Duets(+) of Mukesh: With Male Singers

A tribute to Mukesh on his 99^th Birth Anniversary (b. July 22, 1923 – d.  August 27, 1976)

Films in India, by and large, revolve around different themes of love between a boy and a girl. As such, songs come in very handy as a very strong and direct, easy-to-comprehend, medium to express the different shades of feelings of love. Traditionally, the solo songs occupied the space of prime importance. During vintage era this was more a necessity because the singers were generally actors themselves. Moreover, the recording technology also was in the development stage, which made recording a duet song with two vastly different musical qualities of pitch and timbre of a male and female voice was quite difficult in comparison to the recording of a solo song.

With the playback singers taking over the onus of singing, and advances in the filmmaking and song-recording technologies, the duets started gaining more importance in the film production considerations. Music directors also started taking this genre seriously and started creating duets that stood, almost, at par with solo songs.

Essentially, the duets are categorised as male-female duets, male-male duets, and female-female duets. As can be expected, the bulk of the duets in the films remain male-female duets. Male-male and female-female duets normally remained as duet songs that friends would sing together. However, the traditions of patriotic songs, devotional songs, or dance songs in the greater arena of music also inspired similar male-male and /or female-female songs. The subjects used to vary from manifestation of friendly affection – either positive or negative (jealousy), celebrating the festivities together, sharing of mutual concerns or one teasing/advising/counselling the other. As such, once the choice of subjects and practices of narrating the story evolved over 40s, male-male duets genre also started getting prominence. In the 60s and onwards, with more films being produced with more than one hero, the male-male genre further got more weightage. However, essentially, the core subjects have not changed as materially as that of solos.

In so far as Hindi film songs are concerned, duets of Mukesh constitute roughly 20 % share of his total film songs. Mukesh Geet Kosh also includes duet songs that have some element of chorus in the song, while taking care that these are separately identified. The male-male duets of Mukesh, including those with chorus element, constitute again around 15% of the duets of Mukesh. The male-male duets of Mukesh offer fairly wide-spread range, in terms of subjects of the songs, co-singers, year of the song, and of course, the popularity, to lead me to zero in on this subject for the post to commemorate the 99^th birth anniversary of Mukesh.

Under the broader category of duets, Mukesh Geet Kosh also has separately identified songs that have some actor /actress chipping with Mukesh a line here or there in the song. I have not included such songs here. Mukesh has more than one duet with Mohammad Rafi or Kishore Kumar. I have chosen the one which I like more than other Rafi or Kishore duets. In some cases, I have included a few triads or quartets (with all male or male-female combination), where the context of the narration, or paucity of a right duet, or the need for variety of different subjects or styles or music directors so necessitated. In one particular instance of duet with Talat Mahmood, I have included, rather had to include, an NFS as well.

So here are Duets(+) of Mukesh with Male Singers, generally, in the chronological order of year of the release of the film.

With Shailesh (Mukharjee)

Rab Mere Araj Sun Meri Sharan Ab Teri – Aag (1948) – Lyrics: Saraswati Kumar Dipak – Music: Ram Ganguli

Ram Ganguli has certainly come up with a very different style of composition for a song that is essentially a devotional song.

If we would have strictly followed the chronological sequence of the release of the films, one of the two Mukesh – Mohammad Rafi duets from Chilman (1949) or Thes (1949) would have appeared here. But from the seven Mukesh-Mohammad Rafi duets, the song that liked most happens to be a duet from the film of the year 1958, So that will have to wait for a while.

With G M Durrani

Aise Mein Koi Chham Se Jo Aa Jaye To Kya Ho – Hanste Aansoo (1950) – Lyrics: Shewan Rizvi – Music: Ghulam Mohammad

Here is an exchange of arguments for pros and cons between two friends of locating the bed if a house is built on a given location – one wants to set up his bed at that very doorstep so that when some (a much awaited) beauty comes up suddenly he would not miss it. His friend warns of another extreme possibility of a high-heeled slipper to be awaiting a welcome instead.

Ghulam Mohammad has come up with so lovely enough orchestration for this composition to induce revisits to the song. If we would have seen the film, we may also have come to know what will have happened after the song is over.

I have picked up a triad next because that provides us with a new combination of singers.

With Khan Mastana

KyuN Shikwa Karein KyuN Aah Bharein – Pagle (1950) – with Talat Mahmood – Lyrics: Anjum Rehmani – Music: V G (Snehal) Bhatkar

The friends have gathered to vent their frustration of non-result bearing efforts of their pursuit to get someone to love them.

Pagle had one more triad, with G M Durrani as the third player –

Ye Aaj Kal Ke Laila Aur Majnu – Pagle (1950) – with G M Durrani – Lyrics: Anjum Rehmani – Music: V G (Snehal) Bhatkar

Another song of the youthful frustration when all efforts to woo the ‘fair sex’ fail, which leads to this deep sigh, in the form of

Ye aaj kal ke Laila or Majnu
.. … …
ik haath se dil ko thamate haiN
ik hath se tata kahate haiN

It would be interesting note that Mukesh Geet Kosh has clearly identified the singers for these songs, but HFGK mentions Jagirdar, Agha and Sheri as the singers, who in fact are the actors singing the songs on screen.

With S D Batish

Jaao Sidharo Hey Radha Ke Shyam – Aarzoo (1950) – with Shamshad Begum, chorus – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri / Jan Nissar Akhtar – Music: Anil Biswas

Mukesh and S D Batish do not actually get connected through a triad here. What is treated as triad in the credits on the record N 38386, is in fact a three-piece stage show story wherein the first (penned by Majrooh Sutmapuri) and third part (penned by Jan Nissar Akhtar) are S D Batish-Shamshad Begum duets with chorus and the second part (also penned by Jan Nissar Akhtar) is a Mukesh-Shamshad Begum duet with chorus.

With Kishore Kumar

The Kishore Kumar – Mukesh combination has an interesting aspect too. Except for one triad in 1953, they did not have a proper duet during the pre-Aradhana, what is generally called as, Kishore Kumar 1.0 career phase. Then they had a triad-chorus in Satyakam (1969) the transition year. They had first proper duet in 1971, in what can be considered as Kishore Kumar 2.0. Since then, Kishore Kumar has had one more duet with Mukesh, in 1976. The duo further had one triad each with Sushma Shreshtha (Dharam Karam, 1975) and Dilraj Raj Kaur (Chor Mandali, 1983) as well as a quartet with Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar (Amar Akbar Anthony, 1977)

Lo Mil Gayi Degree Pyar Ki – Maalkin (1953) – with Ram Kamlani – Lyrics: Rajendra Krishna – Music: Roshan

This must rank as the only song where Roshan has used Mukesh in a comedy situation.

However, the real irony of the song being treated as a Mukesh triad comes up only when we listen the full song and find that Mukesh just gets two words – first time just ‘KahaaN Bhai?’ after the first line, Din mein sau sau chakkar kate, in the first interlude stanza and then just ‘Kis ki?’ after the first line, Baithe baithe kismet khul gayi’ of the third interlude stanza!

Haal Chaal Thhik Thhaak Hai – Mere Apne (1971) – with chorus – Lyrics: Gulzar – Music: Salil Chowdhury

I have a very sweet connection with this song.

In our BITS Pilani days, we would have one, just-released, film screened every weekend. Mere Apne was one such film. Since the story is about the restlessness of students (particularly because of paucity of jobs even after proper college education), the film had been obviously very well received in the campus. When you pass near any of hostel block, particularly after dinner time, you will invariably get to listen the whistling used in the song. Also, the cleverly split first line had tremendous popularly as an informal greetings exchange among friends – Question: ‘Haal chaal? Answer: ‘Thik Thaak Hai.’ – obviously, in the lyrical mimic of the song!

With Mohammad Rafi

Mukesh and Mohammad Rafi share the maximum number of songs together – 7 duets, 6 duets+chorus, 5 triads – one with Shamshad Begum (Hanste Aansoo, 1950), two with Lata Mangeshkar (Shree 420, 1955 and Ahuti, 1978), two with Suman Kalyanpur (Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya, 1966 and Vishwas, 1969), and one with Hemlata (Jaaneman, 1976), and one quartet with Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar (Amar Akbar Anthony, 1977). More important. perhaps, is that the association spans almost the entire career of both of them, with first duet in 1949 (Chilman and Thes) and the last one in 1978 (Ahuti).

I have selected one duet, which I have always relished to listen to.  Just the memory of the song has helped to me ease out any tension coiled in, any time, in my mind.

Phirate The Jo Bade Hi Sikandar Bane Hue ….. Jo Bor Kare Yaar Ko Us Yaar Se Tauba… Jis Pyar Mein Ye Haal Ho Us Pyaar Se Tauba – Phir Subah Hogi (1958) – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhiyanvi – Music: Khayyam

Mohammad Rafi so lively pulls up his friend’s legs that even the Raj Kapoor’s lady love Mala Sinha cannot hide her smile. Moreover, if you close your eyes, the way Rafi goes with his part you can imagine how Rehman, otherwise an actor who plays serious roles, must be freely acting it out on screen, while lip-synching Mohammad Rafi. Every line Sahir has penned for Rafi’s part is just enough for any friend on the other side to break up the relationship!

With Mahendra Kapoor

For the records, Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor have three duets, however the third one, from Saathi (1968) – Jo chalaa gayaa use bhul jaa, Naushad has used Mahendra Kapoor  for just a higher-scale line being heard as echo Bhul Jaa… Bhul Jaa, as haunting memory from the past that has to be forgotten.

Of the other two, both composed by N Dutta, one is for Dilli Ka Dada (1962) and the other for Holiday in Bombay (1963). I have selected the latter one.

Ye Hasin Bambai Hamein Jam Gayi …. Holiday Holiday Holiday in Bombay – Holiday in Bombay (1963) – Lyrics: Anjaan – Music: N Dutta.

The reasons I have selected this song will sound quite trivial – one: Mukesh gets to playback for the hero (Shashi Kapoor), two: one gets a virtual tour of Mumbai in the video clip, the third: you get to see a glimpse of now totally forgotten, Lambretta scooter (@4.12) and fourth of course, it has a connection with a 2018 SoY post – Bharat Darshan Songs (2) – Metros.

It would not be out of place to record here that Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor share a triad with Rajendra Mehta, a famous ghazal singer of 60s/70s.

Mera Rang De Basanti Chola – Shaheed, 1965 – Lyrics and Music:  Prem Dhawan

This would rank as one of the best patriotic songs Hindi films have recorded.

With Manna Dey

The proper duet of Mukesh and Manna Dey, very surprisingly, has come up only in 1976 for the film Das Numbri. Even Mukesh, Mohammad Rafi and Manna Dey triad also came up in only 1973, for Teen Chor. As such, I thought it would be patently safe to fall back upon a quartet and a quintet from the earlier years.

Sathi Re…. Kadam Kadam Se Dil Mila Rahein Hai Ham – Char Dil Char Rahein (1959) – with Mahendra Kapoor, Meena Kapoor, chorus – Lyrics: Sahir Ludhiyanvi – Music: Anil Biswas

The song is an inspirational song, wherein multiple singers join to playback for corresponding actor on the screen. It being an Anil Biswas composition, the composition and orchestration are ideal, so are the lyrics of Sahir. It is not surprising that the overall outcome is a song that you would like listen, again and again, for its sheer melody.

I am not able to resist the temptation of including a quintet chorus song, so well-known to me, and almost of all of us for that matter, that came up in different light when I listened to it from the point of view of the present article.

Hum Bhi Hai Tum Bhi Ho Dono Hai Amane Samane – Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1961) – with Mahendra Kapoor, Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt and chorus – Lyrics: Shailendra – Music: Shankar Jaikishan

I always admired this song for several stunning features – Shankar Jaikishan and the team for conceiving and executing the rich orchestrion (of particular notice is the violin ensemble piece @ 5.35 -5.52 that so vividly creates the feeling of speed), meticulous details of choreography of Hira Lal, and so creative camera work of Tara Dutt that captures every expression of every actor so lively and the overall direction of Radhu Karamakar – RK’s otherwise default director of photography. Essentially, the song was a chorus song representing dacoits on one side and the reformer (Raju) on the other side.

However, I could now easily see a parallel under-current of a duet too running in the song, beginning with two lines that follow the opening skirmish between Raka and Raju, when Kammo and her friend Bijli charmingly declare Hum bhi haiN (@2.30), to which Raju responds, unwittingly, Dekh lo kya asar kar diya pyar ne. The visuals @0.45 to 0.51, where Kammo longingly eyes Raju, which Raka too does not miss to notice or that fleeting exchange of mutual appreciations @ 1.52 to 2.00 between Kammo and Raju corroborate the implicit germination of soft feelings for each other. The song virtually turns into a duet after the second interlude when Kammo directly intervenes the song with itana sa ye dil tu de de agar sara jag tera ho jaye. (@5.03)

As the songs moves on, the mood of festivity of all so beautifully morphs into acquiescence of love of the two.

We come back to our main track again.

With Talat Mahmood

As we have seen @ #3 here before, Mukesh and Talat Mahmood did get just one triad as early as in 1950. These two may be the only male singers of that period who did not even have one Hindi film duet in their entire career.

Fortunately, three Mukesh – Talat Mahmood NFS duets, composed by Murli Manohar Swaroop, fill up this void. We had had heard one duet, Kisi ko deke dil koi nawa_sanj-e-fughan kyun ho, in the earlier post, Mukesh’s Non-film Hindi Geets and Ghazals.

I have picked up the other one here –

Woh Jo Ruthe To Manana Chahiye …. Zindagi Se Rooth Jaana Chahiye – NFS – lyrics: Jigar Murarabadi + Mirza Ghalib – Music: Murli Manohar Swaroop

To the opening line from Jigar Murarabadi ghazal sung by Mukesh, Talat Mahmood joins by a Mirza Ghalib ghazal line Chahiye achchhoN ko jitana chahiye, ye agar chaahein phir to kya chahiye…  and so forth.

However, we can take consolation that they did have one more song in the Hindi films – an all-male quintet in 1966.

Mujhko Muhabbat Ho Gayi Hai, Bas Muhabbat Ho Gayi Hai …. Anhoni Baat Thi Ho Gayi Hai – Biwi Aur Makaan (1966) – with Joginder, Manna Dey and Hemant Kumar – Lyrics: Gulzar – Music: Hemant Kumar

Normally Mukesh and Talat Mahmood are put at the slow paced, serious film-song-moods spectrum. Another singer, Hemant Kumar also is considered to be the singer of that part of the spectrum. However, Hemant Kumar, the music director, seems to have helped Talat Mahmood switch the role and join him (in the role of the playback singer) in the fast-paced jest-cum-scolding session with that love-infested friend among the ‘five pandav’ friends who have vowed to remain unmarried till everyone gets a job. Talat Mahmood plays back to Keshto Mukhrjee who impersonates a girl along with Biswjeet who lip syncs Hemant Kumar!

I conclude here my part of the choices of Duets(+) of Mukesh with Male singers so as to start pondering over what subject we should take up for the celebration of Mukesh’s 100^th birth anniversary post next year…….

Acknowledgement and disclaimer:

1. Mukesh Geet Kosh, 2020 edition – Harish Raghuvanshi: For the basic data and the information of the songs selected in the present article.
2. The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over these songs which vests with the respective owners.

Reproduction of the article originally published on Songs of Yore on 22 July 2022

Fading Memories ….. Unforgettable Songs : March 2022

Ghulam Mohammed and His Singers : 1950-1952

Ghulam Mohammed (1903 – 17 March 1968)’s musical scores during the years 1943 to 1949 had established his identity as percussionist who had also gift of composing melodies as well. He had already been successful with the scores of Pugree (1948) and Shair (1949). However, it seems that his concurrent role as assistant to Naushad perhaps had cast some kind of shadow over his own identity as independent music director. This relationship continued till film Aan) 1952. Some historians consider him too naïve a businessman since he continued to assist Naushad even he had getting success by 1948.

This theory seems to hold some merit, because Ghulam Mohammed did get three films in 1950, two in 1951 and three again in 1952. These numbers need to be viewed in the back drop of the fact that several other (so-called) already stablished) music directors were also scoring successful music for the then big production banners in the same period. 1950 had Naushad scoring music for ‘Dastan’ and ‘Babul’, C Ramchandra for ‘Sargam’ and Anil Biswas for ‘Arzoo’. In 1951, along with “Deedar’ of Naushad, S D Buraman’s ‘Bahaar’ and Baazi’, C Ramchandra’s ‘Albela, Anil Biswas’s ‘Taraana’ and Shanker Jaikishan’s “Aawara’ occupied the space. There was hardly any respite in 1952 as well, with Naushad’s  ‘Aan’ and ‘Baiju Bawra’, S D Burman’s Jaal and Shanker Jaikishan’s ‘Daag.’

In all the fairness to Ghulam Mohammed, it should also be noted that some other equally talented music directors also had not been able to break the glass ceiling, even if their music was also noted with high respect o their talent. For example, Bulo C Rani – Jogan (1950), Roshan – Hum Log (1951) and Anhonee (1952), Hemant Kumar – Anand Math (1951) and Madan Mohan – Ashiana (1952) to name a few representative cases.

Be that as it may, our principal focus of the present series to commemorate the death anniversary month of Ghulam Mohammed is to refresh our memories of his compositions and get an overview of Ghulam Mohammed’s repertoire of 37 films as independent music directors with special attention to the wide range of playback singer he has used for his compositions.

As such, we have sidestepped some of his popular compositions for the present series and intentionally chosen songs that may be called as less heard ones so as to get a better appreciation of Ghulam Mohammed’s talent.

Previously, in 2021, we have covered Ghulam Mohamamed’s songs with different singers for the years 1943 to 1949.

With this backdrop to be kept at the back of our minds, we now take up Ghulam Mohammed’s songs for different playback singers during the years 1950 to 1952.

Rajkumari, Mukesh – Maine Sapna Jo Dekha Hai Raat… Bhala Jo Koi Puchhe… To Main Kya KahuN – Hanste Aansoo (1950) – Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Here is an archetypical vintage era styled composition. However, the song succeeds in conveying the feelings of a girl who has fallen in love, for the first time. Majrooh Sultanpuri also has preferred to use very simple lyrics to truly express the feelings.

One noteworthy feature of Ghulam Mohammed’s  compositions was differently presented stanzas of his compositions, unlike many of his contemporaries who would not waste one more tune in one composition.

Shamshad Begum, Hameeda Banu, Raja Gul – O Jane Wale Theher Ja …., Dil De Ja Ya Le Ja Raja Ulfat Ka Ye Bazaar Hai – Hansate Aaansoo (1950) – Lyrics:  Shevan Rizvi

Ghulam Mohammed has boldly experimented with non-traditional orchestration for this street dance triad song, while maintaining the identity of the song genre with the use of catchy piece of harmonium in the brief prelude.

Shamshad Begum – Hum Dil Hi Apna Haar Gaye – Maang (1950) – Lyrics: Husaini

Comparison of the present composition with the previous one, Maine Sapna Jo Dekha Hai Raat, evidently demonstrates the vastness of range of tunes that Ghulam Mohammed can command to present almost similar feeling.

Since the song is not available on YT, here is an adio link: Hum Dil Hi Apna Haar Gaye.mp3

Uma Devi, Lata Mangeshkar – Na Jaane Aaj Kyon Gabra Rahi Ho – Maang (1950) – Lyrics: Prakash

Ghulam Mohammed recreates magic of blending voices of vintage era icon (Uma Devi) and the rising star of Golden Era) Lata Mangeshkar)

(Rajkumari), Geeta Dutt, Hamida Banu – Aaya Achanak Aisa Jhonka Hind Ka Jagamag Deep Bujha – Maang (1950) – Lyrics: Sagheer Usmani

Here is song that eulogises passing away Mahatma Gandhi. Even he Ghulam Mohammed has very deftly experimented with change in tunes for different stanzas.

It may be noted that Rajkumari is singing along with Geeta Dutt in first part of the song.

Mohammed Rafi, Amirbai Karnataki – Main HuN Bada NaseeboNwala….Hua Tera Mera Pyar Fatafat – Pardes (1950) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Ghulam Mohammed comes all trump in a light-hearted comedy song. The icing on the cake is use of Amirbai Karnataki for such a song!

How imaginatively Ghulam Mohammed has used Mohammad Rafi’s voice for the opening line!

Lata Mangeshkar – KyuN Ae Dil-e- Diwana Hai Hosh Se Beganaa – Bikhre Moti (1951) – Lyrics: Akhtar ul Iman

The influence of vintage era style on Ghulam Mohammed’s compositions, even during 1951, is evident in the way he has used Lata Mangeshkar’s voice in this song.

Talat Mahmood – Chandanee Raato Mein Jis Dam Yaad Aa Jaate Ho Tum Roshani Bankar Meri Ankhoein Mein Chha Jaate Ho Tum – Naazneen (1951) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

I so much regret that this is one Talat Mahmood song that I must have hardly got to hear earlier.

Asides: Shri Arunkumar Deshmukh informs that this was the film in which Amjad Khan has acted as a child artist.

Shamshad Begum, G. M. Durrani, Mohammed Rafi – Do Din Ki Zindagi Hai … Ik Baar Muskara Do, Parde Mein Tum Hansi Ke …. Dil Ki Lagi Ko Chhupaa Lo – Ajeeb Ladki (1952) – Shakeel Badayuni

This song indeed should tell us what effort Rafi must have put into create his own identity in his initial days as we find difficult to the way Rafi handles lower octave mukhada and high pitch opening of the first stanza or chips in with a cameo line in the second stanza.

Zohrabai Ambalewali, Shamshad Begum – Dil Ke Sheesh Mahal Mein Aaya Yeh Matwala Chor – Amber (1952) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

In the stage dances, the dancers take up dress code of two cultures of two regions. Ghulam Mohammed has composed the tune matching to that culture. Especially noteworthy is the multi-instrument orchestra put to use by Ghulam Mohammed.

Mohammad Rafi – Churakar Dil Ko Yun Aankhein Churana Kisse Sikha Hai .. Chale Jaana Tum Door Bade Shaukh Se Huzoor…Mera Dil Mujhe Wapas Kar Do. – Amber (1952) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Unlike majority of Ghulam Mohammed compositions, here we have complex to sing tune, and that too for a song where the hero is trying to please the heroine!

Lata Mangeshkar – Tutegi Nahi Pyar Ki Dor Duniya Chahe Lag Le Jhor – Amber (1952) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Ghulam Mohammed has not only switched to Lata Mangeshkar as lead singer but has also stayed away in using Lata Mangeshkar in the shadow of vintage era singing style.

Shamshad Begum, Mohammed Rafi – Rote Hai Naina Gam Ke Maare, Dekh Rahi HuN Din Mein Taare – Amber (1950 – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

I have selected this ‘masala’ dance song to validate the hypothesis – that Ghulam Mohammed has given Lata Mangeshkar the position of lead singer – put forward in the earlier song as soon as he has been entrusted the music for the film with the ‘hottest’ pair of the day – Nargis and Raj Kapoor.

Noteworthy is the change in the mood o the song that he has accomplished the way he has used Mohammad Rafi.

Mubarak Begum – Jal Jal Ke MaruN Kuchh Kah Na SakuN – Sheesha (1952) – Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Ghulam Mohammed deploys vast orchestra during mukhada but then the stanza comes rendered with minimal instrumental support! This should easily rate as one of the best Mubarak Begum songs; however, the fact remains that, at least, I have heard it for the first time. So unfortunate that Mubarak Begum did not get many such high-quality singing opportunities!

What a pity that the failure of film at the box office also leads to the very short life of the songs, barring, of course, some exceptions!

Lata Mangeshkar – Jawani Ke Raaste Pe Aaj Mera Dil Hai – Sheesha (1952- Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Ghulam Mohammed sets the tone of happiness of the song by a very catchy prelude and then follows it up with composing the song in the effervescent singing mode.

Thanks to the technology and resourcefulness and the commitment of all the YT uploaders, we can recreate the mesmerising magic of Ghulam Mohammed’s compositions, even today, whether it did cast spell then or not!

We take a break here till the next episode so that we can absorb the nuances and range of present batch of Ghulam Mohammed’s compositions.

Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: February 2021

Talat Mahmood: Duets with Geeta Dutt:

A Rare Blend of Velvety Voice with Mellifluous Tone

Talat Mahmood (B: 24 February 1924 | D: 8 May 1998), known for his velvety voice was more comfortable in lower scales. His voice required most of the music directors to adapt their styles to his singing. Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; B: 23 November 1930 | D: 20 July 1972) was a gifted singer who could enliven any song with her mellifluous voice. The contrasting styles of the two contemporaries should have resulted in a larger number of duets. However, the destiny seemed to have scripted a different script for the duets of these two singers.

Statistically, the number of Talat Mahmood – Geeta Dutt duets trail those of Talat Mahmood-and Lata Mangeshkar as well as Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle. However, as in the case of both artists’ other songs, the numbers alone do not make the full picture. How the velvety voice of Talat Mahmood so magically blended with the mellifluous tone of Geeta Dutt can be experienced only by listening their duets.

To commemorate the memory of Talat Mahmood in the month of his birth, we have taken up the theme of his rare duets. Till now, we have explored –

In 2017, an overview of Talat Mahmood’s duets receding from the memory.

In 2018, Talat Mahmood’s duets with rare co-singers,

In 2019, Talat Mahmood’s duets with Mubarak Begum and with Madhubala Jhaveri, and

In 2020, Talat Mahmood’s duets with Geeta Dutt, essentially from 1950 to 1952.

Presently, we carry forward our journey into the memory lanes of Talat Mahmood- Geeta Dutt duets.

Kah Rahi Hain Dhadakane Pukar Kar, Chupake Chupake Dhire Dhire Pyar Kar – Laal Pari (1954) – Hansraj Behl – Asad Bhopali

To a good many of Geeta Dutt or Talat Mahmood fans, the song will ring special bells of memory. Geeta Dutt slides over changing scales across the song.

Muhabbat Ki Duniya Mein Barbad Rahena Magar Kuchh Na Kahena – Lakeeren – Hafeez Khan – Shewan Rizvi

Songs runs in a lower scale in consonance with the mood of poignancy.

Wah Re Wah Bhagwan…Hazar Haathwale Mandir Ke Dwar Khule Aur Tere Moonh Pe Taale – Maha Pooja (1954) – Avinash Vyas – Ramesh Gupta

Talat Mahmood opens on a high scale as he renders ‘sakhi’. The song then essentially plays in lower scale.

Avinash Vyas has used Geeta Dutt so effectively for Gujarati films. Here Geeta Dutt comes up very sharp variant of her tone, probably in line with a tone of complaint of the song..

Aaye To Kaise Aaye, Majbur Kar Diya Hai…Mil Jaye Koi Tumse Aake Sahar Nahi Koi – Sangam (1954) – Ram Ganguli – Hasrat Jaipuri

Geeta Dutt opens ‘sakhi’ on a higher scale which is supported by a crescendo of violins ensemble. Geeta Dutt continues in higher scale supported by Talat Mahmood in lower scale, thereby creating depth of mood of exasperation.

Raat Hai Aramaan Bhari….Aur Kya Suhani Raat Hai, Aaj Bichhade Dil Mile Hai, Tera Mera Saath Hai – Sangam (1954) – Ram Ganguli – Hasrat Jaipuri

The song opens with high scale singing by the chorus, probably the crew of the boat singing the tune in rhythm with pedaling the boat. But this itself is sufficient to set the mood of the song – a serene trip on calmly flowing river, in open moonlight and the two beloved ones together after a long time…

This was one of the hugely liked song then, which remains well remembered even today.

Dekho Dekho Ji Balam Deke Birha Ka Gam Mera Naha Sa Jiya Tadapana Na – Bahu (1955) – Hemant Kumar – S H Bihari

We have a very playful song which Geeta Dutt seems to be equally enjoying as she keeps climbing up and down the scales. We get to hear here a fast paced song that is so sweet all the way through vocal s and orchestration.

Thandi Thandi HawaoN Mein, TaroN Ki ChaaoN Mein, Aaj Balam Dole Mora Jiya – Bahu (1955) – Hemant Kumar – S H Bihari

The song is set to an easy flow pace, in consonance with the mood and the possible situation – the couple riding on some vehicle- mostly a horse cart, or even cycles as was very popular style in those years – in the open moon night.

Kya Paya Duniya Ne…Do Pyar Bhare Dil Tod Kyun Kya Paya Duniya Ne – Darbar (1956)  – Hansrah Behl – Asad Bhaopali / Prem Dhawan

We have a poignant song wherein the couple questions the way the world treats the innocent love of the couple. Geeta Dutt switches over to a lower scale in a melancholy tone with a questioning tone in a higher scale.

Dono Jahan Ke Maalik, Tera Hi Aasara Hai, … Raazi Hai Hum Usi Mein Jis Mein Teri Razaa Hai – Khul Ja Sim Sim (1956) – Hansraj Behl – Asad Bhopali

Incidentally, we have a totally inverse song from the same team – seeking a reprieve from the troubles of this world in the form of  a prayer in the resigned tone this time. It is Talat who scales higher scale at the beginning of each stanza.

O Arabpati Ki Chhori..Gori Gori…Dili Door Nahin  – Makhichoos (1956) – Vinod – Pt. Indra

This a song of Chhed Chaad genre, very popularly used in Hindi films, this time both the parties enjoying the mutual teasing- a way of expressing the enjoyment of stealing a few moments of togetherness. It is not only rare for Talat Mahmood to playback so light song, it is equally rare for Mahipal to sing such a song on the screen, that is in fully modern suit-tie formal attire.

Saare Jag Se Nain Chura Ke Ho Gayi Main Teri – Naag Padmini (1957) – Sanmukh Babu Upadhyay – Prem Dhwan

A lovely playful romantic song, wherein if Geeta Dutt is in her elements, Talat Mahmood comfortably matches the mood.

Dil Ko Laga Ke Bhul Se Dil Ka NishaaN Mita Diye – Doctor Z – Manohar – Akhtar Romani

Here is a song that is from an unknown film, by a hardly heard named music director that showcases strong vocals of Geeta Dutt as she effortlessly. Renders alaap to support and synthesize Talat Mahood to a improvised waltz tune. The composition is quite complex to sing, but the magic blending of the two voices makes it a gem that would like to listen again and again.

Tum Sa Meet Mila Dil Ka Phool Khila, Chalta Rahe YuN Hi Sanam, KhushiyoN Ka Kaafila – Midnight (91972) – Subir Sen – ?

A low-scale vocals high scale orchestration composition, that can be considered as the last duet of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt. The film was never released. So it is really very lucky to get the song on the YT.

There is a reference to a duet – Tumhari Mohabbat Ka Badla – by Daan Singh (film – Bahadur Shah Zafar), but the song does not seem to be traceable. So is a NFS duet Chanda Hanse Hans Rahi Chandani (Music: Jimmy) not traceable on YT.

A look back at Talat Mahmood – Geeta Dutt duets reveals a pattern wherein we do not find songs by the then mainstream music directors. This can be possibly because when either singer was picked up as lead singer for major banner, the other singer would be someone like Lata Mangeshkar, or even Asha Bhosle, as female playback or Mohammad Rafi as male playback. A such what we lose in terms of numbers is well compensated by a very wide range of highly talented music directors and Talat – Geeta duets of all hues and shades, leaving us with a feeling of being fully satisfied with a high-quality fare to enjoy forever.

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.

P.S.:  Talat Mahmood: Duets with Geeta Dutt and its Gujarati version તલત મહેમૂદનાં યુગલ ગીતો – ગીતા (રોય) દત્ત સાથે can be read / downloaded by clicking on તલત મહેમૂદનાં ગીતા (રોય) દત્ત સાથે યુગલ ગીતો । Talat Mahmood: Duets with Geeta Dutt.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – May 2020

Welcome to May 2020 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We first pay our tributes to the artists who passed away recently:

Irfan Khan passed away on 29^th April 2020. Irfan Khan’s Wife Sutapa Sikdar and sons Ayan and Babil released a statement about Irfan Khan’s untimely death.@ Our life was a masterclass in acting, learnt to see harmony in cacophony. Amitava Nag @ Irfan Khan – A Personal Tribute writes a heartfelt tribute. Anuradha Warrier feels the loss @ And Movies Will Never Be The Same.  Irrfan is a tribute from his follower.

Credit: Business As Usual by E P Unny, April 2020

In a tribute to Rishi Kapoor @ Amitabh is ‘destroyed’, Simi mourns her ‘darling’ & Lata holds on to memories of Chintu note Shubhangi Misra and Yimkumla Longkumer. Anuradha Warrier extends the Hyphen In Between the Rishi Kapoor’s tweeter tag line “Son of a famous father, father of a famous son. I’m the hyphen in between.” by stretching it a little further to note that he was also the hyphen between the superstardom of Rajesh Khanna and the juggernaut that was Amitabh Bachchan. Jai Arjun Singh @ Rishi Kapoor, in memoriam notes that looking back on his work during that time, it’s interesting to consider how often he seems to be a silent or passive presence, or how often we see the character he plays in relation to someone else

That passionate voice of music – Radio Ceylon host Gopal Sharma, known as ‘the first RJ of India passed away at the age of 88 on 22^nd May. Sharma’s greeting “Awaaz ki duniya ke doston … ” became synonymous with him.

Deepa also has paid a very intimate tribute @ Gopal Sharma – A Boon Companion from the World of Voice

We can listen to his voice in this video clip:

We pick up other tributes and memories:

Should Phalke, 150, Be Forgotten?  – On May 3, 1913, Dadasaheb Phalke’s Raja Harishchandra was released commercially. May 3 was finalised as the day the National Film Awards would be given out every year. Ratnottama Sengupta wonders how the Government of the world’s largest filmmaking country had made no plans to mark Phalke’s 150th anniversary this year.

Kaagaz Ke Phool is Guru Dutt’s masterclass in filmmaking and heartbreak – Guru Dutt’s classic, tragic film is brought to life by subtle performances and dialogue, gorgeous camerawork and Kaifi Azmi’s haunting lyrics.

On the B.R. Chopra’s birth anniversary, The Print looks back @ Gumrah, BR Chopra’s tale of a woman’s desire that challenged conventions back in 1963 – Gumrah, said to be inspired by the love story of Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal, was refreshingly bold and managed to stand apart from the many adaptations that followed.

Anokhi Raat – A Unique Look at the Bitter Truths – Asit Sen’s Anokhi Raat, true to its name was a unique film that told the story of an unusual stormy night – the storms being both within and outside. Sundeep Pahwa looks back at this film with some memories, observations and trivia. Monica Kar (in maroon font) ponders on the memorable songs of this film, which was the swan song of music director Roshan.

‘Hansraj Behl – A Forgotten composer’ is a look-back to his songs in Part 1 and Part 2.

Raat Aur Din, directed by Satyen Bose, was the perfect swansong for Nargis – Nargis Dutt’s performance as a woman with an identity disorder in this 1967 film won her the first National Award for Best Actress.

Shailendra Sharma @ Golden Era of Bollywood has posted following memorial tribute posts:

• “YAHOO” The Yell that Shook the Nation
• The Invisble Men of Bollywood
• Subodh Mukharjee – A Filmmaker of Golden Era of Bo…
• Suhana Safar Aur Yeh Mausam Haseen – The song that…
• The Changing Face of Indian Cinema- Bioscope to OT…
• Kaanto Se Kheench Ke Ye Aanchal – An Experimental …
• Hindi Films with Unusual and FunnyTitles
• Ek DO Teen- The Song that Shot Madhuri Dixit to Fa…
• The Great Nurses of Bollywood
• SANAM(1951)- The Last Film of Dev Anand and Suraiy…
• The Story Behind the Song “Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen…
• Talat Mahmood- The Singer, who gave us many Immort…
• Hindi Films Based on the Life of Buddha
• Bulo C Rani – A Forgotten Composer & Singer
• Naushad- The Classical Genius
• Mem Sahib (1956)- A Classic Film with Four Legends…
• Raja Harishchandra- The First Indian Film
• Rare or Forgotten Songs of Nargis
• 50 Years of Sachaa Jhutha
• Manna Dey Songs for Dev Anand
• Rishi Kapoor- Bollywood’s Chocolate Boy

• Irrfan Khan- Slow and Steady Won the Race
• The Great Boat Songs of Bollywood
• The Bollywood Songs around Sea Shore
• Feroz Khan – The Original Khan of Bollywood.
• Five Significant Roles of Moushumi Chatterjee
• The Story Behind the Song” Lag Ja Gale”
• The Bollywood Films Based on Cricket.
• Shamshad Begum- Unique voice and style

In our Manna Dey birth centenary series, after Manna Dey and his contemporary lead actors, and Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs for Mehmood, we are on the first part of the last leg,

SoY too pays tribute to Manna Dey @ Remembering a special singer Manna Dey

May 2020  episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up the less-heard songs of Manna Dey in the series Manna Dey – Chale Ja Rahein Hai…. – 1951 – 1953 . Till now we have his

• songs for the years 1942 – 1946 in our 2018 issue, and
• songs for the year 1947-1950 in the 2019 episode.

We will now take up the articles on other subjects:

“Quarantine” or “Lockdown” Dances (in other words, more dances in people’s homes) – As the title suggests, this is a quick compilation of videos posted by the classical-home-performers while fighting the boredom of this lockdown period.

Jetha Ramdhanu Othe Heshe: The Smiling Rainbow of Talat Mahmood (Tapan Kumar’s) Bengali Songs – Among the many tributes and special features on the legendary singer Talat Mahmood, few, if any, talk about his remarkable repertoire of superhit Bengali songs he sang in the early part of his career. Under the name of Tapan Kumar, Talat Mahmood began his Calcutta sojourn with his first record of Bengali songs in 1944. Sounak Gupta chronicles that illustrious journey, remembering the velvet-voiced singer.

Remembering Talat Mahmood for his happy mood songs,

Songs and contra-songs lists songs of opposing truths. E.g. songs on एक/अनेक (one /many)

Howard Roark’s speech in the courtroom in The Fountainhead (1949)

Ek chidiya anek chidiya (animated short film) by Bhimsain

Madhulika Liddle lists  Ten of my favourite ‘multiple version’ songs – male/female solo versions and Ten of my favourite ‘multiple version songs: one voice, two solo versions

Sadma is an achingly beautiful story about a love that defies labels – Balu Mahendra’s Hindi remake of his Tamil classic, Moondram Pirai, was a milestone in his, Sridevi’s and Kamal Haasan’s careers.

SoY initiates Best songs of 1945: And the winners are? , the 10^th episode in the annual series Best songs of year. We will take up Micro View of Songs of 1945 from next month.

We end the post with a few songs of Mohammad Rafi, each one of which basically has a link with the topics discussed in the present post, we have picked up:

Tera Jalwa Jisne Dekha Woh  Diwna Ho Gaya – Laila Majnu (1945)  – with S D Batish – Pt. Govindram – Tanveer Naqvi

(Mohammad Rafi has made maiden on-screen appearance @ 1.17in this song.)

Bulbul Mein Hai Naghmme Tere – Laila Majnu (1953) – with Khan Mastana – Ghulam Mohammad – Shakeel Badayuni

Yeh Duniya – Yahudi (1958) – Shankar Jaikishna – Shaiendra

Tum Jahan Jaoge Mujh Ko Wahin Paoge – Chor Darwja (19650 – Roy Frank – Koifi Azmi

Yeh Diwane Ki Jid Hai – Laila Majnu (1976) – Madan Mohan – Sahir Ludhyanavi

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.

Fading Memories….Unforgettable Songs: February 2020

Talat Mahmood duets with Geeta Dutt [1]

Talat Mahmood (Born: 24 February 1924, Lucknow) was as handsome as his voice was soft spoken. Before physically shifting to (the then ) Bombay in 1949, he had already made his presence felt in Calcutta During his Calcutta career, Talat Mahmood gave playbacks and played minor roles in Hindi and Bengali films. His first disc was cut by HMV in 1941, the song was Sab Din Ek Saman Nahin Tha, Ban Jaoonga Kya  Se Kya Main, Iska To Kuchh Dhyan Nahin Tha

To commemorate the birthday of Talat Mahmood we have commenced a series of annual articles on this plat form, wherein we bring up Talat Mahmood’s Rare Duets. We have covered –

2017: Some of the Talat Mahmood Duets receding from the memory

2018:  Talat Mahmood’s Duet Combinations with Rare Co-singers

2019: Talat Mahmood Duets with Mubarak Begum and Madhubala Jhaveri

Presently, we will take up Talat Mahmood’s Duets with Geeta Dutt.

Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; 23 November 1930. Faridpur) was an accomplished singer who has left her deep imprint over film and non-films songs over several Indian languages, with her mellifluous, vivacious voice. She got her first break in Bhakta Prahlad (1946), when Pt. Hanuman Prasad gave her two lines to sing in two songs – Ab Jaani Re Pahchani Re and Suno Suno Binati Hamri Prabhu Ji Bhool Hui Mujhse Bhaari. However, the very next year she shot to big league with Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya (Do Bhai, Music: S  D Burman; Lyrics: Raja Mehandi Ali Khan).

Talat Mahmood had his first big box office success in Ae Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal (Arzoo, 1950, Music: Anil Biswas; Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri). In between his busy film and radio schedules, Talat Mahmood also used to travel over India for his singing concerts. Geeta Dutt would also accompany him in many such concerts. Both had excellent professional rapport.

However, the number of their duets are, relatively, few in numbers.  With a silken voice quality of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt’s wide range in low as well as high scales, it is no surprise that their duets left listeners with an ethereal trance. However, the inherent difference I their individual singing styles resulted in, relatively, fewer number of their duets.

Armaan Bhare Dil Ki Lagan Ter Liye Hai – Jaan Pahechan (1950) – Khemchand Prakash – Shakeel Badayuni

There could not have been a better opening to the Talat Mahmood’s duets with Geeta Dutt. The song, very rightly, sets up, and deservedly so, very high expectations for the duets of this pair.

Ham Hai Tere Diwane…Kisse Hai Ye Purane, Agar Tu Bura Na Mane – Shabistabn (1951) – with Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Qamar Jalalabadi

The second pearl from our jackpot is also such a sweet, known, duet. Only when you closely look at the vide, you get the feeling that song indeed is a teasing song, but the actors , and so too Talat, would be too chivalrous, to cross the gentleman-border-line, even in such romantic situations.

Hai Ye Mausam-e-bahar, Sun Jawani Ki Pukar – Shabistan (1951) – Madan Mohan – Qamar Jalalabadi

The films had two music directors recording four songs each.

Relatively, this would be ranked as less known one duets. The song is classic example of higher pitched Geeta Dutt vocal matching the lower scales of Talat in a perfect harmony.

Chitalkar sings the first line for some distant singer, which prompts Shyam to take up the main song in Talat Mahmood’s voice.

Kaho Ek Bar Mujhe Tumse Pyar.. Mujhe Tumse Pyar – Shabistabn (1951) –C Ramchandra – Qamar Jalalabadi

C Ramchandra sets the different scale ranges of the two singers to a romantic mood.

The song seems to have one more video link. I am not sure whether it is the second version in the film.

Kaise Rokoge Aise Toofan Ko – Anand Math (1951) – Hemant Kumar – Shailendra

Geeta Bali seems to be in two moods – one to keep the English officer on a wild hunt, and the other not only to inform her fugitive freedom fighter informed about the chase but to also tease the shy love of the impending implosion of their feelings when they will meet.

Ye Pyar Ki Raatein Ye Aaj Ki Baatein – Baghdad (1952) – with G M Durrani – Bulo C Rani – Raja Mehandi Ali Khan

Talat and Geta Dutt rhyme in perfect foil in this romantic song. G M Durrani joins Geeta Dutt in the second and fourth stanza. Why the song will have been so composed?

Chori Chori Dil Mein Samaya – Kaafila (1952) – Husnlal Bhagatram – Moti B A

Geeta Dutt’s soft vocals dominate in the duet with Talat singing just a word or two in the mukhda…and also it can be seen clearly that the last antara of Talat is clearly done in a lower note, so as to fit in his range. Use of piano in the orchestration adds to the melody of the song.

Sham Suhani Nadi Ke Kinare – Nishan Danka (1952) – Basant Prakash – S H Bihari

The song is set to leisurely waltz tune. succeeding so well the mood of the song  that would come up in the minds of the two love birds strolling on a serene river front, the fading light of the setting sun. The serenity mood seems to interspersed with some quick teasing too.

Kahin Preet Se Bhara Koi Geet Ga Raha – Paatal Bhairavi (1952) – Ghantshala – Pt. Indra

Ghantsala (Venkateshwara Rao) is a legend composer and singer of Telegu cinema. Here he has so deftly blended Talat and Geeta Dutt’s voices into a sweet melody.
The original Telugu version of the film was the then roaring hit.

Aaj Ki Raat Bhag More Jaage, Dekhun Piya Mukha Chanda – Ratan Deep (1952) – Robin Banerjee – Vidyapati

This relatively very obscure song epitomizes contrasting vocal styles of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Deep. Talat opens mukhada in lower scale., then joins Geeta Dutt on higher scale in the stanzas.

The song is really very pleasant experience listen to.

Sun Lo Ek Kahani Sun Lo – Ratan Deep (1952) – Robin Banerjee – Mahendra Pran, Mathur

Robin Banerjee once again deftly uses the contrasting vocal styles of Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt.

Here is the Bengali version of the song, in Hemant (Kumar) Mukherjee and Supreeti Ghosh’s voices.

Both version show how music director has made subtle changes in the compositions to leverage the inherent vocal qualities of the singers.

Asides Trivia:

Ratnadeep is remake of original 1951 Bengali original version. The film had a Tamil version as well.

Abhi Bhattacharya debuted in Hindi cinema with this film.

We will continue with Talat Mahmood’s duets with Geeta Dutt in our next episode net year.

We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music, March 2019

Welcome to March 2019 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

A tribute to Shashi Kapoor on his 81st birth anniversary: The many faces of the legendary Shakespeare Wallah

Rekha speaks through her eyes, which made her my choice for Umrao Jaan: Muzaffar Ali -For every art enthusiast, Muzaffar Ali’s home is a treat to the eyes. Speaking with him about his films while laying focus on his best-known work, Umrao Jaan (1981), we got to know a bit more about him and his process of bringing poetry and art to the 70mm screen and more.

Rarely Heard Ghulam Mohammad – on 51^st death anniversary – the lyrics formed an important part, then the actual tune.

Remembering Ravi through the songs that he wrote, Lata sings for Ravi and The silent giant-killer and the man of many-splendoured talents: Ravi are rich tributes to a music director who did not get credit befitting his success.

Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se Ajnabi – Gumraah – Strangers Once Again – the situation in life becomes such that you start feeling it is better to be strangers than being lovers. Music composer Ravi takes all the care to handle the delicate situation with utmost care. He uses only the piano (violin and percussion is just an accompaniment) and Mahendra Kapoor’s voice to convey Sahir’s thoughts.

The real mesmeriser Talat Mahmood: His best non-film songs capture some of the most remembered non-film songs of Talat Mahmood.

The Story Of A Sindbad – Shankarrao Biniwale, is narrated to us by Kaushal Inamdar in Marathi here. The post is English translation of that article. Shankarrao Biniwale was an accomplished violinist, who went around the world and explored the origins of violin.

Shailendra Sharma @ Golden Era of Bollywood has posted following memorial tribute posts:

• Johny Mera Naam, the film that influenced future H…
• The Great Thumris of Bollywood
• History behind the historical -MUGHAL_E_AZAM
• Forgotten Songs of HOLI
• Shashi Kapoor – The Man who made many Meaningful F…
• Ghulam Mohammed’ – The man who gave the Immortal M…
• The Undying Appeal of the Songs of Golden Era
• How the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna was Concieved …
• Qamar Jalalabadi – Who wrote “Mera Naam Chin Chin …
• Sahir Ludhianvi- A Journey as lyricist through the…
• Funny Bollywood Songs wtth the Names of Films and …
• Dev Anand lent his voice to one song, from the fil…
• Ravi – His music became a part of our life
• Kalyanji Anandji- From the Folk Music to Funky Mus…
• Manmohan Desai – The Film Maker that Ruled the Box…

Farooq Sheikh – A Man For All Seasons, who worked with directors like M S Sathyu, Satyajit Ray, Muzaffar Ali, Sai Paranjape, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Yash Chopra, Ketan Mehta, Ayan Mukherjee.

On Kundan Shah, Paigham, and Vyjayanthimala as the comic foil recollects a lighthearted scene in the 1959 Dilip Kumar-Vyjayanthimala-starrer Paigham

Flashback series: human pain and human comedy in Boot Polish (1954) recommends seeing the film because two child actors get top billing in a 1950s Hindi film… and earn it

March, 2019 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up S N Tripathi: Unremembered music director of remembered songs :1957 – 1960. This is the 3^rd article in the series on S N Tripathi. First two covered his songs from 1941 to 1950 and from 1951 to 1956 respectively in 2017 and in 2018.

And, now the posts on other subjects:

Barahmasa in film songs = Literally meaning ‘twelve months’, in music it refers to folk or light classical form of north and east India, sung primarily in the rainy season. E.g.

• Barkha ki raat aye manwa by Pankaj Mullick from Adhikar (1938), music Timir Baran
• O varsha ke pahle baadal mera sandesa le jana by Jagmohan Sursagar from Meghdoot (1945), lyrics Faiyyaz Hashmi, music Kamal Dasgupta

His girl Friday: Sanjeev Kumar and the ‘computer’ in Trishul, an economical, unobtrusive little moment in a larger-than-life film. The scene is where we are introduced to the middle-aged version of the businessman RK Gupta, played by Sanjeev Kumar, and his superbly resourceful secretary Geeta (Raakhee). The office scene in Trishul isn’t subdued or quirky, but it performs a comparable function – telling us something important about a character, a situation and an environment with a few minute brush-strokes.

Songs At The Opening Credits Of The Movie – Title songs carried a gist of that particular film and the songs at the opening credits sort of served as the preamble of that particular film. Though at times both combined as one and solved both purposes. Opening credit songs might not essentially have the title of film in it. Sometimes the film might also have both, opening credits having the title as well as independent title song. We have picked up a few examples form the article:

Dhund,

Umrao Jan

Rang Birangi – serves the purpose of title songs and an opening credit song.

Somewhat Cross-dressed Women ‘Romancing’ Women in Performances: Ten Songs from which I have picked out a few, which are relatively less-known-

• Chaakuwaala chhuriwaala (Al Hilal, 1958):
• Dupatta mera mal-mal ka (Adalat, 1958)
• As-salaam alekum babu (Kalpana, 1960)
• Jawaani jala bedardi (24 Ghante, 1958
• Chhodo chhodo ji baiyaan mori (Baradari, 1955)

Few Marathi songs by prominent Hindi singers has listed Marathi songs sung by Geeta Dut, Sudha Malhotra, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar and Moahammad Rafi, obviously excluding Lata Mageshkar, Asha Bhosle and Suamn Kalyanpuar. The post ends with a note on Lata Mangeshkar’s connection with Marathi cinema – a music director. Sixty-nine years back Lata Mangeshkar debuted as a Music Director in the Marathi movie Ram Ram Pavhana (1950). It is to be noted that in her first movie as a composer she used her own name. And it’s not clear why in the later four Marathi movies she gave music under the pseudonym- Anandghan. Anonymity I guess.  Her music was one of the 8 state awrds that Sadhi Manas got.

How SD Burman became as famous as the singers he worked with despite his thin, nasally voice – In edited excerpts from a reissued biography – Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman –  on SD Burman (known as Dada), H Q Chowdhury reopens the debate: was he a singer-composer or a composer-singer?

Who wrote the classic Hindi film ‘Aandhi’? And was it based on Indira Gandhi? Gulzar clears the air – In edited excerpts from an interview, by Saba Mahmood Bashir, in ‘Aandhi Insights into the Film’, Gulzar reveals how his Suchitra Sen-Sanjeev Kumar starrer got made.

Khilte Hain Gul Yahan – Sharmilee – Of Roses And Romance – One version rendered by Kishore Kumar and the other by Lata Mangeshkar. One is happy, the other is sad. The opening lines of both songs depict the sense of the opposites in the songs.

Songs with a Surprise! Share the opening lines by chance. The post has put up quite demaninding filters for the selection of these songs

• • The words should be from the opening lines of the songs
  • The songs should share at least four words.
  • The songs should not have been inspired from a well known ghazal or a bhajan,
  • The songs should be from two different films

Teri Dhoom Har Kahin – Kala Bazaar – Money Matters is a praise money situation –

Sooraj ke jaisi golaai
Chanda ki thandak bhi paayi
Thanke toh pyare duhai
Lai lai lai lai
Teri dhoom har kahin
Tujh sa yaar koi nahin
Hum ko toh pyare tu sab se pyara

In our tradition of ending our post with article on Mohammad Rafi or a topical song of his, I have picked up a few songs, each one of which basically has a link with the topics discussed in the present post.

Duniya Ki Haalat Naram Naram, Halwa Chhodo, Poodi Chhodo, Bajhiya Yeh Kha Lo Garam Garam–  Guzara-1(954) – Ghulam Muhammad – Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

Ghoda Peshauri Mera Tanaga Lahori  Mera –  Pyar Ka Bandhan (1963) – Ravi – Sahir Ludhyanavi

Beta Jamure Kah De Duniya Ko Lalakar Ke – Biradari (1966) – With Manna Dey – Chitragupta – Prem Dhawan

Kya Hua Maine Agar Ishq Ka Izahar Kiya – Yeh Dil Kis Ko Doon (1963) – with Asha Bhosle – Iqbal Quereshi – Qamar Jalalabadi

I am also not able resist temptation to recall one of my most favorite song – Ghulam mOhammad creation.

Hai Bas Ke Har Ek Unke Ek Ishare Pe Nishan Aur – Mirza Ghalib (1954)

I earnestly solicit your inputs for further broad-basing our cache for the content for our carnival of blogs on the 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.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music, February, 2019

Welcome to February, 2019 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

A Google Doodle created by Bangalore-based artist Muhammed Sajid on Madhubala’s 86the birthday tribute

MADHU BALA: The Bewitching Beauty of Bollywood – DP Rangan pays a rich tribute.

‘6 Iconic fashion statements we owe to Madhubala!’ looks back to some of the fashion trends that she made popular.

We also have post to remember Valentine’s Day – Ten of my favourite romantic serenades. It’s a list of romantic serenades, of people singing in praise of the person they’re in love with (or, as in the case of a couple of fraudulent characters in this list, pretending to be in love with).

For the Love of a Goddess – The article first takes through the narrative journey of a music documentary, Music for Goddess (by Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy and Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy), which explores the sacred music, dance and rituals of devidasis and devidasas, women and men dedicated to the goddess Renuka/Yellamma. It then introduces the instrument, the chaundka—also called chaundke, which the followers of the Goddes use mainly in their dancing and singing. The chaundka sounds similar to the damru. Our cinema has used the chaundka in several songs. The article has listed some of these songs.

Suman Kalyanpur – Sweetness Personified – The name conjures memories of lilting sweet songs, solos and duets that have gained immortality and enriched our music heritage. Peeyush Sharma revisits some of her evergreen melodies, enjoyed and cherished by generations of music lovers. Of the two duets she could get to sing with Mohammad Rafi, Din ho ya raat hum rahein tere saath (Miss Bombay, 1957, Hans Raj Behl / Prem Dhawan)  is perhaps more known than Duniya Ye Kehati Hai.. Meri Kismat Mein Likhi Wo Jo Mere Peechhe Baithi Hai

In a tribute to Bharat Vyas in his centenary birth year, last month we had touched  Bharat Vyas – The Prolific Lyricist – I and Bharat Vyas – The Prolific Lyricist – II . In part III of the series, his songs from ‘70s has been covered.

Here’s to the Birth or Death Anniversaries of Three Classic Hindi Film Artists Who Certainly Should Not Have Died In Poverty – The article refers to Cuckoo, Meena Shorey and Rajkumari. [I have searched a song in which each one is associated in a duet with Mohammad Rafi. The songs are at the end of the present article.]

Shailendra Sharma @ Golden Era of Bollywood has posted following memorial tribute posts:

• Navketan’s Guide- From Pages to Celluloid
• I S Johar – A Versatile Bollywood Personality
• The First Generation Composers of Bollywood
• Madhubala- A Journey from Baby Mumtaz to Madhubala…
• The Great Dacoit Films of Bollywood
• Pakeezah was the Taj Mahal for Kamal Amrohi
• Songs were the Integral Part of Dev Anand Personal…
• Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh’s chemistry worked l…
• The Rise and Fall of Iconic Studios and Banners of…
• Bhagwan Dada- The Original Dancing Star of Bollywo…
• Waheeda Rehman- A Journey from Kamini(C I D) to Nu…
• S D Burman was the Soul of Navketan Films

The flashback series has why you should watch Waqt (1965), because it’s a near-perfect summary of the “masala” film before the term was commonly used and why you should watch Mem Didi (1961) for the beautiful chemistry between three elderly character actors.

Waheeda Rehman 2.0 – The Grand Diva Of Hindi Cinema – Staying relevant is one of the most crucial elements of Hindi film industry and Waheeda Rehman is a living legend who has stayed relevant in every era since her debut in 1955 in Telugu and Tamil cinema.

Zameen Kha Gayi Aasman Kaise Kaise – Some Non-picturised Songs Of R D Burman – Part 1 and Part 2 – the songs that either recorded but not filmed at all or filmed, but subsequently removed.

February, 2019 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs takes up Talat Mahmood’s duets with Mubarak Begum and Madhubala Jhaveri, in continuation to  the previous articles . Some of the Talat Mahmood Duets receding from the memory and Talat Mahmood’s Duet Combinations with Rare Co-singers.

And, now the posts on other subjects:

Romancing the Pardesi is a varied collection of beautiful Pardesi songs of separation, longing, betrayal and hope.

What Time It Is? is a theme-based list that has songs mentioning the actual time in the opening line.

With Claps As Percussion – Songs With A Difference, which has several over-riding conditions, one of which it is that it should not be an O P Nayyar composition. Here is one song that comes up as result:

 Nacho Jhoom Jhoom Ke – Sarhad (1960) – Chitalkar – C Ramchandra – Majrooh Sultanpuri

By the Sea Shore remembers the songs from the films of 50s-60s and 70s, picturized on a seashore or a beach.

Reluctant Singer? Take a Boat Ride – Transformation happens to many people when they are on a boat that has left the shores some time ago. The songs listed herein are the ones that were sung by such “What, me sing?” folks when on the land. This is a celebration of people who themselves manage to move a sea vessel from one place to another.

Tujhe chaand ke ‘bahaane’ dekhun ki ‘chhat’ par aa ja goriye is a rich collection of songs in which an excuse to go to the terrace is linked up.

‘The Guide’ in English: The story of Dev Anand’s abortive attempt to storm Hollywood – Based on RK Narayan’s novel of the same name, the film was directed by Tad Danielewski. But reviewers thought it was ‘clumsy and artless’.

Mose Chhal Kiye Jaaye – Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya – Guide – The Twofold Stunner -The Writer / Director, Vijay Anand, wants his songs to take his story forward. He opts for two different songs…back to back and Burman da composes those two songs. Both songs have the same notes!!!! Whereas Lata Mangeshkar song is an accusation of the feeling of cheating, Mohammad Rafi’s song is a romantic plea for the sake of his love.

Songs of दास्तान- ए – हाल – ए -दिल weave anguish or agitation, and some time happiness, or sheer romance, when a person comes up to tell his / her heart-felt feelings.

We are bit late in documenting ‘Songs in the Snow: Ten of my favourites’. The songs should feature some amount of snow; it need not necessarily be all against a backdrop of snow. And the snow, even if it’s not real should at least not look patently fake.

In our tradition of ending our post with article on Mohammad Rafi or a topical song of his, I have picked up a few songs, each one of which basically has a link with the topics discussed in the present post.

Akhiyan Mail Ke Jara Baat Karo Ji – Pardes (1950) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Ghulam Mohammad – ShakeelBadayuni

Aao Chale Manwa More Door Chale Kahin Re – Amar Prem (1948) – with Rajkumari – Dutt Thakur – Mohan Mishra

Tumhein Chupke Se Dil Mein Liya – Ek Do teen (1953) – with Asha Bhosle – Vinod – Aziz Kashmiri

Chowpati Par Kal Jo Tujhse – Afsana (1951) – with Shmashad Begum – Husnlal Bhagatram – Chander Oberoi

Kehdo Kehdo Jahan Se Kehdo Ishq Par Jor Nahin – April Fool (1964) – with Suman Kalyanpur – Shanker Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

Auraton Ke Dibbe Mein Mard Aa Gaya – Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh (1962) – With Suman Kalyanpur – Hansraj Behl – Prem Dhawan

Tere Peechhe Phirte Phirte Ho Gaya Pura Sal – Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh (1962) – With Suman Kalyanpur – Hansraj Behl – Prem Dhawan

I earnestly solicit your inputs for further broad-basing our cache for the content for our carnival of blogs on the 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.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – May, 2018

Welcome to May 2018 edition of Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music.

We begin our May, 2018 episode with two very different subjects – The Heat of Summer and 114^th Birthday of K L Saigal (which was in fact in April)

Heat and dust and cinema  – Uday Bhatia / Jai Arjun Singh  recollect memorable scenes from films old and new that show the Indian summer in all its uncompromising glory.

K L Saigal’s 114^th birthday – Created by guest artist Vidhya Nagarajan, here is the   Doodle that celebrates Saigal’s illustrious career with a portrait of the singer doing what he does best.

Early concepts of the Doodle below:

And, now, we take up the tributes in May, 2018:

Director Arjun Hingorani dies at 92 – The filmmaker had directed Dharmendra’s debut film, ‘Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere’, and collaborated with the actor several times.

Balraj Sahni would turn ‘Jailor to Prisoner in Sixty Minutes!’ while shooting for Hulchul (1951).

Noted lyricist, poet, politician Balkavi Bairagi dies in MP (13 May, 2018). His short Hindi Film lyricist career took roots in 1966 film Gogola. His songs had a very natural earthy flavor. Along with Talat – Mubarak Begum duet – Jara Kahe Do Fizzaon Se – another duet of Minu Purushottam and Usha Mangeshkar – Dekho Dekho Balma Pyara – was also very popular in those days.

The most Popular Mothers Of Bollywood is a tribute to mothers on the silver screen on Mothers’ Day.

Second Sunday in May presents an alphabetical list of actresses who did exceptional work as mothers, with just one film per person, along with the actor or actress they played a mother to… and then goes on to narrate a very depressing, but real, story of bitter war over property after Nirupa Roy and then her husband’s passing away.

Shyam: The Big Heart behind the Swashbuckling Hero – By Antara Nanda Mondal – Shyam – the screen idol of the forties with his irresistible charm, good looks, style and panache left behind a brief but redoubtable repertoire of films. Even 67 years after his untimely death, Indian cinema remembers this actor with awe and affection. Bimal Chadha, the nephew of Shyam, (eldest son of Shyam’s younger brother Harbans Chadha), and his family have lovingly treasured Shyam’s memories, photos, letters, handwritten cards, books and belongings.

Talat Mahmood: A Mesmeriser  – DP Rangan pays a tribute to Talat Mahmood on his 20th death anniversary (24 February 1924 – 9 May 1998) by remembering his less heard songs.

Raat Aur Din’ is a fitting swansong for Nargis’s wide-ranging talent –  Satyen Bose’s much-delayed movie features Nargis in the dual role of a demure housewife and her bold alter ego.

Sebastian D’Souza: The Master of Counter Melodies – Dr Padmanabh Joshi – The “parallel tune for a song” technique, known as a Counter-Melody, created with violin, cello, piano, Spanish guitar or an organ was introduced in Shankar-Jaikishan’s music by a musician – a violinist from Goa – Sebastian D’Souza.

My Favourites by Prem Dhawan – Prem Dhawan was a multi-talented personality. He was basically a poet and a choreographer, but also a lyricist, a good dancer and a competent music director too.

Greatness in the shadow of the giants: Bulo C Rani is a tribute to Bulo C Rani on his 25^th death anniversary (6 May 1920 – 24 May 1993)

May, 2018 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs is dedicated to Manna Dey to remember his less heard songs from 1943 to 1946..

Manna Dey: A Rare Voice That Excelled In All Music Genres – Antara Nanda Mondal – Manna Dey’s expertise in complex classical renditions helped him excel in a variety of genres of Hindi film music and modern “adhunik” songs, creating everlasting songs.

And, now the posts on other subjects:

Funny Songs on Biwi/Shaadi in Hindi Films  showing how life changes after marriage, or how they are fed up with their wife, etc –

Male Voices, Female Feelings where the song, picturised on the heroine, is actually a male solo, with the male voice expressing the woman’s emotions e.g. Subah na aayi shaam na aayi – Cha Cha Cha (1964) / Singer: Mohammed Rafi / Music: Iqbal Qureshi / Lyrics: Neeraj

‘Twinkling Stars’ in Hindi Film Songs enlists songs with word ‘Sitara’, or its other forms in it.

The path, the traveller, the journey and the destination captures all the romance and diverse emotions of raah, musafir, safar and manzil in Hindi film songs.

Copy Cat Songs Of Bollywood Part 1 and (Part 2)  which are copied or respectfully say Inspired from International songs.

Engagements With Shama is an interesting tale of relationship between shama and parwana (a flame and a moth) which then revolves around songs in which the flame waiting  for the guests. Interestingly, the  moth dones the role of a crazed lover.

Ten of my favourite Khwaab/Sapna songs that talk about dreams, Dreams in which the beloved features, dreams about a rosy future alongside the love of one’s life.

A Story of Broken Dreams has listed songs that actually describe broken dreams

Chand Kabhi Tha Bahon Mein – Sapan Suhane (1961) Sabita Bannerji / Salil Choudhari – Shailendra

Toot Gaya Hai Sapna – Nishani (1942) Naseem Akhtar / Pandit Amarnath – Aziz Kashmiri

Sapane Toot Gaye – Daak Babu (1954) Asha Bhosle / Dhaniram – Prem Dhawan

Naam Gum Jaayega is about people like Michael Caine, Manna Dey or Harivanshray Bachchan changing their names,

Dance and drama: Vyjayanthimala is at her sinuous best in ‘Nagin’ – The 1954 popular classic has some brilliant Hemant Kumar tunes, which have been performed to perfection by the gifted actor and dancer.

Rhythms of Shankar Jaikishan – Legendary music composers Shankar Jaikishan created not only a mammoth repertoire of hit songs in Hindi film music, they also set many a style and precedent in the use of instruments to create sounds and rhythms. Anand Desai picks five songs from SJ’s ocean of music to exemplify their creativity in using classical Raags, Taals, acoustics, instruments and sounds to craft everlasting music:

• Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi – Aawara (1951) – Lyrics: Shailendra
• O Basanti Pawan Pagal Na Ja Re Na Ja – Jis Desh Mein Ganaga Baheti Hai (1960) – Lyrics: Shailendra
• Ich Liebe Disch.. I Love You – Sangam (1964)
• Hum Pyar Ka Sauda Karte Hai Ik Bar – Zindagi (1964) – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
• Tumhe Aur Kya Dun Main Dil Ke Siwa – Aayee Milan Ki Bela (1964) – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

We have commenced Micro View of Best songs of 1947: And the winners are? with male solo songs of Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Manna Dey, G M Durrani, Surendra and K L Saigal.

In our tradition of ending our post with article on Mohammad Rafi or a topical song of his, I have picked up songs that basically have link with the topics discussed in the present post.

Paigam Kayamat Ka Katil Ne De Diya, Sajde Mein Sar Jhuka Ke Mere Dil Me Le Liya  – Kshitij (1974)  – with Preeti Sagar,Krishna Kalle,Manna Dey –  Sharda – Bal Kavi Bairagi

Phool Sa Chahera Chand Si Rangat Chal Qayamat Kya Kahie – Raat Aur Din (1967 ) – Shanker Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

I earnestly seek your suggestions / inputs / criticisms so as to make our Film Blog Festival more interesting and live.

Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: February, 2018

Talat Mahmood’s Duet Combinations with Rare Co-singers

For most of the lovers of Hindi Film Music, Talat Mahmood is remembered almost every day through his 800 + songs. So, we need to devise an apt expression to remember him in the month (24^th February, 1924) of his birth anniversary.

We have taken up refreshing our memory of some of the duets that seem to be receding from our memory. Last year, when we penned down such duets, we had had a panorama of such duets with a wide spectrum of co-singers. The great bulk of his duets obviously remain with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle and to some extent with Geeta Dutt and Shamshad Begum. His duets with other singers like Suraiya, Mubarak Begum or Sudha Malhotra or Madhubala Zaveri are relatively few in numbers. So is the case with his duets with other male co-singers. In some of cases like, Rajkumari, Surinder Kaur, Sulochana Kadam, Meena Kapoor, Nirmala Devi or Amirbai Karanataki the song was only one of its kind.  Talat Mahmood’s duets with other male singers also range from very popular to quite obscure songs. His presence in Triads / Triads + songs also remains noteworthy.

(L to R) Meena Kapoor- Geetadutt- Talat Mahmood-VanShipley

For the present episode we will focus on Talat Mahmood’s duets with co-singers who can be considered as ‘rare’ combinations.

Purwai Pawan Laharaye – Tum Aur Main (1947) – with Syperwa Sarkar – Robin Chaterjee – Zakir Hussain

One can find Talat Mahmood – Superwa Sarkar duets in a couple of more films, till 1949. The music directors of these films are from Bengal. Was this the hangover effect of Talat Mahmood’s Calcutta days?

Dil Mera Tera Diwana – Apni Izzat (1952) – with Madhubala Zaveri – Hansraj Bah – Pt. Phani,

Madhubala Zaveri has around 110 songs, spread over a span of 1951 to 1958, in 55 Hindilms plus 27 Marathi and 3 Gujarati films. Incidentally, her debut song – Tum Kaun Ho Rajkumari Ye Chanda Sa Mukhda Idhar To Karo (Rajput, 1951) in Hindi films was under the baton of Hansraj Behl, a duet with Talat Mahmood. She was just 16 years old at that time.

Ghir Ghir Aaye Badarwa Kaare – Daak Babu (1954) – with Mubarak Begum – Dhaniram – Prem Dhawan

Talat Mahmood – Mubark Begum Duets is a good study in the very contrasting qualities of voice.  Though not ‘many’ in numbers, there are a few very evergreen songs to the credit of this duo, but that is perhaps a subject of an independent post in the future.

BTW, the song would have been portrayed on screen by Talat Mahmood himself as well.

We find two versions of the song on YT. This one has Mubarak Begum accompanying Talat Mahmood.

And this version has Talat Mahmood almost in solo mode.

Jab Yahaan Se Jaaunga Main Aur Kya Le jaaunga – Hatimtai Ki Beti (1955) – with S. Balbir – A R Quereshi – Shewan Rizvi

Talat Mahmood does not have many really joyous boisterous songs to his credit. But, whichever few such songs one gets to listen, he does not dissatisfy his fans.

Ek Bar To Mil Lo Gale Bichchad Hum Chale, Na Koi Fariyad Rahe – Andheri Nagri Chopat Raja (1955) – with Sudha Malhotra – Avinash Vyas – Bharat Vyas

Sudha Malhotra is one of many playback singer stars who got overshadowed by the full-moon glory of Lata Mangeshkar sisters.

Main Hun Alibaba – Char Chand – with Asha Premlata – (Shaukat Dehlvi) Nashaad – A Karim

We find one more of a light-toned, dance song, which may not be very difficult to recall by the core Talat Mahmood fans- even if they do not recollect who his co-singer was.

Tum Pe Quaraban Dil Tum Pe Sadake Nazar – Sakhi Lutera (1959) – with Usha Balsavar – B N Bali – Aziz Ghazi

The ‘rare’ co-singer, ‘rare’ music director, an obscure forgotten film and light-hearted tune would possibly make up an ideal recipe for the delicious dish to get deep into the recesses of the memory.

Mere Shareek-E-Sahar – Wali-E-Azam (1965) – with Hemlata – Chitragupta – Ahmed Wasi

Several indications mention this as possibly the last film song that Talat Mahmood recorded.  It seems that the shoe-string budget of the film has landed the music director and the co-singer with Talat Mahmood’s the then recently found popularity with ‘Jahanara’.

An interesting aside:

The official Talat Mahmood site has a handwritten note which Talat Mahmood had written down on a letterhead of Chitragupta at the time of recording the song.

No article on Talat Mahmood would be complete without mention of his Non-Fim Songs.

Wo Jo Roothhen To Manaana Chaahiye   – NFS(1969) – with Mukesh – Murli Manohar Swaroop  -Jigar Muradabadi/ Mirza Ghalib,

Talat Mahmood and Mukesh have collaborated in several triads / triads + songs in films like Pagle, Biwi Aur Makan, Love and God etc. However, we find their duets only in the NFS domain.

The wholly Talat Mahmood devoted site – talatamahmood.net – has mentioned a few more duets of Talat Mahmood that we would have loved to cover in this episode. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a soft to link audio link of these songs:

• Ab Mushkil Ha Phir Se Milana Bhul Jao To Achha Hai – Saaya – with Ashima Banerjee – Ram Ganguli – Verma Malik
• Auron Ke Liye – Taxi 555 – with an unidentified female singer – Sardar Malik

Talat Mahmood and Mohammad Rafi have several duets – and most of them very popular then and remembered now. So their duets cannot really be listed under ‘rare’ tag. But every rule has an exception. And we have one here, a Talat – Rafi duet, which is relatively less remembered, that helps us to comply with out other tradition of end our episodes with a Mohammad Rafi Song.

Bhar De Jholi Allah Naam – Laila Majnu (1953) – Mohammad Rafi – Ghulam Mohammad – Shakeel Badayuni

The song perhaps epitomizes two distinct phases of Shammi Kapoor’s career. His pre-Tumsa Nahin Dekha phase hadTalat Mahmood was his default playback singer. Here,  the initial part of the songs, mostly by the fakirs on the screen is in the voice of Mohammad Rafi.  When Shammi Kapoor gets to sing the second interlude, it is Talat Mahmood who takes over @ Jaan-e-tamanna jalwa Dikha De…

We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.

Carnival of Blogs on Golden Era of Hindi Film Music – December, 2016

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

We will begin our present episode on a lighter note with You’ve never heard the demonetized version of this famous song from Guru Dutt’s ‘Pyaasa’. As a parody, ‘When it was our turn in the queue, the bank’s coffers were empty‘ is a part of sort of mini cottage industry – These Bollywood spoofs on demonetisation will tide you over the cashless blues.

December, 2016 also had another major event- passing away of Tamil Nadu CM, J Jayalalithaa.

• Dharmendra Remembers Co-Star Jayalalithaa In Her Only Hindi Film in  the tribal girl’s role in Izzat (1968)was that of a talkative, chirpy and aggressively attention-grabbing girl.,dancing with fluent grace to Lata Mangeshkar’s fabulously rendered song Jaagi re badan mein jawala saiyyan tuney kya kar dala and Ruk ja zara babu re babu re.
• When Jayalalithaa sang ‘Aaja Sanam madhur chandni’ on Simi Garewal’s show : Garewal also got the former chief minister to reveal about her crushes: cricketer Nari Contractor and Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor, whom she never met. Watch the entire interview here.

Wadia and Nadia: How love kicked in pre-Bollywood filmdom – Nadia was a JBH discovery. But it was Homi (May 22, 1911 – December 10, 2004) who gave this memsahib with a thick Scottish accent, a voice. “Homi realised her language was her ‘body’,” says film theorist and curator Amrit Gangar. “He kept Nadia’s dialogue to a bare minimum because of her difficulty with Hindi.”

Mary Ann Evans aka Fearless Nadia in a still from Carnival Queen, 1955

Happy Birthday Dharmendra: As he turns 81, we bring you his various filmi moods – He was probably the first Indian male star who appeared bare-chested in a song in Phool Aur Patthar. From Anupama (1966) to Satyakam (1969), Dharmendra tried to create a space for himself as an actor. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chupke Chupke is another film which proved that the actor could balance subtle comedy just as well as slapstick elsewhere.

MS Subbulakshmi: A journey from Kunjamma to Meera – is N Venkataraman’s tribute on her birth centenary (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004).

December is also a month of birth dates of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, two fulsome actors of the Great Triad.

Dilip Kumar – Leaves from My Diary in an interview conducted in 1957.

Prithivi Raj Kapoor with sons and a grand son

15 Songs of Shailendra: The Art of Simply Expressing Deepest Thoughts – On Shailendra’s death anniversary,Antara Nanda Mondal and Peeyush Sharma have compiled a brief list of 15 songs that give a glimpse of his massive range – encompassing songs of love and romance, songs of introspection and philosophies, songs of spiritual awakening and harsh social realities, songs of that celebrate liberation and songs that express the anguish of entrapment.

We have an excellent career-sketch of Sitara Devi: The Twinkling Star profiled by Karan Bali on her second death anniversary on 25^th November.  Some of her memorable films are Judgement of Allah (1935), Achhut (1940), Pagal (1940) and India Today (1940)., Roti (1942), Najman (1943) or her snake dance in Anjali (1957) or the Holi dance in Mother India (1957).

We will also take note of A Short Film Tribute to Sitara Devi   

Karan Bali has also profiled PC Barua, who is most easily remembered for K L Saigal’s songs of Devdas (1935) or Saigal’s So Ja Raajkumari So Ja (Zindagi).

The December, 2016 episode of Fading Memories, Unforgettable Songs was dedicated to Mohammad Rafi’s solo song from the first film with the music director. This part of the article covered the first three years of the first-five-year-period of 1944-1948. The second part of the article, has covered songs from 1947 and 1948 @ Mohammad Rafi’s Solo Song From The FIRST Film With The Music Director ||2||.

Here are posts on other subjects as well:

Shyam Benegal’s ‘Ankur’ and the beginning of a film movement – A Book Review by Sangeeta Datta – A script written during the filmmaker’s college years became the foundation of his sparkling career as one of cinema’s greatest realists.

Smita Patil as a child: Mischievous, adventurous, emotional and an excellent mimic – In her review Maithili Rao notes that  Smita Patil biography reveals that the acclaimed actor, whose death anniversary is on December 13, was ‘prem mayee’: a being suffused with love.

More Delicious Chutney Covers of Hindi Film Songs – After the introductory piece, we can now expect this to be a regular fare.

Southern Spice in Hindi Music highlights key aspects of South Indian music that have been absorbed in Hindi film songs, that have added what one would call as a dash of Southern spice in Hindi film music. This is not about the vocal styles from South India, but instruments from South India. LINK TO PLAYLIST FOR SOUTHERN SPICE IN HINDI FILM MUSIC takes us to 12 such songs from 1940s to’60s, with one exception.

I have been able to land upon this quite an imaginative subject – “Samne waali khidki” songs rather belatedly.

Shankar-Jaikishan’s multi-faceted genius with ‘other’ singers – have covered so far their best songs for his leading singers, Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh, Rafi and Manna Dey. also presented his best dance songs for Lata Mangeshkar and female dance duets. presenting my final tribute to SJ with their songs for ‘other’ singers which give a glimpse of their multi-faceted talent.

My Favourites: Heroes – 1 (40s-70s)  is the pairing list of earlier  My Favourites: Heroines – 1 (40s-70s) , based on an idea of Stars and Songs, that the author, Ava Suri, particularly like featuring the actress. In the continuum, Zeenat Aman – My favorite Songs is a collection of Baker’s dozen songs that have matching visuals to the catchy lyrics with Zeenat Aman in the focus and Ashok Kumar – 10 favorite songs that the actor sang as well as performed on the screen.

‘Diya Na Bujhe Ri Aaj Hamara’ – Kumkum The first song I got as a dancer was the song “Angana Baaje Shehnai Re, Aaj Mori Jagmag Atariya” in the film Sheesha which was sung by Shamshad Begum. ‘Raat Ke Raahi’s song ‘Daayein Baayein Chhup Chhupa Ke Kahaan Chale’ was picturized on Kumkum’s younger sister Radhika and Shammi Kapoor.Radhika also stays with her family in Mumbai.

Trios, Quartets, and More: Ten of my favourite songs has presented songs such as:

Bas mujhko mohabbat ho gayi hai (Biwi aur Makaan), 1966); Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant, Talat Mahmood. There is one more such experiment in the same film – Nahi Hota… Aa Tha Jab Janam Liya – Mukesh, Manna Dey & Hemant Kumar

The Legends: Asha Bhosle sets the tone with the help of solos and The Legends: Asha Bhosle – Part 2 has her duets.

We end today’s episode with a short film on songs and life of Mohammad Rafi: Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3. 

I take this opportunity to wish a great 2017 to all of you and look forward to your valued suggestions to keep our content more engrossing…