This blog post is essentially a by-product of two quite erudite posts – Twin Songs on Songs Of Yore and It’s The First Anniversary Of My Blog on Conversations Over Chai.
When the first post had appeared, I was still a passive reader of the blogs on this genre – Old-time Hindi Films. Whereas when I placed a well-thought out comment on the second post, it somehow got ‘lost’ on way to the final appearance on the blog.
Hence, motivation for this post – wherein I have regrouped my responses to both posts and (re)documented here:
The songs by two different singers had been an interesting and intriguing subject for the program executives of Radio Ceylon, Vividh Bharati and AIR’s Urdu channel in the days when we had radio as THE source of listening to films songs that were not only popular , but had a distinctive common trait, at a common platform – 1960s and till mid-70s, when we were avid listeners of Hindi Film Music on Radio.
Of course, these programs would bring songs together at the common platform, but had not raised [to the best of my recollection] the issue of whether the male singer or the female singer renders the song better and why. In my own view, at all the times, one is likely to find as many different choices as the class of listeners – someone for the inherent preference of the particular singer or someone for the musical aspect or someone for the impact created by the mood and situation in the film. I would not dare venture offer any opinion of mine, since I neither have the requisite knowledge of music nor have the reason to choose. I belong to the category that would ‘listen’ to something that appeals ‘hearing’ compartment of the brain and be happy. .
I would begin, by first adding to the list of versions songs presented in these posts and the eminent add-on comments by highly informed participants of the discussions on these two forums:.
KHILTE HAIN GUL YAHAN – SHARMILEE 1971– S D Burman :- – classic twin version songs, both set in different moods and serving different purposes in the flow of the story of the film.
Lata
and Kishor
Humein Tumse Pyar Kitna – Kudrat [1981] – R D Burman :- The reasons seem to remain same, but bringing in the leading classical vocalist adds to the flavour of the genre [and possibly, providing some more fodder to the ‘who renders better’ debate].
Kishore Kumar and Parveen Sultana
LAHRON PE LAHER ULFAT HAI JAWAN-CHHABILI –1960 Snehal Bhatkar:- I have not seen the movie hence I am unable to place the purpose of the differing versions. However, singing by Nutan was a novelty to begin with, which gradually turned in strong liking for both the versions.
Hemant Kumar & Nutan
and Hemant Kumar [Solo]
Dil Chhed Koi Aisa Nagma – Inspector-1956 – Hemant Kumar:- No additional comments.
Hemant Kumar
Lata Mangeshkar –
Aye malik tere bande ham.. Do Aankhen Barah Haath – Vasant Desai :- This time one version is rendered by chorus.
Lata Mangeshkar
(Male) [Full Version]
We would continue with this subject in subsequent posts …………..
The world is too small? or Is it? 