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

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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

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50 Years of Bawarchi

 

One year after the release of Anand, this film 'Bawarchi' remains a special collaboration of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Rajesh Khanna. Both were at the peak of their career. The film rests on Khanna’s inherent charm and even feeds off of his manic energy that was on full display previously in Anand.

The movie opens with Bachchan saying that this story is set anywhere in India. He then introduces the Sharmas, who live in Shanti Niwas — the family home that should, as one of them jokes, actually be called Ashanti Niwas, given the amount of chaos and squabbling that takes place within its confines on a daily basis.

Produced under the banner of Rupam Chitra by N C Sippy, Romu Sippy, and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Based on a story by Tapan Sinha and inspired by his original “Galpa Halo Satyi” (1966) in Bengali

Shivnath (Harindranath Chattopadhyay) is the head of the Sharma family, who are so thoroughly argumentative that they employed. So when plucky young chef Raghu (Rajesh Khanna) shows up, nobody expects him to last long. To their surprise, however, he proves remarkably adept at satisfying everyone's independent needs. No sooner do they think him their savior than all the jewelry suddenly disappears.

A simple but profound, absorbing film with characteristic Mukherjee comic interludes, it had a somewhat, probably redone, unconvincing, simplistic climax. Scripted by the director himself with some very engaging, profound dialogue by Gulzar, the film had songs with  lyrics by Kaifi Azmi — “Bhor aai gaya Andhiyara” (Manna Dey, Kishore Kumar, Harindranath Chattopadhyay, Nirmala Devi, Lakshmi Shankar), “Kahe Kanha karat barjori” (Lakshmi Shankar), “Mast pawan dole re” and “More naina bhaven neer” (Lata Mangeshkar), “Pahle Chori Phir Seenajori” (Kumari Faiyaz) and “Tun bin Jeevan” (Manna Dey) set to hummable classical tunes by the much under-rated Madan Mohan.

The film won comedian Paintal his first Filmfare trophy and ranked 8th on the box office hit chart of the year. So if you have not seen it, go and enjoy the movie

Song of Bawarchi 1972

Song of Bawarchi 1972

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Caravan- Revisiting after 50 Years

 

The musical superhit film directed by Nasir Husain featured Asha Parekh, Jeetendra, and Aruna Irani completed 50 years on 5th Nov 2021 and was a super hit in India. You would be surprised to note that it was a super-duper hit in China when it was released eight years after its Indian release. In fact, Caravan, believe it or not, sold 19 million tickets in India – and 100 million tickets in China! One hundred million broke all records in China for a foreign film. One of the earliest Indian films to earn the big bucks in Chinese domestic markets was Raj Kapoor's 1951 Indian classic Awara. released in 1955.

Caravan‘s amazing success in China was matched only thirty years later by Nasir Husain's nephew, Amir Khan with his 3 Idiots.

The movie’s storyline was nothing great. A runaway heiress joins a passing caravan of gypsies, to escape the villain who murdered her father, then falls in love with the leading man, who eventually rescues her from the villain, etc, etc. The film's plot was loosely inspired by the 1953 film Girl on the Run, a little-known crime drama set against the backdrop of a carnival burlesque show, which was changed to a gypsy show in Caravan.

Aruna Irani has a significant role in this film.The traveling troupe featured Madan Puri as the manager and a young Aruna Irani as the star performer Nisha. In fact, Irani nearly stole the show from the film’s heroine with her animated performances in the songs 'Chadhti Jawaani Meri Chaal Mastani', 'Dilbar Dil Se Pyaare' and ‘Ab Joh Mile Hain Toh’.

The screenplay of the film was provided by Bhowmick, but the treatment of the film was all Husain, who turned it into the entertainer that it was. According to the film's star Asha Parekh in her biography The Hit Girl, Caravan happened accidentally.

The highlight of the film was its music, composed by R D Burman, and lyrics by Mazrooh Sultanpuri. In Caravan, there was a song for every mood. There was the soft romantic duet ‘Kitna Pyaara Waada’, the road song ‘Goriya Kahaan Tera Desh Re’, the goofy performance number ‘Daiya Yeh Main Kahaan Aa Phasi’, and, of course, the most famous of them all, the cabaret track, ‘Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja’ picturized on Helen, which brought singer Asha Bhosle her third Filmfare award for Best Female Playback Singer.

Even after 50 years, the film is still refreshing, if you have not seen the film,i recommend you to see it today.

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All Songs of Caravan

The Most Exploited & Unlucky Woman-Meena Kumari

 

Veteran journalist Vinod Mehta wrote the biography of Meena Kumari in 1972. In this book, he wrote about the exploitation of Meena Kumari whoever came close to her. She was first exploited by her family. She started out as Baby Meena, a child artist and a breadwinner of the family. As a child, she wasn't interested in a film career, and would rather attend school. In spite of this, her parents started peddling four-year-old Mahjabeen(Real Name of Meena Kumari) to film studios for work opportunities so she was deprived of her childhood.

One of the major blows in Meena Kumari's life was the death of her mother. She was only 14 then. In the film Industry also she struggled initially, though she was getting work but paid poorly.It was only after Baiju Bawra in 1952 she got recognition.
On May 21, 1951, Meena Kumari was involved in a motor car accident while returning from Mahabaleshwar to Bombay. She was admitted to Sasoon Hospital in Poona, injured around the left hand. Kumari went through bouts of depression.This accident left Meena Kumari with a banded left pinky which remained banded throughout her life, and she used to cover her left hand with a dupatta or saree during shoots. During this time Kamal Amrohi used to visit her in the hospital. For four months this hospital affair continued and love blossomed.

She married at the age of 18 Kamal Amrohi at that time he was 34. It was his third marriage. After their marriage, Kamal Amrohi allowed Meena Kumari to continue her acting career, but on the condition that she should not remit anyone in her makeup room but her makeup artist and return home in her own car by 6:30 every evening. Meena Kumari agreed to all terms, but with passing time she kept breaking them.
Meena Kumari was a patient with chronic insomnia and was on sleeping pills for a long time.As an alternative to sleeping pills, she started drinking. She was interested in Urdu poetry, this brought her close to another poet Gulzar. Once she was slapped on the set of  Pinjre ke Panchhi,by Kamal Amrohi's assistant, Baqar when she allowed Gulzar to enter her makeup room. After this incident in 1964, they divorced.

Dharmendra was the next person in her life. He signed Purnima as her Hero, he was a fan of Meena kumari,it was his dream to act opposite Meenaji. When he was introduced to her, she was warm and friendly and welcomed him with kind encouragement. Coincidentally, at this particular moment of her life, Meena Kumari required a stable and devoted man: big and strong, someone on whom she could literally rest her head, and someone who was not too famous. 

Dharmendra was almost a daily visitor at Janki Kutir. Together they would open a bottle and spend a few hours. These were the good times. Meena Kumari insisted her Producers to take Dharmendra as his Hero, both of them worked in 7 films. Dharmendra established himself as a hero because of Meena Kumari. However, a much younger and already married Dharmendra had nothing to offer in terms of the love and security Meena was searching for. They were intimate for three years.
Meena Kumari had a strong love for children, she wanted her own child here too she was deprived by her husband Kamal Amrohi.

She died on 31st March 1972, On a Good Friday, Meena Kumari died, after a long and painful battle with cirrhosis of the liver. She had been admitted to St Elizabeth’s Nursing Home in Bombay on 28th March and died three days later surrounded by the people who had played an important part in her life, both personal and professional. Her sisters Khursheed and Madhu; her estranged husband Kamal Amrohi; and various luminaries of the film world, including Begum Para and Kammo, from whose house the Aab-e-Zamzam (holy water from Mecca) was fetched to be spooned into Meena Kumari’s mouth as she was dying.

Song from Baiju Bawra 1952

Song of Tamasha 1952

Song from Azaad 1955

Song from Yahudi 1958

Song from Dil Apna Preet Parai, 1960

do sitaron ka milan hai aaj ki raat from kohinoor

Song from Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan 1961

Song of Aarti (1962)

Song of  Dil Ek Mandir (1963)

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