Have a story to tell? A theme to work on? An emotion to express? A mood to paint? Easy. You can do all this and more with Hindi film songs. For musical stories or theme-based songs or lyrical expressions of moods or...whatever, this promises to be a fun-filled ride. Come, get on the bandwagon!
Showing posts with label Shamshad Begum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shamshad Begum. Show all posts

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Costume Drama: Reshami Salwaar Kurta Jaali Ka

A peppy song from "Naya Daur" (1957) today. Originally shot in black and white, this film was re-released in colour in 2007. The film is set in a small town where the livelihood of horse cart operators (tongawallahs) is threatened when a bus service is introduced there.The film did very well in spite of being embroiled in controversies. According to wikipedia:

During filming, the Naya Daur production was involved in a highly controversial and widely publicized court case. Initially the actress Madhubala was cast as the female lead. An advance payment was given to her and shooting began and continued smoothly for 15 days. B.R. Chopra, the director, wanted the unit to travel to Bhopal for an extended outdoor shooting. Ataullah Khan, the father of Madhubala, objected to this and claimed that the entire Bhopal schedule was a ruse to give Dilip Kumar the opportunity to romance his daughter (Kumar and Madhubala were in a relationship at the time). Finally, Chopra sued Madhubala for the cash advance she received from him for a film she now had no intention of completing.
He replaced her with the South Indian actress Vyjayanthimala who acted with Kumar in Devdas. Madhubala obediently supported her father despite her commitment to Dilip Kumar. Kumar testified against Madhubala and Ataullah Khan in favor of the director B.R. Chopra in open court. The case was lost by Madhubala and her father amid much negative publicity. During the case, the film was released and declared a success. Chopra dropped the case and saved Madhubala from the humiliation of a possible prison sentence.

Singers: Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Music: O. P. Nayyar

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Saawan Songs: Aayi Saawan Rut Aayi

A happy duet from a mostly sad film "Mela" (1948) today. Starring Dilip Kumar and Nargis, this is a weepy drama. Some other songs from this film are Gaye jaa geet milan ke, Ye Zindagi ke mele, Mohan ki muraliya baaje, Pardes balam tum jaaoge and Main bhanwra tu hai phool.

Singers: Shamshad Begum, Naushad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
Music: Naushad

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Saawan Songs: Saawan Ke Nazaare Hain

"Khazanchi" (1941) is a murder mystery. Set in pre-partition Lahore and Bombay (as Mumbai was called then), it was a super-hit and the top earner of 1941. It starred M. Ismail, S. D. Narang, Ramola Devi, Manorama and Janki Das. Composer Ghulam Haider created a flutter in the music industry by combining elements of Hindustani classical music with those of Punjabi folk songs while working on this film. Almost all the songs were popular. There is a distinct male voice in today's presentation, but the name of the singer is not credited. I wonder if it is Ghulam Haider himself.

Singer: Shamshad Begum
Lyrics: Wali Sahab
Music: Ghulam Haider

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Adornments: Kajra Mohabbat Wala

We don't always need very expensive ornaments to adorn ourselves. Sometimes, just a touch of kaajal (kohl) is enough to enhance one's looks. A very entertaining duet today that starts with kajra and talks about some other trinkets as it progresses. It is from "Kismat"(1968).

It is quite common to see men dressed as women in films these days. But this song was one of the first instances when a male lead (Biswajeet) appeared as a woman. To add to the fun, the female lead (Babita) portrayed a man. The harmonium pieces that are spread generously all over the song are simply magical. A superb composition by O. P. Nayyar in Asha Bhosle and Shamshad Begum's voices, this charming number has brought cheer to generations of listeners.

Other popular songs from this film were Aao huzur tumko, Lakhon hain yahan dilwale and Aankhon mein qayamat. The last two are especially relevant as the playback for them was by Mahendra Kapoor and it is his death anniversary today.

Singers: Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum
Lyrics: S. H. Bihari
Music: O. P. Nayyar

Monday, April 30, 2012

Her Story: Calling Up!

He is away, but he needs to talk to her. Now, that is not a problem at all. Especially in this age when so many options are available for instant communication. But things were not so simple just a few decades ago. Listen to this quaint little song from "Patanga" (1949) and enjoy. It will surely bring a smile to your lips.

Singers: Shamshad Begum, C. Ramchandra (Chitalkar)
Lyrics: Rajendra Krishan
Music: C. Ramchandra