Friday, August 29, 2008

a new team of music directors called "Shankar Jaikishan" were born on that fateful, memorable day,


Vishwa Mehra of RK Films and also maternal uncle of Raj, remembers the young tabla player from Hyd, Shankar, and the young harmonium player from Gujarat, Jaikishan as part of Ram Ganguly's orchestra in Aag.

In those days it was an unusual system with only those round discs of HMV, the 78 RPMS and on those labels was stated Music by Ram Ganguly and tune by Shankar or Jaikishan as the case may be. They were paid Rs 150 for a tune, over and above whatever was due to them for playing in each "take".

Those days a song was recorded first at Famous recording theatre, Tardeo or elsewhere. Subsequently the entire orchestra plus the singers went to the HMV recording studios and replayed as well as re-sang the entire song al over again for the HMV recordist, and it was this take which was then flown to HMV's Dum Dum factory at Calcutta to be cut into those 78 rpm discs.

Barsaat's muhurat was performed during Dussera 1948 with Ram Ganguly already having orchestrated two tunes by the two ambitious instrumentalists.

Vishwa Mehra was having some problem with the signed vouchers of some musicians in Ram Ganguly's orchestra and when as per the then system in vogue went for the repeat recordings to HMV, Raj and Mehra were given the feed back about rehashng of Raj's film's tunes by Ram Ganguly and selling them to other producers.

Raj was obviously enormously enraged and looked at Mehra in askance and Mehra without a moments hesitation told Raj to replace Music by "Ram Ganguly" with music by "Shankar Jaikishan". HMV were accordingly instructed.

Back home Raj had some anxiety nagging him and was contemplating on "Perhaps it may be better to let things be as before'" Mehra put his foot down to retrace any step, convinced that fair play and truth should have their pristine place and opposed Raj's vacillation at a critical juncture and thus a new team of music directors called "Shankar Jaikishan" were born on that fateful, memorable day, to enthrall millions of music lovers like us for more than two decades.

with rgds
ssmurthy

Friday, August 22, 2008

Shankar Jaikishan Expressions - 2 - Non- Lata Mangeshkar Duets (Ashaji's photo COURTESY www.asha-bhonsle.com)




This article is with COURTESY



www.deepakjeswal.com/shankar-jaikishan-expressions-2-non-lata-mangeshkar-duets/- 28k



I have often stated that I love Shankar Jaikishan's music for the deeply intrinsic melody and their interludes which had polished finesse and clear tonal quality rarely heard in HFM. Two more aspects that I love in their music are:
a) Their beautiful use of counter melody the music that runs parallel to the antaras (best heard in the Mukesh number Teri yaad dil se bhulane chala hoon from Haryali Aur Rasta) or the music that rounds of a mukhda: for example, Deewane ka naam to poochho (An Evening In Paris) cannot be hummed without the ta-ta-ta sound after every two words: deewane ka ta- ta- ta naam toh poochho ta- tat- a. I hope you understand!
b) Their music had an unusual richness; in the sense even their tabla or dholak was never alone, it always had an accompanying jhankar to it long before those horrid external ‘jhankar beats’ were devised.
Shankar Jaikishan worked for some 190 films (including Telugu movies and documentaries) and composed a spectacular 1348 songs, of which 334 were duets*. Selecting a few lovable duets (not in any particular order except as and when I recalled them), which do not feature Lata Didi but are nevertheless a pleasure to hear:

Dilruba dil pe tu yeh sitam kiye ja - Rajkumar - Exotic drums and erotic sighs make this one hot steamily scalding sensational song! Mohd. Rafi and Asha Bhonsle fantabulously modulate their voices.
Raat ke humsafar thak ke ghar ko chale - An Evening in Paris - It is believed that Shankar composed the number immediately after cremating his mother, even offering the first line of the mukhda. Considering this, the song has a far deeper layer than what meets the eye and places it in a philosophical zone otherwise not seen in the ostensibly romantic situation. The interludes are something to hug tenderly!
Dil ek mandir hai pyaar ki jisme hoti hai pooja - Dil Ek Mandir - I grew up thinking it to be a Lata Mangeshkar song, but must say Suman Kalyanpur steps in effectively. The interludes haunt. Shankar Jaikishan at their best!
Tujhe dekha tujhe pooja bas itni khata hai meri aur khata kya - Chhoti Si Mulaqat - It’s a quintessential Shankar Jaikishan song with lavish violins in the interlude.
Around the world in eight dollars -Around the World -A collosal and monumental ditty that is wide and panoramic, and covers the entire world in its ginormous size. The superb Shankar Jaikishan orchestration is to be heard to be believed.
Aap yahan aaye kis liye- Kal Aaj Aur Kal - Naughty and effervescent, young lovers Randhir Kapoor and Babita on screen upped the perk factor several notches.
Yehi hai woh saanjh aur savera -Saanjh Aur Savera -Awesome sitar pieces shapes this gentle number into a beauty. The rhythm is subtle and just perfect for a love song.
Ajhun aaye na baalma saawan beeta jaaye haaye - Saanjh Aur Savera -This classical and serious sounding song gets an unlikely picturisation on the then hit comedy pair Mehmood and Shobha Khote!
Mud mud ke na dekh - Shree 420- Hip and happening the song defies time and is still modern enough to shame any new ditty. The swing and the sway are unsurpassable.
Jaane chaman shola badan baahon mein aa jaao- Gumnaam - It’s unbelievable that the smooth voice is actually that of the otherwise shrill Sharda’s. Unlike Dilruba dil pe tu, this creates the steam in a mild and mellow manner. It has extremely sensuous interludes. Absolutely adorable, it raises warmth and love! The album is one of Shankar Jaikishan’s best ones.
Aaya na humko pyaar jataana -Pehchan -If electronic gadgets have to be used, then Shankar Jaikishan knew it extremely well. A handsome duet by Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur!
Nanhe munhe bachhe teri mutthi mein kya hai- Boot Polish -An inspiring and motivating number from the Shankar Jaikishan baton that immediately uplifts the mood.
Tumne pukara aur hum chale aaye - Rajkumar- There is the “it” factor in Rajkumar’s songs which makes you come back to it time and again. Hasrat Jaipuri’s opening phrase has long entered the realm of a ‘dictum’ or an ‘adage’ than being just a song lyric. The poetic flavor in the antaras stimulates the heart.
Ghungharwa mora chham chham baaje - Zindagi - There is nothing singular about Shankar Jaikishan’s music. It’s always layered. In this song the voice quality is impeccable but it’s the chham-chham that resonates throughout which thumps the hearbeat.
Chhoti si mulaqat pyaar ban gayi - Chhoti Si Mulaqat - The Ya ya yipee yipee makes you go yipee every time you hear the number !
Duniya isi ka naam duniya isi ko kahte hain - Duniya -A thoughtful number reverbating some hard truths about the world and life. I like the number for its matter of fact approach in tuning and music.
Teen baje bola tha baj gaye char - Duniyadari - A fun song on Asrani and Aruna Irani (IIRC) and sung by Asha Bhonsle and the still raw Amit Kumar. Keeps you swaying!
Baaton mein na taaloji dil de daaloji - Kanch Ki Deewar - All those who grew up watching Chitrahar will immediately recall this number from a little known 1986 film(one of the last few of Shankar’s). It used to be quite a staple then. Smita Patil and Sanjeev Kumar dance to this zesty ditty in a party (in the typically eighties garish costumes!) with Rajan Sippy trying to gain unnecessary attention. It’s quite sometime since I heard the number, but putting it here in the list for nostalgia’s sake!
Tum pyaar se dekho hum pyaar se dekhen -Sapno Ka Saudagar- Hema Malini’s debut film didn’t boast of very great music but there were a couple of songs that showed the same luminous aura which made Shankar Jaikishan a household name. This Sharda-Mukesh duet is one of them. A very neat and uncluttered song.
Sau baras ki zindagi se achche hain pyar ke do char din - Sachai - This is what I call a cute romantic number!
Tum haseen main jawaan - Title Song - This laugh riot starring Dharmendra and Hema Malini (about a navy man with an unwanted toddler) had some interesting music (including Suman Kalyanpur’s solo Kamdev jaisi teri suratiya and Rafisaab’s Dil achcha hai achchi hai soorat).
Aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche - Brahmchari- Now, is there anything to write on this super-duper-bumper hit of a song?Shankar Jaikishan won an award for this score!
Dil usse do jo jaan de de - Andaz - Not very great, but still a good hummable number. Finds a mention on this list because Andaz had overall good music, if not matching up to the standards Shankar Jaikishan themselves built!
Chhatri na khol udd jaayegi - Do Jhoot -Kishore Kumar and Usha Mangeshkar whip up a storm in this jovial song. Those who were Vividh Bharti regulars will recognize this number easily.
Tu mera din hai mai teri raat aaja har raat teri meri hogi mulaqat aaja (Choron ka maal sab chor kha gaye) - Sanyasi -Ok I admit. I have a love for Sanyasi’s music bordering on obsession, right from my childhood. It’s simply impossible to describe but the music in this typically seventies melodrama is absolutely stunning, resonating and tickling. I know many would disagree. While the lion’s share is sung by Lata Mangeshkar, this duet is by Suman Kalyanpur (with Mukesh).

Whither Shankar Jaikishan?


The writer in his post expresses anguish and dismay over the negligence of Shankar Jaikishan's Treasure of Music- सुदर्शन पाण्डेय



A few days back I paid a visit to the local Planet M store at Sadar Bazar. I visited it after several months and as ever, I returned disgustingly disappointed with their lopsided collections, especially in the older music section. There were plentiful albums on RD Burman, a handful on Madan Mohan, a few on SD Burman and even a couple of polite ones on Naushad and - surprise surprise, Chitragupta- but there wasn’t a single piece on Shankar-Jaikishan- the tunesmiths who unarguably ruled the charts in the golden fifties and sixties!
A similar story was seen at the newly opened Music World store (at Pacific Mall) last week, where I had even dared to ask the salesman about this unjust anomaly but had received only a blank quizzical look from him as if I had asked some impossibly tough Newton’s theory!
It’s not that the smaller Agra editions of these stores are cutting out Shankar-Jaikishan. The problem is repeated at their bigger versions in Delhi also. And the root of this lies in the sheer negligence on HMV’s part (the music company which controls the rights of 80-90% movies from that era).

Take Lata Mangeshkar, for example. Till date I have seen only one album featuring the diva with the composers. Quite strange! From Barsaat till about the mid-sixties, when the rift between the two widened, Lata Mangeshkar was the leading singer in nearly all their films, so much so that there are some movies like Poonam and Aurat where she is the only singer, no male solos, not even any duets! Even beyond the mid-sixties, despite their differences, Latadi continued to be permanently placed in their recording room, with some significant releases like Raat Aur Din, Prince, Laat Saaheb and Teesri Kasam coming out in the late sixties. Post-Jaikishan’s untimely demise, when Shankar continued to compose solo (though keeping the joint brand name as a mark of respect towards his late partner), they patched up big time and gave us Sanyasi, Do Jhoot, Chorni and Paapi Pet Ka Sawaal Hai.
For such a long-lasting and dazzling association, some of which encompasses some magnificently brilliant melodies, one single album is a grossly small representation!
Also, HMV should realize that they cannot keep on playing one song from a film like a warped stuck record. For example, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayii has two beautiful solos Andaaz mera mastaana and Sheesha-e-dil itna na uchhalo, both equally good, if not better than Ajeeb daastaan hai! Similarly, one has to delve into Chhoti Bahan to notice that the album is not restricted to that one song played once a year or about Jaaoon kahan bata e dil (both realy nice songs). There is the porcelain fragile Baaghon baharon mein ithlaata gaata aaya koii as well, which for some unknown reason is criminally neglected. Why can’t HMV feature this in some collection of Latadi, possibly in the myriad ‘Love’ or ‘Romance’ series that the company releases with quite an alarming regularity, but with all the same solos that have been oft repeated? In Yahudi the focus always centres on Yeh mera deewanapan hai, but who will carve out the rhythm wonder Dil mein pyaar ka toofan (a tune used by Yash Chopra as Neeche paan kii dukan in a tipsy scene in Silsila) or the pain-lashed Aansoo kii aag leke teri yaad aayi? Why the latter number wasn’t included in the ‘Dard’ series of Lata Mangeshkar is anyone’s million dollar guess? Similarly, the tender Lo aayii milan kii raat suhaani aaj from Aashiq is never found in any album, and from Aah, the love-lorn ditty Sunte the naam hum jinka bahaar se is always short-changed!
I can go on and on about this!
Even if I momentarily set aside my obsession for Lata Mangeshkar, there is huge bulk of work by Asha Bhonsle for the enterprising duo some of which are, if I may be allowed to be a little blasphemous, by far superior to her numbers for either SDB or OPN. In fact, many of my personal favorite numbers of Ashaji from that era invariably emanate from Shankar Jaikishan’s rich repertoire. For example, amongst her cabaret songs, it’s the unsung beauty of Parwano ki raah mein (Haryali Aur Raasta) that excites me the most (the wanton and lush interludes are only rivaled by Helen’s energetic dance to the song). Or, take for example, the lusty intonations of Mujhe pyaas badi pyaas lagi hai or the rustic come-hither calls of Dekhoji raat ko julam ho gaya both largely unknown songs, but nevertheless mindblowingly mesmerizing. And then there was the steamy, sensuous and sensational Dilruba dil pe tu yeh sitam kiye jaa (Rajkumar), with some lip-smacking rigorous and vigorous drum beats. Moving aside from the hot numbers, they also gave her the innocence of Nanhe munhe bachhe teri muhhi mein kya hai and the romance of Raat ke humsafar thak ke ghar ko chale! In the latter years, Asha Bhonsle worked for many big projects of Shankar-Jaikishan - the title song of Hare Kaanch Kii Choodiyan is a precious example from this age. And then there are the bumper hits Parde mein rahne do parda na uthaayo (Shikar) or the sizzling Ang lag ja baalma (Mera Naam Joker). I have yet to come across an album depicting this momentous association.
The male singers don’t fare any better. It is a common knowledge that Rafisaab teamed up with Shankar Jaikishan to create colossal ditties for Shammi Kapoor, Dharmendra and Rajendra Kumar starrers. Yet, again, for this vast collection there is just one cassette that I have seen. Even there, the focus is just on the hit songs, leaving behind some genuinely interesting numbers. For example, Rafisaab’s heart wrenching rendition of Kahan jaa raha hai (Seema) is almost impossible to find.
Mukesh and Manna Dey are other two singers who featured copiously in Shankar Jaikishan songs yet exclusive albums featuring the artistes with the composers are conspicuous by their absence. For example, Mukesh’s Mast nazar dekh idhar (Ek Dil Sau Afsaane) is a fabulous number that has been unfairly buried in the debris of time; the rhythm, the beats and the interlude in this song would put any modern musician to shame! The same ignonimous fate stuck other scintillating numbers e.g. the sarcastically poignant Ae pyaase dil bezubaan (Begunaah), the tragic Yeh zindagi (Sapnon Ka Saudagar) and the shining-as-gold Yaad aayi aadhi raat ko kal raat kii tauba (Kanhaiya).
Every singer who worked under Shankar Jaikishan, be it Mukesh, Manna Dey, Rafisaab or even Suman Kalyanpur and Subir Sen, has found that single (usually more) number that they could cling on to for a lifetime. It would have been impossible for a shrilly Sharda to survive had she not found a mentor in them (I am deliberately not going into any debatable issues about their personal lives here!) In fact, if I could bear Sharda, it is solely because she sang under Shankar- Jaikishan’s (more the former’s) exquisite orchestra - take for example the ultimately wide-angled, luxuriant and breathtakingly enormous title song of Around The World or, on the other spectrum, the dew-drop fresh and delicate love-duet Jaane chaman shola badan (Gumnaam).
If we leave the collections for a while, the movie albums of Shankar-Jaikishan are fast dwindling. In the early nineties, HMV had done the favor of re-releasing some of them I had managed to get hold of Poonam/Shikast, Main Nashe Mein Hoon/Kanhaiya, Saanjh Aur Savera/Ek Dil Sau Afsaane and a few more. But try finding them now! It s like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack. And even if you get the cassettes, the CD’s wouldn’t be there. But shouldn’t HMV also realize that there would be a mass of interested people like me who would like to own the entire albums of such superb musicals like Raj Hath, Nagina, Patrani or Aurat. The songs of these films are easily exchanged in the gray space of the web world but the rightful revenue to the company, and the resultant royalty to the artistes’ heirs, is irretrievably lost!
There have been a few (IIRC, only two) Golden Collection Series on Shankar Jaikishan and strangely there is no Legends Series edition released on the duo. Why so?
In the Golden Collection-Shankar Jaikishan series, my grouse about including the more common-placed numbers remains. For example, once again there was Ajeeb daastaan hai, or Raja kii aayegi baaraat or Kisiki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar. I accept these are all numbers worth their weight in gold. But for the series, they could easily have come up with more editions, including many of the unknown ditties that have been mentioned up above in this write-up. Or some other ones that I can immediately (and off-hand) think of - for example, the fusion fiesta of Sajan sang kaahe naina lagaaye (Mai Nashe Mein Hoon) or the philosophical twinge of Duniya isi ka naam hai (Duniya) or the masti of Patli kamar hai tirchhi nazar hai (Barsaat) or the choral beauty of Naacho gaao nacho (sans any lead singer)(Amrapali) or the haunting notes of Do din ke liye mehmaan yahaan (Baadal) or the deceptively vivacious but inherently tragic Mai har raat jaagi tumhaari qasam tum bahut yaad aaye (Gaban) {what a splendidly sensational song with a complex tune that sucks you into its many folds} or the orchestral sizzler Teen kanastar peet peet kar (Love Marriage) or the naughty Dil se dil takraaye (Love Marriage, again) or the reckless abandon of Thandi thandi hawa mein (Prince) or the optistic Baat baat mein rootho na (Seema) or the impish Aaj na jaane paagal manwa kaahe ko ghabraaye (Begunah) - the list is simply endless!
HMV’s neglect of Shankar Jaikishan is sad, disgusting and horrible; especially considering the fact that they were the pioneers of Hindi film music, imparting it with the grammar that has been the foundation for subsequent generations. Shankar Jaikishan gave a fresh sound to the music, and their interlude music is par excellence - often, I have loved their songs for the flawless orchestra they built into their songs. And all Shankar Jaikishan tunes are extremely easy on the lips, so much so that listening to them one can feel the effortlessness in them. They gave a definite structure and symmetry to the songs.
Sadly, it is not only HMV’s collection where Shankar Jaikishan are getting a raw deal. Even on the internet it is hard to find good articles on the duo. On Orkut, a popular youngster site, the members in Shankar Jaikishan club are a mere 338 (compare this to Panchamda’s 7505 members in one of the clubs, it is way too less, but this is still understandable, but even for that music-chor Pritam one finds 395 members, you would know why I am fuming!) On Mouthshut.com, another fairly popular site where common readers post their views and reviews, there is simply no listing on Shankar Jaikishan under the Bollywood Movie Personalities (you can find even a non-star Shayan Munshi and Tushar Kapoor, but no SJ!!!)
With HMV holding a treasure trove of music rights, the company has a formidable responsibility in educating the young generation about the values of the undoubtedly Golden Era of Hindi Film Music the fifties and the sixties. They have to go beyond just making quick bucks in releasing shoddily done up remixes (when they have the originals with them!). Till a few years up to his death, RD Burman was a lost entity, but the collective force of media, Ashaji and the music industry revived his memory a big way posthumously. Similar effort needs to be done for Shankar Jaikishan as well. The Golden Era of Music has to be informed and told to all. And in that, they have to rightfully return the crown to the shahanshahs of that time - Shankar Jaikishan!
www.deepakjeswal.com/shankar-jaikishan-expressions-2-non-lata-mangeshkar-duets/ - 28k

Friday, August 8, 2008

Enchanting music at RK; An analysis in the wake of Lata crediting it entirely to Raj Kapoor,(ssmurthy)...




It is on record during the felicitation function of
"Ram Teri Ganga Maili" Lata credited all of RK Film's music to RajKapoor irrespective of whosoever the Music Director was, much to the embarassment of Ravindra Jain aghast at the statement, sitting in the front row at the statement.
Maybe Lata spoke being part of the creative process of the music of RK Films, Lata was surfacing the stark reality of RK's involvement and to a great extent in being the tunesmith who shaped and moulded the RK style of music through SJ.
But in reality it was the SJ style of music which finally got evolved, in as much as SJ strode royally even outside the orbit of RK and scored brilliantly, returning back to their homeground, always with a refreshed stock, added versatility, finer nuances,experience and richness, much to the delight and benefit of RK.
The Amiya SJ combination with films like Daag, Patita,Badshah,Seema, Kathputli, Apne Huye Paraye etc is the nearest rival to the RK SJ combo.
So many other combinations like that of SJ with FCMehra : viz,Singapore, Ujala, Amrapali etc,
with LVPrasad : viz Choti Behan, Sasural, Hamrahi, and Beti Bete, to name a few, all boast of SJ music to boot, for their musical appeal and success making this aspect debatable.
Mind you, over the years I was tossed between RK Films and its music, turning inwards soulfully in all earnestness, the debate whether RK Films have registered in you through it's music? or the music entered you, through the film?
and


Gradually the critical and sublime truth dawned on me that it has been through its music
and


That is where SJ stands tall in their shining splendour, irrespective of what ever claim or credit, any one may think of.
Inevitably RK was hooked on to this SJ Style and only needed some MD to conduct the music from these extracts of SJ tunes from his stockpile, accumalated over the camaraderie sessions of yesteryears .
Though getting into the sanctum sanctorum of SJ in RK Films was a huge prestige and considered privilege of many MD's, they soon realised much to their consternation, this bane as LP atleast backed out after Prem Rog, giving place to Ravindra Jain to face the aftermath of such feelings, sitting in the front row at the felicitation function.
Much as Shankar would have been pondering on his Dost's no response on a situation which warranted the best prop, Mukesh ji spilled out the beans to one of the partners of LP, that inspite of their respect for Shankar, their hesitancy in accepting the offer would make no difference to RK, since the decision of dispelling the old guard, giving place to a junior version of RK, has already been taken and if it is not them, it will be some one else.
That is how LP have entered RK's Bobby.
Shankar still waited till RK's "Ram Teri Ganga Maili" which was similar musically, themewise to JDMGH and much to the alley of Shankar,
but it did not happen and
Shankar could never be his normal self again to get back to the anchor which launched more than a thousand scores of musical virtuosity.
The trauma of depression has started full galore on Shankar leading to the inevitable plight.
Sixteen years after he was seperated from his musical soulmate and inspite of he being a wrestler constantlyl practicing, he has met a sad and insignificant exit,
Which again only confirms that the physcho status of the person has a lot to matter and that the ways of Nature are ever so inscrutable.
The tears which got hold of Raj's eye's on the day following Shankar's demise, was symbolic of this trauma as he paid glowing tributes to his salad days composer in the vividh bharati programme, on how spontaneously Shankar had composed then and there, the opening lnes of
"Hoton pe sachai rahtee hai "
which as I recall are just the ideal lyrics and composition, humanity can ever conceive of,
as Shailendra and Shankar have spontaneously cruised at it.
with kind rgds
ssmurthy

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Few Interesting Facts by jai_vas22@yahoo.co.in




The following facts were mentioned in the issue of 'Screen' that was published in the week following Jaikishan's death -* Jaikishan's last recorded song was 'Gaya bachpan..' for J. Om Prakash's 'Aankhon Aankhon Mein' on the 10th of July, 1971 at Famous Cine Lab, Tardeo, Mumbai before he was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital on the 9th of August. [As a consequence, Filmyug (J.Om Prakash's film banner) in a full-page ad announced the cancellation of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of 'Aan Milo Sajna', scheduled on the 9th of October, 1971.]* 'Nadan' was acknowledged as the last film of the S-J duo that was released before Jaikishan's death. It was their 120th film together [of a total of 125 films as a team that were censored/released before Jaikishan's death].3. Filmyug announced constituting the 'Jaikishan Award' to be presented annually to the best HFM of the year. I doubt if it went beyond the announcement stage.* The following 25 films that were either under-production or announced/launched at the time of Jaikishan's death were listed in the issue [not in alphabetical order] -

Kal Aaj Aur Kal

Aan Baan

Beimaan

Balidan

Albela

Archana

The Gold Medal

Nagina

Sindoor

Chote Sarkar

Chori Chori

Dil Daulat aur Duniya

Dhoop Chaaon

Daman Aur Aag

Lal Patthar

Mehfil

Mera Vachan Geeta Ki Kasam

Pyar Ka Rishta

Resham Ki Dori

Seema

Sadiyon Se Hai Pyar

Tu Payal Main Geet

Vachan

Yaaron Ka Yaar

Yaar Mera*


God Bless!!

Jay

Monday, August 4, 2008

The making of Shailendra's Teesri Kasam(ssmurthy)


The making of Teesri Kasam brought its Producer the celebrated Shailendra into a piquant pecunary situation leaving him in a staggering pool of debt, to a redpoint of no return, not withstanding the token of benevolence, Hasrat and SJ offered their services free and so did RajKapoor, though ironically that was Shailendra's "Waterloo"


Poets are often emotional people and most of the subtle nuances emanate from the largesse of their heart's accumalated feelings, kindled by differrent provocations.


In films these are all created and the seller and the sold are pipe dreaming in the eddy currents of a whirlpool called cinema.

The film "Teesri Kasam " was a poet's dream and who else but Shailendra could have been fascinated and become susceptible to the charms of making it. It was a subconscious desire to crystallise this through its making and leave his footprints through an immortal celluloid classic.

Wonder of all things that inspite of being part of the film world for more than a decade he never realised the trappings of the ground realities of film making in contrast to a viewers delight who hardly witnesses the turmoil that goes into its making.


This is where the contrast of Raj kapoor the artiste and Raj kapoor the persona stands out and even Shailendra had to pay the penalty.

However coming to composing the lyrics for the film, Shailendra being a lyricist himself and already obsessed with the theme of the film, had taken up the onus of writing most of the songs, since the overall finances with regard to economics, was also of concern.

However Hasrat was given only two songs, if I am correct, may be mainly to keep the SJSH logo in tact, and lo what a great composition Hasrat- Jai came up with the "Duniya banane wale ... mesmerising every one and establishing that they can be as sensitive, philosophical and touching as the Shankar Shailendra combo.

Raj was equally fascinated by the Hiraman's character and once he was in, the other support paraphernalia in the form of principally Shankar, Jaikishan, etc have mustered top gear in bringing out what best they could do in composing chaste music, to a rare subtle theme in a rural background.The irony of the whole subject is that inspite of all the excellent attributes this film had somehow the mass was not in tune with the class theme.

Raj with his intuitive insight, after seing the initial rushes of the print on completion, visualised the likely fate, that the film may encounter and as a salvage act offered to release it through the RK banner as a saving grace from its impending doom,


and even the slightly belated President's Gold Medal also, did little to improve the attendance in the cinema halls, except for one euphorious landmark in the semblance of SJ's music which climaxed into a basket of bountiful melodies ,thus, leaving, atleast a trace of Teesri Kasam for nostalgic remembrance amongst many like us and for posterity


rgds

ssmurthy

Sunday, August 3, 2008

SJ,Raag Bhairavi and the music of Basant Bahar(ssmurthy)


It was the considered opinion of musical connosiers then, regarding Naushad, as the master of Bhairavi raga ,with that pathos evoking, all time great composition,
"Mohe bhool gaye sawariyan.. " in Baiju Bawra.

Baiju Bawra goes down as a classic in the annals of Indian films with its music reaching dizzy classical heights, ,by him, who was at his zenith during the fifties and a benchmark for all promising MD's . as this film lit the flame of honour and the syndrome struck, so much, that by the time Mughlai Azam got to the floors , the "Zindabad Zindabad ai Mohabbat Zindabad by Rafi soared into the mighty skies and the earthly filmdom ministrels were receiving the glory and acclaiming "Chalis croredo men ek hi Naushad " The population of India then was 40 crores.


Raj Kapoor, worked with all sincerety, in shaping the Bhairavi lying dormant in SJ and patented it such that, the audiovisual effect, will have an everlasting impression on the listener and the gamble worked out, as it should.


And soon SJ were on the ascendant' putting everyone who came in that line, including the so called stalwarts into the shade.

The SJ patent of Bhairavi has come to stay, and the deluge soon followed such that, the total number of compositions on Bhairavi raaga by SJ, put together summation wise, half of which would not have been composed by all the popular MD's put together, a very logical and convincing eye opening statement.

Jaikishan was an ardent devotee of this Raaga and the success this brought SJ, has gone into Jai's system so much that he named his last child, a daughter, by the name "Bhairavi" and when asked why, wistfully quipped, "the end",

inferring Bhairavi denotes a desirable culmination of events mixed with a kind joy springing from the depth of the soul's grandeur.
...
Bharath Bhooshan having seen the kind of success Baiju Bawra got, obviously set his eyes on another classical buster and would have wished Naushad repeat the same.

The ruling popular classical stalwarts those days were Anil Biswas, Naushad and Chitalkar Ramachandra,and SJ were no where in the orbit of this category, with the only glimpse of classical composition by them in the form of "Lapak jhapak..." in Boot Polish that too depicted in a comical and lighter vein.

SJ through consistent and innovative orchestrisation, potent compositions, by then have developed a firm grip over public pulse and above all captured the imagination and confidence of the Distributors and Financiers who mattered most, and Anil Biswas was replaced by SJ by sheer pressure of these people for music of this Basant Bahar.

Shankar recalls that this added to the pressure and also his penchant for proving their detractors wrong. Much was at stake and the composing beans of Shankar was put on a fiery ordeal the outcome of which stands testimony to this day with the Rafi's solos,"Badi dher bhayi....." "Duniya na bhaye...." a majestic comparision to the already accepted popular numbers like "Hari Om.." and " Oh Duniya ke rakhwale...".

That Mannadey would scale new heights with this film was a dream come true for him and all fans of SJ.

Let us not forget that till then Mannadey was more identified as a Bhajan singer, and it was SJ's ingenuity that gave him those lilting numbers in Boot Polish, Shree 420 and Basant Bahar and later on crstallyzed with Chori Chori, Ujala and so on, establishing him as a romantic singer too.

SJ resented all the snide remarks that went into the air on handling such a complicated and complex theme like Basant Bahar, manifesting with a melodious "Nain mile chain kahan .." score which even Anil Biswas could envy and wished he could compose a score like that.

Shankar later on after the success of their music recalls the insinuations faced by them before storming the formidable citadel held so strongly till then by Naushad, Husnlal Bhagatram, C.Ramachandra, Anil Biswas, S.D.Burman, and their likes,

but it was only C.Ramachandra, Shankar recalls has stated that
"these lads SJ will make us all run and will cause a landslide in Hindusthani film music"

How prophetic, amazing and intuitive forethought.

Rgds
ssmurthy