Diye Jalte Hain...

While talking about Aap Ki Kasam &  Bandhe Haath I touched upon the downfall of Rajesh Khanna on one hand & rise of Amitabh Bachchan on the other. As is the wont, these coincidences of life also led to all kind of talks about their animosity. 

Strange as it may sound, the audience never really knows the truth about such talks. the fact however is that much before the success or lack of it resulted in spoiling relationships, both had co-starred in roles that had depicted great friendships - amidst all trials & tribulations of the stories.

The first one was the all time Hrishi da classic - Anand and both had really done justice to not only their roles, but to the movie also. It must have been their chemistry together that made Hrishikesh Mukherjee cast them again in what went on to be amongst his best works  - Namak Haram.

Namak Haram was loosely based on Jean Anouilh's French play Becket, made into a movie in 1964 starring Richard Burton & Peter O'Toole. These roles, in Namak Haram, were reprised by RK and AB.

Though the movie worked around class clashes and labour struggle, (and seems to be as relevant & concurrent even now as it was in early 70s), with Hrishi Da as Director & Gulzar as the writer, there were enough opportunities for a musical score. All it needed was a genius that could create classics out of those.

Using some lovely and poetical verse crafted by Anand Bakshi, and the magical voice of Kishore Kumar, this is precisely what Pancham did. He wove a magic spell & created such compositions that even four decades later each of them is as memorable, as hummable and as fresh sounding as it was then.

And the pick of the songs was this one - mine & my wife's one of the most favourite songs. If the verse are profound, the musical treatment is scintillating & unique. The interludes has Guitar, Tabla & Flute, while the vocals work purely on reso-resso, Tabla and perhaps santoor - that too at the end of each line only. More than the instruments, the composition relies solely on Kishore Kumar, and his voice touches the soul deep within - even now. 

So here it is - Kishore Kumar's heart warming rendition as an ode to the friendship:

Jab Jis Waqt Kisi Ka

Yaar Judaa Hota Hai
Kuchh Na Poocho, Yaaron Dil Ka
Haal Bura Hota Hai
Del Pe Yaadon ke Jaise
Teer Chalte Hain

Is rang-roop pe dekho,

Hargiz naaz na karna

Jaan bhi maange yaar to de dena

Naraaz na karna

Rang ud jaate hain

Dhoop dhalte hain

Daulat aur Jawaani
Ek Din Kho Jaati Hai
Sach Kahta Hoon, Saari Duniya
Dushman Ho Jaati Hai
Umr Bhar Dost Lekin
Saath Chalte Hain

Diye Jalte Hain
Phool Khilte Hain
Badi Mushkil se Magar, Duniya Men
Dost Milte Hain