#382

        Song:   Bhar bhar ke jaam pilaa de
                Bhar bhar ke jaam pilaa de
                Saaqi banaa de matwaala
                Tuu laa laa laa, bas banaa de matwaala

        Film:   Yasmeen (1955)
        Singer: Lata Mangeshkar, chorus
        Music:  C Ramchandra
        Lyrics: Rajinder Krishan
        *ing:   Vyjayantimala, Suresh

Persian locales seem to have been quite popular  in  the  50s  as
settings   for  love  stories,  and  most  seem  to  satisfy  one
invariant- forgettable movies with unforgettable music.  I  think
the mystical middle-east lent itself rather easily to overwrought
histrionics and haunting tunes- a number of these come  to  mind-
Saaqi (1952), Chor Bazaar (1954) (I think this one does fall into
that category... correct me if I'm wrong), and of course, today's
pick.  I'm  fantasizing  in  the  extreme  here,  but  I hope HMV
releases the soundtrack of this precious CR classic  someday.  (I
know,  what  am  I  thinking-  but  their  recently  demonstrated
proclivity  towards  releasing  some  oldies   like   "Parchhain"
rationalizes my delusional hopes, some :-))

"Yasmeen" is like "Parchhain" actually- a Lata/CR heaven. Oh, and
a  Talat  one  too  (I  remembered, Ashok :-)). "Mujhpe ilzaam-e-
bewafaai hai", "Ab woh raatein  kahaan",  "Bechain  nazar  betaab
jigar",  "Aankhon mein sama jaao"... the list goes on.  Add to it
this lesser known but very charming chorus piece, IIRC the  first
song  in  the  movie.  It's  a dance sequence on V'mala, which of
course, never hurts the eyes. What I found  alluring  about  this
song  is  its volatile rhythm base; the beat and the pace changes
constantly between the solo and the chorus portions, which nicely
complements  the change in vocals between Lata and the rest- like
the instruments subside to give way to her voice, and  rise  back
up  when she's done. The orchestral interludes are rather similar
to the ones in "aa gayii hai ishq pe bahaar" from "Saaqi".

BTW, the lyricist for this one may be Jan Nisar  Akhtar  ;  don't
have the exact pstats.



Guest Author: Hrishi Dixit