RMIM Archive Article "171".

From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
#
# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: The Malika turns 73 - Noorjehan
#
# Posted by: vishk@cup.hp.com (Vish Krishnan)
# Author: Vish Krishnan
#


Today, September 21, is Noorjehan's birthday.  I believe  she  is
now  73 years old.  It is hard to say really.  Filmographers have
not been able to agree on the year of  birth.   Some  say  it  is
1929,  and that is highly suspect.  By the time she made BADI MAA
in 1945, she was already a mother of 2.   Now,  while  she  could
have been 16 years old then, it is quite unlikely.

I am more inclined to go with 1922, a year that Marathi  journal-
ist  Isaak Mujawar stipulates (don't remember very well, but this
may be somewhere in his book LATA TE NOORJEHAN, a  publication  I
discovered at the NCPA in B'Bay).

As part of her birthday memories, here are some of her  rare  and
forgotten  songs.  I don't remember movie names, and quite possi-
bly, some of them are not even from movies.  It would help a  lot
if  someone  could fill in the relevant (or even not so relevant)
details.

Alongside her TV serial (TARANNUM) from the '80s, at least 4  au-
dio  cassettes  were  released,  much  in the style later used by
Jagjit Singh for his work with KEHKESHAAN, a Doordarshan  produc-
tion.

Some of the TARANNUM songs are memorable, for  their  words,  the
music, and most of all, the beautifully aging voice.


1.  Kabhi Kitaabon Mein Phool Rakhna, Kabhi Darakhton Pe Naam Likhna
	Hamein Bhi Hai Yaad Aaj Tak Woh, Nazar Se Harf-E-Salaam Likhna


2.  Zaraa Si Der Mein, Barson Ka Dostaana Lage
	Woh Ajnabi Hai, Ta-aalluq Magar Puraana Lage


3.  Raat Phaili Hai Tere Surmai Aanchal Ki Tarah
	Chaand Nikla Hai Tujhe Dhoondhne Paagal Ki Tarah

    Surkh Patton Ki Tarah, Log Ude Jaate Hain
	Shehr Bhi Ab To Nazar Aata Hai Jangal Ki Tarah


Outside of TARANNUM, there were others.  I recall a Qateel Shifai
ghazal  that  I did not much care for, but for Noorjehan's rendi-
tion of it:

4.  Dekhne Ko Hamein Wo Khwaab Mile         
	Soch  Kar  Bhi  Jinhe Sawaab Mile

And then there are the movie songs.   In  a  RARE  GEMS  release,
Noorjehan  sings  some  true classics.  This is as good a time as
any to pay homage to her first really  popular  song  for  Ghulam
Haider,  a  Punjabi  theme  from the Punjabi movie GUL-E-BAKAAVLI
(the song goes something like "Shaana  Jawaaniyaan  Maane"),  the
1939 hit that started it all.

I like the RARE GEMS release mainly for all the DUPATTA songs  it
features, particularly "Main Ban Patang Ud Jaaoon" - a treat.

In the early '50s, it was common for South Indian music makers to
look  to  the  North  for eclectic inspiration.  I was pleasantly
surprised to find the  T.S.  Bhagwati  song  "Poomaalai..."  from
PARAASHAKTI  (Shivaji  Ganesan's first movie ever).  The composer
is R. Sudarsanam, and the song is a  direct  port  of  "Saanwaria
Tohe Koi Pukaare" from Feroze Nizami's DUPATTA.

Wonder if she has done any music lately.

cheers
vish




From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian