V Balsara – Sunaye Hal-e-Dil Kya Hum Hamara
It was in 70s that whenever I could sneak out from my official work during visits to Bombay, I used to be in look out for a sneak pick into(the then) Rhythm House at Kalaghoda, even if for a few minutes. On one such visit I was on a quick look out for records of Manna Dey’s Hindi NFS. I was quickly shown one EP record that contained these songs:
Ye Aawaara Raaten Ye Khoyi Si Baaten (1960)
Nazaaron Mein Ho Tum Khayaalon Mein Ho Tum
I listened to these songs briefly and purchased the record. On way back I read its back cover to see who the music director of these songs was. When I read that it was V Balsara, the name was new to me then.
I kept listening to the record several times on reaching home. One of my friends then took it to his home. There his father also liked the songs. Few days later when he returned the record, it was accompanied by one more record. That record was an LP of his instrumental tunes, which among others, had the following:
We all were now very devout fans of V Balsara. I then went on to add a few more of his instrumental LPs.
For our present series when I noticed that June (22nd, 1922) is his month of birth day, it was with great apprehension that I started searching for his songs for the article for this month from his maiden film Circus Girl (1943) to other films like O Panchi, Rangmahal, Madmast, Talash, Char Dost, Vidyapati and Pyar. Well, my apprehensions were quite misplaced, as our netizen friends have been able to place many of the songs on net.
So here are a few of the multi-faceted songs in tribute to V. Balsara (Vistap Ardeshir Balsara).
Roothi Hui Taqdeer Ko Ab Kaise – Mukesh (NFS) – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani
It seems that till he started regular work for composing music for Hindi films, V Balsara very rightly adopted the route of publishing records of NFS. These songs went a long a way in keeping V Balsara in to the memory of the listening public. There are a couple of more NFS mukesh songs that can be accessed on YT.
Ye Hawa Ye Fizza Ye Nazare Hum Yahan Tum Wahan… – Geeta Dutt
It is recorded that Geeta Dutt has only 25 NFS in her career. It is our luck that the present song happens to be one of them.
Our big catch happens to be songs of Madmast of 1953.
Chaal Anokhi Dhang Nirale, Tadap Uthe Hay, Aji Dekhane Wale – Madmast (1953) – Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani
Kisi Ke Zulm Ki Tasveer Hai – Mahendra Kapoor, Dhan Indorewala – Lyrics: Manav
In our May, 2017 episode on Snehal Bhatkar, we had listened to the first solo song of Mahendra Kapoor. The present song takes on the credit of first ever recorded song of Mahendra Kapoor, much before he came to limelight after having won Murphy contest and then singing on Chand Chuupa Aur Taare Doobe
Main Lal Paan Ki Begum Hu, Begum Begum Begum Hu, Main Lal Paan Ki Begum
Main Baadshah Hu Kalekha, Main Baadshah Hu Kalekha – Shamshad Begum, S D Batish – Lyrics: J C Pant
Sunaye Hal-e-Dil Kya Hum Hamara – Lata Mangeshkar –
We then have Vidyapati (1964) which has one more Lata Mangeshkar gem which is totally forgotten.
More Naina Sawan Bhadon – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma
A song with same mukhda, based on the same raga Sjivranjani has so much of our mind space that listening to this song is so enriching experience.
Chubh Gaya Kanta, Ui Kaise Main Ab Ghar Jaaun – Pyar (1969) – Aarti Mukherjee – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma
The common listener may have treated the song as too experimental for his liking…
We cannot conclude the episode without taking note of some of the instrumental compositions of V Balsara.
In an interview on Doordrashan Calcutta, V Balsara had narrated his association with Hindi Film world as specialist instrument player. He has played harmonium like an accordion in several of SJ songs. Here are three such examples:
This is considered to be Solo Piano Concert. Robin De has captured it as a very documentary piece of V Balsara’s association with Bengali Music.
And Madhumati (1958)’s Aja Re Pardesi
Continuing with our tradition of ending every episode with a Mohammad Rafi song, we will end our present episode with the two solos, in two totally different moods, by Mohammad Rafi, composed by V Balsara :
Door Gagan Ke Chanda, Kahiyo Sajan Ke Sandesh…… Mo Se Rooth Gayo Banwaari Jari Gayo Madhuban, Sukhi Jamuna Gali Gali Dukhiyari – Vidyapati (1964) – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma
Here we have signature Mohammad Rafi song, starting sakhi on a very high note then coming back to a pathos-suited scale, interspersed with scaling peaks.
Rahoge Kab Tak Hamse Dur, Pyar Ka To Aisa Dastur Ishk Pukarega Tumko, Aana Hi Hoga Re Aana Hi hoga Re, Ishq Pukarega Tumko Aana Hi Hoga Re – Woh Ladki (1967) – Lyrics: Prahlad Sharma
This can also be considered a very typical of Rafi romantic song, which we normally associate with his care-free songs.
We will continue our search for Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..
Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.
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