And the SoY Award for the Best Music Director goes to?
Wishing Merry Christmas to the readers and a tribute to Naushad on his Birth Centenary (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006)
I need not have put a question mark about the best music director of 1946. Rarely one comes across such a single-horse race. This was the year of Naushad all the way. The SoY regulars would recall from my reviews of 1947, 1948 and 1949 (I am doing the review in the reverse chronological order) that he continued his dominance in these years too, being chosen the best music director in 1947 jointly with C Ramchandra, and unambiguously in 1948 and 1949. He did one better in 1946, by making the competition in all categories – male solos, female solos and duets – a Naushad race.
The exceptional Naushad
The iconic place of Anmol Ghadi and Shahjahan is well known. The first one was lavishly mounted by Mehboob with the three super singing stars, Surendra, Noorjahan and Suraiya, in the cast. The movie was a love triangle, and with see-saw of hope and heartbreak, it gave ample opportunity for male solos, female solos of happy and sad varieties and long-distance duet of separation. Mehboob switched from his old favourite and regular Anil Biswas to the new star on the block. Naushad must have surpassed Mehboob’s expectation. This was the priceless moment for Naushad.
Shahjahan with KL Saigal’s Gham diye mustaqil, Jab dil hi toot gaya hum ji ke kya karenge, Ae dil-e-beqaraar jhoom and Chaah barbaad karegi humein maloom na tha gave Naushad a special place among the pantheon of music directors who composed great songs for Saigal. Many legends grew around these songs, some of which may be apocryphal. These two films overshadowed his third film in the year, Keemat, which, as we are discovering now, also had some truly great songs.
Other notable music directors
Two other music directors worth mentioning are Ghulam Haider and Hansraj Bahal. Ghulam Haider’s score in Shama was a masterpiece. Ek yaad kisi ki yaad rahi, in both the versions – male solo by Durrani and his duet with Shamshad Begum – is an all-time great song, entering in both the categories. Ek tera sahara hai by Shamshad Begum also enters in the best ten female solos. Hansraj Bahal debuted in the year with Pujari, but his other two films Phulwari and Gwalan too had great songs in vintage style. With Naushad looming as a colossus, he had no chance of getting mass popularity, but music lovers are now discovering his genius and he also has three songs in the different best categories.
With such an overwhelming presence of Naushad, there was no ambiguity in the readers’ choice. However, Neeruahaf has kept her fascination for the unknown, and her choice for the best music director is Gyan Dutt for Dulha. Venkataramanji’s choice is obviously Naushad, but he adds that Ghulam Haider and Hansraj Bahal deserve special mention. I entirely agree with him.
Best songs of 1946
Here is a table compiling the best ten songs in each of the three categories – male solos, female solos and duets – based on the Wrap Up 1, Wrap Up 2 and Wrap Up 3.
We can now present the same table music director-wise as follows:
Best music directors of 1946
| Sl No. | Music Director | Male solos | Female solos | Duets | Total |
| 1 | Naushad | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 | Hansraj Bahal | – | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Ghulam Haider | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 4 | C Ramchandra | 1 | – | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | SD Burman | 1 | 1 | – | 2 |
| 6 | MA Mukhtar | 1 | – | 1 | 2 |
|
7 |
Bulo C Rani | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Sajjad Hussain | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Md. Aziz | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | HP Das | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
Conclusion
And to conclude the obvious, the SoY Award for the Best Music Director of 1946 goes to Naushad.
And, special mention is made of Ghulam Haider and Hansraj Bahal for their outstanding music in the year.
It is a great coincidence that the review of the best songs of 1946 happened in 2019, and as per my practice in the previous years, the Final Wrap Up is coming up on 25 December, 2019, which is the birth centenary of Naushad. With this grand finale, let us also pay our tribute to Naushad who was the Great Mughal of film music for many years.
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
perhaps this one is shortest intro of a post in recent time 🙂 quick to read quick to reply…
Naushad saab is truly only deserving candidate to win best MD award this particular year. No competition ! Best gift from SoY to him on his centenary.
❤❤❤
AK, I don’t share your unqualified devotion to Naushad, but you are right about 1946: it is a one-horse race. All Naushad songs in your table have a very high recall factor for me – which is not the case for other composers. Birthday cheers for the maestro.
Jignesh,
Thanks a lot for your comments. I have written a lot on Naushad, therefore, there was no point in repeating. I am happy you liked the short post.
AK, another most entertaining offering from you, thanks galore.
But I hope now, on the eve of the beginning of another new decade, you will start moving forward instead of backward.
Wishing you and all your fans and readers a very Happy New Year.
Subodh,
You are not the only one, there are several who don’t regard Naushad as the undisputed Monarch of film music, There will be always some exceptions to prove the rule 🙂 . But 1946 was an out and out Naushad race as you also agree.
Dinesh,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I am committed till 1945 which will be taken up in 2020. Thereafter, I have to think how to move. At one stage I had thought ten years would be great for the blog. SoY would be completing ten next year, so everything is open. When I started to go backwards, one reason was that I thought 1950s and 60s is commonplace, therefore Vintage presented more charm and discovery.
Good Evening AK ji,
Merry Christmas.
First and foremost let me thank you for this amazing compilation.
Next next there is neither a limit nor an end to this great vintage music and it is immortal.
We are all grateful to you for providing us this relaxation with your glorious presentations.
Hope to continue further for ever and nothing more to say or write.
Regards
Uma
Uma Maheshwar Nakka,
Thanks a lot for your very generous words. Nothing can be a greater booster to a blogger than passionate readers like you. That also puts a challenge to me to keep up the quality.
AK ji;
Music has travelled a lot !Those were the days when we used to buy music from shops and streets…… and now the desktops are warehouse of music itself.
Naushad music is a treasure that I want to hold with me forever .I love all forms of his music…..music that holds many departments….be it fantasy songs, background music or dance numbers , all well crafted …..and as such , Naushad was truly heading and leading the Ministry of Music in 1946. The choice of Naushad as leader is special to me ….as I was born in 1946 !
Thanks to Naushad sahib for help shaping our growing mind.
KS Bhatiaji,
It is nice to see another Naushad ‘devotee’. One criticism I have read against him is that in the 60s he was becoming repetitive. But for over 20 years he was the colossus. He was the Monarch of 1946. And congrats to you for Naushad connection.
1952 is conspicuous by its absence in your evaluation calender.Any special reason for this omission.
As we go more back in our year-wise analysis, it is but natural that we tend to lean more towards the songs that we have been listening more in our own times – In my case on radio on 60s,, on records in 70s’ on cassettes in 80s, on CDs in 90s and now on internet.
In the process, we may be doing some injustice to the songs and music directors who were really more popular in those days.
However, we have to live with our won limitations.
Naushad no doubt gave music for two films who were highest box-office grosser in 1946 – Anmiol Ghadi and Shajehan We have no means to judge how would the songs have fared had there been no Noor Jehan or K L Saigal, respectively, on the screen.
However, with this question at the back of our mind, I had looked at C Ramchandra’s score in Safar, during my detailed analysis. If his duet with Beenapani Mukhrjee, Kanhi Yaad Kar Ke, Gali Paar Kar Ke, Chali Aana Hamare Angana, set his very distinctive western-music influenced peppy songs, his two solos for Mohammad Rafi, Ab Wo Hamare Ho Gaye, Iqrar Karin Ya Na Karein and Kah Ke Bhi Na Aaye Tum, Ab Chuupane Lage Taare helped Rafi in not firmly setting his foot on the scene but also helped evolve his own style. This is the film that infused life into C Ramchandra’s till then struggling career, and he never looked back since.
When all is said and done, I agree with the final conclusion of selecting Naushad on the top for the year 1956.
I also fully appreciate, and agree with the special mention of Ghulam Haider and Hansraj Bahal for their outstanding music in the year.
Asmat,
Welcome to SoY. Yes there is a special reason for 1952 omission, For this I have to take you to the origin of how the series started. It arose from a suggestion by the readers to discuss the music of pre-Filmfare starts. 1952 Filmfare started with Baiju Bawra, hence the omission. In post-Filmfare years too 1953 and 1955 were gap years. Hence, they were covered.
Now there is a suggestion in reverse, that Filmfare need not be a frame of reference. When we mention our favourite songs, we don’t care whether it won any awards or not. Therefore, there is a suggestion to move forwards for 50s and 60s.
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your incisive analysis, and endorsement of my conclusion.
Akji,
A nice wrap up again. This post brings down the curtain on “Bests of 1946”. Naushad was a foregone conclusion. It warms my heart to find Ghulam Hyder & Hanslal Behl in the special category of outstanding MDs of the year.
Hansraj Behal held a lot of promise in his debut year. He was capable of achieving much more than what he achieved in his later years. I believe he did well in Punjabi films.
S D Burman too made his debut with filmistan with two films Eighty days and Shikari. But this Umeed Bhara Panchi was in search of his moorings and it was only after a couple of years he could find his Sundar Swapna blossoming.
I am extremely glad to know that you are not averse to continue with bests of 50’s 60s.
In your curtain-raiser post, you mentioned the debutant MDs of 1946. S D Burman, Sudhir Phadke , Ram Ganguly, Chitragupt, Ravi Shankar, Mohammad Shafi and Hansraj Behl.
I think Vinod too made his debut in Hindi films in 1946 with two films Khamosh Nigahen & Paraye Bas Mein. He composed three songs for Paraye Bas Mein and the other songs were composed by Niyaz Hussain Shami. Both the films were produced by Lahore based production Houses.
Posting a duet by Shamshad Begum & Zeenat Begum from Khamosh Nigahen,
Rut Sajan Milan Ki Aayi hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfQ1ziQtQa8&feature=emb_title
A solo by Zeenat Begum, film Paraye Bas mein
Apanon Se Shiqaayat Hai Naa Gairon Se Gilaa Hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEu30uIMbsY&feature=emb_title
N Venkataraman @16;
Thanks for the nice songs ….well written, well composed and well sang. The first song …….Rut Sajan Milan Ki Aayi hai….. is based on famous folk song of Punjab….chan kithan gujari aai raat ve….later famoused more by Surender Kaur. Vinod being Punjabi himself had quite a little touches of Punjabi music in his songs and HansRaj Behl was a pioneer in this field with lots of Punjabi songs and films to his credit.
Venkataramanji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Hansraj Behl was superb in the Golden Era too. His problem too was belonging to an era which had just too many talents. Since everyone can’t be at the top, he remained in the shadows. Kind of ‘Genius in the shadow of the Giants’.
Thanks for mentioning the debut of Vinod, a forgotten composer with unforgettable melodies.
Doing 1950a and 60s was not on my radar screen. Doing non-Filmfare years going back to 1945 was the mandate given to me – it is ironical that ‘Chale gaye chale gaye, dil mein aak lagaane waale chale gaye‘. Incidentally that was Zoharabai Ambalewali, Pahle Aap (1944), Naushad again. In fact I had a mind to go further back, may be in a different format, right back to the earliest days of the film music. But many music lovers have some mental block for pre-1949, whereas 1950 and 60s are universal favourites. Let us cross the bridge when we come to it. Insha Allah!
Thanks for elaboration.I completely agree with the observation that Filmfare Award should not be touchstone for assessing the quality or even the popularity of songs.1952 has multiple quality songs in its store.I will therefore strongly suggest to complete the record by covering 1952.
Let me not reveal a personal prejudice by sharing that some of my favorite most songs were from the films released in 1952 and hence omission of the year was making me a bit jittery.
Asmat,
Noted.
AK
I think it was the easiest wrap up for you in a while. Even Subodh has agreed. I dont know why – being our classical expert – he has reservations about Naushad who kept closest to the classical composition. But I liked your comment ‘exception to prove the rule’ with a smiley.
I agree with the word of caution by Vaishnavji about ignoring other MDs and songs which might have been popular in those days, but which may have been forgotten due to lack of proper promotion. In fact I would like to support his argument with some stats. The year 1945 saw 74 films released and in 1946 the number was 153. The number of songs also almost doubled. Similar is the case with films and songs if we compare the stats of first 5 years of 41-45 with 46-50. This shows that the popularity of film music was very high. There would not have been so many films and songs if songs of just 3-4 composers were popular. If we look at the numbers of some composers who are not much talked about, then the argument will be strengthened. In the decade of 41-50 there were six composers Khan Mastana (22), Gyan Dutt (36), Gobind Ram (25), K. Narayan Rao (23), AR Quereshi (27) and Bulo C Rani (31) who gave music for more than 20 films. There were a number of others who gave music in 15-20 films, whose names are hardly taken when we talk about composers of this era. I dont think that the producers/directors were giving them so many films for giving flop music.
For the 40s we ignore many composers because we dont know about popularity of their songs. But in the 60s we ignore some composers despite their proven popularity, saying they do not have the same quality as the old school composers. Recently completed series on Ravi has many stalwarts like Subodh admit that they did not link some very good songs to Ravi. Similarly, LP who gave music in 71 films in the 60s, out of which 60 came in the last five years from 1966-70, got these films and gave hit after hit after competing with all the talked about composers of old. Nobody can say that their music in the 60s was low on quality. Then why they are not talked about along with the old guard. It appears there are two different yardsticks for 40s and 60s.
It appears, that the area of praise has been compartmentalised as per the perception of a few critics and we tend to follow their narrative. These critics anointed Sajjad on a very high seat, despite his very limited contribution. They are not ready to give the 60s and 70s composers any favourable narrative, but they give Kishore a seat along with and above the golden era singers, principally based on his songs from the 70s and 80s. What an irony that the 60s and 70s composers are no match for the old guard, but the singer who was made by them is better than those singers who were made by the old guard – most of whom utterly rejected KK.
Bhatiaji @ 9
Naushad gave music in three films in the year Anmol Ghadi, Shahjehan and Keemat. Here is a small story based on this.
There were two Anmol Ghadis in 1946, one was brought to us by Naushad and the other by your respected parents. Then our Anmol Karigar (AK) thought of creating Songs of Yore and you became the undisputed Shahjehan of kingdom of SOY. And after enjoying your poetic expressions all of us SOY members exclaimed ‘Keemat’ Vasool.
Hansji I fully endorse your views.
Especially what you have written about LP . In fact LPs cimpositions during 60 – 70 are not only much superior to what they dished out post 1970 but they hold their own forte agsinst the golden era composers. Even in a B grader like sati savitri they produced 2 gems
Jeevan dor & tum gagan ke.
Hans,
Distance of time leaves some songs shining bright, remaining buried in the sands of time. YouTube has brought many unknown songs to life, some of outstanding merit immediately catch our attention, but many do not merit second hearing. Among the names you have mentioned Gyan Dutt, Govind Ram, Bulo C Rani have figured prominently on SoY. But only 15-20% being memorable songs remains constant for any year or any period. The fact that the remaining 80% songs were made or films made does not mean much. That would be true of 1000s of lawyers, PhDs and tens of thousands of engineers produced – 15 to 20% of some merit, others forgettable.
You have mentioned LP. Right from their debut they commanded great respect. Now on all statistics they are far above others. Not only the numbers, mid-60s they gave some great music.
Hans ji @22 , Ak ji ;
You along with Venkatraman ji ….the honest bookkeepers and the earnest scholars…… got most of our attention and we all learned a lot about progressive theory of music thru stats.. At SoY we value virtue . You and many of other members posses art of Appreciation as the amazing habit of bringing more reasons to be grateful for.
I ,therefore , propose a toast to AK ji and all the writers who untiringly worked to put forward their very best and kept us glued to our desktops…and getting entertained thru learning.
With fireworks already making background music ….I wish all of you a very best of 20 20. Yes…a year of duets and Twins !!
KS Bhatiaji,
We may be bookkeepers, and some of us scholars, but you are the only poet among us. That is a gift, which can’t be acquired. Returning your toast, I propose a special toast to you and all the readers who have brought SoY to this day.
AK
You have taken the argument in a different direction than what was intended by Vaishnavji or me. My comments were not directed at SOY, because here a number of forgotten names have got their due. The analogy of lawyers, doctors etc. does not work here, because if a composer failed in his first few films then he was not likely to get further work. When I mentioned doubling the number of films and songs in the second half of 40s that was to point to the fact that films were in general increasing in popularity and that cannot be the handiwork of a couple of composers. Even at youtube or any other source the thrust is to find films and songs relating to composers, singers, actors who became famous later. Jignesh once pointed out to this fact and said that lot of songs were forgotten due to lack of proper attention.
When you say many songs dont need second hearing, you are judging songs as per your perception of music. The perception of the audience in the 40s is not known to us. People then might have liked many songs which we do not like. You and I and many others started off mostly with songs of 60s. For us 50s is nearer and 40s is farther. Similarly, we liked some music of 70s but, we hardly prefer much of music from 80s. So, there is a point in what Vaishnavji or Jignesh said. I would give an example here. You wrote on Daan Singh under the category of forgotten composers. He is mainly remembered for his twin gems from My Love. As you know this film was a total flop. But, because music was available on radio and other different sources by that time, these two gems and name of Daan Singh survived. Suppose in the 40s some composer gave exceptional music in just one or two films and its songs are not available how would you judge him. Despite the untiring efforts of posters on youtube, only about one third of songs of 1946 are available for hearing and in many of them the audio quality is very poor. The availability of songs of earlier years is in the decreasing order. You yourself admitted that your 1946 list was short because of this factor.
By the way, no video footage of Kapil Dev’s 175 not out is available. That was certainly one of the best ODI innings.
You mentioned Hans Raj Bahl’s grand debut in this year. SDB also debuted in the same year. From 1946-50 Bahl gave music in 27 films as against 11 by SDB and Bahl’s impact on hfm was much more than SDB in those years. As rightly pointed out by Venkataramanji that Bahl got into Panjabi films. In fact his Panjabi film Lachhi became a super hit in 1949 and he was in great demand in Panjabi films, where he gave hit after hit. It is said that he got more remuneration there than what the hero and heroine got combined, because most of the Panjabi films ran on his songs and light comedy and who was hero or heroine did not matter much. He perhaps believed in the maxim ‘mehlon ki gulami se jhonpadi ka raaj bhala’ and ignored hindi films. Very few people know that he turned producer in 1954 and after that mostly gave music either in his own films or in other films of his friends. He produced films like Changez Khan and Sikander-e-Azam. He produced 8 or 9 hindi films. He might have produced Panjabi films also but there is no consolidated info about Panjabi films like HFGK.
Hans,
We are all generally saying the same thing. Which period of film we are familiar with or relate to depends a great deal on our age profile. About current music I barely know the names of Arjit Singh, Mohit Chauhan etc. Some are familiar with Kishore Kumar-era of 70s. Having said that the everlasting songs of 50s and 60s are known to everyone. If we just take the three decades of 1950s, 60s and 70s about which the familiarity is very high, anyone’s list of ‘Memorable Songs’ would be about 15-20% of the total.
It is difficult to say anything about those songs of 1930s or 40s which are lost. You are making the point that among the lost songs too, there could be some great gems. That according to me would be negligible.