Welcome to October 2021 edition of IXth Volume of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.
We open our present episode with the 92nd birthday of Lata Mangeshkar.
A little girl who started professional singing more than 7 decades ago is still there somewhere, says Lata Mangeshkar as she recalls such a long journey of career that notched up another hit just last month.
All Mangeshkar sisters Lata, Asha, Usha & Meena together on-screen with Brother Hridaynath in the song Chala Chala Nav Bala from the film Maaze Bal – 1943, composer Datta Dawjekar
In continuation with the practice of presenting Lata Mangeshkar’s songs from a different angle, Mehfil Mein Meri presents Lata – Non-film songs, for the period 1954 in Part 1 and for the years thereafter in Part 2.
We, also, rue the loss of Veteran actor and Mehmood’s sister Minoo Mumtaz passes away – Komal RJ Panchal – Minoo Mumtaz (26-4-1942 | 19-10-2021) – appeared in films like CID, Naya Daur, Taj Mahal, Gaban, Zameer among others. She passed away in Canada.
RIP, Minoo Mumtaz – We Have Lost Another One of the Greatest (as everyone should know) – Minoo Mumtaz was a mujra queen in her own right – in addition to being a hilarious comedienne. The previous post of 2009 where Tom Daniel’s DVD compilationis referred to, describes it as A Whole (Beautiful, Crisp, Clear) DVD of Minoo Mumtaz! It is recommended to re-visit that that post most of all because it includes a list of the contents of Tom’s DVD, which is the best place to look if you want the names of the best songs that she appeared in.
Songs of Yore also had a post, In Conversation with Minoo Mumtaz, which included an interview with her as well as one with her son, Ajaz Ali.
When an era passes – Malika Begum or Malikunnisa, better known by her screen name Minoo Mumtaz, carved a unique place for herself.
Ten of my favourite Minoo Mumtaz Songs recalls songs featuring Mino Mumtaz on the screen.
We now move on to other tributes and memories this month.
Taxi Driver — one of India’s first ‘cabbie films’, which sealed Dev Anand’s romantic hero image – Unnati Sharma – On Dev Anand’s 98th birth anniversary (27th September) a revisit to a film close to his heart — a complete Anand family production, whose heroine he married.
Hans Jhakhar has come up with a series of articles on Rajendra Krishna (6 June 1919 – 23 September 1987) and his music directors on Songs of Yore to commemorate the 34th Remembrance Day of Rajendra Krishna. The first two articles are: Rajendra Krishna with the Albela Karigar C Ramchandra and Rajendra Krishna and Madan Mohan: Classic Case of Two Geniuses at Work.
The unassuming genius of Hrishikesh Mukherjee – Subhash K Jha – “I confess I’m guilty of making potboilers…That’s because I had a unit and their family to maintain. I console myself with the thought that I’ve made decent films too on family values.” …… Thankfully Hrishida quit this world before people started watching his films on phones.
Eyi Path Jodi Na Shesh Hoy: The Immortal Songs of Uttam-Hemanta – Sounak Gupta and Antara Nanda Mondal present Silhouette’s a tribute to Uttam Kumar by revisiting the iconic Uttam-Hemanta partnership and some of their evergreen hits.
Happy Birthday, Simi Garewal, who was always ahead of her time. When Indian actresses were demure dainty and shy Simi was a whiff of fresh air. There was no pretence about her personality
Forget Dil Chahta Hai, Raj Kapoor-Nargis starrer Chori Chori was the first road trip movie — Unnati Sharma – On Manna Dey’s death anniversary, remembering how the song “Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi” is more popular than the film itself.
Smita Patil as remembered by her sister: ‘Funny, generous, uncaged’ – Anita Patil-Deshmukh pays tribute to the acclaimed actor on her 66th birth anniversary.
In Subah, Smita Patil’s character broke glass ceiling of what ambitious women can’t do – Unnati Sharma – Smita Patil plays Savitri, a woman who is capable, intelligent and ambitious, but often finds herself caught up in the complications of family life.
Vinod Khanna: The actor who gave Amitabh Bachchan a run for his money – Sampada Sharma – A Stardust cover of 1978 had claimed in big bold letters ‘Vinod Khanna turns No 1’ but unbeknownst to everyone, Vinod was never a part of the rat race and it was perhaps this nonchalance that made him one of the most iconic stars of Hindi cinema.
5 unknown facts about Rekha who turns a year older on October 10 – Subhash K Jha – Rekha prides herself on being an accomplished singer. She sang Qayda Qayda Todke Socho Ek Din in Khubsoorat for herself.
How Kader Khan became Bollywood’s go-to dialogue writer: When an impressed Manmohan Desai gifted him his TV, gold bracelet – Sampada Sharma – On Kader Khan’s 84th birth anniversary, here’s looking at the early career of the actor as a dialogue writer and how he did some of his best work with Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai.
Shailendra Sharma @ Golden Era of Bollywood has posted following memorial tribute posts:
- The Movies that Guru Dutt Announced and Abandoned
- S D Burman- Always Looking for New Experiments in …
In the series of articles on Sahir’s Songs of Romance, commemorating Sahir Ludhianvi’s birth centenary, we now take up Sahir Ludhianvi’s Four Film Association with R D Burman.
October 2021 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up (Shankar (Jaikishan) and Shailendra’s Songs Fading From the Memory: 1955 -1956 (Part). Till now, we have covered the years
1949 – 1953 in 2018
1953 (Continued) in 2019.
1954 in 2020
Here is a collection of some vintage photographs, posted on BollywooDirect:
October is the month of festivals, or is usherer of the great Indian festival of Diwali, so “Let’s Celebrate!”: Ten festival songs.
We now move on to posts on other subjects –
Songs of Age are not those where there is an observation about how man has no control over time and hence the need to make the best of the moment at hand, but are the songs where there is a mention of not just physical age but also of time passing or of an era having passed
‘Not Quite Usual’ Songs presents songs in two broad categories – Single song-one singer-two characters and Single song-two singers-one character.
Soul music: When Hindi film songs send a prayer to the Almighty – Rineeta Naik explores the omnipresent clamour for divine intervention in the form of a song. Since the array of divinities is long and colourful, the songs are equally eclectic.
Sanchari – Bengal’s invaluable contribution to Hindi Film Music – Sanchari (संचारी), in its very technical sense, n Hindustani classical music has to do with the Dhrupad genre. However, Bengal composers used the term Sanchari as a piece of different tune inserted between two Antaras, thereby imparting the song its unique character.
[Note: For anyone interested in the nuances of music, this post is very informative and should be read, as you listen the songs covered in the post.]
My Favourites: Devotional Songs of Hindi films have knack to move you despite yourself; that make you want to believe even if you don’t; that, either because of the vocals or the picturisation or both, make you believe in the devotion the words expressed.
Romancing through the Window and Door is an immensely explored subject in Hindi film songs of romance. The present post complements the songs on Atariya, Angana and Chhat, thus completing all the features of a house with such possibilities.
The Rendezvous Songs has emphasis more on the element of the meeting place.” … there is an element of escaping the prying eyes of the world in many a song. Some of the songs have risqué lyrics too.”
Boat Songs – Part I focused on the songs that had only the couple on the boat. Now, Part II takes songs with three or more, but not more than five or six people. Presently, Part III finally presents boat songs sung by the boatman.
Was ‘Guide’ ever offered to Zaheeda? – Subhash K Jha – Waheeda Rehman tells the whole story of how she agreed to do ‘Guide’, after two directors were changed
From Bollywood Rewind – Sampada Sharma – Indian Express’s weekly column:
- Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje: V Shantaram’s ode to classical dance – Starring Sandhya and Gopi Krishna, V Shantaram’s 1955 film Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje believes that to become a true artist, one needs to sacrifice.
- Sujata: When Bimal Roy took on caste discrimination and disguised it with a love story – Starring Nutan and Sunil Dutt, Bimal Roy’s 1959 film Sujata takes up the subject of caste discrimination in a society that believes in it blindly.
- Yaadein: Sunil Dutt’s one-man show that’s ahead of its time – Starring and directed by Sunil Dutt, the 1964 film Yaadein attempts to examine the paranoia of loneliness with only one actor on screen.
- Junglee: Shammi Kapoor’s massy potboiler that hasn’t aged well – Starring Shammi Kapoor and Saira Banu, Subodh Mukherji’s 1961 film Junglee is as mainstream as movies could be, and the true heroes here are music composers Shankar Jaikishen.
Micro View of Best Songs of 1944 @SoY concluded the micro-view of female songs with MY Top Female Solo Songs and took up that of duets with the duets that have been already covered in Memorable Songs / Special Songs, Male-Female Duets – Part 1 and Part 2 – and reached the end point in Female – Female Duets | Male – Male Duets | Triads (+)
In continuation to our tradition of ending the post with a few songs of Mohammad Rafi, I have selected duets of Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi during 1947 to 1949, based on one duet per music director:
Chalo Ho Gai Taiyaar Zara Thehro Ji – Shaadi Se Pehle (1947) – Paigankar- Karnad – Mukh Ram Sharma
Sun To Dil Ka Afasana – Andaz (1949) – Naushad – Majrooh Sultanpuri
Apni Nazar Se Door Vo Unki Nazar Se Door Hum – Bazaar (1949) – Shyam Sundar – Qamar Jalalabadi
Lambi Zoru Badi Museebat Are Din Dekhe Na Raat – Ek Thi Ladki (1949) – Vinod _ Aziz Kashmiri
Zara Tumne Dekha To Pyar Aa Gaya – Jaltarang (1949) – Husnlal Bhagatram – Kaif Irfani
Tadapake Ab Mujhe Chhod Diya – Namoona ((1949) – C Ramchandra – Gulshan Jalalabadi
Dil Le Ke Chhupne Wale Tu Hai Kahan Bata De – Paaras (1949) – Ghulam Mohammad – Shakeel Badayuni
Saajan Ki Ot Leke Haathon Mein Haath Deke – Zevraat (1949) – Hans Raj Bahal – Habeeb Sarhadi
I look forward to your inputs to enrich the contents of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.
Disclaimer: This monthly series of posts is my best-effort-based compilation of posts on Hindi film songs that I normally visit regularly. As I record my sincere thanks to all the original creators of these posts, any other posts that I have nor covered herein shows my lack of awareness of existence of such posts and is by no means any disrespect to their work. The copyrights to the posts, images and video clips remain the properties of the original creators.
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