Ek Ajnabee Haseena Se

Charisma is a word that tries to define something which is otherwise unfathomable.  It means compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.  If ever, there was a star with Charisma on Hindi screen, it was Rajesh Khanna.

How else can one decode a phenomenon like him - average looks, good performer who could speak a lot with his eyes, broke through the accepted mould of a hero to create his own style, and then got confined within that. 

His fame was also like a comet that dazzled everyone with it for a while, and then disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. During the brief period – relatively brief as compared to other superstars who followed him – that he shone through, his fan following was not only unprecedented but could always make even the later & bigger stars envious of it.

Apart from his charisma, another factor going for him was a troika that gave soulful songs for his screen avatars; songs which coupled with his crinkling eyes and a disarming smile could woo not only the actress on the screen but the entire female fan following to the extent that many of them were willing to lay their life for him.

The troika comprised of; yes, Kishore Kumar, Pancham & Anand Bakshi. In fact, even as his movies started faring badly, the songs created by these three continued charting new waves. Here is one such song, from Ajnabee, another movie by Shakti Samanta - whose Aradhana, Kati Patang & Amar Prem had ensured a golden run for Kaka earlier.

As a composition, with hardly any prelude, what make it interesting are those interludes – specially the first two, where Pancham mixes Santoor, Guitar & Sax so brilliantly. 

Kishore’s throaty rendition, the mischievous smile of Kaka & the subtle blushes of Zeenat, while he hints about their previous interaction, and all I can think of is the lost innocence of that era, where a serenade was an essential part of the life itself:

Woh Achanak Aa Gayee, 
Yun Nazar Ke Samane

Jaise Nikal Aaya Ghata Se Chand

Chehre Pe Zulfen Bikhari Huyi Thi,

Din Men Raat Ho Gayee

Jaan-e-man Jaan-e-jigar, 

Hota Main Shayar Agar

Kahta Ghazal Teri Adaaon Par

Maine Yeh Kaha To, Mujhse Khafa Woh

Jaan-e-hayat Ho Gayee

Ek Ajnabee Haseena Se

Yun Mulaqaat Ho Gayee
   

Dulhan Maike Chali..

With the advent of 70s India was changing. It was becoming more modern and permissive - at least on surface. Zeenat Aman was the poster child of this era. 

Starting from her first movie Hulchul, she brought in a kind of glamour, which Hindi movie heroines were not generally known for. She was also one of the first heroines whom Indian male gaze looked at with lust. Ajnabee, Qurbani, Pukar, The Great Gambler, Dostana... the list is endless.

She was also one of the luckiest heroines - specially when it comes to Music. 

Starting from Hulchul (a songless movie though), there were a number of movies where Zeenat surely got her moves right - purely because the music was by RD. If Hare Rama Hare Krishna catapulted her into a zone which most of the newcomers can only dream of, movies like Yaadon Ki Barat, Heera Panna, Ishk Ishk Ishk, Ajnabee, the Great Gambler ensured her an everlasting presence in the memory of hindi music lovers.

On her birthday today, the song that I would love to showcase is from Manoranjan - a movie that brought out the chutzpah Zeenat & RD's combination was capable of. 

The song is also very special because it has three of the Mangeshkar sisters - Lata, Asha & Usha, singing in tandem - and actually it becomes difficult to differentiate their voices.

Another reason I love this song is about the inherent positivity about the characters, which Hindi movies seldom showed. In fact, never ever the Hindi movie have shown prostitutes with such joie-de-vivre (except perhaps Utsav) - absolutely unapologetic of their profession, as they mouth Anand Bakshi's lyrics while being rounded up by the police:

Suno ji suno unhe pakdo 

Jo jamane me gum bechte hai

Hamen chhodo 

sari khushiya

Is jamane me hum bechate hai

JKahe ko tu ro rahi hai

Dulhan maike chali 

Kitna Pyaara Geet Hai..Yeh Goya ke Chunanche..

"To me, Pancham was an enthusiastic chef who enjoyed the unexplored exotica; and not just an efficient cook. Pancham's primary identity was that of an exceptionally gifted musician..."

Thus wrote Shammi Kapoor - the original rock star - about RD.

It is Shammi Kapoor’s birth anniversary today. Shammi Kapoor, whose Teesri Manzil - that RD composed five years after making his debut - not only catapulted RD in a different league altogether, but also was instrumental in creating a team which provided scintillating score for almost 2 decades - that of Nasir Hussain, Majrooh & RD!

Unfortunately, post Teesri Manzil, there was no movie that had Shammi Kapoor as a hero & RD as a composer. However, so impressed was Shammi with RD, that for his two directorial ventures, Manoranjan & Bundal Baaz, RD was the obvious choice.

Manoranjan, incidentally, was one of the only unapologetic comedy about prostitutes - which did not sermonise. About a romance between a prostitute - Zeenat Aman and a constable - Sanjeev Kumar, the movie, due to the prevalent attitudes and Adults only tag did not do really too well. To some extent, this also affected the popularity of its music - despite RD being in one of his best elements.

There were a couple of amazing melodies, specially one by Lata Mangeshkar. However, for today, as a tribute to Shammi Kapoor, right song to feature would be this one – which apart from Lata & Kishore, also had Manna Dey, rendering his voice for Shammi Kapoor. 

The composition, like the movie, also has a joie-de-vivre with superb emphasis on the percussion all through out - specially during the stanzas where the song picks up each time after a brief pause. Add to that the class of the performers off & on the screen, and yet the song has remained under-appreciated - just like the movie itself. 

For a Pancham fan, this is an absolute delight though, specially when you realise that this was RD's & Shammi Kapoor's last hit together.

Aap Ke Kamre Men Koi Rahta Hai..

Almost forty years ago to date, Nasir Hussain released, perhaps his most ambitious, and most successful movie – in its own right a cult movie (my wife and her three brothers still sing the theme song with the same fervor) – Yaadon ki Baraat. 

Working on his favourite formula of Lost & Found – this time about three brothers, the movie also had some of RD’s most amazing compositions – which ensured a recall & a repeat value for the movie, forever.

One of the songs was very unlike a normal movie song for those times. A friend had remarked once: Pancham’s music was the celebration of life itself. That being the case, this song is a perfect example of joie-de-vivre. 

The sequence had a fair share of drama to begin with. Tariq, one of the heroes – who being a singer in the hotel, is entertaining the patrons with some serious jamming, before in a very formulaic manner, misses out reuniting with one of the lost brothers - Vijay Arora. The actual song starts after this melodrama – with Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle grooving to some excellent guitar chords.

What makes the composition different is the whole treatment – conversational in style as well as lyrics – with the singer also inviting patrons to join him in chorus. 

However, before showcasing this song, today being the Dashmi – last day of Durga Pooja, sticking to my promise, let me first give you the original Bangla composition. 

Bandho Dared Andho Kare , from black & white movie of 1970 -Rajkumari - starring Uttam Kumar & Tanuja, and sung by Asha & Kishore..

And now the song from Yaadon ki Baraat.

An absolute turnaround in the treatment as the composition turns into a full-fledged rock sound. While Kishore pitches in for both the heroes, once the final jamming starts, RD grabs the opportunity to pitch in with his own voice too. Since the song had Zeenat Aman as one of the characters, Asha brings in Dum Maro Dum – thus increasing the heat & the glam quotient of the entire composition. 

Enjoy this amazing number..

Agar main kahun jo dekha, nahee tha woh koyee kwaab
Pada tha table pe chasma, woh kiska janaab

Gore gale me woh muffler, tha kis hasin kaa

Jara haath dil pe rakh ke, hame dijiye jawaab

Aapke kamare me koyee rehata hai 

Dil Churane Aayi Hoon Main..

This lovely dance number from The Great Gambler, was overshadowed by Do Lafzon ki, inarguably, one of the most romantic numbers in Hindi movies. As promised in the previous post, this is one of the songs I would love to showcase here, as part of tribute to her on her birthday, for a few reasons:

One, for the lovely use of Trumpet (& a bit of sax) in the mukhda music of the song; 

two, the way she starts the song, and picks up the song even at the end of each stanza; and

third, again the mukhda that seems to have been written, unintentionally probably, to portray what her singing has been able to do:

O Deewano, Dil Sambhalo, Dil Churane Aayi Hoon Main

Tum Na Mano, Aag Pani men Lagane Aayi Hoon Main..

Gore hon Ya Kale, Apne hon Sare,...

Bombay to Goa was not the first time when Usha Uthup sang in Hindi movies or under RD's baton.

It was in 1969 when Dev Anand asked Usha Uthup to sing for his forthcoming movie - Hare Rama Hare Krishna. Based on the movie script's requirement, RD planned a song with Lata Mangeshkar & Usha Uthup, but the song ultimately ended up using Asha Bhosle's voice. This was "Dum Maro Dum".

RD however used another situation in the same movie to introduce Usha Uthup to the Hindi film audience through possibly what was the first bilingual song in Hindi movies. Of course, her co-singer now was Asha. Quite possibly the way this other song was structured, Lata & Usha Uthup woiuld have been a total mismatch for each other. On the other hand Asha & Usha Uthup are able to complement each other perfectly - with RD allowing the music to suddenly extend and pace up, giving Usha Uthup a free reign to do her vocals.

The phenomenal popularity of Dum Maro Dum to some extent overshadowed this song. While in the clubs, DJ's regularly play Dum Maro Dum, this song is rarely heard, for no fault of its music or vocals. Quite possibly it is just waiting - to be re-discovered: