Bendhechhi Bina Gaan..

It was not only Pooja songs which RD later used in Hindi movies. In 1981, he composed music for “Kalankini Kankabati” – a Bangla movie having stellar star-cast that included Mithun Chakraborty, Sharmila Tagore, and the top most Bengali star – Uttam Kumar. 

Unfortunately, during the making of this movies, first the original director of the movie & then Uttam Kumar – passed away. As a result, despite being one of his best scores, it did not attain the kind of billing, it otherwise would have. 

This movie had a song, sung by Parveen Sultana – in semi-classical mode – Bendhechhi Bina Gaan. Listen to this song on, before I put across its Hindi counterpart from another superstar’s movie – which was one of his best works – but remained under-rated:

If Bangla movies were ruled by Uttam Kumar – there was only one superstar in late 70s to mid-80s in Hindi movie world. Yes, Amitabh Bachchan – whose birthday it is today! In 1983, Hrishikesh Mukherjee casted him, alongwith Rakhee & Vinod Mehra in “Bemisaal”. The movie – apart from a very fine story, superb direction & great performances, also had RD giving some really soulful music, which included this gem – picturised on Rakhee & Amitabh, and sung by Lata Mangeshkar: