Shyama- Sun Sun Sun Zalima,

Shyama was born as Khursheed Akhtar in Lahore on June 7, 1935. She made her debut as a teenager in a qawwali in Shaukat Hussain Rizvi’s Zeenat (1945). She was renamed Shyama by the filmmaker Vijay Bhatt, and appeared in numerous films in the 1940s and mid-’50s.She was the impish girl in dungarees in Aar Paar (1954) and the qawwali singer in Barsaat ki Raat(1960).
She has been filmed in some wonderful songs in the 50s. An early song where Shyama first made an impact is the second version of the main love duet, ‘Tu Mera Chand Main Teri Chandni’, from A.R. Kardar’s Dillagi (1949) starring Suraiya and Shyam. The original version was filmed on the stars, but this version on Shyama voiced by Geeta Dutt is less known.
There was magic whenever Geeta Dutt lent her voice for Shyama. This vibrant singer and exuberant actress complemented each other perfectly through several films be it Shrimatiji, Aar Paar, Musafir Khana (1955) or Chhoo Mantar (1956). But if one song truly stood out in their collaboration, it has to be the beautiful ditty from Bhai Bhai composed by Madan Mohan, Ae Dil Mujhe Bata De. 
Shyama also made a popular team with filmmaker M. Sadiq, comedian Johnny Walker and composer O.P. Nayyar in several films – Musafir Khana, Chhoo Mantar, Mai Baap (1957), Duniya Rang Rangeeli (1957) and Johnny Walker (1957). In the last, Walker played an alcoholic who pretends to abstain from alcohol making Shyama fall in love with him. The film had two lovely duets by Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt, filmed on Sheila Vaz and Shyama including the fabulous Thandi Thandi Hawa. Asha Bhosle, by now becoming Nayyar’s main singer, lends her voice for heroine Shyama.
Shyama started her career from the bottom of the ladder but soon worked with the Top Heroes Of Golden Era with Dev Anand in Sazaa 1951 , Tarana with Dilip Kumar ,Raj Kapoor in Sharda and with Guru Dutt in Aar Paar.
She acted a serious character in Bimal Roy’s Maa with equal ease. Came Shart, another acting triumph of hers. Since then she played all sorts of roles in all sorts of pictures. Her notable films include Chandan, Sharda, Mirza Sahiban, Aar Paar etc. She topped her acting triumphs by her memorable double role in Do Behnen. Her work in Sharda brought her the 1959 Filmfare award for best supporting role.
In later years, her memorable roles came in films of Rajesh Khanna such as Masterji and 'Ajanabee (1974 film) and others such as Sawan Bhadon and Dil Diya Dard Liya.She was married to cinematographer Fali Mistry in 1953. The couple had three children, two sons, Faroukh and Rohinton, and a daughter Shirrin. Fali Mistry died in 1979, thereafter she continued to stay in Mumbai.
Shyama died on 14 November 2017 due to a lung infection at the age of 82. She is buried at Badakabarastan, Marine Lines.She was given Dada Saheb Phalke Award.

Song from Dillagi (1949)

Song from Shrimatiji (1952)

Song from Aar Paar 1954

Song from Aar Paar 1954

Song from Shart 1954

Song from Bhai Bhai 1956

Song from Bhabhi 1957

Song from Sharda 1957

Bombay in songs

Bollywood, India’s largest and one of the world’s largest film industries is synonymous with Mumbai earlier known as Bombay. The city has accordingly established itself as the film capital of India. It is where many Bollywood story lines are based. Mumbai can be an extremely challenging city, but this city of dreams has an enduring spirit and a never-say-die ethos. This underlying energy of the city and its forward-looking attitude is best captured through many songs.
In this Blog I have selected those songs  which have references to Bombay / Bambai. As I search, I continue to find good, unheard and un-posted songs that fit the reference criteria.  

Song from Do Dost (UR)(1950s)

Song from Miss Chaalbaaz 1961

                                                  Song from Holiday in Bombay 1963

Song from "Piya Ka Ghar".1972

Song from Yeh Bombay Hai 1959 

Song from CID 1956

Song from Pathan 1962

Song from Don (1978)

Song from Aap Ki Khatir (1977 film)

 Rakhwala

Song from  Haadsa 1983

Sahi Hai Re - Jhankaar Beats

                                                             Song from Taxi No 9211

                            Yeh Hai Mumbai Nagri ~ Rare Song ~ Ft. Udit Narayan

                                                                      

                                                            

  

The Popularity Of Bollywood Songs

Hindi, in all its various dialects, is actually one of the most popular languages in the world after Chinese and English.Hindi films are now very popular in throughout the world.Bollywood Dance and Music is becoming popular everywhere. The popularity of Indian films has impacted fashions as far away as Nigeria, and new releases frequently enter the top 10 lists of popular films in European regions, including the United Kingdom.
Hindi film songs are present in Hindi cinema right from the first sound film Alam Ara (1931) by Ardeshir Irani which featured seven songs. This was closely followed by Shirheen Farhad (1931) by Jamshedji Framji Madan, also by Madan, which had as many as 42 song sequences strung together in the manner of an opera, and later by Indra Sabha which had as many as 69 song sequences. 
In the 30s Radio was a luxury very few households had a radio,so the songs were not reaching to the majority of the people.The music was not popular among the masses. The first few songs to hit the nation as a whole may well have been from ACHHUT KANYAA and some contemporary Sagar Movietone productions. 
The nation wide popularity of hindi songs started with the music of Khajanchi in 1941.. Master Haider consciously broke away from the dull and monotonous delivery of the ’30s songs. KHAZAANCHI has gone down in history as the movie that defined the very structure of the modern Hindi song, much in the style of Von Neumann.The ’40s witnessed some of the quickest changes in the way the industry operated.The days of stable employment were coming to an end. 
Artists, young and old, high and low profile, from all walks of the industry, were now on their own. New studios emerged notable among them being the one founded by Abdul Rashid Kardar. His musical soulmate, Naushad Ali, injected a new sound into the spirit of the young Indian movie. Mehboob started his productions with a flourish. Bombay Talkie brought in Anil Biswas and brother-in-law Pannalal Ghosh. New singers, better sounding and accomplished than those of the previous decade, suddenly appeared in the recording studio. Parul Ghosh, Kanan Devi, Amirbai Karnataki, Arun Kumar, Snehprabha, Zohrabai Ambaalewaali, and to be complete, Noorjehan, were all household names already.
After Independence  most of the movies were based on social and political issues, even their songs were restricted to such issues. Gradually, other forms of songs like ghazals, romantic songs, instrumental and wedding songs came up.  Over the years, the Western elements have increased significantly and there have been a lot of changes in the pattern of the Bollywood music. In the 50s and 60s Caberet songs were popular and later Disco music was popular in the hindi films.
The music belonging to the golden era of films had two main achievements to its credit; one, popularizing various raags in the Indian as well as the Carnatic classical music among the masses, and two, allowing the music directors from various states, who had come down to Mumbai, to use the folk music from their native place, for films.” Today anybody who is over the age of 40 can easily make out that the film music is greatly based on the commercial aspects of the same.
In the 50s a radio Programme started from Radio Ceylone Binaca Geetmala started It was the weekly countdown programme which increased the popularity of Hindi film songs throughout the world.
Today theSatellite television, radio, internet sites, mobile phones, music has lost its approachability. Gone are the days when people used to throng and wait for hours outside shops for records and cassettes to be the first ones to buy their favorite songs which they heard on the radio from the latest film.  
It’s almost impossible to choose just fifteen great songs from over seven decades of popular Hindi cinema, so here my fav songs of each decade.
.The 1930s:
The first decade of Hindi film songs was the decade of composers like RC Boral, Pankaj Mullick,K L Saigal and Hindi cinema’s first female music director, Saraswati Devi (of Main ban ki chidiya fame).

Song from President 1937

The 1940s:

The 1940s saw the rise of Rafi, Lata, Noorjehan, Suraiya, and Mukesh. Among the music directors, there were Anil Biswas, Khemchand Prakash and Naushad. 

Song from Mahal 1949

The 1950s:

The 50s were the golden age, the names associated with the songs of this period a veritable who’s who of Hindi film music:  Manna Dey, Rafi, Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum, Lata, Asha, Suraiya, Talat, Mukesh, Hemant, Kishore… and, among the music directors, greats like SD Burman, Salil Choudhary, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Naushad, O P Nayyar and Shankar-Jaikishan.

Song from Shree 420 (1955)

Song from Taxi Driver (1954)

Song from Sujata 1959

The 1960s:

Song from Taj Mahal (1963)

Song from Guide 1965

The 1970s:

 In Hindi film music, too, there was a new wave—with RD Burman, despite the presence of Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant-Pyarelal, being the undisputed king.

Song from Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1972)

Song from Kabhi Kabhie (1976)

The 1980s:

The 80s saw the nadir of Hindi cinema, both in terms of stories and music. ‘disco’ songs that became the hallmark of 80s Hindi films. There were some films having different music like Umrao Jaan

Song from Umrao Jaan 1981

Song from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)

The 1990s:

The 90s saw some hit romances and Govinda type of songs and dances.The emergence of A R Rehmaan was also beginning of new music.

Song from 1942 A Love Story 1993

Song from Rangeela 1995

The 2000s 

The new style of music was the trend. Bhanra Pop and Hip hop style of dance became the craze.

Song from Murder 2004

Song from Fanaa 2006

Rajendra Krishan-The Lyricist who gave us many Immortal Songs

Those who love Bollywood songs are not unknown to the great Rajendra Krishan.He gave us many immortal songs like "Chup chup khade ho zaroor koi baat hai" (Badi-Behen), "Man doley mera tan doley" (Nagin), "Ai dil mujhe bata de,tu kis pe aa gaya hai" (Bhai-Bhai), "Main chali main chali dekho pyaar ki gali" ( Padosan)."Chal ud ja re panchhi ki ab yeh des hua begaana..." and penned such stirring lyrics as "Suno suno ai duniya waalon, bapu ki yeh amar kahani..."
He was born on June 6, 1919 to Parvati and Jagannath Duggal in Jalalpur Jattan of Gujarat district (now in Pakistan). 
When he was studying in the eighth class he was attracted towards poetry. In his early work life he had a clerk's job in the municipal office in Simla, where he toiled up to 1942.In the mid-1940s, Krishan shifted to Mumbai to become a screenwriter. His first screenplay was Janta (1947). His first film as a lyricist was Zanjeer (1947). He was first noted for the script and lyrics of the Motilal-Suraiya starrer Aaj Ki Rat (1948). After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Krishan wrote a song Suno Suno Aye Duniyawalon, Bapu Ki Yeh Amar Kahani. The song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and composed by Husnlal Bhagatram, and was a great hit. He also tasted success as a lyricist with the films Badi Bahen (1949) and Lahore (1949).

with Raj Kumar 

When he was active the great 4 lyricists of Bollywood  Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shailendra, and Shakeel Badayuni were also there.He was an equal amongst giants like them.He gave lyrics to a wide variety of songs, ranging from Ghazals to Bhajans, Geets to Nazms with great flair. His songs are simple, inventive and full of meaning. He could write a swinging song like Mr John, o Baba Khan and in the same film Barish (’57) a philosophical song, Dane dane pe likha hai khanewale ka nam, lenewale karod, denewale ek Ram. The songs he wrote for Anarkali (’53), Yeh zindagi usiki hai and Jaag dard-e-ishq jaag have attained legendary status. His Nagin (’54) songs Man dole mera tan dole and Mera dil ye pukare aja are reverberating in our hearts even today. Apart from the three music directors mentioned above, he also wrote for other great composers like Sajjid Hussain (Saiyan ’51, Sangdil ’52), SD Burman (Bahar ’51, Sazaa ’51, Ek Nazar ’51), S Mohinder (Papi ’53), Chitragupt (Bhabhi ’57, Kangan ’59), Salil Choudhry (Chaya ’61), Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Intaqam ’69). He could pen love-ballads and comedy songs with equal ease and effect. In the first category come the standards like Ye hawa ye raat ye Chandni (Sandgil), Koun aya mere man ke dware payal ki jhankar liye (Dekh Kabira Roya ’57), Mera Qarar leja mujhe beqarar kar ja (Ashiana ’52) and Ai dil mujhe bata de (Bhai Bhai ’56). As the whole world knows C Ramchandra and Madan Mohan put a special ingredient into the songs they gave to Lata. One can not remain unmoved when listening to the following songs Rajendra Krishan wrote for her: Ham pyar me jalnewalon ko chain kahan aram kahan (Jailor ’58), Sapne me sajan se do bate ik yad rahi ik bhool gayen (Gateway Of India ’57), Dil se bhulado tum hamen (Patanga ’49)), Balma bada nadan re (Albela ’50), Ai chand pyar mera (Khazana ’51) and Wo bhuli dastan lo phir yad agayi (Sanjog ’61). 
Rajendra Krishan won Filmfare Award for best lyricist for the movie Khandan (1965) for the song "Tumhi mere mandir, tumhi meri pooja".
Rajendra Krishan knew Tamil language and wrote 18 scripts for AVM Studios films.He wrote dialogues for more than 50 hindi films like Bari Behen ,Nagin,Shaadi ,Bharosa,Khandan,Pyar Kiye Jaa ,Padosan,Bombay to Goa,Naya Din Nai Raat
Besides literature he had the hobby of Horse race.In fact he won a Jackpot in the 60s winning a huge amount which made him the richest Lyricist.He died on 23 September 1987 in Mumbai. After his death, HMV brought out an LP containing 12 of his songs.

Song from Badi Bahen (1949)

Song from Albela (1951)

Song from Anarkali (1953)

Song from Nagin (1954)

Song from Bhaabi 1957

Song from Adalat (1958) 

Song from Jailor 1958

Song from Chhaya ( 1961)

Song from Khandan (1965)

Song from Sikandar-E-Azam 1965

Song from Black Mail 1973

Baat Ek Raat Ki - The Songs keep you entertained.

The 1962 film has music by Sachin Dev Burman, who gave some memorable songs in the films such as "Na Tum Hamen Jano", sung by Hemant Kumar, "Akela Hoon Main Is Duniya Mein", by Mohammad Rafi, and the hit Qawwali, "Kisne Chilman Se Mara Nazara Mujhe", by Manna Dey.
The film directed by Shankar Mukherjee, starring Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman and Johnny Walker.

The story of Neela (Waheeda Rehman) is in police custody for committing a murder, which she believes she did. But her mother cried foul and pleads with Rajesh (Dev Anand) to fight her case.

 It is during one of her suicide-trials that she comes across Rajesh. This happy go-lucky lawyer saves her from drowning and slowly gets to know more about her. He learns that this woman has lost the will to live. He requests the warden of the jail where Neela is to let her go with him to a mental institution to be treated for depression. He also visits her home and finds out that there are many loose ends to the case. The doctor asks Rajesh to pretend that he in love with her so that she feels happy and rejuvenated again.

While Rajesh and Neela romance each other, S D Burman's songs keep you entertained.there are many memorable songs well picturised.There is Johny walker to entertain you.
 Dev Anand as a lawyer, sure did do things a wee bit differently. And, though the film was saved at the last moment by the clever inclusion of the smart antics by the director (the funny scenes by Johny Walker and the benevolence by Manmohan Krishna).

Nutan- An Actress Par Excellence

Her mother a top heroine of her time Shobhna Samarth wanted her daughter to be a heroine.She was actually dismissed by unfeeling relatives as skinny and ugly.So she launched her as a heroine in Hamari Beti (1950) but the film didn't do well.she got recognition only in 1955 with the film Seema,she received her first Filmfare Award for this role.

Nutan(born on 4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991) continued playing leading roles through the 1960s until the late 1970s and went on to win the award on four other occasions for her roles in Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Milan (1967) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).

She formed a popular screen couple with co-star Dev Anand and the two acted in four films together – Paying Guest (1957), Baarish (1957), Manzil (1960) and Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963).She also worked with Raj Kapoor.Anari1959 and Chhalia in 1960.

In 1959, Nutan married Naval Lieutenant Commander Rajneesh Behl and took a small break when her son Monish was born. She did do a film with her husband, the critically acknowledged Soorat Aur Seerat (1962) and made a stinging comeback to 
mainstream Hindi cinema with 
Navketan’s Tere Ghar ke Samne (1963), a refreshing romantic comedy opposite Dev Anand, and Bimal Roy’s masterpiece, Bandini (1963), boasting of possibly her greatest ever performance and certainly one of the greatest performances of Indian Cinema. 
Nutan’s career shone bright right through the 1960s and 1970s with strong performances in films like Milan (1967) – another Filmfare Award for Best Actress though it has to be said her dual roles in this reincarnation drama were not as challenging as some of the ones she had done earlier – Saraswatichandra (1968), Saudagar (1973) with rising star Amitabh Bachchan, Sajan Bina Suhagan (1978), Kasturi (1978) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). She carries the last film, directed most ably by Raj Khosla, entirely on her shoulders 
In the 1980s, she played roles in blockbuster films such as Meri Jung (1985), Naam (1986) and Karma (1986). Karma was notable for being the first time she was paired with actor Dilip Kumar. For Mere Jung she won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her last film released while she was alive was Kanoon Apna Apna in 1989. She died in 1991 of cancer.Two of her films Naseebwala (1992) and Insaniyat (1994) were released after her death.

Song from Seema 1955

Song from Paying Guest 1957

Song from Dilli Ka Thug 1958 

Song from Sujata 1959

Song from Anari 1959

Song from  Chhabili 1960 (audio) Nutan sings & acts

Song from Bandini 1963

Song from Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Song from Milan 1967

Song from Saraswatichandra 1968

Song from Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki 1978

Nargis Dutt- Her love story was nothing less than a fairytale.

Nargis and Sunil Dutt came from very different backgrounds when they first met each other. Nargis was the daughter of Mohan Babu and Jaddanbai, and Sunil was the son of a Punjabi land-owning family. The two actors met on the sets of Do Bigha Zameen. At that time, Sunil Dutt was an aspiring actor and student while Nargis was already an established star.
Sunil and Nargis Dutt crossed each other’s paths at many film gatherings but were officially introduced to each other on the sets of their film Mother India by filmmaker Mehboob Khan. Khan thought it was important for Nargis, who played the title role in the film, to befriend the other actors, particularly Sunil Dutt, who played her errant son Birju.

Everyone is aware of their dramatic love story that was triggered by a fatal fire on the sets of Mother India in 1957, where Sunil Dutt sensing danger, jumped into raging flames without a thought for his own life to save Nargis and won her heart. She visited him every day at the hospital after shooting.  She nursed Dutt back to health for two weeks. In that time, the two got very close, and she even opened up about her past to him. and a few weeks later, when Sunil Dutt proposed marriage to her, she agreed immediately.
The two started dating, and wanted to get married, but they played mother and son on screen in Mother India, and the news of their relationship would be disastrous for the film, so they maintained a low profile. In 1958, they got married in a secret ceremony and didn't make the news public for nearly a year. Even after getting married, they stayed with their respective families. They'd meet late into the nights and communicate through letters and telegrams. In 1959, after making the news of their marriage public, they held a reception, and moved in together. 
Sunil Dutt was once asked about Raj Kapoor and Nargis' equation, to which he had said, "I never knew there was a romance. The only thing I knew was that she came into my life. I was not concerned about her past. I know these questions arise. But I am concerned about the person who comes in my life; what matters from that day on is how true the person is to me. The past is nothing to me."
Nargis left films to look after Dutt saheb.The mother of 3 – Priya, Namrata and Sanjay Dutt, Nargis took up the full time job of being a mom and gave up stardom while she was at the peak of her career. She was the one with a modern approach and yet juggled her life amidst the work part, where she was involved in her husband’s production venture and also formed Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe.

Despite the threshold of responsibilities, she was very much active in her individual self which included swimming, watching movies, shopping, getting a massage and constantly being on the phone. She also ditched the burqa and would enjoy paani puri from the street vendors. Yes, she was very much like the young girl inside every woman.Nargis never followed the bandwagon of her contemporaries and was always in sync with global fashion trends. She sported a short haircut when others would go for their long tresses. She ditched jewellery and wore only cotton saris for which she was dubbed as the Lady in White.

Sunil Dutt was not the first love of Nargis, but their years of marriage never once fell in doubt about Dutt being her second love. Nargis and Sunil Dutt loved each other and supported each other during their marriage.Their love was pure and forever.

Years later, Nargis was detected with cancer, and went through a lot of treatments for many years. Sunil was always by her side during her struggle. He even took her to America for the treatment. However, she could not win her battle against cancer and died on May 3, 1981.

Song from Andaz (1949)

Song from Barsaat (1949)

Song from Awara (1951)

Song from Chori Chori (1956)

Song from Mother India (1957)

Song from Adalat (1958)