (1958, 1962, 1965, 1969, 1993, 1994). She was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.
Lata Mangeshkar was the ultimate choice of S D Burman. He often said, “Give me a harmonium, give me Lata and I will make music”. We all know what a magic they created together. In this Blog I am taking her songs sung for the great music director S D Burman. 
Lata’s first song for him was in Mashal (1950). SD Burman created for Lata Mangeshkar a kind of music which was unique and established him as one of the greatest composers of the Golden Era regardless of whether he matched the commercial success of his peers or not.Her first super hit and an immortal song with S D Burman was  Thandi hawayein lahraa ke aayein  for Naujawan (1951).
Another  iconic song  of Lata with him was in the same year Jhan jhan jhan jhan payal baaje from Buzdil (1951).Next came the same year another timeless song of not only SD Burman, but also among the all time great songs of Lata Mangeshakar. Tum na jane kis jahan mein kho gaye from Sazaa (1951).
For 7 years this Jodi gave us one hit after another but a time came when the music lovers were deprived of the magic of this great Jodi. Due to some controversy, there was a  break up for about five years, 1958-62, rather than their music. Fortunately they made a patch up and this time they gave us the best songs of their career. Thus their second innings led to another set of great melodies in Bandini, Guide, Tere Mere Sapne, Prem Pujari, Talash, Anurag, Abhiman etc which continued till the very end of his career. Their first song after patch up was ‘Pawan Diwani’ from Dr Vidya.

The First Song Lata sang for S D Burman

Song of Mashal (1950)

Song of Naujawan (1951)

Song of Buzdil (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 Paying Guest (1957)

The first song after Patch Up

Song of Dr.Vidya (1962)

Song of Bandini (1963)

Song of Guide (1965)

Song of Talash (1969)

Song of Prem Pujari 1970

Song of Sharmilee (1971)

Song of Abhimaan (1973)

Song of Chupke Chupke (1975)

O Nigahen Mastana – the most romantic songs ever created by any music director.

We all know that S.D.Burman was a great composer. He also understood the art of picturising of songs. According to the situation of the song he used to make a tune and then ask his lyricist to write words for his tunes. Vijay Anand in an interview said that Dada took an interest in picturization of the song in most of the Navketan's songs. He also suggested many times about the situation of the song.

One of the most marvellous experiments that Sachinda carried out was in the song O Nighahen Mastana (Paying Guest -1957). It is a duet of Kishore Kumar and all Asha Bhosle does in it is hum. And how! Not only is the humming exquisitely melodious, the performance by Nutan to emote that humming is so real that many people thought she had done it herself!
The unique thing about this song is that when the second Antara gets over, the interlude music and the lights start fading out till the music can be hardly heard. While the remaining lights dim out, the third Antara is sung in a softer tone:

Basti ke diyon ko bujh jaane de, 
Lehraake na ruk-ruk jaana, 
Chaahat ka labon pe na aane de, 
Yehi pyaar ka hai zamaana

Watch the song video carefully. As these lines are being sung, the heroine closes her eyes and starts daydreaming. No sooner is the last line over, the music stops and there is a momentary silence, with Nutan moving forward, expecting to be kissed. That is when Dev Anand playfully shakes Nutan by her ears, bringing her out from her reverie. And now, the music and Kishore’s singing both pick up with a bang in the third Antara. What a great example of composing a song frame by frame. Watch minutely after 3.0 minutes you will find the efforts of S D Burman for making this song immortal.

This was the first film of Nutan with Dev Anand and what a chemistry was seen in this song as if they know each other very well.

What a romantic effect this creates! No wonder girls used to swoon and fall in love with Dev Anand.

It is one of the most romantic songs ever created by any music director.

Song of Paying Guest 1957

The Great Trio of Mohammad Rafi, Dev Anand and S D Burman

Sachin Dev Burman had a great affinity for  Dev Anand; so much so that the former used to say that his middle name Dev was for his favourite star, Dev Anand. Similarly, Dada had a great liking for Rafi. They together gave incredible music to the industry.”As far as the trio together is concerned, some of their memorable songs are from Nau Do Gyarah(1957), Kala Pani (1958),   Bambai Ka Babu, Kala Bazar (1960), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Guide, Teen Deviyan (1965) and Jewel Thief 1967
Many would recall that Rafi started singing for SD Burman much earlier (1947 movie Do Bhai, for example, with the song: Duniya Mein Mere Aaj Andhera hi Andhera),  for Dev Anand Rafi sang in CID 1955  Aankho Hi Aankhon Mein Ishara ho Gaya. but when this combination came together it created history.
The first time Burman Da gave Mohammad Rafi a chance to give a voice to Dev Anand was Nau Do Gyarah, 1957 (written by Majrooh Sultanpuri), Aaja Panchhi Akela Hai, Soja Nindiya ki Bela Hai. How effortlessly now Rafi becomes the romantic voice of Dev Anand, as if declaring to earlier voices of Talat and Hemant that he had arrived.  
  Remember the songs from Kala Pani " Hum Bekhudi Mein " and "Achha ji main haari chalo maan jao na" ,  the great hits of this trio after that many hilt song were created. Here are a few of these great songs.

Song of Nau Do Gyarah, 1957

Song of Nau Do Gyarah, 1957

Song of Kala Pani 1958

Song of Kala Pani 1958

Song of Bambai Ka Babu 1960

Song of Bambai Ka Babu 1960

Song of Kala Bazar 1960

Song of Kala Bazar 1960

Song of Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963)

Song of Tere Guide (1965)

Song of Teen Deviyan (1965)

Song of Jewel Thief (1967)

Song of Gambler (1971)

The song Khoya Khoya Chaand was written on a piece of cigarette pack foil

Every song has a story behind it. On this subject, I have written a blog earlier. In this blog, I take this immortal song from Kala Bazar. The song was written by Shailendra and composed by S.D. Burman.
 This was the first time that Dev Anand, Vijay Anand, Waheeda Rehman, S D Burman and Shailendra came together.
Vijay Anand who was the director of the film, who narrated the situation of the song to Shailendra and asked him to write a romantic song for this situation. Shailendra, probably too busy with his other assignments, was not delivering a song, urgently needed for the film. Shailendra was making all kinds of excuses for not delivering.S D Burman, known for his bad temper, was under tremendous pressure. So one fine day Shailendra was at his residence and asked him to give him the words for his tune for this song. Burman da called his young son, Pancham ( R D Burman ) and told him – ” You will go with Shailendra and DO NOT come home unless he gives you the lyrics ” !!!
This incident was narrated by R D Burman in a radio interview in AIR. As Burman da was very angry on Shailendra he asked RD Burman to come along with him and drove to his home. On the way, they stopped at Shankar  Jaikishan's place to finish some pending work.
It was evening…. Shailendra finished his work with Shanker Jaikishen and with Pancham, got into his car. He instructed the driver to go to National Park. There, Shailendra kept smoking cigarette after cigarette. BUT NO WORDS !!! 
Shailendra then thought of a change of place, he asked his driver to proceed to Juhu Beach
R D Burman was cursing his luck as they got back into the car, it was almost night, what will he tell his father about the song.He was 20 years old that time and was an assistant so he couldn't pressurise Shailendra to give him the song immediately.
The time was 11 in the night and nothing is written. The beach was deserted. Those days people used to return home by 7 orr 8 in the evening. Shailendra was leisurely strolling along with the eager Pancham trying to keep step. Suddenly Shailendra asked Pancham for a matchbox. He sheepishly handed over his matchbox to Shailendra. Shailendra was lost in thought, he lit his cigarette, returned the matchbox and asked Pancham to give him the tune Burman da had composed. Pancham, tapping the matchbox in rhythm, hummed the tune.
It was a full moon night and Shailendra was looking at the sky puffing away on his cigarette
and suddenly started writing on a piece of cigarette pack foil. after a while, he told Pancham – “You can go home, tell Dada, I will be at your place in the morning with the full song..”

He hummed the mukhda

Khoya khoya chand, khula aasmaan,
Aankhon mein saari raat jaayegi,
Tum ko bhi kaise neend aayegi

Pancham smiled, he knew that this song was a winner! He ran, hailed a cab and went home. Pancham  in the next morning handed Dada a crumpled piece of cigarette pack foil with the words of the mukhda scribbled on it!!! Burman Da instantly liked the mukhda and asked Pancham to call Shailendra to complete the song.

As we all know that Burman Da was very particular about the words of his songs and similarly Shailendra too chooses his words very carefully as per the situation. Thus the full song was completed in that sitting. Same day Burman Da called Mohammad Rafi to come for the rehearsal of this song The song was recorded after two days.

We must appreciate Vijay Anand who picturised the song so well that it became the highlight of the film. It topped Annual Binaca Geetmala that year. What Vijay Anand achieves is a feat which is very rare. Most directors shy away from shooting and showing us more than two verses of a song. Here, his shooting, along with Burmanda’s music and Shailendra’s words, is so perfect that we go through FOUR verses of this song just glued to our seats !!!! That is why Vijay Anand is adored by film-goers and film-makers all over India.

Song from Kala Bazar 1960