Din Pyar Ke Aayenge Sajaniya

Bharathiraja, the director of Red Rose, has remained amongst one of the most prolific directors of Tamil Cinema - having won as many as six national awards for his films. Most of his movies were love stories entwined with social issues - largely of the South India. 

The times were differerent & hence not many of his movies were remade into Hindi. He himself also ventured into Hindi Cinema only a little. 

His first foray in Hindi movie was Solva Saawan - a remake of his own first movie as a director - which had introduced Sridevi. A few years after Red Rose, he directed another movies - Saveray Wali Gaadi - which was produced by Dharmendra & starred Sunny Deol, and Pancham again went on to create some stellar compositions.

Unfortunately, this movie, too, did not do well, and it was only a few years later that the music of Saveray Wali Gaadi got its due recognition. In fact, now, its rated as one of his finest works from the 80s.

Of all the songs this movie had, there is one which has also been ranked amongst the best that Pancham created with Lata Mangeshkar. With the name of the movie itself based on the morning train - used in the movie by Sunny & Poonam to exchange messages -  this composition had RD using the sound of a moving train as the constant rythmic refrain (Guitar, with perhaps, Madal) while its whistle - seems to be created through electronic synnthesizer - works as the harmonic pattern to combine vocals & interludes. The prelude itself, with the whistle like sound, makes one look forward to the romance. The composition that follows ensures that you remain hooked on.

Lata of course is at her best - portraying the hopes of a girl in love, while the song itself is picturised on an absolutely gorgeous & innocent villege belle - Poonam Dhillon - who makes this song - a lyrical treat anyways with Majrooh penning the verse -  a visual treat too.

Enjoy it.

Teri raah men, o Sajan, Teri dhun me chur
Khuli dhup me ithlati, phiri  door door
Mil ke sunaungi, kaise hans hans ke, 
Jhela maine dukh intezar ka
Din pyar ke aayenge sajaniya

Duniya Men, Paise Bina, Kaise Hum Jiyenge

Devata was released in 1978, which was a below average kind of a year for Pancham - as far as number of releases are concerned. Surprisingly, post the release of Sholay in 1975 and despite its mega-success, for next 3-4 years, his average number of movie releases were just about 10-11. Comparatively, he had composed for 18-19 movies every year between 1971 till 1975. Perhaps he became more selective post Sholay.

Coming back to 1978, apart from Devata, there were a few more, very noteworthy & successful releases, which found RD in his full elements. These were Ghar, Kasme Vaade & Shalimaar. I will surely get to those compositions, but just now, would love to play a song from another Dharmendra starrer from that year - Phande Baaz.

In 1977, RD & Rafi had got together - after a long time - to create Kya Hua Tera Wada. Phande Baaz was another movie where he used Rafi's voice - this time for Dharmendra. Of course, the movie, a social comedy also had Kishore Kumar singing Abhi Gyarah Nahin Baje Hain to suit Dharmendra's comic avataar.

The pick of the compositions was however a duet by Rafi & Lata. The composition has an earnestness, and a sweet sound, and RD's idea to introduce a whistle & humming at the end of each stanza, adds that little special touch which he was known for. Listen to this as Moushmi tries to make an honest man out of "Phande Baaz" Dharmendra:

Maine Dekha Ek Sapna

As I wrote earlier, Samadhi had Dharmendra playing double role. A double role by a hero naturally means two heroines, and if the story demands, then possibly compositions which can denote two different generations.

In Samadhi, the second heroine's role was played by Jaya Bhaduri. In fact, this was Jaya Bhaduri's 2nd movie with Dharmendra, and the first one where they played a romantic couple. (The first one was of course Guddi, where she had a crush on Dharmendra - giving an amazing performance playing himself - while he worked on getting her cured of that crush.) While the first generation couple was shown more in village, with traditional clothes, bullock carts and wells, the second generation was urbanised - with large cars, fashionable clothes and well landscaped gardens.

Both parts of the story had two songs each with a clear distinct identity to suit the change of location. One of these songs was also an experiment by Pancham. I wish I had the requisite technical knowledge to describe it better. However, as a listener, I find it unique in many ways. Despite being a romantic song, the composition is far from being called soft. In fact, it is quite vigorous. The interludes are also brief. However, most interesting is the way the it has been structured, with notes changing fast almost like overlapping each other. 

May be it could be a good idea to just play it now, for you to understand yourself what I mean. So here it is, Kishore & Lata rendering their voice for the lyrics penned by, once again, Majrooh:

Hum Bewafa, Hargiz Na The...

This is about one of the most underrated performers of Indian screen who turned 78 today.

A gentle person who could create the persona of a macho man - and bared his torso much before it became fashionable. A person who could not dance to save his life, yet you find his signature dance steps being aped vigourously by everyone. An actor who was as much at ease in a serious role as much in a comedy. An actor who despite delivering some of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema and a lot many stellar performances never got any award. 

Dharmendra - the guy who has always wore his heart on his sleeve.

RD did a number of movies which had Dharmendra as main lead, including those mega hits like Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay & Yaadon ki Baraat. The song which I would like to showcase here on his birthday, is however from a movie which was one of the pioneers in international collaborations. Though it did not succeed as phenomenally as it should have, the background score created by RD, in 1978, was of the international standard. Of course, the songs also had a distinct RD impact- specially this one - a soulful number that RD, Anand Bakshi & Kishore Kumar created and turned into a timeless classic.

Yari Ho Gayi Yaar Se..

A good composition demands - & deserves - a right singer, and most of the time, RD did manage to strike right combination for his compositions. Yet, there were exceptions. 

For example, this song from Do Chor: a movie starring Tanuja & Dharmendra. A particular sequence had the lead pair, being chased by the cops, finding themselves amidst a crowd of hippies. Good enough opportunity for RD to create a composition that could have rival a Dum Maro Dum, and yes, the song does have that influence. 

The song was quite popular, with claiming the 8th spot on Binaca Geet Mala for the year 1973. Yet there was something missing. To my mind, listeining to this song with a fresh mind, it was a case of a mismatch. One can only speculate about the reason for RD to choose Lata for a song that was tailor made for Asha. Not that Lata is not efficient in the song, yet the fact remains that , lending her voice to Tanuja for this song, somehow she just could not capture the uninhibition that Tanuja's performance is capable of - if you remember Raat Akeli Hai from Jewel Thief.

Looking at Tanuja's performance, one really does not wonder about the acting prowess & the lack of inhibition that Kajol has displayed. She was fortunate enough to inherit the right genes. 

Here is the song:

Tumhe Dekha Hai Maine..

If Padosan was a milestone for RD, so was Pyar ka Mausam, released in 1969 - where he teamed up again with Rafi, Majrooh & Nasir Husain to serve a sumptuous treat of music.

However, post Teesri Manzil, this was not the first movie where Rafi & RD created some beautiful music. There were a few moree, including this one from Chandan ka Palna in 1967.

The composition begins with Santoor & Sarangi, and through out Pancham has also added instruments like Tabla as well as Flute, thus giving the song a very traditional touch. Interesting, however, is that little touch of Bongo that begins each of the interlude.

Rafi is, of course, on very familiar ground over here rendering softly as a very debonair looking Dharmendra wooes Meena Kumari, using some beautiful verse penned by Anand Bakshi:

Tumhi hi ho meherbaan, tum hi sitamgar

Badal sakata hai iss dil ka mukkadar

Tumhaari ek na mein, Ek haan mein

Ke jannat dhundh li hai Is jahaan mein