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) 

MEHMOOD - The Original Bhaijaan

Today Salman Khan is known as the Bhaijaan of Hindi Film Industry but the original Bhaijaan was Mehmood. At his peak, he was paid more than the film’s hero. Mehmood had a big heart too. He helped many struggling actors find work in the industry. When Amitabh Bachchan was new to Mumbai and still struggling to find a foothold in the industry, it was Mehmood who helped him and offered him a room at his own house. He gave Amitabh the hero’s role in Bombay To Goa in 1972. It was due to this movie that writer duo Salim- Javed picked Amitabh for the iconic role of  Inspector Vijay Khanna in the action film Zanjeer.
There was a time It was difficult to imagine Hindi film comedy without Bollywood’s original Bhaijaan. His movie comes with an assurance of fun, frolic, drama, dance and great music. Well, dancing came naturally to him and so did acting and performance. There was no movie without a song of Mehmood.
In this Blog I have included some of the forgotten hit songs of Mehmood.this will refresh your memory.

Song of  Parvarish (1958)

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958) 

Song of Chhoti Bahen (1959)

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Sasural 1961

Song of Aarti 1962

Song of Grahasti (1963)

Song of Hamrahi (1963)

Song of  Shabnam 1964

Song of Bhoot Bangla 1965

Song of Pati Patni' (1966)

Song of  Around the World 1967

Song of Jawab 1970

Song of Main Sundar Hoon (1971)

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)

Hats off to Dev Anand

Dev Anand was the greatest Style Icon of India. He had a fascination for hats or caps. In almost every film we can see Dev Anand in a different cap or headgear. In his personal life too he was very fond of caps, scarfs, jackets, wrist watches and pens. He had a great collection of pens. In an interview his son, Suneil Anand told that “My father had a fetish for hats and pens. It was a part of his style statement. He was very fond of writing and he loved collecting pens. He had a huge collection.”
Recall the Jewel Thief cap of Dev Anand. It became so popular by the dashing Dev Anand in the film (1967) almost every youth of that time bought that cap. There is a story behind this cap. Dev himself told in an interview that once he was roaming around the street of Copenhagen he saw this cap in a showroom of a shop.  He liked it at the first sight and immediately purchased it. Most of the hats, caps or scarfs he used in his movies were from his personal wardrobe.

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.”

Still from Baazi 1951

After Baazi, this was the second film in which Dev Anand also came through as an actor with a unique style of his own. Dev Anand wears a hat in this film which became very popular those days. Even many film heroes wore the same type of hat in their films.

Still from Jaal 1952

In 1954 film Taxi  Driver Dev Anand played a Bombay Taxi Driver. He wears a cap most of the time. This cap later became very popular among the Taxi Drivers of Bombay

Still from Taxi Driver 1954

In Hum Dono Dev Anand wears a Jungle Hat. This hat, he took from one of his Army Officer friend.This hat he wore in the song "Mein Zindagi Ka Saath" 

Still from Hum Dono 1961

In this blog, I have selected the images and songs of Dev Anand wearing different headgears this will be interesting for all the Dev Anand fans.

Still from Milap 1955

Still from Munimji 1955

Still from Funtoosh 1956

Still from Funtoosh 1956

Nau Do Gyarah 1957

Dushman 1957

Kala Pani 1958

Maya 1961

Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Guide 1965

Jewel Thief 1967

Prem Pujari 1970

Gambler 1971

Hare Rama Hare Krishna 1971

Banarsi Babu 1973

Song from Taxi Driver 1954

Song from Funtoosh 1955

Song from Funtoosh 1955

Song from Nau Do Gyarah 1957

Song from Jewel Thief 1967

Song from Prem Pujari 1970

Song from Prem Pujari 1970

Some of the Great Background Songs of Bollywood

Bollywood films are incomplete without a song.  The majority of songs are seen to be sung by the characters themselves rather than being played in the background Background songs are often used in Hindi films as a tool to take the story forward, you see the characters, for instance, becoming rich during the course of the song or a child growing adult. 
In this blog, I have selected some great songs in alphabetical order
                                                                                  A

Aayega aayega aanewala 

Song from Mahal 1949

Ana hai to aa raha me kuchh der nahi hai_

Song from Naya Daur 1957

Ab koi gulshan na ujde ab vatan azad hai

Song from Mujhe Jine Do 1963

B

Bhagwan ik kusoor ki itnai badi saja

Song from Gehra Daag 1963

C

Chal Akela Chal Akela Tera mela pichhe chhuta

Song from Sambandh 1969

Chhodo kal ki baatein

Song from Hum Hindustani, 1960

Chal ri sajni ab kya soche 

Song from Bombai ka Babu, 1960

D

dekhi zamane ki yaari

Song from Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

G

Gumnam hain koi badnam hain

Song from Gumnam 1965

I

Iktara Iktara

Song of Wake Up Sid 2009

K

Kahi deep jale kahi dil 

Song from Bees Saal Baad 1962

Kahe ko roye safal hogi teri aaradhana

Song from Aaradhana 1969

M

Mera Jeevan kora kagaz kora hi

Song from Kora Kagaz. 1974

N

Nirbal se ladayi balwan ki-

Song from Diya Aur Toofan 1956

Naina barase rimzim rimzim-

Song from Wo Koun Thi 1964

O

O Re Maajhi Mere Saajan Hai Us Paar

Song of Bandini 1963

R

Roop tera mastana

Song from Aaradhana 1969

S

Sun mere bandhu re

Song from Sujata 1959

T

Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi. 

Song from Aandhi (1974)

W

waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam-

Song from Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

waha koun hain tera musafir

Song from Guide 1965

Waqt se din aur raat

Song from Waqt 1965

Y

ya meri manzail ya zaindagi ko chin le

Song from Rakhi 1962

Z

Zindagi ke safar me guzar jate hai

Song from Aap ki Kasam 1974