Guest Authors

The three distinct phases of OP Nayyar’s career

OP Nayyar January 28, 2017

A tribute to OP Nayyar on his 10th death anniversary (16 January 1926 – 28 January 2007) by guest author Ravindra Kelkar (After I had written on OP Nayyar’s best songs for Mahendra Kapoor, Rafi, Shamshad Begum and Asha Bhosle, I had no intention of writing any more on him. But the readers’ clamour for ‘Ye […]

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Film Songs Based on Classical Ragas (10) – Bihag and its family

Raga Bihag January 19, 2017

Guest article by Subodh Agrawal (Subodh makes an appearance as a guest author after about two years, of which I am responsible for a few months in scheduling his article. He makes up for it by presenting a selection of film songs and classical pieces which best represent Bihag and its variants.  As he explains, […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (11): Dilip Dholakia

Dilip Dholakia January 10, 2017

Dilip Dholakia? D. Dilip? Dilip Rai? – A Singer or A Music Director or A Music Arranger? A tribute to Dilip Dholakia on his 6th death anniversary (15 October 1921 – 2 January 2011) by guest author Ashok M Vaishnav (Hindi film music attracted talents from different regional languages and musical traditions.  Some, especially from […]

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Steam behemoth rides in Bollywood

Fairy Queen_World's oldest steam engine still running January 1, 2017

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year with guest article by DP Rangan (Steam engines are everyone’s childhood romance.  The billowing smoke, the speck of light becoming bigger, the strange rhythmic sound of the wheels clanking with the rails, and a gentle tremor as the train chugged into the station, were a source of wonder […]

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MS Subbulakshmi: A journey from Kunjamma to Meera

MS Subbulakshmi December 11, 2016

A tribute on MS Subbulakshmi on her birth centenary (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) by guest author N Venkataraman (About three months ago, there was a burst of discussion on SoY on MS Subbulaxmi, initiated by a new member RSR (RS Ramaswamy) to which many others joined. Shalan Lal posed a question why […]

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Bollywood celebrates Deepavali

Diwali October 30, 2016

Wishing Happy Diwali with guest article by DP Rangan (Readers are now used to seeing DP Rangan’s name as a guest author regularly.  He can write faster than I can schedule him on SoY. At any point of time I have a couple of his articles in my mail. I admire his amazing enthusiasm. I […]

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Bacchus in Bollywood

Songs of drinking October 9, 2016

Guest article by DP Rangan (The intoxicating drink as elixir of life is a part of mythology in almost all cultures. Harivansh Rai ‘Bachchan’ said that while the world celebrates Holi and Diwali only once a year, दिन को होली रात दीवाली रोज़ मनाती मधुशाला. After galloping on the High Horse, riding the tonga, and […]

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Dekho Dosto Chhed Ka Maza!

Padosan September 18, 2016

Guest article by Shalan Lal [The title is adapted from Hasrat Jaipuri’s lyrics in the film ‘Shararat’ (1959)] (From Krishna teasing the gopis to Kishore Kumar, Shammi Kapoor and other heroes teasing heroines in the films, chhed chhad has been an integral part of our culture.  You would expect from the title that the post […]

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Star showers in Bollywood

Stars in the sky July 4, 2016

Guest article by DP Rangan (Full Moon evokes poetry, beauty and romance.  One would think its converse, Dark Moon, must be very depressing.   But think again.  That is the time when the stars come out in full glory. As with the moon, stars, too, have evoked wonder, admiration and myths. We see our seven ancient […]

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Moon and Mumbai (Bollywood)

Moon song May 20, 2016

Guest article by DP Rangan (After riding the high horse, Mr Rangan now explores the romance of moon.  I have earlier mentioned he is always bubbling with energy.   A seventy-plus going on seventeen, he is a great romantic – don’t be misled by his astronomical wanderings. This piece is another evidence of his zest for life.  Coincidentally, […]

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