RMIM Archive Article "92".

From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian
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# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: Anil Biswas and "CHHOTI  CHHOTI  BAATEIN"
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# Posted by: vishk@cup.hp.com (Vish Krishnan)
# Author: Vish Krishnan
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The more interesting  film  for  me  is  CHHOTI  CHHOTI  BAATEIN,
Motilal's  last  as well as Anil Da's last movie.  With this, the
grand composer left Bombay for good, and now lives in  South  Ex-
tension  New  Delhi with his wife and one of my favourite singers
of all time - Meena Kapoor).  Of course, once Anil  Biswas  moved
to  Delhi,  he  focussed  his  attention on documentaries, Indian
Films Division productions (he was the main music director  there
for  a  few years), and at least one DOORDARSHAN serial (HUM LOG,
was it?).

CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN is actually quite a nice  movie.   Depress-
ing?  Yes. But the music does bring out the best elements of Anil
Biswas' work.  In addition to the Mukesh-Lata duet  ("Zindagi  Ka
Ajab Fasaana Hai") that borders on Nand Kalyan, there are 3 other
songs.  The Lata solo "Meri Baali Re Umariya, Ab Kaise Beete Ram"
brings  back  fond  memories  of older Lata-Anil Biswas classics.
Mukesh sings the farewell song "Zindagi Khwaab Hai", an apt  hom-
age  to  Motilal  Rajvansh.   The  veteran actor died around this
time, I think.  I believe the JAAGTE RAHO original was written by
Shailendra, as is this song.

My favourite CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN song is by Meena  Kapoor.  The
husband-wife   partnership   is   reminiscent   of   the  eternal
Khaiyyaam-Jagjit Kaur pair.  Meena Kapoor of course  started  her
career  a  bit  earlier  than Jagjit Kaur.  Further, she has sung
movie songs for quite  a  few  other  music  directors  (SD,  CR,
Roshan,  Madan Mohan to name few) unlike Jagjit Kaur, who, to the
best of my knowledge, has sung for Ghulam  Mohammed  and  perhaps
Madan Mohan - that is all.

The Meena Kapoor song I refer to is

        Kuch Aur Zamaana Kehta Hai, Kuch Aur Hai Zid Mere  Dil Ki
        Main Baat Zamaane Ki Maanoon, Ya Baat Sunoon Apne  Dil Ki

In its own way, the song is a nostalgic trip.  While the composi-
tion  has  a  strong Gaud Saarang structure, it is delivered with
utmost simplicity.  There are strong Gaud  Sarang  precedents  in
Anil  Da's  earlier  work.   The HAMDARD ragamala "Ritu Aaye Ritu
Jaaye" starts with a Gaud Sarang piece.  Also,  the  Indo-Russian
venture  PARDESI  (Balraj  Sahni,  Nargis)  gives us the gem of a
taraana by Lata ("Naadira Deem, Tanna Dere Naa"). That  genre  of
music  has  disappeared  from  the  face  of the earth.  Only the
recordings and the memories remain.

Anil Biswas, the tiger  of  Barisal  (Bengal),  freedom  fighter,
super  composer, and mentor to a generation of music directors we
know and love, turned 80 in July 1994.  The Lata Mangeshkar award
institute  presented  him with the 1994 Lata award for remarkable
achievement in music!

vish 
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From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian