Bollywood's Love for Darjeeling started with Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai

It was the song Jiya Ho Jiya Ho Kuchh To Boldo from the 1961 film Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai picturized on Dev Anand sitting on top of a car that popularized Darjeeling to Bollywood. The whole film was based on the backdrop of Darjeeling. This film was the first film to showcase the beauty of Darjeeling on screen..
Since then. Darjeeling with its pleasant and scenic beauty has always attracted filmmakers. The toy train is always synonymous with romanticism. Many songs were shot here. Of late the town has not been featured much in the movies. The reason can be that the makers prefer foreign locales these days. Here is a list of movies or songs shot in Darjeeling.

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

It was written, produced, and directed by Nasir Hussain. it featured Dev Anand and Hussain fixture Asha Parekh in the leading roles. Pran played the villain in the film and Rajindernath starred in a supporting role. Many of the songs went on to become classics and are still remembered even now, particularly, "Jiya O Jiya" and "Teri Zulphon Se Judai", sung by Mohammad Rafi, were big hits as well as "Sau Saal Pehle", by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.

Song of Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

Professor (1962)

The next Bollywood film directed by Lekh Tandon, starring Shami Kapoor and Kalpana. The entire movie was made in and around the town of Darjeeling. The famous song “Mai Chali Mai Chali” was shot at Batasia Loop and Chowrasta.

Song of Professor (1962)

Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966)

Aaye Din Bahar Ke is a 1966 Hindi film produced by J. Om Prakash. It became a box office hit. The film stars Dharmendra, Asha Parekh, Nazima, Sulochana Devi, Balraj Sahni, and Rajindernath. The film is a musical romance with music given by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Anand Bakshi is the lyricist. This movie had covered and showcased the beauty of Tea Gardens of Darjeeling.

Song of Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966)

Jhuk Gaya Asmaan (1968)

Jhuk Gaya Aasman is a 1968 film directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Saira Banu,

Another movie directed by Lekh Tandon was shot in Darjeeling. It seems that the directors love the Queen of Hills.. The song Kaun Hai Jo Sapno Mei Aaya was shot here.

Song of  Jhuk Gaya Aasman 1968

Aradhana (1969)

Aradhana is a 1969 Indian romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta, starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. An extensive part of the movie was shot in Darjeeling. Its song “Mere Sapno Ki Rani” which was shot on the streets of the hill town of Darjeeling. Rajesh Khanna rode a jeep and followed Sharmila Tagore on the Toy Train by singing a song..

Song of Aradhanaa 1969

Main Hoon Na (2004)

Main Hoon Na is a 2004 Indian action-comedy film, co-written and directed by Farah Khan in her directorial debut. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Zayed Khan, Sushmita Sen, Amrita Rao, and Sunil Shetty. The song “Chale Jaise Hawayein” was shot in the campus of St. Pauls in Darjeeling.

Song of Main Hoon Na

Parineeta (2005

The film featured Vidya Balan (In her Bollywood Debut), Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. Years after Sharmila Tagore enjoyed the song of Rajesh Khanna from the toy train, her son Saif Ali Khan sings a song on the Toy train relieved the journey in the UNESCO world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan railways. However, no other parts of the film were shot at Darjeeling, but the single song captured all the emotions of the actors and beauty of Darjeeling well.

Song of Parineeta (2005)

Barfi (2012)

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead roles, The film is directed by Anurag Basu. It is one of the latest and hit movies that were shot in the Himalayan town of Darjeeling.

Song of Barfi 2012

Journey of a Song from Karbala to Guide,Immortalised by Dada Burman

This immortal song " Allah Megh De Pani De" is one of the two songs sung by S D Burman in the 1965 film Guide. This song was adopted by Burman Da from a Bengali folk singer Abbasuddin Ahmed's song, who taught him his signature technique of “voice breaking”.
After Ahmed, several singers have performed this number. Laxmikant-Pyarelal created another version of ‘Allah Megh De’ in the film Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein (1977) with singers Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. Music director Bappi Lahiri rejigged it in Amaanat (1994) and his disco song ‘De De Pyar De’ (Sharaabi, 1984) is also a variation of the tune. Singers Shafqat Amanat Ali and Shubha Mudgal sang a peppy version for composer Debojyoti Mishra in Ramchand Pakistani (2008) but it is the Burman’s version that is best remembered, most likely because he remained true to the original.
This song had a long journey from Bengal to Mumbai, and finally to Pakistan. This song is a Bengali folk genre Jaari Gaan. The name Jaari is most probably taken from the Persian word "Zari" Most Jaari Gaan was based on the Islamic legend of the Battle of Karbala, In medieval Bengal, this genre of folk songs was performed by mostly Sunni Muslims. The followers of Husayn ibn Ali during the battle of Karbala. They used to cry out to God to send them rain-bearing clouds, or megh. 
In this blog, I am posting  various versions of this song

Song of Guide 1965

                              ALLAH MEGH DE PANI DE : ABBASUDDIN AHMED

Song of Palkon Ki Chaon Mein

                                                    Allah Megh De (Runa Laila)

                                                  Allah Megh De by Shaan

Song of Amanat 1994

                            Allah megh de , pani de chaya de re tui lopamudra mitra

                                            Allah megh de- ramchand pakistani

Missing The Rhythm of Castanets

Today's generation may not be familiar with the sound of Castanets but once this instrument was used extensively by almost all music directors in the golden era of Hindi film music.

Recall the song "Hai Apna Dil To Awara" from Solva Saal, the song starts with the sound of Castanets immediately after the humming sound of Hemant Kumar.

Though the song is famous for the Mouth organ played in between by Sunder but the sound of Castanets is heard throughout the song.
Aaiye Meherban from Howrah Bridge is another song in which Castanets play a lead role and can be identified clearly in the song.

Castanets are relatively tiny instruments that fit into the palms of the two hands and were originally used in European music. They can be played quickly in continuous notes to create a roll type of sound, or they can be played with each click on the castanet being a discrete note.

When were Castanets were used for the first time in Hindi Film music is not traced but Music Directors of the 50s Naushad, S D Burman had used them in their songs in the 50s. The earliest song I discovered was "Lara Loo Lara Loo" and "Lo Pyar ki ho Gayi jeet" from the 1951 film Jadoo starring Nalini Jaywant and Suresh, The music was given by Naushad.

We all know O P Nayyar was the King of Rhythm, he used this instrument beautifully in the song " Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yahan" from C I D in 1956 then "Aaiyee Meherban" from Howrah Bridge(1958)

Another song from Kashmir ki kali, once again O P Nayyar used this instrument wonderfully, the song is " Yeh Chand Sa Roshan Chehra"
Castanets may be called ‘side percussion, but their rhythm in songs and creative use of Castanets by many composers of the Golden Era made many Bollywood songs a lively and delightful treat for the ears.R D Burman also used Castanets extensively in his debut movie Chote Nawab in the delightful Matwali Ankhon wale.

While there are a number of songs that use Castanets but in this blog, I am posting only those songs where the sound of Castanets is prominent.

Song of Jaado 1951

Song of Deedar 1951

Song of C I D 1956

Song of Solva Saal 1958

Song of Howrah Bridge 1958

Song of Goonj Uthi Shehnai 1959

Song of Akeli Mat Jaiyo 1960

Song of Chhote Nawab 1961

Song of Bandini 1963

Song of Kashmir Ki Kali 1964

Song of Door Gagan Ki Chaon Mein 1964

Song of Pakeezah 1972

Chhed Chhad (Teasing) Songs of Dev Anand

The literary meaning of "Chhed Chhad" in English is. teasing each other. It has roots in ancient Indian culture. We all know the stories of Lord Krishna teasing the Gopis. The Chhed Chhad of Jija Saali is acceptable in our culture. Similarly in our Hindi films, many songs are picturized in this genre. From Dev Anand to Kishore Kumar, Raj Kapoor to Shammi Kapoor and other heroes teasing heroines and sang songs in the films, Chhed Chhad has been an integral part of our culture. Within the Indian family structure, parents doing some leg-pulling of their children, or the siblings engaging in chhed chhad is not uncommon. 
Dev Anand in the fifties had light touch within the storyline and darkness of criminal laces around the films. In almost every film there were songs picturized on Dev Anand which could be described as Chhed Chhad song. I think a maximum number of this type of songs were picturized on Dev Anand than any other hero. Think of Dev Anand wooing Nutan with ‘Maana janaab ne pukara nahin’, in  Paying Guest or Jeevan Ke Safar Mein Rahi from Munimji Dev Anand had performed in a large number of such songs, I present few of such chhed chhad songs.
The first song on my list is from 1951 film Sanam

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Baazi 1951

Song of Jaal 1952

Song of House No. 44 (1955)

Song of Munimji (1955)

Song of Funtoosh (1956)

Song of Pocket Maar (1956)

Song of Paying Guest (1957)

Song of Nau Do Gyarah (1957)

Song of Paying Guest (1957)

Song of Solva Saal 1958

Song of Bombai Ka Babu (1960)

Song of Jaali Note (1960)

Song of Asli Naqli (1963)

Song of Teen Devian (1965)

Song of Pyar Mohabbat (1966)

Song of Pyar Mohabbat (1966)

Song of Jewel Thief (1967)

Song of Duniya 1968

Song of Johny Mera Naam 1970

Song of Banarsi Babu (1973)

Song of Shareef Badmaash (1973)

Song of Amir Garib (1974)

Song of Warrant (1975)

Dahi Handi Songs of Bollywood

On the occasion of Janmashtmi, I am posting few songs of Dahi Handi. In Maharashtra Janmashtmi is celebrated as Gokul Ashtmi. The festival gets this popular regional name from legend of baby Krishna. According to it, he would seek and steal milk products such as yoghurt and butter and people would hide their supplies high up out of the baby's reach.
Govinda would try all sorts of creative ideas in his pursuit, such as making human pyramids with his friends to break these high hanging pots. 
Bollywood celebrates all the festivals enthusiastically both on and off the screen. Dahi Handi, celebrated on the occasion of Lord Krishna's birth, is one such festival which gets a new twist by every filmmaker
The first Dahi Handi song that became popular was Govinda Ala Re from Bluff Master. Shammi Kapoor performed the song gracefully.

Song of Bluff Master 1963

Song of Badla 1974

Song of Muqabla 1979

Song of Khuddar 1982

Song of Kala Bazar 1989

Song of Hello Brother 1999

Song of Vaastav 1999

Song of Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar 2011

Song of OMG 2012

Song of Rangrez 2013

Raga Based Songs of Kishore Kumar

We all know that Kishore Kumar never received any typical classical training yet proved with every song that he was in no way lesser than any of his contemporaries of the ‘Golden era’.
During his earlier career as an actor, not many opportunities came his way to sing songs based on classical ragas. Even there were many occasions when the music directors chose to have him lip-sync to Mohammed Rafi and Manna Dey as they were classically trained and so these music directors felt that Kishore Kumar may not do justice to the particular songs based on classical ragas.
In this post I bring to you some memorable Kishore Kumar solos based on different ragas.
The first song in my list is Koi Humdum Na Raha Koi Sahara Na. This song was originally composed by Khurshid Minocher-Homji, better known as Saraswati Devi, the first female composer of Bollywood, and sung by Kishore’s elder brother Ashok Kumar in Jeevan Naiya (1936). However, 25 years later, Kishore da crooned this melody based on Raag Jhinjhoti for his film, Jhumroo.

Song of Jhumroo 1961

Song of  Ek Raaz (1963)

Song of Door Gagan Ki Chaon Mein (1964)

Song of Khamoshi (1970)

Song of Safar (1970)

Song of Sharmilee 1971

Song of  Gambler (1971)

Song of  Door Ka Raahi (1971) 

Song of  Amar Prem (1972)

Song of Anamika (1973)

Song of Chor Machaye Shor (1974)

Song of Aap Ki Kasam (1974)

Song of Mehbooba (1976)

Song of Agar Tum Na Hote (1983)