Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – Volume X – May 2022 edition

Welcome to May 2022 edition of X^th Volume of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We straight away move on to our section on tributes and celebrations for the month –

Dadasaheb Phalke birth anniversary: The man who brought movie magic to India, captured in Harishchandrachi Factory – Sampada Sharma  – On Father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke’s 152nd birth anniversary, here’s revisiting Harishchandrachi Factory. The film chronicles Phalke’s journey of making the first motion picture in India.

How Ashok Kumar learned to ‘open his heart through his eyes’ – Nabendu Ghosh – A reissued biography – Dadamoni – The Life and Times of Ashok Kumar, Speaking Tiger- reveals Ashok Kumar’s early years as a reluctant actor in Hindi films produced by the Bombay Talkies studio.

Sunil Dutt, the Bollywood godfather to Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Sanjay Dutt: His career as a serial talent-spotter – Shaikh Ayaz – A closer peek into Sunil Dutt’s extraordinary life and times on his remembrance day – 25^th May.

The Search for ‘Alam Ara’, India’s First Talking Film  – Soutik Biswas – Earlier this month, a group of archivists in Mumbai recovered what now appears to be the only surviving link – a vintage machine which had been used to make prints of Alam Ara (Ornament of the World), the 1931 film that has disappeared – with the first Indian talking film.

While continuing the year-wise review of Lata Mangeshkar’s career,  the 1950 – Lata Mangeshkar details out emergence of Lata Mangeshkar into her high=pedestal position of 50s.

Vasant Desai Part 1: A Multifaceted Talent presentsg some songs of Vasant Desai as a singer and music director from the Vintage Era.

Murmurs of a Different Dream: Progressive Writers and Their Contribution to Indian Cinema – This is the fifth article in a series on the history of the Indian film industry. Also read: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

Progressive Writers in Bombay, 1946: Sultana Jafri, Ismat Chugtai, Vishwamitra Adil, Ali Sardar Jafri, Krishan Chander, Mahendranath, Mumtaz Hussain, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Sahir Ludhianvi and Habib Tanvir. Picture courtesy: India-Pak Heritage group

Shabana Azmi on Shaukat Kaifi: An honest mother, a committed professional, a great hostess – An excerpt from an anthology of essays – The Oldest Love Story – A Motherhood Anthology, edited by Rinki Roy Bhattacharya and Maithili Rao, Om Books International- on motherhood.

Happy Birthday Mac Mohan: Remembering Sholay’s Forgotten Villain – Khalid Mohamed – if the Karachi-born Makijany Mohan, aka Mac Mohan – frequently called Mac in his film roles – had survived a lung tumour, he would have been a year older today (24 April).

Nathli se toota moti re: Manna Dey’s Non-film Hindi Gems is a tribute t0 Manna Dey on his 103rd birth anniversary (1 May 1919 – 24 October 2013)

Yogesh Kale recollects Marathi Melodies by Manna Dey

May 2022 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up Manna Dey – Chale Ja Rahein Hai…. – 1956 . Till now, we have covered Manna Dey’s less popular, less-heard songs for the years

1942 – 1946 in the year 2018.

1947 – 1950 in the year 2019.

1951 – 1953 in the year 2020, and

1954-1955 in the year 2021

BollywooDirect recollects the reception given to music directors Kalyanji Anandji, who won the National Award for best music direction for Saraswatichandra, on 10–2–1970 at Bhulabai Desai Auditorium, Mumbai.

From left to right: Vijay Bhatt, Kalyanji, Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vasantrao Naik, Mrs.Naik, Anandji, and Minister Madhusudan Vairale.

We now move on to posts on other subjects –

Pikoo, a Little-Known Satyajit Ray Film That Is Largely Ignored by His Admirers – Anjan Basu – Pikoo (1980), a 26-minute short Satyajit Ray made for French television, remains one of Ray’s least watched films in India. He had adapted the film his own short story Pikoor Diary (‘Pikoo’s Diary’),

तेरा नाम लिया……are really very few songs from Hindi films, when someone calls the other character by his/her name in a song.

Ten of my favourite ‘secondary romantic couple’ songs, Most of these are duets, but some are not.

Same Mukhda, Two Different Songs are the five pairs of songs which have at least the first four words of the mukhda in common.

From Bollywood Rewind – Sampada Sharma – Indian Express’s weekly column:

Sharmila Tagore’s Aradhana encapsulates the phony formula of damsels in distress disguised as strong women – Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna starrer Aradhana started the 15 film hit streak for Rajesh Khanna, as Tagore got a rather tough job of playing a damsel in distress who was supposedly strong.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chupke Chupke was the subtle antidote to the ‘angry young man’ era; a balance we have forgotten today – The 1970s were the era of the ‘angry young man’ but it was also the era where every ‘larger than life’ hero film was balanced with a subtle, almost relatable film. For every Deewar, there was a Chupke Chupke.

As per established practice, we have commenced follow-on of Best songs of 1943: And the winners are? in Micro View of  1943, with  Setting the stage

In continuation to our tradition of ending the post with a few songs of Mohammad Rafi that are relevant to the topics covered in the present episode, we will institute a series wherein we continue to listen to Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar’s duet with a music director for the first time in a Hindi film, every month for the rest of the 2022,

Aag Lagi Ghar Mein..Jiski Laagi Lagan Bhagwaan – Patit Paawan (1956) – Bharat Vyas Jamal Sen

Ladi Ankh Se Ankh Mohabbat Ho Gayi – Pocketmaar (1956) – Rajendra Krishna – Madan Mohan

Tere Nainon Ne Jaadu Daala – Taangewali (1956) – Prem Dhawan – Salil Chowdhury

Jaare Jaare O Maakhan Chor Chalegi Na Ye Chori Teri Ye Jora Jori – Champakali – Rajendra Krishna  – Hemant Kumar

Kali Ek Tumse Punchhu Baat Ki Jab Hoti Hai Aadhi Raat – Sakshi Gopal – Bharat Vyas – Chitragupta

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.

1966 to 1971 – Those Anecdotal Five Years …. – Commuting – to and from the college : By Bus

One activity that did not catch much of our attention in those days but had had a very telling effect on the way the years @ LDCE shaped up was to and from commuting from the college.

The most used modes of transport were either public bus service (Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service- AMTS) or bicycles. I do not really remember that possibly barring one or two students any used scooter those days. I, and my friends at L colony, near the then Secretariat building complex of Government of Gujarat, did commute by walking down to the college, but that was as more an exception as it was more convenient option.

Our senior friend Shri Suresh Jani, as he has narrated earlier, had been critically ill in the first year. After three months of convalescence from that illness, he could resume going to the college. With a weakened body, commuting by bicycle was ruled out and so the choice was that of using the bus. He could manage a seat, but he found return journeys an ordeal.

Except for some exceptional circumstances that some like our senior friend Shri Suresh Jani was placed, the commuting by bus did appear to be an enjoyable experience, as may be observed from the following narration of memories of 9.38 AM trip of route #60 by Ashok Thakkar –

We used to live in Maninagar, a large, and quite a noted eastern, suburb of Ahmedabad. As such, a fairly large number of students used to commute to the (Gujarat) University area. The public bus service, managed by AMTS, was quite efficient those days. Whereas a normal ticket from Maninagar to University would cost 50 paise, the students were eligible for a ‘concession’ charge of just 5 paise!

The number of students travelling to the University areas was so large, that three bus routes – 52/2, 52/3 and 60 – used to ply from Maninagar to and from the University. There used to a morning service of route # 60 that would leave Maninagar bus terminus at 9.28 and would reach University by 10.00 o’clock, in just 22 minutes flat! Comparatively, the two other two routes – 52/2 and 52/3 – would easily take around 45 minutes.

One aspect of this jet-speed travel was that the bus would be so chock-full of the students going to the University, right from the Maninagar bus terminus that there was no need for it to stop any where along the route, thus making the journey a non-stop whistle journey. Moreover

the driver of the that service, apparently an elderly person, would be so energised by the boisterous crowd of young students that he would drive the bus at the top speed through the entire route. However, in order to reach the University in 22 minutes, one may need to stand in the queue at the first stop for almost same time!

Our the then close-knit posse consisted of LDites Suresh Desai, Mukesh Parikh, Mukul Parikh, Bharat Desai, Umesh Parikh, Sushant Mehta, Jitendra Shah, Arun Shah, Jitu Bhavsar, Pamu Parikh, and of course me. There were a few of seniors also as the regular co-passengers, besides students of science and commerce students. Every trip was an experience in merriment, except that it always used to an all-boys trip, notwithstanding even the students of science and commerce stream!  Apart from me, other batchmates, Suresh, Mukul and Mukesh have settled in the US. Bharat Desai, from the Electrical Engineering discipline, too has settled in California. I am getting so sad to note that Umesh and Sushant – of the electrical branch- and Arun – from Mechanical – have travelled out for the final journey.

Sushant Mehta was fondly addressed as ‘Mama’ – the uncle, mother’s brother. Our ‘great’ Mama was a sole exception to the practice of cooling the heels in the queue for that 9.38 trip. Compared to all of us, he used to stay quite near to the boarding-stop. But he so much abhorred the idea of waiting in the queue that he would so fine tune his start from his home that just the bus would take tun at the corner, Mama would be there. Our driver was also so considerate of him, that only time in the trip, he would slow down the bus just enough to enable Mama yo jump in the running bus. This had become the most happening SOP for Mama and the driver, too. Both had so mastered the art of implementation that, to the best of my memory, Mama had bever missed the trip any time during the five years!

As I end my present anecdote, I recall one more sweet memory. In our final year, some time in December 1970, Mera Naam Joker, of Raj Kapoor, was released in the theatres of the city. The songs of the film were released two/three months prior to the release of the film. In the days when portable tape-recorders were things from the Mars, one day someone alighted the bus with his own portable tape-recorder and kept playing the song – Aye Bhai Jara Dekh Ke Chalo – from the film. I so much got liking to the song in that trip that, even after a good fifty years,  it remains one of my most favourite song.

That 9.38 trip – full of all kinds of jokes, pranks, sharing of experiences that Suresh Desai so fondly recall even today – remains one of most charmed experiences of my life.

How one would wish that clock would turn back so that we can happily go living in those sweet capsules of time!

I am sure many of us will have such sweet memories to share. I invite you to please share them here before I take up my memories of commuting on foot and /or bicycle in the next episode.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – Volume X – May 2022 Edition

Welcome to May 2022 edition of the X^th volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

The theme for the X^th volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is inspired from the editorial of the January 2022 special Issue of Prabuddha Bharata (The Awakened India) – Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

For our present episode, we take up the article, Digital Gods and Spiritual ®evolution by Swami Jnanishananda.

Here is the excerpt from the article:

AI can enhance our experience of physical world, by –

1. 1. 1. pushing the biological limits to perform the task we are less equipped to handle, making us more effective and valuable in other areas of our lives.
      2. manipulating the minds positively (and even negatively too)
      3. providing the level playing field to the differently-abled and marginalized sections of the society
      4. better connectivity that overcomes physical limitations and reducing the barriers separating humans from each other and the physical universe.
      5. increased access to online (information) resource
      6. with advanced machine learning techniques, recording exponential improvements in the analytical and logical capabilities of AI to educated itself, we should see more aspects of human intelligence brought into scrutinising the human excellence in every field. Wisdom should finally take predominance over intellect.

However, the fundamental question we need to ask is whether AI has any moral obligation towards preserving humanity or not. AI has no moral foundation. It also has potential to manipulate the very goals that society would strive towards. However, in general, danger is not so much from AI or digital world itself than from a person’s natural propensity to look outside of oneself for fulfillment.

Use of intelligence in the term AI fits the dictionary meaning of intelligence – the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills – limits the objective descriptions of what a human being is capable of. However, the definitions set for by the ancient Vedic civilization limits these descriptions to into only a single aspect – intellect (buddhi)- of the intelligence.[1] Thus, Artificial Intellect would be a more accurate term to represent this technology.

If we explore knowledge, we find that lowest instrument of knowledge is instinct. Then comes reasoning. Even reason cannot take us beyond the question beyond our existence and that of universe. Logic becomes, to quote Swami Vivekananda, an ‘argument in circle.’ The instrument that can take us beyond this circle is inspiration. The realm of inspiration, lying beyond the intellect, is the true intelligence.

The body and mind should receive inspiration from the super-conscious realm leading to the goal of self-realization. Therefore, the AI and other digital ‘gods’ should be used to save our two precious resources, time and energy, so as to enable us to race through our journey from reason to inspiration., consciousness to super consciousness…….

We will now turn to our regular section -.

We now watch ASQ TV episode on –

• The Elements and Challenges of a ‘We’ Culture – Luciana Paulise, author of The We Culture (ASQ Quality Press), discusses the CARE model for a culture of excellence and the challenges organizations face when transforming into a ‘We’ culture.

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems:

• Quality Professionals Must Lead – Communicate the economic case for quality – The technical questions in the cases of implementation of newer techniques by quality professionals conceal a deeper problem in their organization. Generally, that problems is that the senior management has a responsibility to question anything and everything that adds activities, time, cost, or transaction to their business. … Quality professionals would do well to lead the discussion by asking these questions first. In other words, the quality professionals need to follow the teachings of Dr. Armand Feigenbaum and Philip B Crosby, who told us that the language of management is quantified in monetary terms and related directly to the needs of the business. More so, in the current business climate….

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have –

• Sixty Years in the Making – Imagining the future, technology, and automation – The stories that stand the test of time afford us a unique opportunity—to match the vision to reality…. Probably the most prolific examples of imaginary technology coming to fruition comes from a cartoon called The Jetsons, which premiered in 1962. Sixty years later, many of the “make-believe,” futuristic items used by this fictional family are a reality…for the most part. The family had a dog treadmill, talking alarm clocks, flat-screen TVs, watches that received phone calls, video chat, drones, robot vacuum cleaners, and digital newspapers. Unheard of in 1962, a reality in 2022…..While we may not have the ability, or the time, to fully predict the future, we can keep abreast of the technology and processes that can help us shape that future.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

Note: The images or video clips depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images /videos.

[1] Intelligence and Intellect: What’s The Difference – Shekhar Kapur with Sadhguru

Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs : May 2022

Manna Dey – Chale Ja Rahein Hai…. – 1956

Manna Dey, a.k.a. Prabodh Chandra Dey, (1 May 1919 – 24 October 2013) was trained for wrestling during his childhood. However, he could struggle free from that cocoon to metamorphose into a singer. Having been brought up in the atmosphere of music, he was also trained hard in the classical singing genre. However, if one looks back at his early career in Hindi films, one may wonder whether he was indeed caught into the clutches of hardened cased die of typecasting that Hindi film industry was so strongly adept at. However, his initial training as a fighter, did help him to experiment with every possible genre that film industry would offer and establish his unique position therein. Music directors like Anil Biswas and S D Burman firmly believed that Manna Dey could sing any song that any of his contemporary singer can sing, but none of these singers can sing a song that Manna Dey could sing with technical virtuosity.

By the turn of decade of 40s, Manna Dey has started making foothold into romantic song, which was further cemented by the songs that Shankar Jaikishan offered him in 1951 and 1953. As such, Manna Dey’s popular romantic, classical, devotional, comedy, western or qawwali songs have now been etched into the minds of every fan of Hindi Film music. But Manna Dey’s songs that unfortunately could not get ‘popularity’ also have the spirit of life and a sense of timeliness. It is that universality that we want to refresh in our present series Chale Ja Rahen Hai by specifically choosing the so-called less popular, less-heard songs.

Till now, we have covered Manna Dey’s less popular, less-heard songs for the years

1942 – 1946 in the year 2018.

1947 – 1950 in the year 2019.

1951 – 1953 in the year 2020, and

1954-1955 in the year 2021

1956 had some of the Manna Dey’s career-best  romantic songs –  Jaa Tose NahiN BoluN Kanhaiya  (Parivar, with Lata Mangeshkar; Lyrics: Shailendra – Music :Salil Chowdhury), Chaley Sipahi Dhul Udate Kahaan Kidhar Koi Kya Jaane ( Rajhath – Lyrics: Shailendra – Music: Shankar Jaikishan), Nain Miley Chain KahaaN (Basant Bahar- Lyrics: Shailendra – Music – Shankar Jaikishan) ; all-time best background song like Nirbal Se Ladai Balwan Ki (Toofan Aur Diya- Lyrics: Bharat Vyas – Music: Vasant Desai) or classical raag-based Bhay Bhanajana Vandana Sun Hamari and Sur Na Saje Kya GauN Main and Ketaki Gulab Juhi (all from Basant Bahar, the last one with Bhimsen Joshi- Lyrics: Shailendra – Music- Shankar Jaikishan).

Presently we will take up Manna Dey’s less heard songs for the year 1956.

Jodi Mile Na Mile Shaadi Rachaye Chale – Gauri Pooja – Lyrics: G S Nepali – Music: Manna Dey

Manna Dey has so soulfully composed and rendered the bride farewell song.

In those days. The bride had to accept the groom and subsequent life that fate had forced on her.

Kah Do Ji Kah Do Chhupao Na Pyar, Kabhi Kabhi Aati Hai Zumati Bahaar – Kismat Ka Khel – With Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

Shankar Jaikishan’s marked preference for Manna Dey can be seen in the form his selection for the male playback.

The song is a signature romantic tune that Shankar Jaikishan used to compose those days – full of vivre and feelings as well as so pleasing to the ears.

Ek Din Tera Bhi Savera Aayega – Sati Anasuya – Lyrics: Bharat Vyas – Music: Shivram Krishna

Here we have one more typical background song, deployed as an inspirational song to the protagonist in deep trouble.

Wo Dekho Udhar Chand Nikla Gagan Mein, Idhar Aa Gayi Chandani Muskarati – Roop Kumari -with Geeta Dutt – Lyrics: B D Misra – Music: S N Tripathi

S N Tripathi is was also a very talented and versatile music director who had to be satisfied with B and C Grade mythological / historical films. The present song is testimony of S N Tripathi’s talent.
The song is so pleasant a romantic duet,

Aside Trivia: Knowledgeable YT follower has mentioned in a comment to this video clip that S N Tripathi has used this tune again for Nigahon Mein Tum Ho – Jadoo Nagari – Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri.

Khel Khiladi Jis Sey Na Khel Apni Jaan Se – Badshah Salamat – Lyrics: Vinay Kumar – Music: Bulo C Rani

The lyrics of the song indicate that this ought to be ‘fakir’ genre song. Manna Dey is well adapted for such songs.

Chhod Bhi De Aakasah Singhasan, Phir Dharati Par Aa Ja Re – 26 January – with Asha Bhosle and chorus – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music C Ramchandra

The lyrics clearly tell us that this an ‘inspirational’ – devotional genre song, but I do not have any more information on the song.

Aaj Ki Baatein Raja Bhool Mat Jaiyyo Ji…Hum To Nahin Bhoole Tum Na Bhool Jaiyyo Ji – Dhola Maru – with Asha Bhosle – Lyrics: Bharat Vyas – Music: S K Pal

Asha Bhosle and Manna Dey render a seemingly simple, romantic, song so intimately.

Bahta PaanI Bahta Jaay Raah Take Na Teri, Aeji Samay Ka Haal Hai Na Kar Der Ghaneri – Dhake Ki Malmal – with Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar – Lyrics: D N Madhok – Music: Robin Banerjee

This is the only song composed by Robin Banerjee, whereas all other songs are composed by O P Nayyar.

Robin Banerjee comes up with a Bengali folk tune set and has composed the song to varying pace.

Mudkar Bhi Na Dekh Suhaagan MahloN Ki Ye Shaan, IS Duniya Mein Ab Tera Bas Pati Hi Bhagwan…..Udhar Chali Ja Janaki Jidhar Chale Tere Ram – Devta – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music: C Ramchandra

This is a background song, advising the protagonist to accept the husband that fate has chosen for her.

Many a times, our (Hindi) films have such highly contrived situations, which have to be made palatable by the team of lyricist, music director and the singer.

Apart from these, the sites https://mannadey.weebly.com/ and http://www.mannadey.in/  also mention songs from films like Lal-e-Yaman, Kar Bhala, Jungle Queen, Indraleela,  Grand Hotel, Zarina, Sudarshan Chakra, Scout Camp, Sati Nagkanya, Rajraani Meera, Ayodhyapati, Anurag and Dayar-e-Habib. However, several other authoritative sites either do not mention existence of Manna Dey songs from these films or do not have a digital version of the song. That does tell us what we have missed quantitatively but does not indicate what we have missed qualitatively.

On that note, we rest our episode here, to continue with our explorative journey of Manna Dey’s less heard songs………………

The Micro View of Songs of 1943 – Setting The Stage

The backward journey of Best Songs for TheYear @ SoY has steadily evolved over the years 1955, 1953, 1951, 1950, 1949  1948,  1947, 1946, and 1945 on the way. At that juncture the journey of the Best songs of year further took off to venture deeper into the vintage era with first milestone of the year 1944.  Presently the journey has reached the year 1943 and is at the stage of the overview post: Best songs of 1943: And the winners are?

The pick of the year 1943 are:

• Door Hato Ae Duniya walo Hindustan Hamara Hai – Kismet – Pradeep – Anil Biswas
• Almost every song of Tansen, penned by D N Madhok and Pt. Indra, composed by Khemchand Prakash
• Beena Madhur Madhur Kuchh Bol – Ramrajya – Ramesh Gupta – Shankar Rao Vyas, and
• Neend Hamari Khwab Tumahre – Nai Kahani -Wali Sahab – Shyam Sundar

However, with possibly just this much, or a perhaps a little more, known, The Micro View of the Best Songs for the Year also joins this journey of more unknown than knowns fo the year 1943.

On that note, we first recapitulate the key points of the SoY overview article:

Musical landmarks:

All three films, viz. Namaste, Sanjog and Station Master, which Naushad had composed music marked silver jubilee

New Theaters made Kashinath and Wapas, music for which was composed by Panakj Mullick and R C Boral respectively. in the year 1943 even after many stalwarts had left the production house.

Debut, fact file and trivia

V Shantarm sets uo Rajkamal Kalamndir and prodiuces its maiden film Shakuntala, for which music was compsed by Vasant Desai.

Mehboob Khan also sets up his own production banner, with the film Najma, music for which ws composed by Rafiq Ghazanavi

Suraiya opens her career account as an actress with the film Ishara and Hamari Baat.

Shyam Sundar also opens account with Nai Kahani.

Some other music directors also opened their accounts:

Avinash Vyas and A R Quereshi – Mahasati Anasuya

Khursheed Anwar – Ishara

Firoz Nizami – Vishwas

Ghulam Mohammed – Mera Khwab

The lyricists who opened their accounts are:

Bharat Vyas – Duhai

Narendra Sharma – Hamaari Baat

Saraswati Kumar Deepak – Zabaan

Shyamkumar sings first ever song, Dil Ka Gudda Uda, in Namaste.

Bela Kumari (who married Hemant Kuamr) sang her first Hindi song in Kashinath.

K L Saigal’s first film in Bollywood is Tansen.

Kismet sets the record of running continuously for three years and eight months @ Roxy cinema, Calcutta.

Kashinath became last film to be directed by Nitin Bose for New Theaters and Hamaari Baat the last film of Bombay Talkies wherein Devika Rani acted.

Nargis appeared first time on the silver screen as Baby Fatima in Taqdeer.

Ramrajya is the bonly film tha Gandhiji ever saw.

Ek Bewafa Se Pyar Kiya, sung by K Sundarama, in Duniya Diwani appears agin as mukhada of a Aawara (1951) song.

Panghat has two Rajkumaris singing songs – one the famous Rajkumari Dubey ( as a lead singer) and the other Rajkumari Shukla, who sang only in this film!

As we open up our Micro View of the Songs for 1943, we can expect many shades of known, less known as well as unknown songs.

To add further shades, it needs to be noted that 1943 had 105 films, of which details of 3 films are not available. from which 959 songs with their titles are known. Of these songs, singers for more than 412 songs remain unidentified.  Of the 547 songs for which singers are identified, 119 songs are male solos, 256 female solos and 172 duets. We will have to wait for the detailed micro view to see how many of the uncovered songs are available on YT or in audio form.

Of these, List Of Memorable Songs has 98 songs. These songs have been separately listed as Memorable Songs of 1943, with corresponding YT link to the song.

For the year under review, Special songs are indeed special as the list contains songs sung by music directors and the lyricist. I have brought these songs on the same page with Memorable Songs of 1943.

The songs covered in the Memorable Songs of 1943 ans Special Songs of 1943 will not be repeated in the Microview undertaken under hereafter, the different sections.

The stage is now set to commence our journey into the Micro View of the Songs of 1943. I plan to take up only those songs here which are not covered under Memorable Songs of 1943 and Special Songs of 1943.

MY TOP Male Solo Songs
MY TOP Female Solo Songs
MY TOP Duets
MY TOP music director

are concerned for the year 1943.

All the posts that will appear on this subject here have been tagged as Songs of 1943.

The Eponymous Principles of Management : The Murphy’s Law and Its Variants – Florentin’s Laws – The Adventures of Variations of Passing It On

Florentin’s Laws are mixtures of pessimism (output of Murphy’s Laws) and optimism (Peter’s Laws, with a good pinch of humour added.

Thus,

Murphy’s Law

“If anything can go wrong, will go wrong’

Or

Peter’s Law

‘If anything can go wrong, fix it’

When transformed to

Florentin’s Law

Becomes

‘If anything can go wrong pass it on to others’

Being paradoxist in nature, Florentin’s Laws are especially deviations, modifications, generalizations, contra-sayings, parodies, or mixtures of the previous Murphyís Laws and Peter’s Laws. And also of aphorisms, proverbs, known citations, clichés, scientific results (from physics, mathematics, philosophy, …), etc. Alternatively, collations of opposite ideas – gathered from folklore, from ads, from literature, from familiar speech.[1]

Florentin Smarandache, the creator of (so-called) Florentin’s Laws has been the Founder of neutrosophy (generalization of dialectics), neutrosophic set, logic, probability and statistics, since 1995[2]. Neutrosophy is a new branch of philosophy that studies the origin, nature, and scope of neutralities, as well as their interactions with different ideational spectra. Etymologically, neutro-sophy [French neutre < Latin neuter, neutral, and Greek sophia, skill/wisdom] means knowledge of neutral thought. The term was coined by the author.

This theory considers every notion or idea <A> together with its opposite or negation <antiA> and with their spectrum of neutralities <neutA> in between them (i.e., notions or ideas supporting neither <A> nor <antiA>). The <neutA> and <antiA> ideas together are referred to as <nonA>. According to Neutrosophy theory every idea <A> tends to be neutralized and balanced by <antiA> and <nonA> ideas – as a state of equilibrium.[3]

Devoid of this clutter of the seemingly complicated theory of neutrosophy, Florentin’s Laws are neither Murphy’s (pessimistic) Laws nor Peter’s (optimistic) Laws, but partially pessimistic and partially optimistic, while another part is neutral (Ambiguous: neither pessimistic nor optimistic) – as in neutrosophic logic.

As Florentin Smarandache puts it across in his book, Florentin’s Laws (If anything can go wrong pass it on to someone else!), referred to earlier,

in philosophical parlance, Peter’s law can be considered as Weberian (you know, those who think that hard-work ethics is the basic element of good society, and it does), while Murphy’s law may be more like ‘Malthusian’ (for who can escape from the fate of anything that can possibly go wrong?). In this sense, Florentin’s law can be considered as something between these extreme situations: it is more comparable to Zen attitude, in the sense that it is advising us to keep the hard work but keep it fun too.

Or if we are allowed to rephrase a wisdom saying:

“Give me strength to change what can be changed,
And patience to accept what cannot be changed,
And courage to pass it on to someone else to make the changes happened,
And wisdom to keep the change.”

The video clip’ Florentin’s Law’ – by Amalia Grigorescu – very succinctly goes on to present several other variations of the Florentin’s Law.

[1] Florentin’s Laws (If anything can go wrong pass it on to someone else!) – by Florentin Smarandache

[2] Florentin Smarandache

[3] Florentin Smarandache: Law of Included Multiple-Middle – Book Review

Manna Dey’s Non-film Hindi Gems on his 103rd Birthday

Nathli Se Toota Moti Re: A tribute to Manna Dey on his 103^rd Birthday (b. 1 May 1919 – d.  24 October 2013)

Among his contemporaries- of 50s – Manna Dey was considered as versatile as others. His voice had unique strength even when being inherently soft. Devoid of any jerks, his voice radiated a feeling of eternal peace despite the extreme passion embedded in the rendition. As such the connoisseurs of film music fondly credited his voice to be capable of delivering the poetry along with music and melody. He was considered artist among fellow artistes and a singer of singers. It was perhaps his being so respectfully perched on a high pedestal that kept him away from being considered as ‘popular’, ‘mass’ singer.

However, I was lucky that my awareness, and in turn liking, for Manna Dey’s voice occurred during the very early years when I was unconsciously getting groomed to liking the films songs, much before I started reading about those divergent views about Manna Dey’s singing. As a result, all that I read about his singing never affected my very own liking for that enchanting voice.

That period was of that of the years of around 1966 to 1968, my second/third years of graduate=level engineering studies. The elder brother of my close classmate had recently joined in an executive position with a leading textile group of Ahmedabad after completing his MBA at IIM, Ahmedabad. His liking for Hindi film music had yielded into a hobby of purchasing vinyl records. We were quite raw in that field, however being ‘good’ friends of his younger brother, we were granted special privilege of listening to his records at my friend’s home. My friend’s brother was curating the collection of the records from the Hindi films of late 40s and 50s. As such, that opportunity introduced me to the voices of Suraiya, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt. Interestingly, my induction to the voices of Manna Dey, Talat Mahmood and Hemant Kumar was through their non-film songs which we could get to listen in these visits. I particularly liked the non-film songs of Manna Dey so much that I would insist playing those couple of 45-RPM EP records every time we paid a visit to my friend’s place.

The three non-film songs of Manna Dey that got so etched onto my mind that when I started collecting records, in 70s, the EP records of these songs were among my first few purchases of records. These songs are:

Sajani….Nathli Se Toota Moti Re…. Kajarari AkhiyaN Rah Gayi Roti Re… – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani – Music: Manna Dey

It is not at all surprising that our raw minds were totally impressed with way Manna Dey flows into the song from the very first note.

Ye Aawara Raatein Ye Khoyi Si Baatein, Ye Uljha Sa Mausam Ye Nazaron Ki Ghaatein, …. …..  KahaN Aa Gaye Hum, KahaN Jaa Rahe The – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani – Music: V Balsara

When I must have heard this song first time then, I had surreptitiously looked closely on the cover of the record to ensure that that the singer was indeed Manna Dey, for I could not believe that he is the same singer who has rendered Nathli Se…..I was to realize much later about the versatility of voice and of his diverse range of singing styles.

NazraoN Mein Ho Tum KhayaloN Mein Ho Tum, Nazar Mein Tum Jigar Mein Tum JahaaN Mein Tum Hi Yum – Chandrashekhar Pandey – V Balsara

The song had made so deep impression my mind that after I purchased the record myself, I would keep playing the record at night after putting off the lights. In the process, I unconsciously started appreciating the nuances of different elements of a song.

I would have very easily continued with other ‘popular’ non-film Hind songs of Manna Dey which I used to listen through those records or cassettes or CDs that I had curated during 80s and 90s respectively. However, when I broached up my intention of writing this article to my son, Tadatmya, he sent me across a link of YT channel of Archisman Mozumder and urged me to listen to Manna Dey’s non film songs curated there. I listened to around ten fifteen songs over next couple of weeks. That was my re-incarnation to the Manna Dey’s non-film Hindi songs.

I then searched YT in greater depth and could get hold of, and still counting, more than forty or so songs that I had heard for the first time and a few songs that I had heard so rarely that those songs had totally vanished from my memory (what a shame!)

So, I will now present here, in no particular order, Manna Dey’s non-film Hindi songs from my that newfound treasure. I have limited the choice to one song per lyricist. I have also remained within the geets and ghazals genre only.

Tum Jaano Tumko Gair Se Jo Rasm-o-Raah Ho, Mujhko Bhi Puchhate Raho To Kya Gunah Ho – Lyrics: Mirza Ghalib – Music: Manna Dey

Commencing the mukhada in lower octaves, Manna Dey easily slips into higher octaves during the interludes, thereby portraying the emotions so sensitively.

We will observe during this episode that many of the non-film songs have been competently composed by Manna Dey himself, perhaps to give more space to his creativity that Hindi film songs did not offer, quantitatively as well as qualitatively.

Tum Mere Dil Meri Chahat Pe Bharosa Kar Lo, Ye Haqeeqat Hai Haqueeqat Pe Bharosa Kar Lo – Lyrics: Kafeel Azar – Music: Murli Manohar Swaroop

Just as we listen to the song emphasis on Mere Dil, Meri Chahat or Ye Haqeeqat or the first line of interludes, we effortlessly get intertwined into the mood of the song.

Tumhari Jafayein Hamari Wafayein Barabar Ki Chotein Barabar Ki Sadayein – Lyrics: Beena Naaz – Music: Murli Manohar Swarup

One big advantage of listening to non-film songs is to get to know so many poets / lyricists who generally remain away from the glare of film music.

In the present case, we also get to listen how Manna Dey has so effectively conveyed the feeling of resignation as lyrics build up the case of neglect that the protagonist has been subjected to by his ladylove.

O Yaad Phir Aayi Dard Sang Laayi Woh Na Aaye Jaan Jaaye, Haye Kaisi Ye Wafa – Lyrics: Chandreshekhar Pandey – Music: V Balsara

The sheer force of a V Balsara composition has led me to present one more song from the same pair of lyricist and music director.

As I listen to non-film compositions of V Balsara, I simply wonder what sort of constraints he must have felt when he set the music to his film songs so that such depth, such feelings, such serendipity could not be created in those songs!

Ruk Ja Ke Subah Tak Na Ho Ye Raat Aakhri…. Shayad Zindagi Ke Lamhaat Aakhri – Lyrics: Irfaan Warsi – Music: Yunus Malik

The way song unfolds we feel that we are deep into the night of a ghazal mehfil.

Shaam Ho Jaam Ho Suboo Bhi Ho, Khud Ko Paane Ki Justjoo Bhi Ho – Lyrics: Zameer Kazmi – Music: Yunus Malik

If the mood of the previous song drew us into the atmosphere of late night mehfil, here the lyrics help accentuate that feeling.

Chandrama Ki Chandni Se Bhi Naram Aur Ravi Ke Bhal Se Garam, Hai NahiN Aur Kuchh Kewal Pyaar Hai – Lyrics: Ramnath Awasthi – Music: Satish Butani

Lost in his own world of imaginations, Manna Dey’s voice also pills us into that world and the way he pronounces Woh Nahi Aur Kewal Pyar Hai in the end firmly leaves us wandering in our world of imagination.

Do Panchhi Bechain Nayan Ke Do Panchhi Bechain  .. Kho Baithe Hai Chain Nayan Ke …. – Lyrics: Laxman Shahabadi – Music: Shyam Sagar

The uploader of this clip has put a photograph of Manna Dey as if he in a trans while singing. Whether he meant it that way or not is obviously not known, but that image so aptly conveys how Manna Dey must have got so completely involved while rendering such a song.

Hamse Achhi To Farishton Ki Basar Kya Hogi …. Gam Ki Raunak Idhar Hai Udhar Kya Hogi – Lyrics: Gulzar – Music: Deepak Chatterjee

Gulzar at his vintage best mood as poet is so aptly reflected in Manna Dey’s pensive rendition.

Nach Re Mayura – Lyrics: Narendra Sharma – Music: Anil Biswas

Only Anil Biswas can so perfectly create the feeling of drizzling rain outside and only Manna Dey can so deftly present such a difficult composition with so deceptive ease.

Sunsaan Jamuna Ka Kinara, Pyar Ka Antim Sahara, Chandani Ka Kafan Odha So Raha Kismat Ka Maara, Kis Se PucchuN Main Bhala Ab Dekha KahiN Mumtaz Ko…  Meri Bhi Ek Mumtaz Thi – Lyrics: Madhukar Rajasthani – Music: Manna Dey

If Madhukar Rajasthani and Manna Dey swept us into the pensive mood in the opening song of this episode, they draw us into this total mood of pure pathos as we draw curtains to the present episode.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

1. I have relied upon Gaana.com to select the names of lyricists and music directors for the songs presented here.
2. The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog does not claim any copyright over them, which rests with the respective owners of the rights.

 

This is the republished version of the post ‘Nathli Se Toota Moti Re: Manna Dey’s Non-film Hindi Gems’ on Songs of Yore.