This BLOG is about the Past of Hindi Films Specially Black and White Cinema We will refresh your memories by bringing out forgotten or unseen songs and clippings of film scenes We will try to give you as much information as we gather from our research.
This Blog was started as a one-man’s passion for film history but has now become an addiction for many music lovers who are equally passionate about Hindi films
Talat Mahmood began his singing career at the age of 16 in 1939, when he began singing the Ghazals of Daag, Mir, Jigar etc. on All India Radio, Lucknow. His voice had a quality distinct from all the other singers. HMV was quick to notice this and offered Talat his first disc in 1941 Sab din ek samaan nahin tha, Bun jaoon ga kya se kya main, Iska to kuch dhyan nahin tha.
His reputation as a ghazal singer was not limited to his hometown of Lucknow, but it reached the city that proved to shape his destiny – Calcutta. He acted in 3 Bengali films before coming to Bombay in 1949. His big break came with the song Ae dil mujhe aisi jagha le chal jahan koi na ho composed by music director Anil Biswas, his mentor in Bombay, for the soundtrack of the film Arzoo (1950 film).
In this blog, I have selected a few unheard and rare songs of Talat Mahmood of the 40s
Talat's first-ever recording of 1941
TALAT MAHMOOD - Sab din ek samaan nahin tha NON FILM GHAZAL
Qawwaliis a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singingOriginally performed at Sufi shrines or dargahs throughout South Asia, It became popular among the masses when these were introduced in films. Qawwali has apparently found in films since it became Talking. The earliest evidence was a Qawwali 'Allah Hu ' in the 1935 film Talash-e-Haque. Another very popular Qawwali was 'Aahen Na Bhari' from the 1945 movie 'Zeenat' sung by Noor Jehan.Phir Aah Dil Se Nikli Tapka Lahu Jigar Se composed by Naushad and sung again by Zohrabai Ambalewalli in Mela (1949) also became a craze.
During the Golden Era, Qwawali was in its peek, almost every film used to have at least one Qwwali, The success of the qawwali 'Hame to Loot Liya Milke Husn Walon Ne' from the 1958 film Al Hilal sung by the professional Azad Qawwal, opened the gate for other Qawwals like Shakeela Bano Bhopali, , Jaani BQawwalIsmailabu Qawwal, Aziz Nazan, Nusrat Fateh Ali and Altaf Raja
Shakeela Bano Bhopali was India's first female Qawwal. She came to Bombay in the late 50s on the invitation of BR Chopra and Dilip Kumar. She was offered many films, Jagir(1959) was the first film
Rare Qawwali of Shakeela Bano Bhopali
A Qawwali group consists of eight or nine men including a lead singer, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums, and percussion. There is also a chorus of four or five men who repeat key verses, and who aid and back up percussion by hand-clapping.
The performers generally sit in two rows with the lead singer, side singers, and harmonium players in the front row, and the chorus and percussionists in the back row. The harmonium got preferred in Qawwalis as the earlier used sarangi needed to be retuned between songs.
There have been many changes in Bollywood Qawwali,some composers have infused it with modern and western musical instruments and with techno beats and are called Techno-qawwali. Techno qawwalis with dance-oriented tracks are also in vogue nowadays and are called Club qawwali. The most popular Qawwali was Na Toh Karwan Ki Talash Hai was from the 1960 film Barsat Ki Raat composed by Roshan. After the popularity of this Qawwali Roshan became the Qawwali king who gave many more popular Qawwalis to Bollywood
The first film of Gulzar as a director. This movie covers the topic of unemployment, anger, the rivalry between two groups, social problems, still relevant after 50 years. A remake of the 1968 Bengali Movie 'Apanjan'. Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha, both were new at that time, in fact, it was the first film of Vinod Khanna as a hero, it was also the first film of Danny
The story revolves around an old lady (Meena Kumari) who is trying to make peace between two gangs. Vinod Khanna is the leader of one gang, but a very kindhearted person. The flashback story of his and his lost love Yogita Bali was the best thing in the whole movie, that turns his life upside down. Shatrughan Sinha is the leader of another gang. The movie shows lots of street wars between these gangs. Meena Kumari cares for all of them, and teaches them to stop fighting,
The character of Shyam and Chhenu so well played that you will remember after so many years. A great movie and on par with Anand. Awesome songs 'Haal chaal theek thaak hai" and one sad song "koi apna hota".
The film was an average in Box Office but was critically acclaimed If you have not seen, its a must-watch.
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Asha Bhosle, the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar was born on 8th September 1933 in a Gomantak Marathi Brahmin family in Sangli, Maharashtra. She was the third among five siblings. Her father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar was a renowned classical singer and stage actor. Her first foray into Hindi film playback happened with the song ‘Saawan Aaya’ from the film ‘Chunariya’ with composer Hansraj Behl in 1948. When she was 16,
Initially, her songs were basically meant for the sidelined roles like vamps, cabaret numbers, or C-grade movies but it was O P Nayyar who gave her real break with C I D in 1956. With O. P Nayyar, Asha gave out hits after hits like ‘Aaiye Meherban’, ‘Deewana Hua Badal’, ‘Isharon Isharon Mein’, ‘Aao Huzur Tumko’, ‘Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri’, etc.
This talented singer can sing a ghazal and a peppy cabaret number with amazing levels of energy and style. Be it the romantic "Oh Mere Sona Re" or the sensuous "Aaiye Meherban" or the peppy "Kambakth Ishq", Asha Bhonsle can add life to any song. she has sung in almost all genres including film music, pop, bhajans, ghazals, traditional Indian classical music, qawwalis, folk songs, and Rabindra Sangeet..
Her collaboration with R.D Burman took her to the peak of her career. The duo of Asha and R.D Burman produced hits after hits starting from Teesri Manzil in 1966. A popular song ‘Jaane Jaa’ from the movie Jawaani Diwaani (1972) required her to switch from high pitch to low almost simultaneously which she did with utmost ease and perfection. The song, ‘Dum Maro Dum’ from the movie ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ showed an entirely new side of her talent.
In the 90's, she experimented with peppy numbers and produced hits like ‘Tanha Tanha’, ‘Yaire’, ‘Kambakth Ishq’, ‘Chori Pe Chori’, with much younger music directors like A.R. Rahman, Anu Malik, and Sandeep Chowta.
She received the Dada SahebPhalke award in 2000. She was honored with the Padma Vibushan Award by the Government of India in 2008. She won 8 Filmfare awards in the best Female Playback Singer Category in the years 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1979. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Filmfare in 2001. She has won 2 National Awards, in 1981 for the song ‘Dil Cheez Kya hai’ from Umrao Jaan and in 1986 for ‘Mera Kuchh Saman’ from the film Ijaazat. In this Blog, I am posting her Award-Winning Songs
Sadhana (2 September 1941 – 25 December 2015)belonged to an era when Hindi cinema was transitioning from the slow ’50sto the more playful, romantic ’60s. Her first film as a heroine was Love In Shimla, released in 1960 which was a hit. She became a rage and her hairstyle became instantly popular with the girls. Her fringe haircut named "Sadhana Cut"
Sadhana is also credited for bringing into fashion tight churidar-kurta. She went with this concept of gracefully changing the traditional loose salwar kameez to her director Yash Chopra for 1965's film Waqt. Initially, Yash Chopra was not agreed for this change but Sadhana with the help of her fashion designer Bhanu Athaiya showed him a sample, which he liked. The trend lasted well in the 1970s and can be seen to be adopted by many actresses.
After Love In Shimla, her 2nd film Parakh was released. in this film she played the simple village girl, she had to stick her fringe back in order to match the simple village girl she played here. Even without that, she looked beautiful. Then came Hum Dono in 1962 The film stars Dev Anand in a double role and also has Nanda his co-heroine.The film was a big hit that established Sadhana as a leading actress. In the same year, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina and Asli Naqli were released, both were successful.at the Box Office.
In 1963, Sadhana played her first role in a technicolor film Mere Mehboob directed by H. S. Rawail. The film was the "blockbuster" of 1963.She now became the most sought-after heroine of Bollywood.
In 1964, she played a double role in the first of the suspense-thriller trilogy, Woh Kaun Thi? This white-sari-clad performance opposite Manoj Kumar earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. The film was a box office "Hit". Raj Khosla cast her in two more successful mystery films, Mera Saaya (1966) and Anita (1967) thus making her famous as the "Mystery girl".Mera Saaya, a box office "Super Hit".
Since then every year she was giving a hit throughout the 60s, In 1963; it was Rajkumar opposite Shammi Kapoor, Waqt, and Arzoo in 1965, Mera Saya in 66, Anita in 67 and Inteqam and Ek Phool Do Mali in 1969.
Sadhana had health issues due to her thyroid, which she got treated in Boston. She was doing limited films, earlier also she did 2 or 3 films in a year, most of her films were hit.In 1971 she had a hit Aap Aye Bahar Ayee, in 74 she acted and directed Geeta Mera Naam which was also a hit.
After her retirement from acting, she refused to be photographed, She suffered from eye problems due to hyperthyroidism. She had undergone an emergency surgery due to a bleeding oral lesion in December 2014 at theK J Somaiya Medical College.
Sadhana died on 25 December 2015 in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai after being hospitalized with a high fever. She made a rare public appearance walking the ramp in a pink sari at a fashion show to support the cause for cancer and AIDS patients. She was escorted by her relative, actor Ranbir Kapoor in 2014
Song from Hum Dono
Song from Asli Naqli 1962
Song from Mere Mehboob 1963
Below are a few links to her most popular songs
https://youtu.be/5a7l2UzZ654
Songs of Parakh 1960
https://youtu.be/E5KJpGaXgwE
Songs of Hum Dono 1961
https://youtu.be/TFr6G5zveS8
Songs of Woh Kaun Thi 1964
https://youtu.be/S7-d-7EWMHU
Song of Rajkumar 1964
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