Jaidev: Brilliant, But Underrated, Composer – 1974 -1975
The career of Jaidev (Varma) – B: 3 August 1919 – D : 6 January 1987 – right from his first foray in 1933 till his own death in 1987 has been a sad tale of fate’s cruel treatment to such a gifted music director. It is so difficult to imagine that someone who had composed so melodious, and hugely popular as well, album was consigned to the ‘art-film music director’ tag by the turn of the decade. The popularity of his songs of 60s could not fetch a Filmfare award for him, but the art film yielded three national awards – a record for Hindi films that that remains unsurpassed in so far as music directors of his generation.
Perhaps the very specific limited ‘class’ audience that the art films sough to cater to, his music too had meet the basic demands of the film. So, one may argue, that that music was never meant to be popular at the mass level. And even when it could have been, the lack of strong marketing push to the film itself, to expect that songs would get that kind of support is probably wishful thinking.
The core creative artist of Jaidev used the constraints of art-film music composition into an opportunity to freely experiment with a wide variety of singers to create songs that could pride any music industry.
Till now, we have covered, the years
In 2018, we listened to his songs from the most successful films phase of 1955 to 1963.
In 2019, we listened to his more remembered songs from his less remembered films for 1964 to 1970,
in 2020, we listened to highly appreciated songs from the films that did not succeed in 1971, and
In 2021, we recalled the songs that have faded out because the films flopped in 1972-1973
in the form of our commemorative annual series in the month of Jaidev’s remembrance anniversary month.
Presently, we will cover Jaidev’s compositions from what is popularly termed as ‘parallel cinema’ films Aaligan, Faslah and Parinay (all of 1974) and Ek Hans Ka Joda and Aandolan (of 1975). By recalling the songs of these films gives us clear opportunity to see the freshness of his compositions and the charm of his experimentation.
Aalingan (1974)
Hamaare Dil Ko Tumne Dil Bana Diya – Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle – Lyrics :Jaan Nisaar Akhtar
The prelude song creates the feeling of speed that the couple riding motor-bike would expectedly feel that they would bring to their singing. The song is set to faster waltz rhythm. Jaidev has also used Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhosle’s creativity of singing to the hilt.
Pyaas Thi Phir Bhi Taqaazaa Na Kiya – Manna Dey – Lyrics: Jaan Nisaar Akhtar
Manna Dey begins softly in the first line and then gradually goes onto higher scale exemplifying the increasing intensity of feelings that such intimate environment induces. Use of saxophone further adds to the escalation of the intensity of the feeling.
Faslah (1974)
Aa Utha Le Apna Jaam Kya Tujhe Kisi Se Kaam – Ranu Mukherjee – Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Jaidev experiments with Ranu Mukherjee’s heavy tonal qualities to set up the enchanting atmosphere of a club song.
Zindagi Cigarete Ka Dhuan, Ye Dhuan Jaata Hai Kahan Ya KahiN Jaata NahiN Ye Socho, Na Socho Meri Jaan – Bhupinder – Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Jaidev, Kaifi Azmi and Bhupinder team up to create a motivational song that does its assigned role in the lighter mood.
Parinay (1974)
Jaise Suraj Ki Garmi Se Jalte Huye Tan Ko – Deen Bandhu Sharma, Ramananad Sharma, chorus – Lyrics: Ramanand Sharma
The measure of this devotional composition in Raag Jaunpuri can be gauged by the fact that this one song has become the identity of the Sharma Brothers quartet who were otherwise also well known in the devotional program circuit.
Mitwa Mitwa Morey Man Mitwa – Manna Dey, Vani Jayram – Lyrics: Naqsh Llayalpuri
Jaidev recreates a 50s period melody in this duet. As can be expected, the duet was well received by the Manna Dey fans and other discerning film music fans.
Asides:
Parinay won the 1974 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration (known as the “Rajat Kamal Special Award for the Best Feature Film on National Integration” at that time).
The film was directed by Kantilal Rathod, who also has another award winning (Gujarati) feature film Kanku (1969) and a children’s documentary film Cloven Horizon (1965)
Ek Hans Ka Joda (1975)
Saathi Milte Hain Badi Mushqil Se Kisika Sath Na Chhodana – Kishore Kumar –Lyrics: Indeewar
Jaidev has very rarely used Kishore Kumar as playback even during second innings of both. In this soft piano song, he has Kishore Kumar signing equally soft lower scale or slightly elevated scale at the end of lines.
Ek Hans Ka Joda Jisne Pyar Mein Har Bandhan Toda – Ajit Singh – Lyrics: Gauhar Kanpuri
Jaidev’s experimental streak with his melodious core could not have been more manifested than in this credit title song, where in he has used pope singer Ajit Singh to sing a pop-style song with soft strings of guitar and wind instruments to the rhythm of drums.
Mere Dil Mein Teri Tasweer Sada Rehti Hai – Bhupinder Singh, Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Indeewar
In this asymmetric duet, Bhupinder chips in with a saakhi that would take the heroine into retrospective pensive mood.
Andolan (1975)
Dar-o-Divaar Pe Hasarat-e-Nazar Karte Hai Khush Raho Ahal-e-Vatan Ham To Safar Karte Hai – Bhupinder – Lyrics: Ramprasad ‘Bismil’
From the very brief information available, it is gathered that Andolan is a film based on the freedom struggle period. Directed by a highly talented, and successful commercial film director, Lekh Tandon, the film, has been consigned to the status of ‘parallel cinema’ probably because,, except Nitu Singh, all other major actors belong to the ‘art cinema’ stream.
The ‘saakhi, first two lines, is taken from a Nawab Wazjd Ali Shah’s poignant poem which he seems to have composed when he was exiled from Lucknow to a faraway Calcutta dungeon.
Mazloom Kisi Kaum Ke Jab Khwaab Jaagte Hain – Manna Dey – Lyrics :Verma Malik
Jaidev has chosen Manna Dey’s strong tonal quality to capture the brave mindset of the freedom fighters maintain their spirit in the face of brutal physical torture.
Panch Rupaiya Arre Panch Rupiaya De De Balamva Mela Dekhan Jaungi – Minu Purushottam, Krishna Kalle – Lyrics: Jan Nisar Akhtar
The street ‘tamasha’ song genre has one oft-intended use of a red-herring, as is the case of the present song.
Aside trivia:
The bespectacled person with beard siting on the ‘charpoy’, as can be seen clearly @3.41 is none other than vintage era front-line male playback singer, G M Durrani
Piya Ko Milan Kaise Hoye Ri MaiN Janu Nahi – Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Meerabai
Here we have a musically very rich, but somehow lacking the easy melody of similar difficult and equally melodious songs like, Tu Chanda Main Chandani (Lyrics: Balkavi Bairagi) and Ek Meethi Si Chubhan (Lyrics: Udhav Kumar) – both from Reshma Aur Shera, 1971) or Yeh Dil Aur Unki NaigahoN Ke Saaye (Lyrics: Jan Nissar Akhtar) and Ye Neer Kahan Se Barse Hai,,, Ye Badri Kahan Se Aayi Hai (Lyrics: Prema Sachdev) (Prem Parabt, 1973) that we normally associate Jaidev with.
We rest here with one more very interesting page of Jaidev’s music direction career before moving on to the next phase, in our next episode.
We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month next year too……..
Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.
The world is too small? or Is it? 