Dooba Dooba Nashe Men Behka Yeh Samaa

It is always difficult to return to a blog like this after a long time. One never knows, what would be the right song to choose. Should it be a subtle one or should it be like Back with a Bang kind of. 

Well, this time I choose to feature a composition which is more of the latter kind. 

This one is from Drohi, a Ram Gopal Verma movie, from early 90s, the time when Pancham was going through his leanest patch. It is easier for people to write off almost all his music from those days, and in the bargain lose out on some real gems, like the one featured here.

This one is a real treat, created for an interesting situation in the movie, almost similar to the situation of Le Kar Hum Deewan Dil from Yaadon ki Baraat. Of course, this was 90s, so here one has Silk Smitha, at the peark of her career, performing with her raw sensuality, while a lot more is happening in the background with Nagarjuna, taking the narrative of the movie further. 

It was easy enough for a viewer to get distracted from either, and hence was left to Pancham to balance both. And he does it with a killer of a composition, using the rhythm that to me seem to have a delicate fusion of Calypso with Jazz. 

During the vocals, the instruments used are such that keeps the focus on Silk. However, the pattern changes during interludes, with photography & composition both working together to underscore the grittiness of the situation. An added touch is the Maestro himself rendering his voice, alongwith Jolly Mukherjee, in a building up crescendo that culminates into Asha taking it over before the first stanza. 

The second interlude is used to build up on the action with a jazz kind of trumpet going all the way, stopping only at the beginning of the second stanza with Silk, rather Slithering, Smitha; and just for a brief moment rejoins it as the stanza is about to end. 

The composition was tailor made for Asha who did not have to really stretch herself too much, carrying out the task brilliantly & effortlessly, adding those Silken touch to Javed Akhtar's poetry. At the core of course remains, at the cost of repeating, indeed the killer of a composition; from the days when Pancham was not supposed to be at his best. 

Pyaar Ke Mod Pe

Post Saveray Wali Gadi in 1986, Pancham created a few more compositions that brought Asha Bhosle & Suresh Wadkar together. Most of these were lacking that punch which Pancham was known for. This was also the time, where Pancham’s score seemed to be jaded – at least in a few movies including Dacait & Joshilaay. This changed however in Parinda - a movie by Vidhu Vindo Chopra - an unabashed Pancham fan.

Parinda was amongst one of the early noirs about Bombay's realistic gangland wars intermixed with a love-story of Karan & Paro that heads towards a brutal ending. In the course of their love story comes a time where Karan - wanting to vindicate his friend's murder - decides to get out of Paro's life and tries to break this to her; who in turn is trying to convince him not to do so. He seems lost, yet determined. She looks fragile & yet hopeful.

A situation full of dilemma indeed – made further so with the brilliant use of deep colours of a setting Sun’s sky – just watch out for that orange ball melting into mellow gold so beautifully captured by Binod Pradhan! Such dramatic visuals needed a composition that could bring out the hope-filled poignancy; and Pancham did precisely that. In the process he created a composition that remains amongst his best works.

To underscore the basic mood, he chose Flugelhorn  – perhaps for its darker & mellower sound –as compared to a Sax or a Trumpet; and juxtaposed it with the sounds of Indian instruments - Santoor, Tabla, Madal & Flute.

While the composition begins with Santoor & Tabla, the sound of Flugelhorn follows immediately, and works in tandem through-out the song.  However, it is the interludes – specially the second one that bring out the magic of this heady concoction of Flugelhorn & Santoor.

Though it is a duet, it is the out-of-world kind of rendition by Asha Bhosle - in her prime, then - as Madhuri Dixit (Paro – on screen) tries to hold back Anil Kapoor (using the words penned by Khurshid Hallauri – whose contribution to Hindi cinema was only this movie), and one cannot but get & remain under the spell of the magic forever:

Saath Main Tumhare Hoon

Ab Koi Gham Na Karo

Khud Ko Tanha Mere

Hote Humdam Na Karo

Ho Ke Maayus Na Dam Tod De

Chaahen Meri

Pyaar Ke Mod Pe Chhodoge Jo Baahen Meri

Tumko Dhundhegi Jamane Men Nigahen Meri

Dekho Yeh Kaun Aaya

The chemistry of Kishore Kumar & R D Burman is by now one of the most discussed phenomenon of Hindi movie music. If there were compostions that seemed to be tailor made for Kishore Kumar; there were also compositions which only Kishore Kumar could infuse life into. Even if a movie had other male singers, the song that Kishore sang always sounded more special. Perhaps Pancham had paraphrased the learning from Goerge Orwel's Animal Farm - For a music composer, all singers are equal but some are more equal than others.

Saveray Wali Gaadi was an exception to this rule. Despite there being a couple of solos reserved for Kishore, It was Suresh Wadkar, the other male singer for Sunny Deol who got better compositions - a solo and a duet with Asha Bhosle.

It is the duet specially that is really noteworthy. Beginning with plain vocals - too plain for a romantic song - the song takes off with the mix of Santoor, Tabla & Flute - all combined in a manner to create a lovely melody. Within each of the stanza, there are two different parts - the first part with Tabla while the second part seems to also have Bongo accompanying the beats - and both change seamlessly. Add to that the pause in between  - a clasp of a finger followed by what sounds like a temple bell - and the effect is beautiful as well as at some place very sensuous - matching the mood of an absolute romantic poetry penned by Majrooh.

Suresh Wadkar carrries out his part competently - suiting Sunny Deol's persona on screen. However the song actually belongs to the females - on screen as well as off screen. Poonam Dhillon portrays the playfullness sensuality of an innocent & vulnerable girl, and is aided by a perfect mellow gold rendition by Asha Bhosle - sepcially the way she carries off at the end. Between both of them, they manage to serve an audio-visual treat for the audience which keep you hooked on for a long time. 

Aa meri bahon me 
Baitha hoon kabse
Main teri raahon me
O main teri raahon me

Jalti hoon main bhi
Jabse pada hai
Dil pe tera saya

Dekho yeh kaun aaya
Dekho yeh kaun aaya
Meri sada pe bhul ke rasta
Ae dil yeh kaun aaya

Kiski Sadaayen Mujh ko Bulaayen

(It is always difficult for a blogger to find out a perfect way to return to his blog - specially after such a long gap. The last strand is long forgotten; too brash a post may be frowned upon while too dull a post may not even make people realise that he is back. 

Fortunately for this blog, all that I have to do is select one of the gems from Pancham's vast repertoire and post it - and more often than not, it works.  

So, after all this verbosity to wake up all Pancham fans, here is a lilting tune from one of the flop movies of 1980s.)

Rajesh Khanna, the first ever superstar of Hindi Cinema, was at that point in his career by late 70s where nothing seemed to be going right for him. There were a string of flops and audience had unanimously decided to reject his romantic hero and accept the angry young man & anti hero - brought alive by Amitabh Bachchan.

Kaka needed an image makeover and perhaps that is why he chose a few movies which were an absolute anti-thesis to his established image. One such movie was Red Rose, a remake of a Tamil movie Sigappu Rojakkal that had originally Kamal Hasan & Sridevi in the lead roles.

The movie was directed by Bharati Raja, also the director of original Tamil movie, and had Kaka reprising Kamal hasan's character that had a hidden dark side - a sex-maniac preying on young females before killing them. 

Unfortunately, despite an interesting story line - quite misogynist in its treatment though - the movie remained trapped in the cliches of those times. As a result, it was befitting for the main character, if having a negative shade, to have no choice but to die in the end - in this case due to efforts of the heroine. 

However, just imagine, the interesting possibilities this movie could have had in the current age of sequels & dark-noir movies - with perhaps each new movie with the same hero & a different - may be tougher - heroine. 

The female lead in Red Rose was played by Poonam Dhillon - who celebrates her birthday today - for whom this was first major movie outside Yash Chopra productions, and she performed the interesting role with quite an ease. 

The movie's background score was a tailor made opportunity for Pancham and he excelled in that. However, there was limited scope for the songs, and yet the two songs that Pancham composed for the movie, have remained amongst some of his best compositions.  

The one showcased here remains amongst my favourite duets from 80s. It begins with the strings of Irani Santoor - played by Pt. Ulhas Bapat - and the instrument remains the back-bone of the song through-out. Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle bring in their expert & flawless rendition - you just need to listen to their variations while singing Adaayen & Sadaayen in the mukhda - bringing alive the romance that was penned by Nida Fazli.

Kiski Sadaayen Mujh ko Bulayen

Anjane Sapne Neenden Churaye
Teri Adaayen Jadu Jagaye
Dharti Sanware Mausam Sajaye

Dil Machal Raha Hai

What was the connection RD had with RK? It could be quite coincidental, but the movies which had RK as a hero always inspired Pancham more.

RK, who? Of course Rajesh Khanna!

An easy enough answer, except that this also holds true for two more heroes - Rishi Kapoor & and who else but one of Pancham's best friends in the industry - Randhir Kapoor.

Beginning with Rampur ka Laxman, Randhir Kapoor & Pancham did about 14 movies together. A large number of them did not really fare well. If Jawani Deewwani, Rampur ka Laxman, Dharam Karam & Kasme Vaade did extremely good business, there were movies like Khalifa, Harjaee, Dhongee and many more which turned out to be quite a damp squib.

Damp squib, only as far as their commercial success or artistic value is concerned. Their scintillating musical score was always the saving grace – perhaps the only reason for which even now these movies merit a recall.

Take Khalifa, for instance. This 1976 movie, directed by Prakash Mehra, had Randhir Kapoor, in double role - one good & one evil, along with Rekha. The movie had nothing much to write home about - except its compositions - specially this one.

The composition is very stylish – pacy and very unpredictable as it moves. If the interludes are sensuous – the structure of stanza, with its pulsating beats arrangement & high octave singing that effortlessly glides into seductive crooning, carries hallmark of what Pancham was famous for. Add to that Kishore Kumar in play-full yet romantic full- throated rendition & smooth as honey singing of Asha Bhosle – it was a perfect recipe for creating the magic. This was also the first movie where Gulshan Bawra, till then more of an actor & less of a lyricist, & Pancham collaborated first time. Later they went on to do many more movies, including Kasme Vaade, Harjaae & Satte pe Satta.

On screen, while RK’s acting fortunately does not really create a jarring note, what is worth noticing is Rekha – specially the nuances that she brings to her face while singing. Those were early days – “Ghar” was still a couple of years away - but watching her you would know for sure that the process had begun of her evolving into the beautiful swan that she went on to be.

Look at it yourself. I am sure you will agree too.

Bhanwara Baavra Baavra..

Last year, this date, I had used this page to wish happy birthday to Waheeda Rahman. I have always admired her as much for her ethereal beauty as much for her grace & elegance.

Now is it not a coincidence that the only other actress, in my opinion, who could match her grace & elegance was also born on the same date - though 19 years later. 

There were lot of things which were different between both of them - apart from the generation itself. One was a south Indian, while another was from Punjab. One was a dancer par excellence, another - nothing much to write about. One looked ethereal, while the other was beautiful with a girl-next-door kind of presence. 

Yet, these differences in-fact underscored the basics common to both of them - one, they both arrived like a fresh breeze for their time, and went on to win the heart of the millions; two - they both were performers par-excellence; and three - in a world where heroines past their hey-days find it difficult to give up on glamourous looks, they both aged so  gracefully and continued to look as beautiful as they were - without resorting to any kind of gimmickry. 

So today, while I wish both of them a very happy birthday, the song is devoted not to Waheeda Rahman, but to - Deepti Naval!

The song is from that all time classic comedy of Gulzar - Angoor, based on Shakespeare play, Comedy of Errors. In fact, this is also the only song which Pancham composed with Deepti Naval rendering it on-screen. 

Pancham used Raag Yaman Kalyan, a raag in which he had created some more memorable songs - like Is Mod se jaate Hain & Beeti Na Beetai Raina. Well, the one played here is also no less. Pancham used Sitar & Tabla as the base instruments to bring out the absolute flawless & mesmerizing rendition by Asha Bhosle of Gulzar's verse - which are as simple & beautiful as Deepti Naval herself. 

बीते हुए मौसम की कोई निशानी होगी

दर्द पुराना कोई, याद पुरानी होगी

कोई तो दास्तां, होगी ना

रोज रोज डाली डाली, क्या लिख जाए

भंवरा, बावरा, बावरा

Phir Se Aaiyo, Badra Bidesi..

While on my regular evening walk today,there it was - after a hiatus of almost 2 months - a perfect setting Sun. There were a few clouds but too few and too scattered to make any difference. It seems the time to bid adieu to another monsoon is here. A perfect way to end a week that began with the birthday of Asha Bhosle.

Now, just in case you all are wondering about the missing connection that my ramblings are hinting at, here is another gem of Pancham. A not so heard composition from one of Gulzar's unsung works - Namkeen.

Namkeen was a 1982 release starring Waheeda, Sharmila, Shabana, Kiran Vairale and Sanjeev Kumar, and was centered around the world of Waheeda & her three daughters, and the interplay of their emotions, aspirations & relationship - before and after the entry of Sanjeev Kumar in their household.

The composition I was talking about is at the moment when one you are in love with has gone away, without a hint of promise to return. It is not really a complete heart-break. There is an uncertainty, a lingering doubt and yet there is a hope.

Pancham created a haunting melody, using the reverberating effect of percussion instruments which coupled with a drawling & distortion effect of very soft Guitar notes bring out the pathos. Asha's voice, with the mountains as backdrop, echoes Shabana's musings & sentiments, as she roams amidst the melancholic & foggy Rohtang Pass, almost touching the clouds, asking:

Tere jaane ki rut main jaanti hoon , 
Mud ki aane ki reet hai ki nahi?

Kali darga se poochungi jaake

Tere mann mein bhi preet hai ki nahi?

Kachchi puliya se hoke gujariyo, 

Kachchi puliya kinaare milungi

Phir se aiyo badra bidesi, 

Tere pankhon pe moti jadungi  

Chhuo Na, Chhuo Na, Mujhe Chhuo Na...

Of course, he belonged to "The First Family" of Hindi cinema, yet was aware that this tag alone will not get him success. He also had good looks, but again that alone would not have been enough. Fortunately for him, in his generation from this family, his DNA was the only one bestowed with natural flair to act &, since it helped him a lot, dance. Perhaps that is why, besides Amitabh & Rajesh Khanna, the only star who got a large number of scintillating compositions of Pancham was - Rishi Kapoor.

He arrived as a full-fledged hero in 1973 in Bobby - one of the all time biggest block-busters that brought the showman Raj Kapoor back into business - from the abyss of bankruptcy. His pairing with another newcomer Dimple Kapadia was a kind of magic not created too often. Since she immediately got married to Rajesh Khanna & left the movies, it also remained an enigma for a long time, till they came together again, more than a decade later in Saagar - a movie by Ramesh Sippy.

While the pair could not scorch the screen the way they did it in Bobby, if audience felt still enchanted, the music was the reason behind. Pancham, in one of his most creative mood & phase, provided a score that has outlived the movie. Almost each of the songs went on to be an evergreen hit, but the one I like the most has him showing a very sensual avatar of his music.

The composition I am talking is simply delectable. It begins with a very sexy flute & sax, giving way to the notes of Guitar while Tabla adds to the mood. Even in the interludes - specially the first one, as Dimple paints the screen red with her unfurled saree, the piece of Sax & flute add an elegant touch of raw sensuality without which the scene is absolutely incomplete.

So here it is with Shailendra & Asha lending their voice to the verse of a very very romantic Javed Akhtar, for whom this song was his first one with Pancham:

Mera Woh Samaan Lauta Do..

For a person who plays with simplest of the conversational words to create magical verse, has an amazing array of stories, screenplays & directorial ventures to his credit, it is indeed an interesting combination that his names create. Yes, I used the plural “names”, because he has two – one the real and another the pen name. The real name “Sampoorna” which means encompassing everything & the pen name that means a garden full of flowers - Gulzar.

Gulzar and Pancham gave some of the finest songs to Hindi movie buffs. In fact, there is hardly a movie where they both collaborated without creating a magic. Starting their journey together with Parichay they took us on a route that had milestones like Aandhi, Khushboo, Kinara, Ghar, Basera, Sitara, Golmaal, Khubsoorat, Massom, and Namkeen before culminating in – at least as far as a released movie is concerned - at Ijaazat – which according to me is Gulzar’s best work forever.

The movie - a poignant tale of the eternal love triangle, comes across like a poem on celluloid. Absolutely stunning locales, breathtaking photography, very mature handling of the story, crisp direction and power-packed performances by three protagonists – Rekha, Naseer & Anuradha Patel ! The movie had everything going for it, and if this was not enough, the troika of Pancham, Gulzar & Asha lent that extra something which made Ijaazat into an all time classic.

While all the compositions of the movie were superb, since Gulzar is well-known for turning simple conversations into lovely verse, it is befitting to present a composition where Pancham, after hearing the verse, asked him – are you going to get me a newspaper headlines next to compose a song on!

The song, picturised on uff-so-ethereally-captivatingly beautiful Anuradha Patel, finds Pancham at his creative best. The composition – difficult one to suit a metre-free verse – finds him using santoor, sitar, tabla and guitar – in manner that enhances the mellifluous vocals of Asha Bhosle. The impact is sensuous yet full of a heart-ache and as mesmerising off screen as much as on-screen when you hear Maya sing:

Ek Akeli Chhatri Me Jab 

Aadhe Aadhe Bhig Rahe The

Aadhe Sukhe Aadhe Geele, 

Sukhaa To Main Le Aayi Thi

Geela Man Shaayad Bistar Ke Paas Padaa Ho

Woh Bhijavaa Do, 

Meraa Woh Saamaan Lautaa Do

It was interesting that while the music of Parichay got Lata Mangeshkar & Bhupendra their National Awards, Ijaazat got Asha bhosle & Gulzar get their national awards for this song. Pancham, however, remained un-rewarded. That however is a story for some other time. Just now, listen to this simply amazing song:

Do Ghadi Bahal Jata Hai, Dil Deewana..

RD's first movie with Rishi Kapoor was Zahreela Insaan in 1974. The movie, though not a hit, will always be remembered by RD afficiandos. For, it featured one of the best songs from Pancham & Kishore combination - and also perhaps one of the most romantic songs of all time - O Hansini.

Rishi was launched in 1973 in Bobby - one of the most successful love stories of all time. The movie was a big success and apart from creating two overnight sensations - Rishi & Dimple, it also gave the halo of stardom to a new singer - Shailendra Singh, chosen by Raj Kapoor to be the singing voice of Rishi.

Ideally, Pancham should have given all the songs of Zahreela Insaan to Shailendra, and perhaps he would have. However, a strike by the musicians during those times led to RD getting Kishore Kumar to sing O Hansini.

I am not sure if Shailendra would have been able to do justice to the ethereal composition of O Hansini. I am sure, though, he must have regretted forever, missing out on singing this number.

Listening to another composition from this movie however makes me feel that there is nothing for Shailendra to complain about. Though overshadowed by the Kishore classic, this composition was much different from what Pancham was known for. It was also a difficult number - specially the beginning of the stanza - for any newcomer. A wholesome credit to Pancham to trust Shailendra, and to Shailendra for executing it so well, specially when he had to match the caliber of Asha Bhosle, who adds that lilting sensuality to the song.

This is also one of the few compositions where Pancham has used Sitar. You must listen to the interlude before second stanza, where the lovely sound of Guitar & Saxophone give way to Sitar & tabla, changing the structure, yet maintaining the mood so effortlessly.

Here it is:

Mere dil se ye nain mile rahne do janeman

Ki do ghadi bahal jata hai, dil diwana

Humko Zamane Se Kya...

"Khel Khel Mein" was released in 1975, and found RD at his creative best. If a taut screenplay, and crisp direction (Ravi Tandon) & editing made the movie watchable, the chemistry of a fresh lead pair set the screen on fire. For Rishi Kapoor & Neetu Singh, this was one of their early movies - and perhaps one of their biggest hits.

The movie itself was a suspense thriller, and despite this being a disadvantage for a repeat viewing, Rishi-Neetu's palpable energy & groovy moves on the effervescent compositions of RD kept bringing the audience back - in turn making the movie a runaway success.

One of my favourite songs from the movie is the sequences that had Rishi-Neetu prancing around on the streets, in drunken stupor. The song was about caring a hoot for the world. Naturally, RD had to add something extra to prove it. So while the composition has all his hallmarks - lovely guitar piece to set the rhythm, trumpets during those pacy interludes and the light beats for the pair to groove on, in one of his crazy moods, he uses street sounds like gargling, or zipping up of a trouser, with such a flourish - and yet it makes the composition so classy.

So listen to Asha and Kishore in one of the zaniest songs about love:

Tu Na Raha..Kuchh Na Raha..

This blog began its journey last year on Pancham's birthday. Today, the Journey has completed its first year, and I am putting up its 125th post. A year that was personally fulfilling and enjoyable as I came across such facets & compositions of RD, which I had never known about. Hope you all have enjoyed it too so far.

On his birthday today, here is the 125th post containing one of my most favourite compositions. Keeping with the trend of last week - a roller-coaster ride of emotions featuring Asha Bhosle & Aruna Irani.

Aruna Irani has been one of the few actresses who could successfully perform across all the genres that a female actress gets to perform in Hindi cinemas. A heroine, a vamp with golden heart, an outright negative character, a mother - she has done all - and very efficiently.

She was also one of the few lucky actresses who got a good share of RD's compositions. One of the earliest one was from Bombay to Goa - a duet with Amitabh - created based on a strand from a Chaplin's composition. The song however was not retained in the movie. She also got a number of lovely compositions in Caravan. There were many other songs, but the song displayed today, I think, had one of her best performances - again as a Cabaret dancer.

The composition is a roller coaster ride of conflicting emotions & time zones - romance & melancholy - past & present. RD again used only the initial strand from "A Soldier's Story" from "The Good, The Bad & The ugly", and created an inimitable classic, that I never get tired of hearing.

To match the situation, Gulshan Bawra in his 2nd movie with Pancham came up with some lovely verse. Keeping in with the conflicting emotions, the composition is two paced - slower in present mixing so well with faster interludes of the flashbacks. Asha Bhosle carries off both the emotions with a panache, with her laughter, sobs, recitation, completely infusing the soul in her rendition. If this was not enough, the song is also special as it is one of the few songs where one can hear Pancham singing in his original voice - rendering vocals for Rakesh Roshan.

Why wait further.. so here it is:

Dekho Mujhe Dekho..

Talking about the punch that Pancham's music carried, here is another song, with an insane performance - this time from - Hum Shakal.

No, though the word insane may misguide you, the song is not from the recent release of Sajid Khan. Rather, this was a Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja & Moushmi starrer of 1974. Not a major hit again, the movie had some lovely & lively numbers from RD - with Rafi & Kishore, both singing for Pancham in this movie.

There were two compositions, not as popular, however, which stand out. One of those was later chopped out when the movie was released in its VCD / DVD version. However, we will come to that song later.

Let me first play this - Dekho Mujhe Dekho, sung by Asha and picturised on Tanuja, performing as an insane woman. Both these performers, whenever demanded by a situation, have always performed at the level, which can be termed as sheer Chutzpah.

Fortunately for them, here they get the no-holds-barred backing of Pancham - who uses jazz & Blues to create a composition which is outstanding in its innovation. The rolling drums, sax, trumpet, organ, all are used at a scale which complement Asha Bhosle who modulates her voice so effortlessly in this difficult composition. Tanuja, of course, has always been one of my most favourite actresses, and she, with her on-screen so natural antics, take the song to another level altogether.

Look at the result yourself:

Udti Chidiya...

There was another Asha Bhosle number in Hum Shakal - this time a full fledged cabaret & picturised on Aruna Irani. Somehow, when the movie was re-released on VCD / DVDs, this number was done away with. Fortunately, there are a number of fans passionate about Pancham's legacy, and one of them restored it from the old VHS tapes & put it on youtube.

Of course, Asha Bhosle & RD were a potent combination when it came to cabarets. This composition is not an exception.

RD combines the sounds of Trumpets, Bongo & Guitar to create a space for Asha Bhosle to engage in her vocal calisthenics. Listen to the way the vocals go in a deeper octave at the end of each stanza, and then gets lifted in such an effortless manner, underscoring their own chemistry.

Now if only the choreography & the print could have been better! Yet, I am sure, the song is a treat for the fans of RD & Asha.

Kya Ghazab Karte Ho Jee..

Early eighties were the time when the first batch of star-sons arrived on the Hindi cinema screen. Sunil Dutt was not the first one. Rather, it was Rajendra Kumar, who had introduced his son Kumar Gaurav - through Love Story. Soon followed Sanjay Dutt in Rocky, Sunny Deol in Betaab & Suniel Anand in Anand Aur Anand. Barring Suneil Anand - who had his father to compete with in youthful energy - each one of these stars were well received. In fact, Kumar Gaurav received an adulation that was reminiscent of Rajesh Khanna's hay days.

Since all the movies were centered around youth & romance, it was natural for each one of them to have RD Burman - the only youthful music director - helming the compositions. However, to my mind, this was not the logic which made everyone go to Pancham. Rather, it was the super success of Love Story & its music, which made the ever insecure film industry look for the already proven formula & combinations - while launching these new kids on the block.

Of course, apart from Kumar Gaurav, the credit for the movie to be a big hit also went to its music. The songs of Love Story - sugar syrupy most of them, with Amit Kumar pairing with Lata for those romantic songs - were lovely, melodious, sounding sweet to the ears as intended, yet lacking that Pancham Punch.

Except this one - a seductive number penned by Anand Bakshi. Starting with the clicking of fingers, the song has Guitar chords soon striking a rhythmic pattern to match the lift of a Bossa Nova. The overall effect is a lilting melody, to which the verve of Asha Bhosle off screeen, and Aruna Irani on screen, add right dose of impishness.

I am sure you will agree too.

Kaanp Rahi Main...

Namak Haram was released in 1973. This was indeed a good year for Pancham - with 19 releases. His compositions for the movies like Yaadon ki Baraat, Aa Gale Lag Ja, Namak Haram, Heera Panna & Anamika were instant hits & remained chart-toppers forever. On the other hand there were movies like Bandhe Haath where it took a long passage of time before its music got appreciated.

There were also mixed fares like Joshila - produced by Gulshan Rai (whose first production was Johny Mera Naam and whose son Rajiv Rai went on to make movies like Gupt & Mohra) and directed by Yash Chopra. The movie had that rare combination of Sahir & Pancham, yet except Kishore Kumar's outstanding rendition of "Kiska Rasta Dekhe", none of the songs really got the due recognition.

For example, this cabaret number, picturised on Padma Khanna. With a long prelude and longer interludes, the song is remarkable for its varying pace of composition as well as the vocal - which were rendered by Asha Bhosle. Listening to the number, one really wonders the reason for its not getting the kind of popularity which some of his other cabaret compositions could garner. Perhaps, again the reason could be that the movie itself turned out to be a dud - despite having Dev Anand, Hema & Rakhee as the lead cast.

Anyways, here is the number. I recommend that you must listen to it with earphones, to really enjoy the jamming of instruments in this not so often heard composition of Pancham:

Dil To Lei Gava...

Aap ki Kasam was released in 1974, amidst the downward trend of Rajesh Khanna. On the other hand, just a year ago, Zanjeer had marked the beginning of a rising graph for Amitabh Bachchan. Zanjeer was his first major hit, after a series of 13 flops (excepting Bombay to Goa - which had an average run on the box office, when first released).

Just before Zanjeer, came a movie which was last of Amitabh’s series of initial flops. Bandhe Haath – written & produced by O P Ralhan, which had Amitabh in his first double role alongwith Mumtaz, Ajit & O P Ralhan. 

This was Pancham’s second movie with O P Ralhan. The first one was Hulchul, which had no song, but a few very interesting dance compositions. 

Bandhe Haath, as I said earlier, failed to make any impression at the box office. As happens with most of the flops, even its music really did not create any waves. In the bargain, some of Pancham’s brilliance failed to shine – at least for the time being.

It was much later that Bandhe Haath’s music got some recognition. Listening to the quality of these compositions, it still was not enough though.

Take for example this number, a dance composition with Mumtaz dancing her heart out to an effervescent medley of instruments with funky rhythm and rapid African beats – alongwith mouthing of some of inane words -  that under anyone else’s baton could have resulted in a chaos. However, with R D at the helm, it sounds cohesive as well as energetic – something like Caravan’s Daiyya Main Kahan Aa Phansi.

On screen while Amitabh tries his best to keep up with Mumtaz, off screen, it is Manna Dey & Mahendra Kappor playing a supporting role to an absolute in-form Asha Bhosle. And just as a trivia, the police inspector in the scene is character actor Ram Mohan, whom Pancham later lent his voice for, in that  classic from Kitaab – Dhanno ki Aankhon Men.   

However, why digress? It is time for Asha Bhosle & Mumtaz to step up the beats in Dil To Lei Gava..

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlx4r8_dil-to-lai-gava-bandhe-haath-1973-asha-manna-day_music

Holi Re Holi..

Holi has been a festival closest to my heart. Something in the weather - just turning cold to warm - also brings out the warmth amongst ourselves, while making us drop all our pretensions and open up our heart. It is a festival that brings out bohemian of most of us. A festival like this, naturally also opened up the possibility for Pancham to unleash his creativity most effectively. No wonder he has a number of songs centered around Holi.

Beginning from Kati Patang to Sholay, I can remember at least six movies where Pancham had composed a song for Holi. Each of these have remained amongst the playlists for the Holi parties.

My favourite, of these, is from a movie - Paraya Dhan, released in 1971. The movie, starring Rakesh Rohan & a very beautiful Hema Malini, alongwith Balraj Sahni & Ajit was shot for a major part in the valley of Kullu. Its composition had a different flavour altogether, something like the sound from western curry classic meeting the music of the valley. The fusion was simply brilliant as most of the songs went on to become classics over the year.

For example, this Holi song, lyrics for which were written by Anand Bakshi. It has a rhythm that is unlike a normal Holi song. Even the instruments are not really the traditional instruments.Asha Bhosle & Manna Dey add their brilliant vocal rendition to the composition. The result is a song which conveys the mood of this festival of colours in a perfect manner.

Wishing you a very happy Holi, as you listen to this gem from Pancham:

Achchhi Nahin Sanam Dillagi..

It was not by design, but a coincidence, that last two songs on this page had Asha Parekh as the heroine. Having done that, now by design, let me present another duet that starred Asha Parekh. Asha Parekh being the key protagonists of all Nasir Hussain movies from Dil Deke Dekho to Caravan and also one of the topmost actresses in 60s, it was quite natural that Pancham had some of his best compositions picturised on Asha Parekh. 

The duet presented here is from a movie - Rakhee Aur Hathkadi - another spin on the cliched formulae of "Lost & Found", so popular amongst the producers-directors of late 60s & early 70s. The movie had Asha Parekh in double roles - one as a courtesan and another as of her daughter. Apart from Ashok Kumar, Pran & Helen, all other key protagonists of the movies were rank new-comers at that time - including Danny for whom this was perhaps the first movie as a full fledged villain. Asha Parekh herself being past her prime by then, the movie had nothing interesting for the cine-goers and hence tanked. Fortunately, some of the songs survived, due to freshness that RD offered.

Getting back to the composition, it is a lilting duet - penned by Majrooh - that starts of with a Sax prelude and has very subtle score through out, including interludes. The harmony is created by relying more on the vocal chemistry of Asha & Kishore - who carry out their bit so well that song remains as sweet as it was 4 decades ago. 

Unfortunately, same can not be said true about the chemistry of the performers on-screen, the other Asha - looking a bit tired, and her co-star Vijay Arora - who tries his hardest to find a balance between his hangover of Shammi Kapoor & Rajesh Khanna.

See for yourself, and then close your eyes, and just enjoy the song:

Pal Do Pal Ka Saath Hamara

What was just started as a one-off post to mark the 75th birth year of Pancham became a way of sharing my fascination with Pancham's music with the big world of Pancham-fans all over - some known and a lot many stranger earlier, but not any more. 

It would be apt to use an oft-quoted couplet from Majrooh, with whom RD created some of the biggest hits of his career:

Main Akela hi chala tha Jaanib-e-manzil, Magar

Log Aate Gaye Aur Caravan Banta Gaya

Talking about the caravan & the journey, here is another of Pancham's hit. This is in format of a quawwalli - a format which Pancham mastered, specially in 80s. 

The song, picturised on a fast moving train - from The Burning Train by Ravi Chopra - is a prelude to the mishap that is about to take place. Hence, keeping true to the format and the situation, the composition starts with Harmonium & Shehnai, and then becomes double paced to match the romance and the joyous mood inside the train, juxtaposed with the mood outside, where the train is racing towards a disaster. Unfortunately, despite a huge star cast, and a season of hugely popular disaster movies from Hollywood, this movie itself proved to be a disaster. However, Rafi & Asha's rendition in this excellent composition, proved to be a big draw, and is popular even now.

Philosophically, this is extension of Majrooh's couplet. While Majrooh wrote about gathering people on the journey, Sahir who penned the verse here, wrote about the need to enjoy the life now, due to its fickleness and the inevitability where by the end of the journey one is always left alone. Ironically, this was also the last movie of Sahir, just before his leaving for another journey - alone.

Nazaron ke shok nazrane Hontho ke garm paimaane

Hai aaj apni mahafil men, Kal kya ho koi kya jaane

Yeh pal kushi ki jannat hai, Is pal me ji le diwane

Aaj ki kushiyan ek haqiqat, Kal ki kushiya afsane hai

Pal do pal ka saath hamara, Pal do pal ke yarane hai

Is manzil par hai milne vale, Us manzil par kho jaane hai