Big B remembers Panchamda on his birth anniversary

Today is RD Burman’s 68th birth anniversary. Diganta Guha speaks to Amitabh Bachchan who had a great association with him.

When did you first meet RD Burman and what struck you? 
I think it was with Mehmood bhai. They were very close. It was Mehmood bhai 

People are right. His compositions in films with Dev saheb and Rajesh Khanna are legendary. They were pure magic.

They contain the subtlety, purity and aesthetic quality of Bengal, yet the exuberance of a modern world enveloped in the fantasised commercial Hindi cinema of Mumbai. I am fortunate to have had some very memorable hits from him, but his works with Dev saheb and Rajesh Khanna were far superior.

He had the great quality of mixing classical, folk and modern music at will. Today his music lives on with even greater gusto — a recognised quality of a genius.

What made RD special?
He had the great quality of mixing classical, folk and modern music at will. Today his music lives on with even greater gusto — a recognised quality of a genius. Some during his lifetime perhaps were unable to appreciate or fathom his talent.

Some are of the view that RD Burman surpassed SD Burman. Do you agree?
I disagree. SD Burman was divine. Pancham was more flamboyant and more youthful. I doubt if even Panchamda would have endorsed this. 

Five of your favourite RD tracks?
The ones with Hrishida (Hrishikesh Mukherjee), another with Basuda (Basu Chatterjee) and the Kaalia number Jahan teri yeh nazar hai. Very few know that this was a composition that he and I sat together on after I had heard a Persian tune and we worked to imbibe a few notes that we liked on that number.

You are in the Sholay remake and RD is no more. There must be a vacuum...
Yes, of course. The original will always remain a masterpiece.

One film where RD scored the music you would have loved to be part of?
Amar Prem with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore and directed by Shakti Samanta...the remake of the Bengali film, Nishipadma. Incredible music. Everlasting.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/music/Big-B-remembers-Panchamda-on-his-birth-anniversary/Article1-232995.aspx

(pic: Shashank Chickermane)

साथ तुम्हारा पंचम

'छोटे नवाब 'से फ़िल्मी सफर शुरू करने वाले पंचम को पहला ब्रेक बतौर संगीतकार दिया उनके दोस्त और कॉमेडियन  महमूद ने ! और इसी  फिल्म में लता मंगेशकर ने पंचम के लिए  गाया  एक बेमिसाल गीत 'घर आजा घिर आये बदरा सांवरिया'...पर सफलता अभी थोड़ी से क़दम दूर थी जल्द ही मिली 'तीसरी क़सम' और फिल्म में एक अलग तरह का संगीत रच  दिया हमारे पंचम ने !शुरुआत के दिनों में  जो गीत काम्पोज  करने में  पंचम को काफी ख़ुशी महसूस हुई वो था 'ओ हसीना जुल्फों वाली  जाने जहाँ .रफ़ी और आशा जी का युगल गीत जिसे खुद गाने से पहले रफ़ी साहब ने कहा था की इसे गाने के लिए कम से कम ३
-४ रिहर्सल तो ज़रूर करनी पड़ेगी !

 

We have had posts wherein the composer is Lata.. we have had songs wherein the composer is Meena.. time for the third sibbling now.. the composer is the effervescent ASHA BHOSLE!


Ashatai composed for this album titled 'Aapki Asha' in 2002 which had IMO few wonderful songs and few mediocre songs as well.. but Asha being Asha made it sound wonderful in her silken voice. 'Na Marte Hum To Kya Karte..' is the most famous song of this album.. but today I am posting a comparatively lesser heard song from this album and my absolute favourite..


This album was a seamless blend of Asha's melodic association with both O.P.Nayyar and R.D.Burman.. her compositions tend to showcase how much an impact the styles for these two stalwarts had on her... here is the beautiful 'Uljhi Laton Ki Tarah..'

When terrible events occur, they occur in a bulk! This year has been probably one of those dreadful years in the music arena wherein the despair, gloom and agony just doesnt seem to pass by. By the time you are recovering from one shock, we are hit in our face with one more devastating setback. But somewhere today the heavens will be sounding heavenly in the real sense, with all the maestros celebrating a 'mehfil' there.. wish I was a part of the audience there, even if that means leaving this mehfil on this earth here..
USTAD SULTAN KHAN.. the pioneer of an instrument whose chords when struck feel as if someone is strucking the chords of your heart.. the man who made this extremely difficult to play instrument look extremely delicate with the sheer dexterity of his hand and unsurpassable passion for music... the connoisseur of music who travelled globally, collaborated internationally, expanded his horizons through the generations and musicians across generations.. the man whose music made the listener enter the zone of tranquility and trance.. the genius, the master, the legend, the stalwart.. all seems so distant today as we have lost him forever.
His was the one who gave Sarangi a global face.. and somewhere today that Sarangi is left stranded, faceless, alone in a corner.. its time to revive it, time to stand up and salute this impeccable personality with all the possible dignity, honesty and reverance! The innumerable blissful moments that he has embedded in our lives are all clustered today to bow down in memory and admiration of this legend. 
I have so much to say and so much to post, but somewhere by feet are stopping by this Bhairavi Jugalbandi with the eminent Sitarist Ustad Rais Khan and Pandit Anindo Chatterjee on the Tabla. 
'Shayad insaano'n ki is dharti par is sangeet sartaj ka ye aakhri paigaam hoga.'

We have had posts expatiating Ustad Ji's work in the classical domain, ghazal domain, non-film modern mix domain.. here is Ustad Sultan Khan in the Thumri domain of music and who else that the Thumri Samrangni Shobha Gurtu to join him...

A WINTER ROMANCE :)

The chills, the shivers, the cutesy weather, the rosy mornings, the sleeping late in the blankets, the hot chocolate (coffee or tea respectively for others according to their taste), the warmth exuded by your loved ones which seems a tad bit more, the early morning indolence, the long luscious evenings.. its a season to love.. its a season to feel cheerful about... it is a season full of soft, silken moments.. its WINTER!

मुस्काई सर्दी की धूप,
इठलाई सर्दी की धूप |

सरसों के फूलों सी खिलकर ,
पुलकाई सर्दी की धूप |

उचक -उचक कर, उछल उछल कर,
तुतलाई सर्दी की धूप |

कम्बल -जैसा संबल देकर,
मन भाई सर्दी की धूप |

पर्वत से लेकर आँगन तक,
घिर आई सर्दी की धूप |

(Geeta Dutt : Yeh hawa yeh fiza : Non film song)

Being the season of love.. of romance.. the soft waltzes.. the lingering moments... winter gives you all in a 'warm' cozy blanket!

(Romance in Winter - Wedding Piano Music by Miranda Wong)

(and who better than Beegie Adair to make you fall in love.. with the weather and with this lovely Jazz piece..)

and how about some Dean Martin with it talking about romance?!

What do I say today? How do I even start? Do I have the words, the emotions, the attributes, the annotations, the prowess to even start taking about the voice that has made my life worth living? This day is more special to me than even my own birthday.. it gave me something that I can never repay back.. and I am happy to be indebted for life!

Lata Mangeshkar and Mehndi Hasan together! Something that happens once in a blue moon.. and we are fortunate that we are able to witness that blue moon.. MAGIC ALLOVER!

Yes, both the voices have aged.. (who knows if we would even be alive till their ages, forget working with such inexplicable enthusiasm) but is the charm lost? Naah.. not for me atleast! The way she sings 'Tujhe Chhu Loon To Phir Zinda Lage Hai..' for the second time, does it for me! Goosebump session starts...

Mayuresh Pai's amazing ghazal album, Farhat Shahzad's wonderful words (and Javed Akhtar at his best in the other songs).. this is SARHADEIN !!

Emono Dine Tare Bola Jai

emono dine Probably the last non-film album Hemantda composed and lent his voice for. (He sang only in one more film after this titled Rajnartaki (1991), 'Hari Bol Hari..' penned and composed by Bireswar Sarkar). But as they say, the flame flickers brightly before it goes off.. and rightly so, what serenity Hemantda has in his voice here! The sanctity of Rabindranathbabu's words (though I dont understand the language, but it touched deep inside for sure) is aptly depicted by Hemantda in his singing. WOW!

And certainly what an association it has been of Hemantda composing / singing Tagore songs.. started AFAIK in 1944 with 'Keno Patho E Chanchalota..' and 'Amar Aar Habe Na Deri..'.. all through the decades, this voice kept mesmerizing us.. and his tunes kept enthralling us! What a man!

P.S. I kindly request all my Bengali friends to correct me if I am wrong and certainly add their expertise over Hemantda's Rabindrasangeet.

जब दर्द के घने बादल घिर के आते है और तन्हाई आस-पास मंडराती है, तब कही से एक आवाज़ आती है जो दिल को ठंडक और सुकून दे जाती और कहती है की 'आज नहीं कोई अपना जिसे ग़म ये सुनाये..', जब ख़ुशी से ज़िंदगी सराबोर हो तब एक आवाज़ आती है और कहती है, 'आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है..', जब प्यार करने को मन ललचाये तब एक आवाज़ फिर से कह उठती है, 'प्यार को हो जाने दो, प्यार में खो जाने दो..'

और पता नहीं ज़िंदगी के ना जाने ऐसे कितने जज़्बात है जिनके साथ एक आवाज़ का साथ हमेशा रहा है.. पता नहीं ज़िंदगी में क्या रह जाता गर ये एक आवाज़ हमारा हाथ थामे हमें चलना नहीं सिखाती.. कुछ भी हो हालत, कुछ भी हो जज़्बात, एक आवाज़ की जादू, एक आवाज़ का नशा हमेशा वही रहेगा.. और ये आवाज़ उस शक्सियत, उस एक हस्ती की है जिसने हमें ज़िंदगी के मायने सिखा दिए... लता मंगेशकर!!

८२ साल की आवाज़ में आज भी उतनी ताक़त है की हमारी रूह काँप उठे, साथ में वो अपनापन भी है की उसी रूह को हौले से छुले.. हर लम्हा जिस आवाज़ के साथ बिताया है, उस आवाज़ को आज जन्मदिन पर ढेर सारी शुभकामनाएँ.. अपनी माँ के बात अगर किसी आवाज़ ने मुझे सहलाया है तो

वो लतादी की है...

A voice that transcends places, distances and time.. a voice that elevates a human soul to stratosperic levels, making every living moment sublime! To that voice, to that phenomenon, to that magnum opus.. to Lata Mangeshkar... HATS OFF! Thank you Latadi for just about everything...

Lata and Asha both have a strong classical base.. and it is also said that had they not entered film music or had Master Dinnanath lived longer, they would have certainly become classical singers.
And why not? The range they show even in their classical songs is tremendous !So talking of classical songs, the mere thought of having both of them singing in tandem in a pure classical format is something that even God's up there in heaven will wait and listen to and this is exactly what happens in this song.
Its more of a duet (though technically a triet) as Mannada (as the Tansen) just starts the song and Lata-Asha (as Tana-Riri) take the song forward and sing the bulk of the song (rather nearly the entire song). But what is exasperating is the fact that both of them are in full form... with singing reaching the highest pinnacle of musical brilliance.
The taan's at the end are unbelievable.. you have to necessarily pinch yourself to believe what you hear.. Asha starts, Lata takes over, Asha proceeds, Lata picks it up and goes to the taar saptak, the tempo increases, Asha continues to swirl in the taar saptak and then just as the clouds burst, both of them literally burst in the 'aati-taar' saptak showering us with rain of magical genius... mesmerizing music.. nerve-numbing dexterity.
This Megh Malhar from Sangeet Samrat Tansen (1962) composed by S.N.Tripathi is the ultimate edifice of startling, staggering, scintillating rendition. Hats off to these two musical magnum opuses!

This song reverberates in your ears and you cant get over it! Vishal Bharadwaj has come up with the score of his lifetime!

It has so many instruments so effectively used that even with the use of them the entire song gives a minimalistic use of instrument feel... thats where the song wins!

Firstly, the stunning use of the Ghatam.. the way the ghatam comes into picture at around 2:22 is superfine... but actually that is not when it enters the song.. its there right from the beginning... soft, subtle in the background!
Then the exceptional use of the Flute... both the base flute and the piccolo are used so so beautifully following each other after the first stanza that it takes the song to a new high!
The Sarangi in the second stanza interlude again gives the song a new dimension..
And all this stops at a moment and you have a chasm... ahhh... what a piece !!! BLISS !!

And in all this Latadi stands tall like a force to reckon with... she literally maneuvers through the song so fluidly that you flow along with her.. the 'Meend' and exquisite 'Thehrav' in her voice is mirror-cracking!
A song worth listening a thousand times... Gulzar sa'ab embellishes each moment of it with his picturesque lyrics..stunning!

CHILD ARTISTS

sachin

RAJ KAPOOR

SHASHI KAPOOR

सच्ची-मुच्ची बारिश...???
हाँ मेरे दोस्त वही बारिश...

वही बारिश जो आसमान से आती है, बूंदों में गाती है, पहाड़ों से फिसलती है, नदियों में चलती है, लहरों में मचलती है, कुए-पोखर से मिलती है, ख़बरेलों पर गिरती है, गलियों में फिरती है, मोड़ पे संभालती है, फिर आगे निकलती है...
वही बारिश..

ये बारिश अक्सर गीली होती है, इसे पानी भी कहते है...
उर्दू में आब, मराठी में पाणी, तमिल में तन्नी, कन्नड़ में नीर और बंगला में इसे जोल भी कहते है... संस्कृत में जिसे वारी, नीर, जीवन, पए, अमृत, बुद, अंबु भी कहते है,
ग्रीक में इसे νερό, अंग्रेजी में water, फ्रेंच में l'eau और चेमिस्ट्री में H2O कहते है..

ये पानी जब आँख से ढलता है तो आँसू कहलाता है लेकिन चेहरे पे चढ़ जाये तो रुबाब बन जाता है.... कभी कभी ये पानी सरकारी फाइलों में अपने कुए समेत चोरी भी हो जाता है...

पानी तो पानी है, पानी ज़िंदगानी है, इसलिए जब रूह की नदी सुखी हो, मन का हिरन प्यासा हो, दिमाग़ में लगी हो आग और प्यार की गागर ख़ाली हो,
तब मैं हमेशा ये बारिश नाम का गीला पानी लेने की राय देता हूँ..

मेरी मानिए तो ये बारिश खरीदिये...सस्ती, सुंदर टिकाऊ बारिश सिर्फ ५००० रुपये में
इससे कम में कोई दे तो चोर की सज़ा हो, मेरी आपकी जुती सीर पर मेरी, मेरी बारिश खरीदिये...
(I had written the small solo piece by Nana Patekar that he narrates in the film.. its a beautiful depiction of the rains (and ofcourse in context with the story line of the film))

(THODA SA RUMANI HO JAE)

lata and Manna dey

Lata and Manna is a combination of singers who can sing anything together with the same level of excellence for absolutely any composer! Sangat (1975) was one such album which has two stunners from the kitty of Sir Salil..'Balma Mora Aachara..' and this song!
How do you describe the adlib and the prelude of this song? How do you describe the ease in the singing? How do you keep yourself away from this song? BLISS!


Kanha Bole Na Lata Mangeshkar & Manna Dey Film Sangat 1975 Music Salil Chaudhary..

                                         

ye bekasi ke andhere: LATA

Chambal Ki Rani (1979) was another film of Naushad which is not often discussed! It was again an all Lata album..all the four songs in the film had Lata as a singer. Personally, I have heard only two songs from the film, one of them in this.

This is certainly the Naushad who is a tad lower in the output as compared to the classics he scored for decades before. But, this song does have glimpses of him esp. in the end parts when the Sitar sets in (though had I not known this was Naushad, I would have considered this as a say Khayyam composition)...but a nice song nevertheless. Penned by Jaan Nisar Akhtar (another rare combination who had just an Aaina (1977) done together before this).

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

(SALIL DA AND MANNA DEY)

After Latadi, if any featured most in Salilda compositions in Hindi, its Mannada! An association that started with Do Bigha Zameen (1953) and went upto Room No.203 (1980) with some delectable songs pitched in..(around 41 songs)

What is interesting is the fact that Mannada sang under Salilda right from the later's first film...but all the succeeding films had him singing duets with Lata, Asha, Geeta in films

 like Amanat, Tangewali, Parivar, Apradhi Kaun etc. 

It was in 1957 when he got to sing his first solo and it was that very year where he got to go solo as many as 3 times (though he featured in all the 5 movies of Salilda that year).

I dunno which was released first amongst Apradhi Kaun, Laal Batti and Zamana, so hereby on Mannada's 92nd birthday posting a wonderful song from Zamana (1957), penned by Prem Dhawan!

Song Exposition : 'Tu Chanda Main Chandani.. '

Tu Chanda Main Chandani.


Lata Mangeshkar (Reshma aur Shera - 1971)
Balkavi Bairagi, Jaidev

Firstly, what a superlative Santoor piece in the prelude... it immediately captivates you... and then comes Latadi's heavenly voice.. it literally reverberates till eternity!!!!

The way this composition is weaved in Raag Mand is an example of sheer sheer brilliance..Jaidev's outstandingly exquisite music pieces in between the vocals are just out of the world... what an intricate way has he intermingled the lyrics and the tune...

The fusion of Flute,Sarangi and Santoor in the first interlude is mesmerizing to the hilt...it instantly makes you feel that the song is being sung somewhere is a barren, deserted place (and that exactly is the case)
Use of Dadra which probably is one of the toughest taal's to sing in elevates the song to a completely new level.. Jaidev sa'ab has used this taal so fervently that it just blows you off... extremely tough to have placed those extremely lengthy and heavy lyrics in the matras..but this makes the song outrageously difficult to sing..
The places where the taal completely stops and picks up at a accurate point.. the way the beat changes for the last line is just superior!

Each stanza has a different tune... and each one excels the other in the difficulty level... and one voice maneuvers through it so so effortlessly that it literally gives me goosebumps! The way she emotes in the adlib.. the way she sings the penultimate line of each stanza... every word, every line, every stanza, every phrase gets a heavenly touch.. the meend, the murki, the harkat, the straight sur, the taan, the wajan in the voice, the effortless singing.... I can go on and on...

This song and Latadi's singing takes you in a trance... a completely alien world..
And finally I have to necessarily mention Balkavi Bairagi.. without his lyrics this songs would have reached the heights that it has.. What words... what emotion...
'Aangarey Bhi Lagne Lage Aaj Mujhe Madhumaas Re..'
Mashallah... how better can you express the feelings of the character of Reshma??? Too too good!!!
What more do I say? I have so much to say yet bereft of words... a breath-taking song... JAIDEV, BALKAVI BAIRAGI and LATA MANGESHKAR... a song of a lifetime!!!!!!

Song Exposition: 'Ae Dil-e-Nadaan..'

Ae Dil-e-Nadaan...

Lata Mangeshkar (Razia Sultan - 1983)
Jaan Nisar Akhtar, Khayyam

We start with the Santoor beats which create a resonating effect with the exceptional pauses in between them...these chasms are so instrumental in creating the effect in this song...just like the long, unending distances in the desert, these pauses define the emptiness of the heart...it aches and longs for love just like a peddler longs for water and food while traveling in the desert...The emotion on 'Dil-e-Naadaan' shows how empty the heart is of any positive feels or filled to the brim with sadness...this contrast yet equivalence of the two emotions is depicted so ably that you shudder!!!

The tabla and Violins join in the terrific Santoor...and so does the reverberating voice of Latadi...this sounds just like a Lata-Santoor duet when she hums alongwith it...The class interludes with the Santoor, Violins and the Dhol is a lead-way to the wonderful antras where Lata ably brings the pathos in her voice..mark her expression at 'Kaisi Uljhan Hai..'! The way she pronounces 'Ek Saaya Sa Rubaru Kya Hai..' literally makes us feel that there is a shadow down there deep in the sands of the desert..

The second interlude starts and enters the Sarangi magic...and the melancholy, desperation, helplessness, loneliness of the character comes to the furor..
'Kya Qayamat Hai, Kya Musibat Hai,
Keh Nahi Sakte Kiska Armaan Hai,
Zindagi Jaise Khoyi Khoyi Hai, Hairaan Hairaan Hai...'
The journey towards the end starts...everything is lost, nothing is visibly in sight just as the empty, barren desert...yet the end is not in sight just as the unendingness of the desert, the desperation surmounts all...and this is so beautifully depicted through the music pieces..Latadi hits the highest chord with utter pain in the heart with 'Kya Qayamat Hai..Kya Musibat Hai..', the background score keeps the tempo at a single pace ably showing that the monotony in life is terrible. And the journey proceeds (zindagi ki jagdojehat badhti rehti hain, aant nazar nahi aata...sab kuch gumsum hain...')
...and this is exactly what happens next...a loooooong killing pause,
'Ye Zami Chup Hai, Aasmaan Chup Hai..'
the helplessness increases manifold...not even the ever-so-alive nature is able to find an answer to her restlessness, incompleteness...but even then the heart beats (which is emphatically depicted by the Tabla beats)..and the unending struggle continues unwillingly...
This is the pinnacle point of the song, the pauses shake you up..they bring a lump to your throat...the lengthiness of this pauses surrounds you and make you take notice!!!

What a melody...its very rare that the human emotions are elaborated and expatiated so accurately through a string of instruments and this song gets placed inadvertently in the highest possible rung! Khayyamsaab comes up with a career-defining score, his brilliance is so evident when he uses just the Santoor, Tabla, Sarangi and Dhol to weave an entire long-lasting emotion..his minimalistic instruments give the required poignant feel to the song which is so so well put to life my this lady called Lata Mangeshkar...she simple stays there forever..her 'thehraav', her detailing, her full-throated desperation and the deep-down emptiness in the voice creates a complete picture of the song.
A certain mention of Jan Nisar Akhtar for his superlative lyrics which stand up and demand the command they get...finally, Hema Malini and Kamal Amrohi together make the song a thoughtful picturesque treat...this is a song of true emotions..of teamwork that makes songs last till eternity!!!

Song Exposition: 'Mera Dil Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala..'

Mera Dil Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala.

Asha Bhosle (Apradhi Kaun - 1957)
Majrooh Sultanpuri, Salil Chaudhary

Ohlalala...this is Salilda in a very different avatar... sizzling, scintillating, sensuous, seductive, superb....absolutely groovy and unstoppable!
...and who else than Ashatai to sprinkle her endless magic on it...showing all her prowess, her unbelievable versatility and strength of her singing...

Aparadhi Kaun (1957) was a special Salil Chaudhary album tailor-made for Asha Bhosle and she fired all cylinders blazing!! Three absolute humdingers from her...showing all the various shades in that mesmerizing voice she proudly owns... be it the sexy Rock n Roll with a tinge of Waltz in 'Baat Koi Matlab Ki Hai Zaroor..' or the cute, sweet, song-next-door and adorable 'Koi Dekhe To Kahe Tujhko..' or this song in contention today...!!

This song 'Mera Dil Dil Dil Na Lekar Kidhar Chala...' is a testimony to powerhouse singing and musical extravaganza. From a genre of songs where Asha is untouchable and she shows why from the very first note itself...after the initial seconds of the Accordion, enters the voice that just lingers around...that 'La La La..' is out-of-the-world. This is 1957 and Asha is still arguably considered as the second choice...but when you hear something on the lines of this adlib, you are floored by the veracity of this voice. Just mark the oomphy western touch she gives with that oh-so-lovely lilt to the 'Lawww' at the end...Class!
...and once thats done starts the Salil Magic...which will absolutely stun you...the Guitar strums (with a small background of the ghunghroo-ish beats) and the Castanets is amazing. The actual song starts and it keeps you glued with the background Bongos and the wonderful fresh tune to the song....and Ashatai as usual puts something from her kitty with that 'Naaaaaaa' at the end. WOW!

The interludes are short but remain in memory...they have the Flute (no one has used this instrument as magnificently as this man...terrific, esp. the Piccolo), the Bongos and the Violins...all in sink with each other...all in tandem!
As Asha starts the antra, the Accordion follows in steps...a wonderful chemistry between the singer and the instrument (dont miss the very small piece in the 'kharj', maybe a Cello, when Asha is about to finish the repeat line of the antra..its a highlight for me..miniscule but a pleasant surprise)...they both keep each others company throughout and what a ear-pleasing output we get! The way she ends the antra with the emphasis on 'Dil Dil Dil' and that 'Naahaaa' is penchant Asha!

The Accordions are the USP of this song...their play in M2 supported by the Violins give the song a very light, silky, wavy feel...the song proceeds in the same structure until the third interlude where the Mandolins get an entry adding another spice to the song. This wonderful listening experience ends with a small Bongo piece which again is a cherry on the pie!

This song just absolutely goes to show that nothing was impossible for this legendary master called Salil Chaudhary....and when he teamed up with Asha (though only for some 32 songs) the output was equally magical. And who else could have wrote this song than Majrooh sa'ab with such youth and frivolousness...not to forget Lilian's on-screen ease making it a pleasant watch as well... a song not worth missing certainly! :-)

Song Exposition: 'Aaj Koi Nahi Aapna, Kise Gham Ye Sunayein..'

Aaj Koi Nahi Aapna, Kise Gham Ye Sunayein..

Lata Mangeshkar (Agnipariksha - 1981) 
Yogesh, Salil Chaudhary

This prelude is probably one of the best to have been created in HFM...with that exceptional use of the Flute and the Santoor Salilda manages to created that ripply effect to perfection (even in the picturization there is a small shot with the water body)...the way the Piano base enters soothing the Flute ripples..and then the Santoor...and the Trumpet...back to the Flute...all ably describe the flickery state of mind of the lead character! She tries to soothe them but all that comes back to haunt her (I havent seen the film but this is what I could guess)...and then enter's that lady who has been at her outstanding best under this master!!

The mukhda has those complex jumping notes, which Lata easily sings to perfection. Again in these high jumps, just probably goes to show the instability of the character's mind.
If the prelude was something out-of-the-world, the interludes will blow you off literally from your feet. The Flute (which was Salilda's best and most used instrument, you can see the variety with which he used the Base Flute, the Piccolo Flute in all his songs and yet sounded different every other time), the racing Cello's is the best part IMO, it reaching a pinnacle and they give way to the Trumpets...soothing down our already raced heartbeats (also in the picture you can see by then Parikshit Sahani walks on a road which is quietened and wet 'after' the rains...even the nature comes to normal and soothes itself with this ensemble of instruments)..in all this not to forget the background support of the Guitars...they unknowingly kept the interlude pieces glued to each other!

The antra is BLISS...the emptiness, helplessness in Rameshwari's character is brought to life by Lata!! This has the Salil stamp all over it...top class! The Tabla play is a treat...the small lehra at the cross line is lovely! When Lata stomps on the 'sam' with 'AAJ koi Nahi..', that feeling is inexplicable!!

The second interlude(M2) is again an ensemble of instruments ably weaved! The Sitar (again a Salil favourite), the Cello (again Salil manages to get the restlessness in the character out with the amazing use of these instruments)...the way he fuses the Sitar with the Cello with that small Flute piece is brilliant!

What a song! How do you even find accurate words to elaborate this humdinger of a song...many may say the Lata strained her voice at one point in the song, for me, no one else could have sung this song with this conviction and this perfect amount of emotion she lent to it! Commendable how she creates that atmosphere in mere 5 minutes! Master Salil was at his rocking best...this is changing with times...who said he was a composer of the 50s...this is what he offered to you in the 80s and with a quality that not many can match! True genius! Way way ahead of his time!!

This song also has as a Bengali counterpart which actually came first, 'Aaj Tabey Eituku Thaak..' which has a quintessential Bengali touch to it..its more subtle and softer with a lot of Sitar in it and a different instrumentation entirely! Another treat for sure!
But this tune was originally made for a Malayalam film titles Pratiksha in 1975 where Yesudas sang it as 'Aathira Poovaniyum..' which had a fair amount of Tabla...but IMO the third counterpart stands tall amongst them in terms of orchestration and singing!!

Here is the Bengali version of this masterpiece ! Lata-Salil magic regales !
'Aaj tobe ei tuku thak '



The journey from MalayaLam to Bengali to Hindi really is an ascending excellence.. with Salilda bettering himself with each version.

Aathira poovaniyaan - Pratheeksha (1979)

The Faces for THE Voice...: LATA MANGESHKAR

1ST ROW : Saadhika,Chandni,Kanchan,Simran,
2nd row :Meena T,Deepa Sahi,ANJALI DEVI,Mohini

 3rd row :Fatima Sheikh,Shilpa Shirodkar,Shikha Swaroop,KULDIP KAUR

4th ROW :Sanjana Kapoor,GEETANJALI,Radhika,Madhavi

5TH ROW: Sudha Chandran,JAYASUDHA,Sadhana Singh, Debashree Roy

1st ROW : Ameeta, Amrita Singh, Anita Guha, Aruna Irani.
2nd ROW: Asha Parekh, Ayesha Jhulka, Babita, Bhagyashree.
3rd ROW :Vimla, Bina Rai, Bindiya Goswami, Bindu . 

       4th ROW:Deepti Naval, Dimple Kapadia,Divya Bharati, Farha. 
5th ROW : Farida Jalal, Geeta Bali, Helen, Hema Malini.

Asha ji and sarangi

If there is one voice who sounds very close to the Sarangi.. its Asha! The tenacity in the way the 'bow / gaj' moves over the body of the Sarangi.. the same longing tenacious vibrations are seen aptly in Ashatai's voice.. 

And not one or two, she has a host of songs wherein the Sarangi and Asha have teamed up for a duet.. be it the lavish Sarangi pieces in the Umrao Jaan songs, or the subtle refrains in 'Balma Khuli Hawa..', be it in Navrang or Namkeen.. this association never fails to deliver!

One such song comes from the Sachin Dev Burman kitty and is drastically divided into two singing styles (easily mastered by the 'yo-woman' that she is!).. but whats characteristically striking is the sombre part in the song where Asha and Sarangi create heavenly magic.. the 'gamaks', 'meends' all result in an expression worth lauding!

music

pancham and bhupendra

mohmd .rafi with his wife

Old codes Singers Asha Bhonsle (centre) and Kishore Kumar (right) with a sessions musician

Sarangi maestro Padma Vibhushan Pt. Ram Narayan...he played Sarangi pieces in many of the popular HFM songs
pic :courtesy  Shyam Uttarwar

pancham

salil da

any guess ?

R.D BURMAN AND S.D BURMAN

PANCHAM SUR (R.D BURMAN)

GULZAR,BHUPENDRA,LATA JI , PANCHAM