From: vandana@charlie.ece.scarolina.edu ( Vandana Venkatesan ) Message-Id: <9408102233.AA09607@charlie.ece.scarolina.edu> Subject: Details for Lata songs [The following was a response by Vish Krishnan to a request for details regarding some Lata songs] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- >jo main jaanti bisrat hain saiyan ghunghata mein aag laga deti >Movie: Shabab >Starring: Bharat Bhooshan, Nutan >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Naushad >Lyrics: Shakeel The movie had 3 other Lata solos ("Jogan Ban Jaaongi", "Mar Gaye Hum Jeete Ji" and "Marna Teri Gali Mein"). Perhaps one of Nutan's best movies, it was also, in my opinion, among Naushad's best. There are two exquisite duets in this movie ("Chandan Ka Palna" by Lata-Hemant and "Man Ki Been Matwari Baaje" by Lata-Rafi). SHABAB really started the trend for Ustad Naushad featuring truly classical voices. It has a great Amir Khan song (may be two). Almost on the heels of SHABAAB came BAIJU BAAWRA, and once again, we heard from Amir Khan and D.V. Paluskar. Naushad stopped for a while and did it again in MUGHAL-E-AZAM, this time with Bade Ghulam Ali Khan singing "Prem Jogan Ban Gayee" and "Shubh Din Aayo, Saaheb-E-Aalam". > >woh paas nahin majboor hai dil, hum aas lagaaye baithe hain >Movie: Naubahaar >Starring: >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Roshan (his first movie) >Lyrics: Shailendra (??) I am hesitant to use superlatives, but there are two other Lata songs from this movie ("Ai Ri Main To Prem Diwani", and "Dekho Ji Mera Jiya Churaye Liye Jaaye") - they are right up there for Roshanlal's compositions for me. >ja re badra bairi ja ja ja re >Movie: Bahaana >Starring: Don't know >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan Madan Mohan did most of his work with two prime lyricists - Rajinder Krishan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Majrooh has a handful of songs with him (BAAGHI, AKELI MAT JAIYO, DASTAK, AAKHIRI DAO and some others), Kaifi Aazmi wrote songs for all Chetan Anand-Madan Mohan movies, and Sahir had his meagre share. It is amazing that some key figures of ghazal writing (Shakeel for instance) never worked with Madan Mohan, the maestro of ghazal compositions. Sahir wrote the songs for RAILWAY PLATFORM ("Basti Basti Parbat Parbat", "Chand Maddham Hai Aasmaan Chup Hai", "Jiya Kho Gaya, O tera Ho gaya"), then GHAZAL ("Naghma-O-Sher Ki Saugaat", "Meri Mehboob Kahin Aur Mila Kar MujhSe", etc) and finally LAILA-MAJNU (finished by Jaidev once Madan Mohan was no longer able to work on it). Madan Mohan was not easy to write for. He was intolerant of sloppy work. I urge you to do the following research. You know what I mean when I talk about filler phrases in Hindi songs. It is when the words don't fit the music just right, the singer does a bit of "Aa..." or "Oo..." and returns to home base. Try to find a Madan Mohan song that has this feature. You will have real trouble. He never had the need for fillers. The words fitted just too perfectly. > >jhan jhan jhan jhan paayal baaje kaise jaaoon pi se milan ko >Movie: Buzdil >Starring: Dev Anand, Kamini Kaushal (??) >Singer(s): Lata >Music: S.D.Burman >Lyrics: Sahir (??) One of Lata's first few songs with S.D., this was accompanied by another couple of great ones. One in particular ("Main Albeli, Run Jhun Run Jhun Baaje Ghoonghar Mora") has made it to the dual-cassette RARE GEMS OF LATA release by HMV in recent times. Then of course, there was "Rote Rote Guzar Gayee Raat". The RARE GEMS OF LATA release is worth owning. There are some forgotten MDs in there, and there are some mighty fine songs. > >o sajna barka bahaar aayi >Movie: Parakh >Starring: Motilal, Sadhana (Bimal Roy's masterpiece) >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Salil Chowdhary >Lyrics: Shailendra PARAKH was actually a great movie, and Bimal Roy was also somewhat in love with Sadhana Shivdasani - Babita's cousin, Hari Shivdasani's niece and later, R.K.Nayyar's wife. You can see PARAKH just to see Sadhana in her pristine charm before she got gobbled up by the more commercial movies. Although she made her first movie LOVE IN SIMLA under R.K.Nayyar's direction, Bimal Roy featured Sadhana in two of his works. One of course, was PARAKH, and the other was PREM PATRA (with Shashi Kapoor). These were two of 6 Bimal Roy movies that had Sir Salil Chowdhury's music, the others being DO BIGHA ZAMEEN, MADHUMATI, KABULIWALA and USNE KAHA THA. Bimal Roy himself started experimenting in parallel with S.D. Burman, and made 3 movies there (SUJATA, BANDINI and Meena Kumari's BENAZIR, also starring Ashok Kumar and Shashi Kapoor). Musically speaking, BENAZIR was a sleeper. People have completely forgotten it, but some of Lata's best S.D. songs are to be found in that movie. Look out for "Alvida Jaan-E-Wafaa, Meri Manzil Aa Gayee", "Jaane Jana, Mil Ja, Mil Jaa Re", "Husn Ki Bahaaren Liye, Aaye The Sanam", "Bahaaron Ki Mehfil Suhaani Rahegi" and a Rafi treat "Dil Mein Ek Jaan-E-Tamanna Ne Jagah Paayee Hai"). S.D. did not go madly after strict classical performances from Lata. There are a few examples, and BENAZIR is a close one. Incidentally, BENAZIR is probably also the first and last time song and ghazal writer Shakeel Badayuni wrote for S.D. Burman. Then Bimal Da made what I think was his last Hindi movie. DO DUNI CHAAR was an Indianzed Shakespearean Comedy of Errors with Kishore Kumar and Tanuja both in double roles. The music director was Hemonto Mukherji, a change for Bimal Da. The Kishore masterpiece "Hawaaon Pe Likh Do, Hawaaon Ke Naam" is from this one. Back to PARAKH. It had 3 other Lata classics ("Mila Hai Kisi Ka Jhumka", "Ye Banji Kyon Gaaye, Mujhe Kyon Sataaye" and my favourite of them all "Mere Man Ke Diye", a song with the Calcutta choir singing in the background - there were a few of those). > >man mohana baDe jhooTe >Movie: Seema >Starring: Balraj Sahni, Nutan >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Shankar Jaikishan >Lyrics: Shailendra I believe this was an Amiya Chakroborty movie (not sure). But it was the second time the two stalwarts Balraj Sahni and Nutan worked together. They had earlier appeared in the O.P.Nayyar treat SONE KI CHIDIYA. At any rate, SEEMA is the story of a prisoner reform effort, and overall, is a good movie. It also has some tremendous songs. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan plays with feeling for Lata's "Suno Chhoti Si Gudiya Ki Lambi Kahaani". Then there is another Lata song "Baat Baat Mein Rootho Na". The Manna Dey classic "Tu Pyaar Ka Saagar Hai" is from here, and so is Rafi's gift in "Kahaan Jaa Rahaa Hai Tu Ai Jaane Waale". Balraj Sahni happens to be my only truly favourite Hindi movie hero. Outside of his 1-tier greats like DO BIGHA ZAMIN, KABUILIWALA and GARAM HAWA, his second-tier movies are great as well. These would be SEEMA, SONE KI CHIDIYA, LAJWANTI, ANURADHA, KATHPUTLI, PINJRE KE PANCHHI etc. Incidentally, the first ever Meena Kumari movie (MADHOSH) starred Balraj Sahni. On another note, honest Jaijaiwanti compositions in Hindi movies are very rare. Other than "Mana Mohana..", I remember Manna Dey's "Bairan Ho Gayee Rain" from Madan Mohan's DEKH KABIRA ROYA, a classic Lata song "Shaam Bhayee Ghanshyam Na Aaye" from S.N.Tripathi's KAVI KALIDAS and a lost-for-ever Lata solo "Bhool Jaana Na" from MAALTI MAADHO, one of the 3 Hindi movie gems by composer Sudhir Phadke. There are lesser Jaijaiwanti songs like "Sooni Sooni Saans Ke Sitaar Par" from LAAL PATTHAR and "Tere Mere Sapne" from GUIDE. But really, they do not count in the overall scheme of things. > >ja ja re ja saajna, kaahe sapnon mein aaye jaake des paraaye >Movie: Adalat >Starring: Pradeep Kumar (double role) and Nargis >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Maestro Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan It is impossible to pick the best movies of Madan Mohan. At least up until the mid-60's, they were all exquisite. But I am tempted to pick favourites, and I rank ADAALAT as my top-ranking favourite Madan Mohan movie, ever. If you had an opportunity to see MAMTA, a mid-60s Ashok Kumar-Suchitra Sen movie, then ADAALAT was a male double-role version of the same story. Based on a sound story line from the Bengali classic "Uttara Bhadrapad", the movie has room for dance songs. While Roshan had explicit mujras in MAMTA, Madan Mohan's approach for ADAALAT was more subtle. All time Lata classics like "Yoon Hasraton Ke Daag Mohabbat Mein Dho Liye", "Unko Ye Shikayat Hai Ke Hum Kuch Nahin Kehte", "Jaana Thaa Hum Se Door Bahaane Banaa Liye" and a seldom heard cute song "Tum Chaand Ke Saath Chaley Aao, Ye Raat Suhaani Ho Jaaye" are all from this movie. The song you mentioned is curious in its own right. It has 3 versions. Match that. How many other Hindi movie songs that you know of have more than 2 versions? Lata sings two of them, a happy and a sad version. And then Asha has a jumpy and mischievous version of the same song. The notable thing about the Asha version is that embedded in it are glimpses of O.P.Nayyar. For some reason, Madan Mohan could not resist the temptation of using OP-style orchestration. Then there is a great Rafi-Asha duet that goes "Zameen Se Hamein Aasmaan Par, Bitha Ke Giraa To Na Dogey", and the clincher is an Asha-Geeta duet in perfect Punjabi Giddha style ("Dupatta Mera Malmal da"). > >jeena humko raas na aaya hum jaane kyon jeete hain >Movie: Raat aur din >Starring: Nargis, Pradeep Kumar >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Shankar-Jaikishan >Lyrics: Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri (don't know which) Again, I am having trouble remembering the melody. Somehow the above song does not register. I have seen the movie. It was years ago. Anything Nargis touches turns to gold. The movie really had nothing going for it except decent music and Nargis' acting prowess (she plays a schizophrenic personality). The songs I do recall are some Lata solos ("Raat Aur Din Diya Jaley","Na Chhedo Kar Ke Afsaane", "Aawara Ai Mere Dil"), the deadbeat Mukesh version of "Raat Aur Din", a forgettable Rafi song "Phool Sa Chehera Chaand Si Rangat" and a Lata-Manna Dey treat "Dil Ki Girah Khol Do" - a song that rekindles memories of the same pair singing in CHORI CHORI and SHREE 420. > >hai re woh din kyon na aaye >Movie: Anuradha >Starring: Balraj Sahni, Leela Naidu >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Pt.Ravi Shankar >Lyrics: Shailendra A well-constructed plot with mature acting, to say nothing of what ended up being among the best Hindi songs ever created, ANURADHA is worth watching. It was Ravi Shankar's first Hindi movie, and in addition to the 4 supreme Lata solos, it also had a decent Manna Dey song ("Sun Mere Laal, Yoon Na Ho Behaal") and a Lata-Mahendra Kapoor chorus ("Le Ke Dil Ka Saaz Hum, Geet gaane Aa Gaye"). In the early '60s, Ravi Shankar also did the music for GODAAN, a wonderful Premchand novel. Starring Raj Kumar, Kamini Kaushal and Mehmood, this was a serious look at a village family, and of necessity, the music was more folksy. There is a great Rafi song ("Pipra Ke Patwa Sareekhe Doley Manwa") and then there is a good Tilak Kamod structure to Mukesh's "Diya Jarat Rahat Din Rain". Mahendra Kapoor and Geeta Dutt obviously enjoy singing "O Madhubaini Kyon Tarsaaye". But my two most favourite songs of the movie are both by Lata. She sings a wedding song that goes "Chali Aaj Gori Piya Ki Nagariya", and then she sings an energetic and somewhat classical Maanjh Khamaj composition ("Jaane Kaahe Jiya Mora Doley Re"). > >aaj kal mein dhal gaya, din hua tamaam, tu bhi so ja so gayi, rang bhari shaam >Movie: Beti Bete >Starring: Sunil Dutt, Saroja Devi >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Shankar Jaikishan >Lyrics: Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri (has to be one or the other)n I am trying to recall other songs from this movie. It was a tearjerker from the South, one in the long line of Prasad Productions movies that always did well all over the country. Mr. L.V.Prasad started his Hindi movie stint with the Meena Kumari/Raj Kapoor/Rajendra Kumar hit SHARDA (C.Ramchandra had some great music in it). Then he switched loyalties to Shankar Jaikishan, and made CHHOTI BAHEN, SASURAL, HAMRAHI and BETI BETE. At that point, I guess he was no longer sure. So he made DADI MA (Roshan) and then permanently switched to Laxmikant and Pyarelal starting with MILAN. There is also a Rafi version of "Aaj Kal Mein Dhal Gayaa", and I recall another unmemorable Rafi-Asha duet "Gori Chalo Na Hans Ki Chaal Zamaana Dushman Hai". > >jhoom jhoom dhalti raat, leke chali mujhe apne saath >Movie: KOHRAA >Starring: Biswajeet, Waheeda Rehman >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Hemonto Mukherjee >Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni > If you apply a perverse transformation to the story line, you could claim that KOHRAA was based on REBECCA, the Daphne Du Maurier piece of work. It was one in a long series of Gitanjali Pictures productions that always had music by Hemonto Da, always got directed by the great Biren Naug as long as he lived, and at least for the first 3 movies, starred Biswajeet and Waheed Rehman. It all started with BEES SAAL BAAD. Again, some claimed that it was an Indian HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES story. That's bull. Next came BIN BADAL BARSAAT followed by KOHRAA. Lesser known movies like FARAAR and SANNATA followed. At this point, Biren Naug was gone, and the movie studio switched to non-murder mystery fare, and continued on with BIWI AUR MAKAAN, KHAMOSHI, RAAHGIR and finally SAU SAAL PEHLE. I am listing these movies here mainly because of the Lata-Hemonto connection. I have been thinking about creating a set of cassettes for Lata solos sung to Hemonto Da's music. I know the series of movies to capture in there, but I am missing some serious contenders like DURGESH NANDINI, CHAAND, SHART, FARAAR, SANNATA, SAU SAAL PEHLE etc. Wonder if you have heard the two beautiful Lata solos from FARAAR. One of them is "Dil-E-Nadaan Ko Sambhaaloon to Chaley Jaaiyega". But the other one that goes "Pyaar Ki Dastaan, Tum Suno To Kahen"m is even better - in fact, I think it is one of the best Lata songs sung for Hemonto. >nainon mein badra chhaye, bijli si chamke haye >Movie: Mera Saaya >Starring: Sunil Dutt, Sadhana (double role), Raja Paranjape >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Maestro Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan There is quite a bit of similarity between WOH KAUN THI and MERA SAAYA. Both movies were directed by Raj Khosla, both had Sadhana in a double role, both had music by Madan Mohan and finally, both lyrics were written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan. Other songs from MERA SAYA were Lata solos ("Tu Jahan Jahaan Rahega", "Naino Walee Ne Hai Mere Dil Loota" and the Bhimpalasi song "Nainon Mein Badraa Chhaye"), and a Rafi solo "Aap ke Pehloo Aa Kar Ro Diye". But the most popular song from the movie was also among the most popular Madan Mohan songs ever, and that was "Jhumka Giraa Re, Bareilly Ke Bazaar Mein". >badli se nikla hai chaand pardesi piya laut ke tu ghar aaja >woh bhooli daataan lo phir yaad aa gayi > >Movie: SANJOG >Starring: Mala Sinha, ?? >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Maestro Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan > Another great one from Madan Mohan, SANJOG had 3 great Lata solos (other than the two mentioned above, there is "Chalaa Hai Kahaan, Duniya Idhar Hai Teri"). There is a Lata-Mukesh duet (you might have heard "Ek Manzil, Rahi Do Phir Pyaar Na Kaise Ho") and there is a mediocre Rafi song ("Do Ghoont Maine Pi"). >aei mere dil-e-naadaan tu gham se na ghabraana >Movie: TOWER HOUSE >Starring: ????? >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Ravi >Lyrics: Asad Bhopali I know little about the movie itself other than that I recall 2 other songs. One is a really good Asha solo "Mausam Hai Jawaan Noor Mein Khoye Hain Nazare"- a very typical Ravi song this. Then there is a Rafi-Asha duet "Ye Haseen Raat Ye Bahaar Ye Samaa". Of course, there is also a wonderful Lata-Mukesh duet of all times ("Main KhushNaseeb Hoon Mujhko Kisi Ka Pyaar Mila"). There is also a Mukesh solo version of this song. In general, TOWER HOUSE was among Ravi's better creations. In general, a good Lata-Ravi song is hard to find. He clearly had a preference for Asha's voice. The TOWER HOUSE song is one, and then there is a movie called EK SAAL, where Lata has a couple of gems ("Sub Kuch Lutaa ke Hosh Mein Aaye to Kya Kiya" and "Chaley Bhi Aao, Chaley Bhi Aao"). To get decent Lata songs from Ravi, one needs to go to the South Indian productions like KHANDAAN, MEHRBAAN, NAI ROSHNI, RAAKHI, DO KALIYAAN and so forth. Some time ago, someone had posted a note on RMIM suggesting that Ravi did not compose for that many movies. I don't know what "that many" is, but Ravi has over 65-70 movies to his credit. He had among the best professional relation- ship with a number of North Indian movie makers. Notable among them was B.R. Chopra, but there were also the lesser people like Devendra Goyal, S.D.Narang Ramandand Sagar, R.K.Nayyar and O.P.Ralhan. Then there were the tearjerkers from the AVM and GEMINI camps, and again, Ravi was quite popular with them. > >bindiya chamkegi choodi khankegi, teri neend ude te ud jaaye >Movie: Do Raaste >Starring: Mumtaz, Rajesh Khanna? >Singer(s): Lata >Music: LP >Lyrics: Anand Bakshi (I suspect) > This was one of 3 Rajesh Khanna-Mumtaz movies (the others being SACCHA JHOOTA and APNA DESH). By the time this movie came along (1970 or so), my favourite MDs were either dead and gone OR were on they way down anyway. I stopped paying attention to Hindi movies with the advent of the '70s. >bol ri katputli dori kaun sang baandi >Movie: Katputli >Starring: Dilip Kumar?, VyjayantiMala ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Balraj Sahni >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Shankar Jaikishan >Lyrics: Shailendra or Hasrat Jaipuri I have no knowledge of this movie other than a good Lata song ("Baakad Bum Bum Baaje Damroo"). Also, I wonder if you remember a Subir Sen song "Manzil Wohi Hai Pyaar Ki, Raahi Badal Gaye". > >baiyan na dharo re balma >Movie: Dastak >Starring: Sanjeev Kumar, Rehana Sultan >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Maestro Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri If you have not seen DASTAK, you should consider checking it out. It is not often that the same movie picks up 4 or 5 gold medals from the President of India (aka Urvashi Awards). Both Sanjeev and Rehana got that award for best actor and actress respectively. It was judged best picture and also got an Urvashi for Madan Mohan's music. The story and direction were by Rajinder Singh Bedi (who was quite famous especially in Punjabi literary and theatre circles - examples are GARAM COAT and EK CHADAR MAILI SI, both of which were acclaimed as literary landmarks). The DASTAK story was quite depressing, and the B/W picturization, although exquisite, only added to the pathos. It is the story of a newlywed couple that inadvertently rents a place in the red light district of Bombay. This was Rehana's first movie. She made a fatal mistake by showing her acting prowess and her totally intelligent presentation of a woman stuck in her kind of predicament. Popular rumour has it that most male leads were threatened by her strong presence, and essentially refused to do movies with her. So much for the secure male ego of Bombay cinema. As a result, Rehana was relegated to B-grade movies like CHETNA (and other than Feroz Khan's KHOTAY SIKKE, I can't even recall any of her movies). DASTAK has only 4 songs. Three of them are Lata solos ("Baiyyan Na Dharo Balma", "Hum Hain Mataa-E-Koocha-O-Bazaar Ki Tarah", "Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon"). The Rafi song "Tum Se Kahoon Ek Baat Paron Se Halki Halki" is quite a classic. Some HMV tape also released the little known/heard version of "Mai Ri" sung by Madan Mohan. Above all, the musical hallmark of DASTAK is not the songs we know, but the background music throughout the movie. It is characterized by some superb thumri, dadra and mujra songs. There is even a mujra version of "Baiyyan Na Dharo Balma". > >woh jo milte the kabhi humse deewanon ki tarah >Movie: Akeli mat jaiyo >Starring: Manoj Kumar?, Mala Sinha I don't know about this movie >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Maestro Madan Mohan >Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri I don't know this movie, but I recall three songs, the Lata ghazal above being one of them. There is the title song by Lata and chorus, but the most popular song from this movie was the Asha sizzler "Thodi Der Ke Liye Mere Ho Jaao". It was a treat to play on the accordion. AMJ was among the very few Madan Mohan movies where Majrooh wrote the lyrics. I wish they had done more work together, although, I am also a big fan of Rajinder Krishan, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Kaifi Aazmi who together took the lion's share of Madan Mohan's ghazal tunes for their poetry. > >rooTe saiyan hamaare saiyan kyon rooTe, na toh hum bewafa na toh hum jhooTe >Movie: Devar >Starring: Dharmendra, Sharmila, Deven Varma, Shashikala >Singer(s): Lata >Music: Roshanlal >Lyrics: Majrooh (I think) DEVAR had 2 Lata songs. You mentioned one and the other one is "Duniya Mein Aisa Kahaan Sabka Naseeb Hai". The movie was quite good. It is a Bengali story titled "Naa", and Deven Varma shows the serious side of his acting here. Mukesh sings two songs ("Bahaaron Ne Mera Chaman Loot Kar" and "Aaya Hai Mujhe Phir Yaad Wo Zaalim") and there is a horsetrot Rafi song "Kaajal Waale Nain Mila Ke"). ................................................................. __ _ _ __ \ \/ / Vandana Venkatesan \ /\ / vandana@charlie.ece.scarolina.edu \/ \/ ------ "pankh hoti toh uD aati re" .................................................................