Subir Sen – The world is too small? or Is it?

We are meeting soon after the 26^th January, India’s Republic Day. If we do not get to listen to the patriotic songs from films on such an occasion, then the celebrations would seem to have to remain incomplete. Our friend Samir Dholakia does not disappoint and has very timely remembered

Mere Watan Se Achchha – Ladki (1953) – Lata Mangeshkar – C Ramchandra – Rajinder Krishna

Naresh Mankad also has added up

Main Hoon Bharat Ki Ek Naar – Lata Mangeshkar – N. Sudershan, from the same film.

Harish Raghuvanshi has sent in a gem of the vintage era:

Main To Udas Hoon Magar, Woh Bhi Hai Sogwar kyoon, Unke Bhi Dil Men Dard Hai, Aye Dil-e-Bequarar Kyon – Kamal (1949) – Surendra – S D Burman – Prem Dhawan

The full lyrics of the song are posted @ Main to udaas hoon magar.

Atul’s Songs A Day has posted nine other songs from this film:

Samir Dholakia remembered Ye Duniya Rahe Na Rahe Kya Pata – Mitti Mein Sona (1960) -Asha Bhosle – O P Nayyar – S H Bihari

Bhagwan Thavrani sees the similarity of this one with Madan Mohan tune which was composed almost 4 years earlier…. Kahin Chal Na Dena – Ek Shola (1958) – Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle

Bhagwan Thavrani also very fondly informs us that his elder brother is even a greater ‘music buff’. They hold long sessions in the evenings, discussing songs around a particular music director, singer, lyricist, era or raag. Here is one song that had come up in one of these sessions, while discussing notable Suman Kalyanpur songs –

Likh De Piya Ka Naam, Sakhi Ri Piya Ka Naam – Saranga (1961) – Saradar Mullik – Bharat Vyas

Here is one more equally poignant VIDAI – farewell to the bride to her new married life – song, composed by Ravi, who, perhaps next to O P Nayyar, has given some of the best songs of Asha Bhosle.

Jaa Ri Sakhi Saj Dhaj Ke – Ghunghat (1960) – Lyrics : Shakeel Badayuni

In a tribute to Mahendra Kapoor, Bhagwan Thavarani states that this duet may not qualify as a vintage corner forgotten melody which needs to be dusted off and presented to all connoisseurs of music…but I’m helpless ! For two reasons – one, I have a personal affinity for this duet…..or perhaps, for some personal reasons hidden in the subconscious…AND then for the Great Helen ! She has no peer as far as dancing is concerned. Just watch body movements….. she displays during each interlude. It’s lightening, killing, intoxicating, maddening and what not !

Chhod Kar Tere Pyaar Ka Daman Ye Bat Den Ke Ham Kidhar Jaayen – Who Kaun Thi (1964) – Mahemdra Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar – Madan Mohan – Raja Mendi Ali Khan

We also take up the opportunity to recall some of the (relatively) for gotten solo songs of Mahendra Kapoor

Kho Gaya Hai Mera Pyar – Hariyali Aur Rasta (1961) – Shanker Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

Tum Kitni Khubsurat Ho – Wahan Ke Log (1967) – C Ramchandra – Shakeel Badayuni

In a tribute to Subir Sen, on his passing away in December, 2015, Samir Dholakia has remembered

Sedin Dujane Dulechhinu Bone, Phulodore Bandha Jhulona Bolo Na Bolo Na – Anubhav (1971) – Kanu Roy

This Ravidra Sangeet song has been rendered in their own style by several other artistes. We have picked up its famous Hindi version Nain Deewane – Afsar (1950) Suraiya S D Burman and Hemant Kumar (Mukhopadhyay)’s Bengali rendition in this clip.

Pandit Ravi Shankar had sang this song along with his rendition on sitar at a London concert in June 2011.

Na Jaane Kyon Hota Hai Yeh Jindagi Ke Saath – Chhoti Si Baat (1976) – Lata Mangeshkar – Salil Chaudhary – Yogesh , which had a beautiful Bengali version Pogol Hawa by Subir Sen

In the 1950s, Sen added a unique romantic touch to hit Bengali songs such as “Monalisa Tumi Ki Bolona”.

We have picked up a few more of his rare (duet) songs from Hindi films:

Gori Tere Nakhat Naina – Hum Bhi Insaan Hai (1959) – with Geeta Dutt – Hemant Kumar – Shailendra

Dil Leke Jaate Ho Kahan – O Tera Kya Kahana (1959) – with Kamal Barot – Kalyanji Virji Shah – Farooq Kaiser

Pyar Mein Milna Sanam – Ardhangini (1959) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Vasant Desai – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Ghar Tum Bura Na Mano – Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960) – With Asha Bosle – S Mohinder – Raja Mahendi Ali Khan

We shall conclude our present episode with the journey with Peeyush Sharma through everlasting songs of Mohammad Rafi songs Fifty Years Ago: Films and Music of 1965 that seem to be on the path of oblivion…

Sab Mein Shamil Ho Magar Sab Se Juda Lagti Ho – Bahu Beti – Ravi – Sahir Ludhyanvi

Zindagi Ke Mod Pe Jo Koi Rasta Mila, Teri Gali Se Ja Mila – Bedagh – Roshan – Shakeel Badayuni

Phir Teri Yaad Naye Geet Sunane Aai – Bekhabar – S Mohinder – Raja Mehndi Ali Khan

Mera Ban Jaye Koi Ye Meri Taqdeer Nahin – Ek Sapera Ek Lootera – Usha Khanna – Asad Bhopali

Meri Nigaah Ne Kya Kaam Lajawab Kiya – Mohabbat Isko Kahate Hain – Khayyam – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Hamen Kya Jo Har Su Ujale Huye Hain, Ke Hum To Andheron Ke Paale Huye Hain – Namaste Ji – G S Kohli – Anjaan a.k.a. Lal Ji Pandey

Kuchh Aisi Pyari Shakla Mere Dilruba Ki Hai, Jo Dekhta Hai Kehta Hai, Kudrat Khuda Ki Hai – Naya Kanoon – Madan Mohan – Hasrat Jaipuri

Dil Tadpe Tadpaye, Jo Unke Milan Ko Tarse Wo To Na Aaye, Mausam Aaye Jaaye – Poonam Ki Raat – Salil Chaudhary – Shailendra ( Peeyush Sharma notes : Salil was not in favour of taking Rafi for this song. I have personally confirmed this with him during my three meetings with him. After trying out Mukesh and Manna Dey, Kishore Sahu insisted on Rafi, who was summoned to render this difficult number. And what a job he did!)

Teri Meherbani Hogi Badi Meharbaani Haye Teri Meherbaani – With Asha Bhosale and Chorus – Raaka – Dattaram – Asad Bhopali

Icing on the cake is this song sent in by Biren Kothari:

Maar Gandasa Mar Jaana – Chhai (1950) – Hansraj Behl, Verma Malik – a Punjabi comic song is from very old classic punjabi movi. Very – very rare feature of the song is PRAN along with SUNDER and KHARAITI on the screen. . .

The song seems to have been inspired on Mohammad Rafi – Ameerbai Karnataki superhit Maar Katari Mar Jaana – Shenai (1947) – C Ramchandra

We will meet again on 2^nd Sunday of the next month… with more unforgettable songs that have started slipping out of our memory….

If you have such songs to share, you are most heartily welcome…..

Welcome to January, 2016 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We will begin our present issue with a tributes that were originally published in December, 2015. However, ours being a curative post, we will need to take such topical posts into our stride as a natural hazard for such curative exercises.

Week starting on 20^th December is A Very Significant Week for Birth and Death Anniversaries. This post, though, has decided to include numbers that are less likely to appear on people’s greatest hits list – Nalini Jaywant (20 December), Vasant Desai (22 December), Noor Jehan (23 December), Mohammad Rafi (24 December), Naushad (25 December).

Naushad’s Priceless Moment: ‘Anmol Ghadi’ (1946) – Anmol Ghadi is the only link that connects up three greats. Naushad, Rafi and Noorjehan are also linked in an incredibly eerie way –Noorjehan’s death anniversary falls on December 23 (2000), Rafi was born on 24 December (1924) and Naushad’s birth anniversary falls on December 25 (1919).

Bimal Roy: The Eastern Mystic Who Made Films – Vijay Kumar explores the deeper existential layers of thoughts, views, emotions and relationships in Bimal Roy’s iconic films.. At the point of his death, he was working on two projects: Mahabharat and Maha Kumbh. In his death, the country missed out, on celluloid, what would have been the most authentic deconstruction and interpretation of the greatest epic, namely Mahabharat, and an understanding and exposition of the largest human congregation on the face of Earth, namely Maha Kumbh..

Bimal Roy’s Madhumati – Untold Stories from Behind the Scenes By Sathya Saran – Rinki Roy Bhattachaya, Bim Back cover of the book with a comment from Amitabh Bachchan al Roy’s daughter has written this book as almost an offering to her father’s memory. Not party to any more of the actual work on Madhumati, Rinki’s book is an account of her search for stories about the film to know how it was made and the elements that went into making it one of the masterpieces of Indian cinema.

In his comment, MN Sardana has hoped that the book may throw light on the non-inclusion of two songs, recorded for Madhumati. First is Tan Jale Man Jalta Rahe ,sung by Dwijen Mukherjee & chorus and the second being Kancha Le Kanchi Lai Lajo Rut Matwali, Naye Paise Ko Leke Aaya Hai Naya Saal sung by Ghulam Mohammad , Asha Bhonsle, Sabita Banerjee & Chorus.

Last Month, Sadhana drew curtains to her life. She was well remembered in the offerings of rich Sadhna in 'Abana' obituaries. One of the most telling obit came in from (I think that was from) Sanjay Leela Bhanshali – she was queen of mellow drama and not the melodrama.

Sadhana was learning acting in “Filmalay acting school” and she got an opportunity to debut as heroine in “Love in Simla”. Sadhana had earlier played the second lead in a Sindhi film “Abana” that had released in 1958. Sheila Ramani played the lead in this Sindhi film.

Going back in time with Sadhana – “I want my fans to remember me as the Sadhana of Love In Simla, Mere Mehboob, Woh Kaun Thi and Arzoo.” – first published on Rediff.com in December 2012.

Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar… notes that it ought to be most appropriate to remember ‘one of my favourite actresses’ is to remember her ‘- frozen on screen, in all her beauty and grace, for all time’. We have picked up one of the less heard song –Ab aur na kuch bhi yaad raha – Prem Patra (1962) – Lata Mangeshkar – Salil Choudhary – Rajinder Krishan

My contribution to such songs is Aaye Re Din Sawan Ke – Gaban (1966) – Lata Mangeshakar – Shanker Jaikishan.

Peeyush Sharma in his tribute – Adieu Sadhana – recollects some of the most enchanting, lilting, melodious, memorable songs that are associated intrinsically with the gorgeous style icon Sadhana.

In Tribute: Sadhana (1941-2015) Madulika Liddle looks back to “The schemer? The victim? The innocent soul? The glamour girl? The girl next door? Each of those. And more” roles of Sadhana. We have picked up Meri nazrein haseen hai ki tum ho haseen (Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, 1962, Asha Bhosle, O P Nayyar ) from My Favourite Songs of Sadhana

In Sadhana: What movies! What songs!, Dinesh Raheja remembers Sadhana’s memorable movies and songs.

Subir Sen passed away in Kolkata on December 29(,2015) at a private hospital. In one of the very fitting tributes, Aah Dil Mein Hai Nayan Mein Neer Hai, skapur01 recollects that ‘in all, he sang for less than 25 (plus one unreleased) Hindi films, and the number of songs is less than 30. He also composed music for a Hindi film that apparently was released only in England, in 1970 or thereabout. The film had songs sung by Mohammed Rafi, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, besides himself. Presently, the post has presented a very rare solo song, composed by S N Tripathi, from an unreleased film, ‘Rani Chandrawati’ from the 1960s’ – Aah Dil Mein Hai Nayan Mein Neer Hai .

We also recall an earlier post form Songs of Yore – Subir Sen: The involuntary Hemant Kumar clone.

We have picked up a couple of less heard songs from, Best songs of the most unloved singer Mahendra Kapoor, a tribute to Mahendra Kapoor on his what would have been 82^nd birth anniversary (9 January 1934 – 27 December 2008)

Husn aur ishq ke takraae ki raat ayi hai – Sagaai (1966) – lyrics Rajendra Krishna, – music Ravi
Duniya bananewale ne jab chaand banaya – Tasveer (1966), lyrics DN Madhok, music C Ramchandra – a recital song.

The interview in Beete Hue Din contains some interesting information about the Metro-Murphy Competition and Mahendra Kapoor’s career.

In Ye duniya rahe na rahe kyaa pataa, Sadanand Kamath fondly recollects some of the events in the life of O P Nayyar on his 90^th birthday on 16^th January, 2016. ….. One of his box office hit films – ‘Phagun’ (1958) had 11 songs. When Ustad Ameer Khan asked him as to why he had composed almost all the songs in Raag Piloo, O P Nayyar told him that he did not have the knowledge of classical raagas. It was just a coincidence that his compositions matched with Raag Piloo. In the later years, Ustad Ameer Khan told him that in “akeli hoon main piyaa aa” from ‘Sambandh’ (1969), he had used about 16 different raagas…….The blogpost also further recounts a few examples of songs where he had nicely blended the playing of the musical instruments with that of the mood of the songs.

Posts that remember Suchitra Sen : Forever Suchitra Sen – A Silhouette tribute – By Amitava Nag – This article has been edited from Uttam Kumar and ‘Mrs Sen’: The Magical and Hypnotic Uttam-Suchitra Years ǁ Rahe Na Rahe Hum: ‘Mahanayika’ Suchitra Sen’s Aura Lingers On… ǁ Romance In Cinema – Uttam Kumar And Suchitra Sen – A Case Study

“Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon” – Joy Mukerjee – As a hero, Joy Mukerjee appeared only in 32 films. In his last two outings – “Kahaani Phoolwati ki” and “Insaf Main Karoonga”, Joy took up the role of the villain.

Joy Mukherjee, in second lead, and Helen, in a rare break away from her ‘cabaret dancer’ roles, in Hum Hindustani (1960)

In a tribute to Raj Kapoor, we have picked up a rare photograph of the sons with the father, from Rediff archives:

Shashi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Prithviraj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor. Photograph: Rediff Archives

We now move over to other regular posts.

26 Rare Photos of Madhubala to Remind You Why She Was Such a Goddess – Vandita Kapoor has presented photos from a 1951 shoot for Life magazine by photographer James Burke may just help her keep this title forever. By turns sultry and sweet, serious and childlike, enigmatic and completely accessible — in these photos Madhubala is thoroughly magnificent.

Madhubala - a 1951 shoot for LIFE by photographer James Burke - 2

Helen Remixed 3 presents a nice mix of rare Helen videos and upgrades in 1080p High Definition.

Shammi Kapoor’s connection with the ‘Silsila’ hit ‘Neela Aasman So Gaya’ – The 1960s star had composed the song, which he gifted to Amitabh Bachchan for Yash Chopra’s ‘Silsila.’

My Favourites: ‘What’s Life?’ Songs seeks some of the ‘answers’ to that deepest of existential angst.

My Favourites: Songs of Hope and Encouragement

“This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”

पन्छी : An aviary of Songs is a Bird-watch guest article by Shalan Lal in Songs of Yore.

Bollywood’s love affair with Horse – From the list of songs chosen in the guest article by D P Rangan, we have picked up one less heard song –Humkadam humsafar humnasheen humzuban by Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapur and Usha Khanna –Nishan (1965), lyrics Javed Anwar, music Usha Khanna

The Three Mumtazes in Basant (1942) – Pramila with Mumtaz Ali in Balam Dhire Bol Koi ǁ Mumtaz Ali with Mumtaz Shanti in Gori Mose Ganga ǁ Mumtaz Shanti lip singing Parul Ghosh’s playback voice in Mere Chhote Se Man Mein. ǁ The third Mumtaz, a.k.a. Madhubala, when this toddler grows up, sings Tumko Mubarak Ho.

A dubbed film and a song : In Prema Lekhalu 1953 A. M. Rajah, in the telugu version, starts the duet. In the Hindi version, (Aah, 1953) Lata Mangeshkar starts the song Aja Re Ab Mera Dil Pukara. The Tamil version is similar to the Telugu one, both sung by A.M.Rajah and Jikki.

Music in the house: Can you hear Noor Jehan? – by Devyani Onial – On the crowded shelves of this small room at the New Gramophone House in Chandni Chowk, perhaps the only vinyl record shop in Delhi, fading record sleeves hold gems from the past. Anuj Rajpal has an enviable stock of around 2,00,000 EP and LP vinyls and 78-RPM shellac recods.

Balaji Vittal and Anirudha Bhattacharjee are Keeping Score : Was the Sixties the defining sound of Hindi film music? – for which the foundation was collectively laid by the likes of Naushad, C Ramchandra, Shanker Jaikishan, S D Burman, Salil Chaudhary.

Matinee idols – Between 2003 and 2005 – photographer Shahid Datawala received a grant from Sarai for a project on cinema and cinema-going culture in Delhi. Thus began his journey to several of the city’s decrepit single-screen theatres. –

Before the silence: Rhythm House a haven for music lovers – by Paroma Mukherjee – In the fast-changing lives of Mumbaikars, Rhythm House stood as a haven for music lovers looking to discover new genres and seek out some solitude. With its closure, the city will lose not just an institution, but also a way of life.

In our, by now a ritual, closure we revisit the recent tributes to Mohammad Rafi: