And the Award for the Best Music Director goes to?
After the Overview post and the three category-wise wrap ups: Wrap Up 1 for the best male solo, Wrap Up 2 for the best female solo and Wrap Up 3 for the best duets – it is time to collate and discuss the dominant music directors of the year 1947 and try to decide a winner. Recapitulating, this was the year of C Ramchandra’s Ana meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday which was a brazen break from the tradition of classicism. The purists scoffed, but CR had the last laugh because it became uproariously popular. Shalan Lal’s last post on Meena Kapoor describes the frenzy this song created. Shehnai had some more delightful songs. He also had a stupendously popular Humko tumhara hi aasra tum hamare ho na ho from Saajan. This was a two-version song – a Rafi solo and a Rafi-Lalita Deulkar duet – both being immensely popular. The Overview post in the long list of ‘Memorable Songs’ had some more songs of CR from other films.
Naushad had been top of the tops since his Ratan (1944). He had a large number of superhit songs in 1947 from Dard, Elaan and Natak in the voices of Suraiya, Zohrabai Ambalewali, Amirbai Karnataki and Surendra. If C Ramchandra etched his name in history with Ana meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday, Naushad did the same in a different way with his everlasting Afsana likh rahi hun, which became the defining song of Uma Devi (Tuntun). Khursheed Anwar had the privilege of composing for Saigal’s swan song Parwana, with Suraiya as the female lead. The two of the greatest actors-singers created magic with all the songs in the film, remembered even today. Husnlal-Bhagatram were another music director who created waves with Mirza Sahiban, which had their elder brother Pt. Amarnath, too, in the team, but he passed away mid-way leaving almost the entire responsibility on HB.
Many music directors were not as prolific, but created at least one song which was enough to make them immortal. You can click on the category-wise best ten covered in the Wrap Ups 1, 2 and 3 to refresh your memory. You can think of the iconic Yahan badla wafa ka bewafai ke siwa kya hai (Rafi-Noorjehan duet from Jugnu, Firoz Nizami) or Man bhooli kathayein yaad na kar (Shamshad Begum, Ddosri Shadi, Pt Govind Ram), or Kahan tak jafa husnwalon ki sahte (Mukesh, Tohfa, MA Rauf – who was this MA Rauf?). These are fairly well-known to lovers of the old film songs. But adorning the list of the various bests – male solos, female sols and duets – are some unknown or forgotten names who could not have been discovered without an exhaustive exercise of year-wise reviews.
it would be useful to take a look at the three best lists at one place. Here is how the category-wise lists look. I am pooling together the three lists in the composite table below (I have also given the YT link of all the songs):
Best songs of 1947
We can now present the abstract of the same table music director-wise as follows:
Best music directors of 1947
| Sl No. | Music Director | Male solos | Female solos | Duets | Total |
| 1 | Naushad | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | Khursheed Anwar | 4 | 1 | – | 5 |
| 3 | C Ramchandra | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| 4 | Husnlal-Bhagatram | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 5 | MA Rauf | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| 6 | Anil Biswas | – | 1 | – | 1 |
|
7 |
Gyan Dutt | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Naresh Bhattacharya | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | Firoz Nizami | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| 10 | SD Burman | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 11 | Govind Ram | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 12 | A Dinkar Rao | 1 | – | – | 1 |
| 13 | Kamal Dasgupta | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| 14 | Datta Davjekar | – | 1 | – | 1 |
| Total | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 |
Bare numbers do not tell the entire story. It is quite clear Khursheed Anwar’s 5 songs in the list, overtaking C Ramchandra’s, are entirely due to one film and propelled by one great voice, KL Saigal. C Ramchandra, on the other hand, has given a variety of songs in the voices of many singers such as, Rafi, himself, Shamshad Begum, Amirbai Karnataki, Lalita Deulkar and Meena Kapoor, in three films: Leela, Saajan and Shehnai. Therefore, I have to moderate the above chart. C Ramchandra deserves to be placed above Khursheed Anwar. This would be a fair picture of the year when Naushad and C Ramchandra were the two titans vying for the top billing.
As for the readers’ choice, Arunkumar Deshmukh is very categorical in giving the top billing to C Ramchandra. Shalan Lal also favours him for the top spot. KM Ashraf votes for Firoz Nizami and Canasya’s favourite is Husnlal-Bhagatram. Some active members after giving their category-wise choices promised to come back with their choice for the best music director, but it seems they were overtaken by other posts.
Naushad happens to have the largest number of bests. He spans all the categories and also used variety of voices in the above songs.
The fairest outcome would be to declare both Naushad and C Ramchandra winners of the best music director of the year. In conclusion,
The Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director of 1947 goes jointly to Naushad and C Ramchandra.
{ 70 comments… read them below or add one }
Excellent overview
And I totally agree with you for the conclusion.
Anup
🙂
Anup,
Thanks a lot.
My analysis has placed C Ramchandra on the top in terms of number of his songs that featured in MY Top male, female solos songs and duets.I also fully subscribe to the fact that he has used a wide variety of singers for his songs and has come up with stellar results. I would also give a major additional credit for his (successful) experiment of breaking the then existing mold the music composition pattern. Even when he continued to use such westernized, light, pappy tunes in the later years, he never allowed that to overshadow his innermost musical genius. He went on to create some of the classic songs e=in those very films where he had placed his pappy tunes to good use. As a measure of recognition of his genius, both types of songs from the same film received high accolades.
I would like to record special mention of the music directors whose only one song had appeared in MY Top songs for the year. They are: Hansraj Behl for the duet Moti Chugane Gayi Re Hansi, Man Sarovar Teer (Chhin Le Azadi, Mukesh and Shamshad Begum duet) and Naushad for the duet Betab Hai Dil Dard E Muhabbat Ke Asar Se (Betad, Uma Devi and Suraiya duet).
To me personally, this entire series has been very educative. Pre-1950 years have been highly enlightening in so far as broad-basing my very scant knowledge of the songs of that period. I will never be able to thenk enough for that in words.
Ashokji,
Thanks a lot for your comments. I have been reading your parallel series and just saw your meta compilation in pdf from. This is a collector’s piece. I would pass it on to all the readers who post comments on this post.
I was struck by how Naushad does not figure prominently in your analysis this year.
AK ji ,
I too join my hand with Anup ji nd agree with you for the conclusion that Naushad nd C.Ramchandra are the winners .( But at the same time , I admit that I am equally fascinated by Pt.Amarnath nd Husnlal -Bhagatram’s classic creation ” Mirza Sahiban ” )
AK ji,
1947 was an year of mesmerizing music. It is really a task to number them. In a race, all those who complete the race are winners, but the first 3 winners only get the prize.
CR and Naushad were undoubtedly the joint First winners.
Thank you.
Pramod Godboleji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and endorsement. Every song of Mirza Sahiban was very good. In addition Husnlal-Bhagatram had some more great songs, such as GM Durrani-Paromita Devi duet from Heera.
Arunji,
You are welcome. I am happy you are endorse my choice.
AK ji,
A great enthusiast of facts and figures and data, I used to collect Binaca Geetmala saalana top songs booklets and have preserved all FILMFARE Awards issues ( Nomination issues are a great favourite with me!!). Of course, BEIMAAN beating PAKEEZA ….anomaly.
I thoroughly enjoyed the post, and,in my capacity as, probably the least erudite of all the followers of SOY,I would say I go with your conclusions.
From the 50s and 60s onwards,I have a fair knowledge of Hindi music scene, being a 60s born Music Lover. The post and the comments thereupon help me know the lesser heard songs.
Thanks again.
Dr Shetty,
Those days all of us maintained such scrapbooks. Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
” Beiman ” beating ” pakeezah ”
What a – – – –
In response to my comment in an old post , AK ji , U hav stated that we r nt going to hav SOY awards for the movies of Filmfare era .But only one example given above by Pradeep ji is enough to prove that they were too different than we SOY readers’ choice , knowledge nd taste about hindi cine sangit.
Hence I request U to take – up series of SOY awards for that period ( after the beginning of Filmfare awards ) also.
I am sure that our awards wud b too different than theirs’ .
I too agree with the award given here. I would like to state if you analyse the songs of the two music directors, C Ramchandra’s 4 pieces are falling within the first four songs in all the three groups except best male category. Naushad’s score is 3 by the same criterion, but all in best female category. Of the two I would give C Ramchandra first place in the niche.
Pramodji,
Some other readers, too, have suggested that similar review of Filmfare Awards would be worthwhile. My initial hesitation was because of the enormity of the exercise. The review of 1945 would happen in the tenth year of SoY. I had not thought beyond that as I was not sure a blog on old film music can hold readers’ interest indefinitely. But in principle I agree with you that SoY awards would be very different from Filmfare, not only in the aberrant years of Suraj over Guide, or DAAPP over Mughal-e-Adam, but in other years too. Let us see how it goes.
DP Rangan,
You have made an interesting observation. Diversity is indeed an important factor. In the year C Ramchandra does show greater diversity in singers and the type of songs. Thanks a lot.
I also request you to continue the series beyond 1954-55.
It would be great to experience it really.
I’ll wait till the 11th year of SoY of course.
🙂
Godbole ji,AK ji,
I had mentioned the most shocking example in BEIMAAN. AK ji has mentioned SURAJ and DAAPP(MEA,of course, the clear winner. There also was CHAUDHAVI KA CHAND in the running!)
There are many more : JEENE KI RAAH( ARADHANA! Here,I have a grouse about the best female playback singer,too. Aap mujhe achhe lagne lage? I like the soundtrack of JKR… The Rafi songs are beautiful…Aane se uske aaye bahaar; Ek banjara gaaye; the group song Aa mere humjoli as is lively: Chanda ko doondne sabhi taare nikal pade never failed to bring tears to my eyes because as an eight year old,I had seen the movie and the plight of the children! Aap mujhe achhe lagne lage…an average Lata song!!)…..
GHARANA ( JDMGBH,Ganga Jamuna)
KORA KAGAZ(ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAAN,AAP KI KASAM)
SANAM TERI KASAM(BAZAAR,PREM ROG,NAMAK HALAAL, NIKAAH)!!!!!
Of course,SOY Awards would be vastly different from the FF ones!
Dr Shetty, Anup, Pramodji,
Noted the request. That clears one dilemma whether to continue beyond the tenth year or not. Let me add two things:
– If I continue the series, it will end at 1969 or 1970.
– SSW is an acknowledged music expert at SoY. He didn’t share others’ sense of injustice in DAAPP winning over Mughal-e-Azam. I have to admit mine is a lay listener’s perspective.
The one instance ( probably, the only one?) of joint winners in the FF Awards history I remember vividly is of Dimple Kapadia ( BOBBY) and Jaya Bhaduri ( ABHIMAAN….; was also nominated for KHOSHISH) in 1974.
I think,on the awards night,they came with their husbands, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan… newly weds,both the couples. If I am not wrong, RAAKHEE, winner of the best supporting actress award ( DAAG), also was newly wed and came with Gulzar.
AK ji;
Both …Mughal e Azam and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi….did balancing act for the music lovers ….one representing class of classic …and other…class of modern music. Same audience watching both the movies enjoyed the most. From simple soft instrumental preludes & interludes to beautiful orchestra compositions…..all were there in both the movies. Simplicity of …..Bekas pe karam kijiye M E A ….and ….Jaane kahan gayi DAAPP …..again pathos brought forward by simple tunes for both classic and modern listeners.
If Naushad could bring highly intense emotions thru….Mohabbat ki jhoothi kahani…and…Pyar kiya to darna kya ; Shankar Jaikishan brought their master strokes in…..Ajeeb dastan hai yeh….and …Dil Apna aur preet parayi songs . The fact remains that all the songs in both the films were excellent. For me even it is very difficult to decide who should have won the filmfare award . If one is fond of background music , this factor adds up for Naushad as a winner .
If you really want to enjoy Naushad’s music then go for original B&W print . The colour version released a few years back has all the superimposition of digital adds on which some times looks unlike of Naushad .
For 1947 songs , I entirely agree with the outcome . Naushad and C Ramchandra both desrve joint winners.
AKji:
You have nicely summed up the relative performances of leading MDs in 1947. No quarrels with the choice of Naushad-CR as joint winners. I suspect, however, that the formula that has been used to declare the winners (performance over multiple films during the year) would favour SJ in several subsequent years.
Canasya,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I see your point about SJ, but we would have to think about quantity versus quality issue. It can’t be bland numbers. There is a further complication of degree of quality. After we have shortlisted 10 outstanding songs, is it possible to give weightage on the degree of their superiority? In 1947, there was no doubt about CR’s quality too. In 50s and 60s, the large number of familiar songs would make the exercise quite challenging.
KS Bhatiaji,
You have made an interesting comparison between DAAPP and Mughal-e-Azam. For me, it was never close. Now we are used to the colour version of Mughal-e-Azam, TV channels do not show the B&W version. But does it make a difference to music/background music? I agree with your larger point, I can’t imagine colorisation of B&W classics like Bimal Roy’s Devdas, or Pyasa, or the Hollywood classics. I am happy that you are endorsing my choice of joint winners of 1947.
Dr Shetty,
You have amazing memory.
AK,
Not much disagreement, instead “The Songs of Yore Award for the Best Music Director of 1947 goes jointly to Naushad and C Ramchandra.” I would like it as “ The songs of Yore award goes jointly to C .Ramchandra and Naushad
What is your view on SJ winning Filmfare award for Chori Chori over SD’s Pyasa and Suraj over Guide.
STAGE GIRL, EXTRA GIRL, STUNT QUEEN, TIGER QUEEN, SPEED QUEEN, TIGER MAN, FLYING MAN,MR DYNAMITE, SWEET HEART(DIL KI RANI), BRAVE WOMEN (VEERANGANA), BARRISTER, DIRECTOR, ATTENTION,ATOM BOMB,RED LIGHT (LAL BATHI), BLACK MARKET, ROMEO JULIET….
What???
Some movies released in 1947.
Mumbaikar8,
I see your point about keeping CR first. Suraj over Guide is a very glaring case. There cannot by any dispute who was superior. Chori Chori, one can give benefit of doubt.
AK, ksbhatia and other great SoY members
The joint winner of the 1947 Years “SoY Best Composer Director’s award” is a right academic choice and AK has considered the views of the earlier and later contributions of both the directors.
Even those who made dazzling contribution to the musically dominant films of the forties and perhaps one could say at this juncture the forties were the real foundation of the musicality in the Hindi films, sadly went back to Pakistan and perhaps would have changed the position of the Best Director’s award to Naushad and C.Ramchandra.
Morevoer there was “Vinod” who could have singly challenged both individual areas of Naushad and C.Ramcahndra.
And also the prolific Mr O.P. the wonder boy of Punjabi Rasmalai and “Kurata Jali Ka” !
In the early Part of the fifties Naushad in Baiju Bawara 1952 and C.Ramchandra in Anarkali 1953 outshone each other and made the music lovers of the Hindi films further madly and truly in love of the filmy music.
So looking back, looking ahead, looking sideways to the right and left helps to understand the quality of the history and sharpen our insight.
Shalan Lal
Dr Pradeepkumar Shetty @ 25
Bravo Dr. Pradeep! Very pointed banners of the films you brought to our attention!
May your tribe increase in the “SoY Blog”.
Shalan Lal
Dr.Shetty @25;
Thanks for the listed movies. We must see such C grade movies, or clips . They carry many surprises….good poster like sets, good music some time and comedy created and comedy made ….i.e. when they make you laugh or you laugh on what they make for laughs.
Shalan Lal,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation and your insightful comment.
Ms. Shalan Lal;
Thanks for bringing in the ….Vinod….factor.
During late 30s and mid 50s hollywood was on fast mode making musicals which were hit after hit and created sensation here in bollywood too. Here too our Music Directors were not behind and were closely watching trend. So to say they started introducing one or more tunes on the lines of music which was already a hit any where in the world. In their first movie Barsat SJ brought in Denube Waves [ a master piece of waltz of 1932] in their song…Chhod gaye Balam . Naushad brought Waltz/ Ballroom dance number in Dastan….Tara ri tara ri . Before them C ramchandra had some good numbers which lately became Lounge Music for the senior citizens .
In 50s besides Vinod and C Ramchandra , another MD..Shyam Sunder produced some sensational songs in Dholak . Halla Gull Lai la ….made every one dance on stage on every occasion .
It is interesting to note that some of the films from South [ like Gemini] carried songs which were based on hollywood tunes. All the three Ranjan starred movies like ….Nishan, Chandra lekha , Mangla …..had some such songs based on Spanish Gypsy Dance and Carmen Miranda. So to say when Gene Kelly was busy making musicals during 40s and 50s ; our MD were also busy following those trends.
List of my Lounge Songs and Music…..
Gore gore o banke chhore
Halla gula lai la
Laara lappa laara lapa lai rakhda
Shola jo bhadke
Ek do teen aaja mausam hai rangeen
Nakre wali
Eena Meena Deeka……and so on.
And for record here are additional cross section of those south india songs…..
Suno suno more pyare….Mangla [1950]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5Jc0gaoZCY….See how this song goes with the following song made nine years before. Even the sets are remarkably same.
ayyayyo-vasuntharadevi-mangammasabatham 1941 [ Watch Vyjyantimala’s mother dancing on the tune of Carmen Miranda.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guNcA4P_7zI&t=121s
Spanish Gypsy Dance number…..Chandra lekha[ 1948]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJOwIf9xYbk
KSBhatia ji ,
What a great informative
comment !
Nd 2 excellent dances !!!
No wonder Vyjayantimala was a great dancer as her mother
Vasundhara Devi was such a great artist .
I knew that ” Chandralekha ” had a fantastic ” नगारा “dance but I found that equally fantastic was the gypsy dance .
Towards ending , it reminded me of V . Shantaram’s creation ” लखलख चंदेरी तेजाची न्यारी दुनिया ” of Marathi movie ‘ शेजारी ‘ .
Thnx a lot for uploading those gems .
KS Bhatiaji,
Ditto what Pramodji has said. Thanks a lot for your insightful comments and for adding the two fantastic dance songs.
Pramodji,
Lakh lakh chanderi is also one of my greatest favourites.
AK ji ,
I am glad to know that you too like ” लखलख चंदेरी ” .
Both the films were released in 1941 . May be one of the choreographer was inspired by the other OR both hav their own vision in choreographing the dance because as it is being said that
Great people think alike .
Anyhow , we got the joy of watching 2 excellent dance – songs
that is the best thing about it .
Sorry , I was wrong in the previous post as ” शेजारी ” was released in 1941 nd ” Chandralekha ” in 1948.
I hav wrongly stated that both were released in 1941 .
Pramod Godbole ji, AK ji ;
Thanks for your kind words . Your encouragement prompts me to post the original of Carmen Miranda song from which these songs were derived. It is to note that Miranda had an inclination to sing spanish, brazillian and other latin american songs. ….and besides that she would wear a typical head gear mostly consisting of fruits and vegetables …which was a unique feature never tried before in hollywood.
Here is the original…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwXd6IJ5ZU
Here’s an article written by a good friend of mine on the Vasundhara Devi song. He has cited yet another song, this time from a 1948 film, which was ‘inspired’ by the Carmen Miranda song:
https://sriramv.wordpress.com/2018/02/28/carmen-miranda-vasundhara-and-bhanumathi/
BTW, I remember seeing Vasundhara Devi attend Hindustani Music concerts in Chennai in the 80s. She would sit in the first or second row and give ‘daad’ to the performer. I read somewhere that she had taken some training in Hindustani Music in her younger days.
KSBhatia ji ,
Thnx for uploading the original Carmen Miranda song .
What a fun !!!
हमारे बॉलीवूड ने इस गानेको भी कॉपी किया
” अर्जुन ” ” मामैया केरो केरो केरो मामा “
KSBhatia ji ,
Nd yes , I forgot to mention ,
What an innovative nd fantastic kind of a headgear she wore !
Pramod Godbole @ 32
“With reference to your jollity about ” Towards ending , it reminded me of V . Shantaram’s creation ” लखलख चंदेरी तेजाची न्यारी दुनिया ” of Marathi movie ‘ शेजारी ‘ ” and @ 34 :
“AK ji ,
I am glad to know that you too like ” लखलख चंदेरी ” .
You both might have different meanings of the word ” लखलख” as in Marathi it means shining or twinkling while in Hindi it means “Laksh, Laksh” the figure of number.
But as long as both are happy it would not matter what the word means!
Shalan Lal
ksbhatia @ 31 & @ 36 and Mr Bhandarkar @ 37 @ 38
Your point of Hollywood and Bollywood bringing together is very interesting.
Right from the first film Raja Harishchandra of Dadasaheb Phalke Hollywood has been an inspiration and also measure for the made up films of India.
Presently India is speedily overtaking Hollywood. Bollywood’s mammoth films had added advantage of having mammoth home audience plus the universal appeal now a days.
So in this light I think you are the right person to present us a post of comparative musical activities in Hollywood and Bollywood.
You are the only who could do the justice to the subject with your vast memories of both the universes and perhaps you can show East is West and West is East and the Twain melts into one to make it one.
Shalan Lal
AadaraNeeya Shalan-ben
The theme that you have suggested is beyond my ken
I do know a thing about tala and raga
But not much about subjects like Lady Gaga
So I would leave the topic that you’ve suggested to other men and women
(Shalanji – I know you are not Gujarati but besides the fact that ‘ben’ rhymes with ‘ken, the other reason I used ‘ben’ was because you live in the land of the Big Ben)
Please read ‘a few things’ in place of ‘a thing’.
Ms.Shalan Lal @42;
Yes, watching vintage and golden period era movies and hearing music of those times were a real treat for the sharp viewer and listener . Hollywood were way ahead in production and technical values…..as we had not hit the modern times yet. Our bollywood songs of 40s and 50s , based on their music , were only an indication how desperately we wanted to be recognised in hollywood mould. We improved upon orchestration to perfection and to that C.Ramchandra , Naushad, SJ, OPN etc were fore runners. Naushad’s music of Aan was very well appreciated by English and French audience .
So whatever came to me during my younger days I enjoyed to the maximum of both the world . I have not taken any notes of those times but thanks to internet which keep me . Being an old man , diabetic and an heart patient…… now my recording or writing will be a little stressful on my health. Of and On I hit upon my memory as a recall of what I have seen or heard before; hence my little observations and comments intrude which though are not relevent to the main post. But It is interesting to see many friends comes out to join with their memories of the old times. S S W would be right choice to right a post as suggested by yourself.
Bollywood speeding ….yes , but what for . In every other movie we see the fighting skills of the computer doing wonders for the hero , doing the impossible. Unrealestic sets adds to the frustration and jarring background music makes your head sway east and west. Yes some clean films crop up which stick to present scenerio . You feel being part of the story. Ecently saw …Badhai Ho… an excellent movie of the present time.
I see we are deviating from the main subject ; and before I revert back , here is a wonder full song of the West which was made daylight by OPN in the mid 60s…….Lakhoan hain yahan dilwale , per pyar nahin milta.
Red River Valley……song with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK1AD4qaYYk
Ashwin Bhandarkar @42
My apology for putting your name along with ksbhatia. The main thrust of my comment @42 was for dear ksbhatia as he consistently showed his great memories of both old Hollywood and Bollywood musicals and not so musical films.
As for your “Punning” I enjoy it very much. I hope you will flourish well in this art.
Have you ever thought about writing a comedy? The Marathi theatre once upon a time was very “Punny” e.g. plays of great Gadakari.
His one play called Raj Sanyas had very punny and funny dialogues between two characters. The scenes from this play had been done by college students in the seventies for the Inter Collegiate competitions.
Comparing myself with Big Ben is very hilarious. Presently the poor Big Ben has lost its chime but mine is going on.
Thanks again for your very interesting word-play.
Shalan Lal
ksbhatia @ 45
Of course Sadanandji is very competent to do and he has Anu Warrier’s blog ready for him.
But what you write comes from your own flesh and blood and that will be interesting on its own value.
I shall not stretch this point further.
Shalan Lal
Ksbhatia @ 36, Ashwin Bhandarkar @37 & 38
With reference to Vassundharadevi the mother of Vaijayanthimala some further trivia:
In nineties Vaijayanthimala was invited to talk at the Nehru Centre, London. She was interviewed by a very enthusiastic Hindi filmy journalist who had gone through all the Hindi films of the honorable guest and showed his knowledge about her and did not leave anything for her to talk.
She joked about it and said thanks for telling me about me and now there is nothing else left. We better finish this interview.
Notable actress talked in very fine Hindi. So someone from the floor asked her “How come being a South Indian and talk in such fine literati Hindi?”
She said I learned Hindi from my mother. She was one of the spoke-persons who organized the activities of the Hindi Prachar Samitee in the South.
Vaijayanthimala further joked about and said, “Hindi is my “mother tongue”!”
Shalan Lal
Shalanji,
Thanks for being such a sport and appreciating my punning/word play. As for your suggestion, I don’t have it in me to write a play, least of all in Marathi, which is not my mother/father tongue.
Your mention of the Hindi Prachar Sabha (it is Sabha, not Samitee, and to be more precise, the name of the organization is the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha) brought back memories. My mother passed several of their exams as a school girl in Mangalore in the 50s; so did a polyglot grand-aunt of mine. In the late 70s/early 80’s, when the school that my elder brother and I attended in Madras introduced French as a 2nd language for students of the 9th and 10th, they made clearing the Rashtrabhasha examination level (the 3rd level after Prarthamik and Madhyama) a pre-condition for students of Hindi switching to French. My brother cleared it but by the time I came to the 9th and switched to French, the school had removed the pre-condition, so I did not have to sit for the exam.
Pramod Godbole ji @39&40;
Wearing headgear with fruits and vegetables and Carmen Miranda song got so popular in Hollywood that even Jerry Lewis [ with Dean Martin] acted , sang and dance wearing outfits of the likes of that worn in Miranda song . The world famous Lucy….of I Love Lucy fame too enacted Miranda song in one of her episode.
Since this article is on C Ramchandra , it is interesting to note that Kishore Kumar wore headgear /hat full of vegetables and fruits in second stanza of the famous ….Eena Meena Deeka….song from Aasha [1957] movie song . The stanza lines…..phal payega jo lagayega pauda.
Since Vyjayantimala starred in the movie , it must be her idea…..this is my guess only.
The song…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se1EZCE_zLo
…..in continuation….
See the head gear of extras in another Carmen’s song and compare with those worn by extras in Kishore’s …..Eena Meena Deeka ….song . They are exactly the same….hence the influence !!!
Carmen’s ….Tooty Fruity …song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLsTUN1wVrc
ksbhatia ji ,
Thnx for uploading the tooty fruity dance – song .
Enjoyed .The set , choreography , orchestration nd above all Carmen Miranda with that innovative , funny headgear — — everything was praiseworthy .
Since there is now so much interest in Vasundharadevi and her daughter Vaijayanthimala both singers, it will be interesting if Venkatraman or Rangnathan could do a very good post covering their singing aspect and also some references to their filmy acting.
Mr Venkatraman’s definitive post on Subbalaxmi is a master work still remembered by many.
Shalan Lal
I ditto ms.shalan request. For some time both are being missed by all of us. Their contribution has been immense. Hope to hear from them soon.
Ms. Shalan Lal ;
After C Ramchandra , who carried on with his masterly composed western beats and rhythm based bollywood songs , Naushad known for classic based songs ……too got influenced by hollywood beats and came up with masterly compositions in 1951 film …Jadoo. This film was loosely based on the hollywood movie of 1948….The Love of Carmen . See how quickly bollywood was following hollywood musicals that they even retained some of the lyrics too. Naushad followed the Mexican , spanish style in his orchestra and produced wonderful melodies . Dances in both the movies were amazing . Nalini Jayant following each step dance of Rita Hayworth ….so holding hand fan alike.
Hear and enjoy the ….Laara lloo Laara Lloo…..song….
Song from …..The Loves of Carmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqW8E_HDwjM
Song from Jadoo……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn9CXJ6OhzQ
Shalan Lal @ 53,
While Vyjayanthimala continues to dance on stage at 84 years of age (there is ‘mat-bhed’ on the year of her birth across websites but she herself confirmed that she was born in 1934 in an interview to Sruti, the reputed magazine on the performing arts, in a cover feature on her that spanned 2 issues), over the past several years, she has been giving the occasional Carnatic vocal concert, and to great acclaim.
Here is a review of a Carnatic Music concert of hers in 2016:
https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/vyjayanthimalas-ode-to-her-gurus/article8393278.ece
And here is an excerpt from a recent Bharatanatyam concert:
https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/bollywood-news/watch-evergreen-actress-vyjayanthimala-performs-bharatanatyam-proves-age-is-just-a-number
What a great lady!
@53 & 54
Thanks for remembering me. Ever since I came to US in late May without my behemoth computer, I could not make any progress in writing . I have been collecting data in the mean time. A week back I purchased a Dell Inspiron 13″ tablet at throwaway prices thanks to Thanksgiving Sale of November and hope to start working earnest. Prices in India are far too high. A 15″ Dell XPS tablet cost here 1300 dollars while it is being sold for 1800 dollars equivalent Indian rupees.
I did talk with Venkataramanji recently. He told me he is quite okay. I hope he will respond to posts in the near future.
Ashwin,
At 80-plus performing on the stage is a great feat. I didn’t know about her singing talent. Thanks a lot for this information.
ksbhatia @ 54 @Rangan @ 57 & 58
Yes indeed we miss both veteran post writers !
But Mr Rangan is remembered for the Tandem Cycle of posts as AK has miles to go before he takes rest.
As for the high prices of PCs and their families it is shame of India instead of huge propaganda of making of “Make in India”.
Shalan
ksbhatia @ 55
Naushad started his apprenticeship as a helper in the live orchestra at the silent movies in the Military Theatre in Lucknow.
But because of his “Baiju Bawara” he was known as the Indian Classical based and promoter of the classical music in the films.
But the film “Jaadu” was very unique and became very popular because of its music and the belief of that it was a version of “Carmen Opera “of European classical giant “Bizet”.
In fact it was nothing like that nor near to the music of “Bizet”.
However as an Indian film “Jaadu” was very interesting and many songs were very good. Nalini Jayawant’s acting was very good and “….Laara lloo Laara Lloo” was excellent.
“bhatiaji” you are always very good to think very quickly about these excellent films and their comparisons with C.Ramchandra.
You revived my old time in Bombay. I saw this film at Roxy which is no more now.
Shalan
At SOY we discuss everything knowing where to draw the line.
I am no expert on Vasundhara Devi. But have an indirect connection with Vyjayanthimala!!!( My brother in law’s Mother in law,a statesque beauty at 80+,and Vyjayanthimala were dance school classmates and have kept in touch.
I always maintain that Vyjayanthimala is the best dancer the Hindi Cinema has seen. Padmini, Ragini,Waheeda Rehman ,Hema Malini, Sridevi,Jayaprada, Madhuri Dixit…. exemplary dancers,all . But, Vyjayanthimala is the best. Of course, debatable.
Vasundhara Devi was born in Chennai to M N Srinivasan,an Imperial Bank Of India officer and Yadugiri Devi. An Mysooru Iyengar family. They have some connection with the Mysooru Royalty.
The internet does not give much detail about VD.
Her filmography is short. Tamil all ..
1. RISHYASHRINGA…Not Rishyashringar as erroneously mentioned…1941.
2. MANGAMMA SABADAM…1943..A big hit.
3. NATYARANI…..1949.
4. IRUMBU THIRAI….1960.
Now, this last one is interesting. A remake of PAIGHAM,1959, by S S Vasan himself,VD played VM’s mother here.
Considering that VD had abandoned her husband M D Raman and the teenage VM for another man, this indicates some sort of a reconciliation. It was VM’s granny YD who chaperoned VM to film shootings..
I knew VM was a trained classical musician ( Karnataka Shastriya Sangeeth),but not about VD.
Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty @ 62
It is very interesting to know “But have an indirect connection with Vyjayanthimala!!!( My brother in law’s Mother in law, a statuesque beauty at 80+,and Vyjayanthimala were dance school classmates and have kept in touch.”
So you have a constant supply of all kinds of information about the VM and VD ( Funny you have abbreviated Vasundhara Devi as VD and you being a doctor knows in the inside of a person! Just joking about!)
Your information that “VM was a trained classical musician ” is very apt and that is why her songs acting in the Hindi cinema was perfect and not just mouthing of the song.
Your further information about “VM’s granny chaperoned VM to the film shooting is also mentioned in the book “Raj Kapoor the fabulous showman” 1988 ,by Bunny Reuben who was his publicity manager.
The famous granny who was a diificult lady for the heroes to act out the love scenes. RK omitted her when they went to Europe to do the shooting using various cities in Europe as the background for the Sangam Film.
There is also a story about how the song “Bol Radha Bol, Sangam Hoga Ke Nahin? came into existence.
I hope your “brother in law’s Mother in law” still alive and keeps in touch and enjoys it with VM the most in demand in the Bollywood “southern belle” once upon a time!
Shalan Lal
Ms.Shalan Lal ;
At one moment of time i used to watch German Operas ….live and as documentary as well. Those were organised by Max Mueller Bhavan of New Delhi….that was way back in 70s.
Operas used to entertain me in two expects……the large cast assembled at one place and everyone doing their very best …..and the set decorations with modern and classic architecture interriors . The background scenes provided by beautiful pictures relevant to the period and beautiful lighting of the stage……with choral singers and music adding to the charm. The synopsis of the show was given in advance to understand the story .
This link got broken as life moved on with other interests …..mostly films , songs and music…..both indian and western international. I think Kishore Sahu was the one actor who tried to show such opera scenes in his films …….probably Mayur Pankh is the one but I am not sure . B R Chopra and Yash Chopra too had such small opera scenes in their movies…..Kanoon and Hamraaz.
KS Bhatiaji,
Opera scenes in Hindi films: The most prominent which you also must have seen is in Dil Chaahta Hai. Aamir Khan, a carefree person dismissive of love, watches it with Preity Zinta who is deeply moved by the story, and narrates it with moist eyes to Aamir Khan. That sparks love in him.
AK ji ;
Yes, Dil Chhahta Hai is one of my fav. movie of modern generation . I liked the story , music , photography ….in fact every thing . The actors truly represented the carefree life of the present youth. I loved the opera scene which very much fitted into story line. The background music added to my enjoyment. Thanks for reminding this beautiful movie.
ksbhatia@ 64 @ AK@ 65
I am very glad that Bhatiaji you watched the many Operas at Max Muller Bhavan on the Max Muller Marg, in New Delhi.
To appreciate the “Opera” and Opera music is a very hard task like trying to understand Sanskrit of the Vedic literature.
But your memories show that you had got plenty of pleasure out of it.
Once upon a time there were many Opera Theatres on the Grant Road in Bombay. The designs from outside to inside have been kept when many film theatres came into existence.
Presently there is only one Theatre that is called “Opera House” which was for the purpose of the Operas.
The Operas gave rise to the Marathi Musical Theatre and I believe that Marathi Musical Theatre later on spurred the musical films in the Hindi and other languages in India.
The Pharisee theatre was very close to the Opera style productions. This theatre gave rise to the Urdu Theatre, rest is the history.
As for the snippets of Operatic scenes in the Hindi films they were many in many early films. That was just to show a cinema within a cinema as added attraction. Many films had parts of the plays like the dumb show in the play Hamlet. Hamlet itself was put in the Operatic medium by some classical composer.
It became a vogue with the classical composers to compose their own Operas on the old themes like Romeo Juliet or their own ideas. But without an Opera in their bag the classical composers would be a complete composer.
ManyEuropean composers have also chosen old Indian stories like “Savitri”, Shakuntala etc and composed very good classical European music around the themes.
Thanks for your memories Bhatiaji.
Shalan Lal
Ms.Shalan Lal @67;
Your additional information on Opera is making the topic more interesting . Yes , there has been many picture in picture opera dramas in bollywood movies …..some short and some quite long . I remember one which was in Anuradha …..a Hrishikesh , Ravi Shankar movie of the 60s. The song drama was a very long one with inputs of Mahindra Kapoor and song by Lata ji …..sama hai albela din hain milan ke. The whole episode was titled…Udaas Rajkumari .
The limit of adopting real opera style was missing in Bollywood , probably due to large range of high tone singing required as essential item . Lata ji had very nicely given samplers in some movies . For Example…..Aa ab laaut chhalen [ Jis Desh mein Ganga Behti hai ] , Aye dil kahan teri manzil [ Maya] , there is one more song / scene , I think it is from Naushad’s Udan Khatola .
It is interesting to note that some songs of Bollywood were used in Hollywood Musical Drama with partly opera infusions . Moulin Rouge is one of them that carried ….chham chham ….the song by Alka Yagnik.
So rightly said. There can be no two views on Suraj vs Guide, as Guide is way way superior. On Chori Chori vs Pyaasa though, I think the comparison doesn’t arise, as far as I Know Chori Chori was in contention for 1956 Filmfare award( which it won) while Pyaasa was in the reckoning for the 1957 awards. Naya Daur won that year though I sincerely believe that Pyaasa had far more musical variety and depth than Naya Days and deserved to win the award. In fact if I am not right Pyaasa probably didn’t win anything that year, which is so very strange.
I am with you on this AK Saab. I think Mughal-e-Azam deserved the award that year. It had great songs, awesome classical renditions by maestros, and one of best background scores ever scored in Hindi Cinema. DAPP on the other hand was good but nowhere in the league of MEA. It’s most famous song and only great song in the film ‘Ajeeb Dastaan’ was an inspired tune from Jim Reeves ‘My Lips are Sealed’. Of course the prelude of the song is terrific. Rest of the songs were good, but nothing to go gaga about. Infact strictly in my view, DAPP wouldn’t probably find a place even in the top 10 albums of the year 1960. Of course MEA would be at top, but the rest 9 albums in no order will be Barsaat Ki Raat by Roshan, CKC by Ravi, Kohinoor by Naushad, Anuradha by Pandit Ravi Shankar, Angulimal by Anil Biswas, Parakh & Usne Kaha Tha by Salil Choudhury and Kala Bazaar & Bombai ka Babu by SD Burman would round off my top 10. All these albums are in my humble layman perspective, musically superior than DAPP.