The song La re lapaa la re lappa layee rakhda from Ek Thi Ladki (1949) always intrigued me. Its words (of mukhda) carried no meaning to me. Today I know it is based on a traditional Punjabi folk song, and these words indeed have some meaning. Then, the music director Vinod. Who was he? What other songs he composed?
All this was a black box, and for many years he was a one-song wonder for me. Yet when Lata Mangeshkar tornado hit the music scene that year with Ayega anewala and several more songs, now considered iconic, with the greatest music directors of the time Naushad, C Ramchandra, Anil Biswas, and soon to become great Shankar Jaikishan and many others, La re lappa stood tall among them. It is still extremely popular, I have seen many reality shows featuring Daler Mehdi’s medley of songs which invariably include this song.
Thanks to this site and Pankaj Raag’s Dhuno Ki Yatra we now know Vinod was born Eric Roberts in a Punjabi Christian family, converted from Hindus, in Lahore in May 1922. He learnt music from the famous music director Pandit Amarnath (the elder brother of the duo Husnlal Bhagatram). As per the prevailing norm of those days he adopted the name Vinod to make it look more appropriate. He was a highly talented music director in Punjabi films in Lahore, moved over to Bombay with Roop K Shorey team and composed music for several Hindi films. Though a highly talented person, the fickle film industry did not allow him the commercial success and fame he deserved. He died young in 1959 in poverty, which may be another reason why we do not get to hear more about his music.
But more importantly, I have come across several Vinod songs, which are incredibly beautiful. There are some I now recall I always knew and regarded as my top favourites, without knowing they were his composition.
The Golden Era of 1950s and 60s abounds in such unforgettable melodies whose composers are forgotten. I am excluding 1930s and 40s from this as the songs of that period (I call it the Vintage Era) face the problem of oblivion from public consciousness and have to be discussed in a different manner. I had planned to start this series on Forgotten Composers, Unforgettable Melodies with Vinod, who is also among the first chronologically in the period, and who held a special fascination for me for his music. He is coming second, as I did Daan Singh as the first article in the series as my obituary on hearing about his death.
Now enjoy some of Vinod’s great songs which are absolutely brilliant and unforgettable.
1. Jab kisi ke rukh pe zulfen aa ke lahrane lageen by Talat Mahmood from Anmol Ratan (1950), lyrics DN Madhok
Anmol Ratan had several songs of incomparable beauty. Here is a Talat solo which is so melodious and sweet that once you hear it, it lingers forever. My attraction for this song is because it has a special charm akin to what you find only in his non-film songs.
2. Yaad anewale phir yaad aa rahe hain by Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar from Anmol Ratan
If you had any doubts about Vinod’s versatility here is a Talat-Lata duet which I easily rate among their best.
3. Shikwa tera main gaaun by Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar from Anmol Ratan
Vinod is not done yet. Here is another great Talat-Lata duet from the same film.
4. Dilli se aya bhai Pingu from Ek Thi Ladki (1949), lyrics Aziz Kashmiri, music Vinod
Interestingly, the music conductor seen in the video is Vinod himself. Actor Singer is Honey O Brien, the lady who also danced to Ek bewafa se pyar kiya in Awara. (Correction: See comment #59, Arunji informs that while Honey O Brien performs on the screen, the playback singer is Vinita Kalmadi, who took the name Binota Chkravarty after her marriage to the pianist in the orchestra, Krsihna Chakravarty.)
5. Ab haal-e-dil ya haal-e-jigar kuchh na poochhiye by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, from Ek Thi Ladki
One of the best Rafi-Lata duets ever. I am surprised why such a beautiful song remained virtually unknown.
6. Ghatkari matwari kari ghir ayi by Zeenat Begum from Ek Thi Ladki
Ek Thi Ladki, coming in the watershed year of 1949, was musically also a confluence of the Vintage and Golden Era with Zeenat Begum firmly from the Vintage Era and Lata Mangeshkar who would be the dominant singer of the Golden Era, both featuring prominently in the film.. Motilal, a senior manager, had been sent by his company from Bombay to discuss an important business deal with a Delhi seth (whom he had not seen before). But his scatterbrained secretary, Meena Shorey has gotten themselves in a situation where she and her boss Motilal have to take up residence as a servant couple in the house of the same seth. He rues that she has managed to reduce him from a manager to naukar to bawarchi to dhobi. But unconcerned, Meena Shorey dances on to this beautiful song by one of the famous singers of 1940s. Motilal also gets to enjoying the situation and smilingly passes the washed clothes to her for hanging on the clothesline. From the review of this film by dustedoff, I visualise this as a perfect screwball comedy, and I could almost imagine Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in this scene.
7. La re lappa la re lappa laye lakhda by Lata Mangeshkar from Ek Thi Ladki
And now the signature song of Vinod you might have heard a million times, but sounds as fresh as ever.
8. Ankhiyan mila ke ankhiyon ki need chura ke aa
Here is beautiful song by Sulochana Kadam from the film Mukhdaa (1951), lyrics by Aziz Kashmiri, and composed by Vinod. One song which made her known to all lovers of old film songs is Chori chori aag si dil mein laga kear chal diye from the film Dholak from the same year, composed by Shyam Sundar. In an interesting coincidence this song is also picturised on Meena Shorey.
9. Thumak thumak chali kamini by Asha Bhosle and GM Durrani in Ek Do Teen (1953), lyrics Aziz Kashmiri
This song is from Ek Do Teen, which was made by the same team of Roop K Shorey, with actors Moti Lal and Meena Shorey. This is a lovely duet by Asha Bhosle and GM Durrani. Asha Bhosle seems to be consciously singing in Lata Mangeshkar style. SD Burman and OP Nayyar would be happening to her a few years later to evolve her own style. GM Durrani was the prime singer of 1940s and a role model of Rafi. Ironically Rafi’s ascendancy directly brought GM Durrani’s fall, but you do occasionally get his songs in 50s. Another feature of this song is that it distantly reminds you of DV Paluskar’s Thumak chalak Ramchandra.
10. O Arabpati ki chhori dil le gayee by Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt in Makhichoos (1956), lyric Pt Indra Pandit, music Vinod
Here is a fun and light hearted duet by Talat Mahmood and Geeta Dutt on Mahipal and Shyama. Shyama as ever is a delightful dancer. Mahipal complements her in playful flirting. Talat is an unlikely choice for such a song, but there are several songs, especially duets in which Talat Mahmood comes out of his image trap of a soulful, slow tempo ghazal singer and lets himself go.
(I would like to acknowledge that I heard some of the songs mentioned in this article for the first time on Atul song a day).
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
By bringing up such talented but not-so-poular music directors back to the forefront, you are performing an excellent service to the Hindi Film Music.
Are C. Arjun , Lacchi Ram and G S Kohli in your radar for this series?
@Ashok Vaishnav
Thanks for your appreciation. You can be sure C Arjun, Lachhi Ram and GS Kohli are on my radar. In fact I have been helped by music lovers like you with even more obscure names.
That’s an interesting history of Vinod’s background, AK. Thank you – and for the songs. The only films I’ve seen that had music by Vinod are (of course) Ek Thi Ladki, and Dholak – both with Meena Shorey (BTW, Dholak is more of a screwball comedy than Ek Thi Ladki; much more fun.
Here is one song from Dholak that I especially like, Mausam aaya hai rangeen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAOmHa90Dxs
And one from Ek Thi Ladki, which isn’t as well known as the others, but which I find interesting because Vinod manages to capture the flavour of traditional Kashmiri music pretty well: Hayya ho, hum chalein door…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8gORR3o9ZE
@dustedoff
Mausam aya hai rangeen was one of my favourite songs, but had never heard of Satish Batra. Thanks for refreshing my memory and giving its link. Chori chori aag si dil mein laga kar chal diye from Dholak was extremely popular and well known. I have to go back to your site to read its review at leisure.
In Ek Thi Ladki Motilal washing clothes as a dhobi, reminds me of a helpless and exasperated Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby, and Meena Shorey, singing Ghat kari matwari in carefree ababndon, of Katharine Hepburn in several screwball comedies.
Ek Thi Ladki had so many terrific songs – some I have mentioned – that there was no room for Hayya ho, hum chalein door. Vinod was not only La re lappa or Ek Thi Ladki; he gave so many terrific songs, especially Talat Mahmood solos and duets in Anmol Ratan that I had to include songs from his other films to showcase this forgotten, but eminently talented composer.
Thank you for this very informative and enjoyable post about Vinod! The soundtrack to Ek Thi Ladki is one of my favorites, and after I watched this film, I wondered why I hadn’t heard more about the music director. I have also seen Dholak, and I like that soundtrack quite a bit, too.
Great article on one of the forgotten talents. To my mind, he is one of the pioneers of Hindi movie music who introduced western tunes to Hindi movies.
@Richard S, Atul
Thanks for your very generous praise.
AK ji,
Dusted off mentioned Ek thi ladki and Dholak as Vinod movies,which she has seen.
Dholak-1951,had music by Shyamsunder and NOT by Vinod.
Your site is extremely interesting and I shall spend more time now onwards here,so that I can also enjoy the selected diamonds of HFM of yore !
I hope you dont mind if I too contribute here,whatever I know in this field.
AD
@Arunkumar Deshmukh
Welcome to Songs of Yore. You are right, Shyam Sundar was the music director of Dholak.
I am aware of your you enormous knowledge of old films and songs. Any contribution from you would be most welcome and tremendously enriching for this site and its readers.
I stumbled upon this treasure chest by chance and thank god for this chance discovery……. expected some information on Jaspal Singh – the singer patronized by Ravindra Jain- in my opinion a deserving singer deprived of his due place in pantheon of Indian music….. please consider this request.
@kailash
Thanks for your kind words. As you would have noticed this site confines itself to the music of 1930s through 60s. The music of this period which I lived and breathed during my young days through radio etc is still a real part of me. I am not very well up on the music after that period, so I may not be the tight person to write on Jaspal Singh.
Sir, We are the immediate family of Music Director Vinod. I wish to point out one minor error in the Bio mentioned at the top : “He died young in 1959 in poverty”. He did not die in poverty, but of illness.
Let me take this opportunity to thank all people who have showered such praise on Vinodji. My Humble collection of songs and the full movie “EK THI LADKI” is available at my YouTube channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/9821210047.
The entire collection of songs and films with lots of history is available also at http://www.anmolfankaar.com/artists/vinod Do visit and hear every song.
@Kelly Mistry
It is great to have you visit the site. I regret for any offence caused because of the mistaken reason given for his death (since corrected), which I had taken from some source I considered authentic.
The site you have mentioned is fabulous. I wish I had come across it earlier.
Thank You for the acknowledgement and change
Like others, I also stumbled upon this treasure by chance. When I was young ( in sixty and seventy) I used to listen these songs but never botherd to know about the Music Director of these songs. Most of the songs gradually became inaccessible. Now, in the era of Internet the treasure is being unearthed and happily distributed amongst the lovers of vintage/semi-vintage music. Credit goes to Mr. AK,; Arun kumar Deshmukh and Kelly Mistry who are metticulously preserving these old gems and introducing them to the lovers of Music. My best wishes to them all.
Thank You all. My endeavor is to keep his music alive.
I came across this lively tune a few weeks ago and only noticed today that the MD was Vinod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2ABcetd9L8
Thanks for another informative post. An interesting thread on hamaraforums list virtually all of Vinod’s songs in Hindi and Punjabi.
http://www.hamaraforums.com/lofiversion/index.php/t73096.html
By the way does anyone know how to become a member of hamaraforum to download the music posted there? Apparently you have to register, but no new registrations are being accepted.
I registered long back, though I am not an active participant there. If they have stopped new registrations, may be you would like to mail them – they must have given their contact detail.
well,, fantastic music director Vinod is very special in my heart,,he was amazing tune maker,,his music in Ek thi ladki(49), Anmol ratan(50) and Wafa(50) is just unforgettable. And the songs of ‘Wafa’, sung by lata, talat and mukesh are sheer magicccc.
I wonder why anyone hasnt discussed abt any song from ‘wafa’ ?????
‘wafa’ is a super classic album given by master vinod. Lata and Vinod have created intense pain. I am v v thankful to internet by which i came across to these lost diamonds.
Here are some great strokes from ”WAFA”
1. Apni apni kismat hai, aabaad koi barbaad koi (lata). Mmmmy god..what a creation !!
2. Kaaga re ja re ja re
Mere piya ka sandesawa
La re la re ja re(lata). Hazaaro salaam lata aur vinod ko….what a pain !!
3. Suni kar gaye shaam hamari
Suna kiya savera
Ja janewale bhala ho tera(talat). One of my talat favs.
‘hum naam tumhara lete hai,
yeh phool gaaliya dete hai,
keh ja bedardi, ab kaun thikana mera,
Ja jane wale bhala ho tera’
Kya baat kya baat !
4. Armaan bhara dil toot gaya(mukesh, lata). Must listen duet
5. Barbaad muqaddar ne mere mujhko kiya hai
Kya maine kiya hai (lata). Another beauty !
There were many great musical hit albums in 1950,,like ‘Lajawaab’, ‘Beqasoor’ and ‘Aarzoo’ by ANILDA,, ‘Anmol ratan’ and ‘Wafa’ of VINOD,, ‘Babul’ of NAUSHAD,, ‘Baawre nain’ of ROSHAN,, ‘Sangeeta’ ,’Sargam’ and ‘Nirala’ by CRAM,, ‘Khel’ by SAJJAD and many others…
In those days there were no filmfare awards…but if it were held and if i was a judge , definately i wud have given the best music director award to VINOD 4 his great work in Anmol ratan and Wafa..
Lata Mangeshkar (Wafa)1950 Apni apni kismat hai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1X1TkB2uY&ft=li
Kaga Re Ja Re Ja Re… Lata Ji(wafa) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmtSeNtEZZQ&ft=li
Thank You All for these encouraging comments. Even 53 years after his death, his songs live on. My father-in-law had a very short professional career – just 13 years, but in this short time he created some memorable songs still alive and strong for his true fans.
@kelly mistry…gud afternun
I m also thankful to a marathi writer,journalist Mr. Shirish Kanekar. His book abt old hindi music ‘Gaaye chala jaa’ provided me precious informations abt many known-unknown MDs and many rare but wonderful songs.
@kelly mistry
1 question
Mr. Shirish kanekar has written in his book ‘gaaye chala jaa’ that Vinod died bcz of TETANUS..Is it true ?
Talat Mehmood – Ja Jane Wale Ja – Wafa (1950) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhg4AmiJOHA&ft=li
ARMAAN BHARA DIL TOOT GAYA. WAFA (1950). MUKESH – LATA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsA-ietQqaM&ft=li
BARBAAD MUQADDAR NE MERA. WAFA (1950) LATA MANGESHKAR. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnH-kVcUeWg&ft=li
Hats off !
My wife, his daughter Veera, was only 9 when he died in Bombay Hospital on 25 December 1959. Yes, that he died of Tetanus, compounded by kidney problems is what she remembers. Probably un-diagnosed Diabetes caused these complications.
RIP tune maestro…..after 53 yrs of his death,,his standard melodies still have been impressing and making fans in young generation like me…i am 35 yrs. old but a huge fan of yesteryear’s music.
Jignesh
Thanks a lot for reminding us of so many lovely songs from Wafa. It had two composers Vinod and Bulo C Rani. It seems they did not work like a duo but composed diffrent songs in the film independently. The best from this film Arman bhara dil toot gaya is credited to Bulo C Rani in Hindi Film Geet Kosh. This song was in my shortlist but because of this reason I did not include it.
@Kelly Mistry
Thanks for visiting again and clarifyling some details.
AkJI Thanks 4 some clarifications…’armaan bhara dil’ may be of b.c.rani, but the other 4 songs from above are definately of Vinod, bcz those all tunes have vinod’s peculiarities.
Arman bhara dil . . . this IS by Bulo C. Rani
thanx kellyji and akji 4 this kind in4mation….i wonder why these songs gone in dark zone,, they deserve all that popularity which most popular albums of that time have……”wafa” ke 3 gaane ‘apni apni kismat’, ‘kaaga re’ aur ‘ja jane wale’ mere heart favorites hai,, in dhoono ko mai sarv sreshth maanta hu….inki barabari ho sakti hai…inhe overtake nahi kiya ja sakta….
Jisne ‘puran bhagat'(1933) se lekar ‘khiladi 786’ (2012) tak ke kariban 80 saal ke gaane sune ho wahi ye daava sakta hai melody kis arse me kaun jagah par sabse oonchai par thi…
Aaj ‘khiladi 786’ ka ”saari saari raat soye na hum” sunta hu to lagta hai ki himesh bhi dhund ke laaya hai us dard ka ansh jo kabhi lata, mukesh aur talat ne pur-asar kiya tha.
Jignesh,
I went over all the songs again after I had some relaxed time. Out of 11 songs of Wafa, 4 are credited to Bulo C Rani:
1. Barbad muqaddar ne mera – Lata Mangeshkar
2. Arman bhara dil toot gaya – Talat and Lata
3. Aai mahakti raat dulhaniya kar le dil ki baat – Asha, Meenal Wagh
4. Apni apni kismat hai, barbad koi aabad koi – Lata Mangeshkar
Remaining 7 songs are credited to Vinod, some of which are outstanding. I especially liked the one by Talat Mahmood you have mentioned. Thanks.
so my heart fav ‘apni apni kismet hai’ goes to bcrani ?! I cant believe this Akji !
Where did u find this confirmation ?
A.K. & Jignesh,
I can assure you that these 2 songs are not by Bulo C. Rani and that they are by Vinod. This is confirmed by Vinodji’s daughter, Veera. And we also have 78 rpm original records with us.
Aai mahakti raat dulhaniya kar le dil ki baat – Asha, Meenal Wagh
Apni apni kismat hai, barbad koi aabad koi – Lata Mangeshkar
The following song I will need to confirm with Vinodji’s elder daughter Veena: “Barbad muqaddar ne mera” as to the composer
@Kelly mistry …. Thanx very much very much very much …. I dont want to see these 3 songs (apni apni kismat,,kaaga re and ja janewale tera ho bhala) credited to other than Vinod.
A Recent aflatoon discovery
Another vinod lata beauty
MERI ULFAT, SOYI HAI YAHAAN, SONE DO, JAGANA NA.
OOTPATANG (1955). LATA MANGESHKAR. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zEGOu1eyno&ft=li
Jignesh, I should be thanking you . . .
@Kelly mistry
I ve seen ur channel over youtube…its a treasure of Vinod’s songs….got very happy. I will dwnload all his songs in coming days.
Happy new year to u, veena mam and veera mam. I m too glad that i m talking to the immediate relatives of one of my fav music directors !!
@Jignesh Kotadia, Kelly Mistry
For such factual information, ‘Hindi Film Geet Kosh’ (a monumental work compiled by Mr Harmandir Singh ‘Hamraz’) is regarded as the standard reference, which I use. In fact HFGK is the only reference source of its kind. But it is also not infallible. I have sent a mail to ‘Hamraz’ji bringing it to his notice. I can’t agree with Jignesh more – Apni apni qismat hai is an absolute gem. Thanks to both of you for such a lively discussion on Vinod.
Thanks to YOU people who are his true fans
Mr Kelly Mistry, Jignesh
Mr ‘Hamraaz’ confirms that only Arman bhara dil toot gaya and Barbaad muqaddar ne mere mujhko kiya hai are composed by Bulo C Rani (Columbia Records no GE8706). I should thank you again for raising this, which now gives correct credit to Vinod.
@Akji……Thanks a lot 4 ur great work…u have spent ur precious time to clearify this mess….i m so glad ‘apni apni kismat hai’ goes to Vinod…the real tune Maestro.
Same here. Greatly love Apni apni kismat hai. Thanks to you.
we are very fortunate to have comments by kelly mistry about the legend, vinod
I fail to understand why nobody has mentioned ‘Sabzbagh’
Two gems from Lata/Vinod combine
1. Meri barbadiyon par muskurane aa gaya koi and
2. Ni main kehndi reh gayi are worth their weight in gold.
‘Kripya roshni daaliye’
Sir,
Ni Mai Kehndi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY6bqkD9Ry0
Meri bardadiyon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jESpeIAH2W0
For your pleasure
Kelly Mistry
Dear Kelly Mistri Ji,
Many many thanks for posting these gems.
I am always looking forward for reader’s enlightenment like this.
Thanks once again.
Sharnaji,
My latest post on the best songs of 1951 includes some songs of Sabj Bagh including #1 from your list.
Dear All,
I’m Vinodji’s elder daughter Veena Solomon’s elder son.
Truly amazing to see appreciation of Nanajjs melodious music. Sincere thanks to all Nanaji’s fans from my Mother Veenaji and my sisters Sarah, Jacqueline, brother Eric and our spouses and Vinodji’s great grand children Rhea, Mithila,Shaun and Rania.
Kelly uncle and Masi thanks for sharing Nanaji’s details on this forum.
Regards,
Rakesh Solomon.
Rakesh Solomon,
We are delighted to have another family member of Vinodji visit SoY. He created a good number of immortal gems. We all respect him.
Dear Mr AKji
I am new participant reader to your Songs of Yore blog. My full praise for creating this SoY- a vast ocean of knowledge and scenic site, where numerous experts in all kinds of areas of the Hindi Film Songology add-on, the information and interesting points! It is just breathtaking, not just to read the articles but to enjoy the reading of the reactions from the readers. Both the writes and the readers have created an ever increasing of Niagara-fall falling into an ocean of joy forever. My full praise to all the big and small people who are part of this blog!
Now sir I want to stipulate a doubt about the following point in your article about the Composer Vinod:
“ Dilli se aya bhai Pingu from Ek Thi Ladki (1949), lyrics Aziz Kashmiri, music Vinod Interestingly, the music conductor seen in the video is Vinod himself. Actor Singer is Honey O Brien, the lady who also danced to Ek bewafa se pyar kiya in Awara.”
Mr Harmandir Singh in his highly authentic and monumental work Hindi Geet Kosh under the film entry “Ek Thi Ladki” has left the empty space after the song “Dilli se aya bhai..” for the singer’s space.
My assumption is that the voice of the song comes near to the voice of Geeta Roy who was already established as a playback singer for the Hindi films.
It is difficult to envisage that the singer of this song is Actor Singer is Honey O Brien, the lady who also danced to Ek bewafa se pyar kiya in Awara.
I am sure that Ms Honey O Brien could not have sung that song as it has Hindi language and melodic complications plus humour in it.
I have also doubt about the “Actor Singer Honey O Brien, the lady who also danced to Ek bewafa se pyar kiya in Awara.” The body structure and the gestures of Honey O Brien in the film Awara is very European and the lady who sings in the Ek Thi Ladki is very northern Indian. Could these be two different ladies? Besides I heard the lady who danced in the Awara was the one who choreographed the Dream sequence song and dance in the Awara, who was a trouper of the famous Uday Shankar International Dance Drama Company.
So I think a little research is needed either from you or from some of your excellent knowledgeable lovers of the Hindi film songs or specialized expert authority on the Old Hindi Films of the readers who could throw some light on the mystery.
Yours Sincerely
Shalan Lal
Shalan Lal,
The Encyclopaedia Arunji (Arunkumar Deshmukh) has sent me the following information:
“The song ‘Dilli se aaya bhai tingu’ was NOT sung by Honey O’brien.
The singer of this song was VINITA RAGHAVENDRA AMLADI.
When Vinod heard her singing,he gave her a chance to sing in the song ‘Lara Lappa’,in which she has sung few lines.After this,Vinod said,’now I have got only one song left, ‘You sing it’. The song was ‘Dilli se aaya bhai Tingu’, which became very popular in those days.
When Vinita married the pianist Krishna Chakravarty from the orchestra she shifted to Calcutta after some time and was then named as ‘BINOTA CHAKRAWARTY’. She sang about 100 songs in Hindi and Bangla films.
I came across a lengthy article in Listener’s Bulletin No 134 dated July 2007 in which all this information is given in details.
Vinod was right when he said that Honey ‘sang’ this song, as she sang it on the screen, but the playback singer was Vinita Amladi.
Secondly, Honey O’ Brien, according to my little knowledge, was not associated with Uday Shankar for dance. She was just an Anglo-Indian starlet, working in a few Hindi movies. Since her pronunciation was a problem, she could feature only in songs or dances where only lip movement was required. Honey, after 5 films in Hindi, got married, bore 3 children and shifted to Geneva with her husband for good.
Thirdly, I think Ms. Shalan Lal ji got mixed up with the story of RK and Uday Shankar. It is true that RK did contact Uday Shankar for Awara dances and he declined. Then he suggested the name of Madame Simkie, a partner of Uday Shankar for 20 years in dancing and RK invited her. Thus it is MADAME SIMKIE who directed the famous dream sequence dance in Awara. Her name is prominently shown in the Awara credits too. Madame Simkie then did choreography in few more Hindi films too.
Your friend Minai has written an interesting article “A documentary on Sinkie, Uday Shankar’s Partner” in April 2012, in which Awara reference is there. She is also mentioned in Nasreen Munni Kabir’s book,”The dialogues of Awara-RK’s immortal classic”. Honey was engaged for a song by RK only because she was an Anglo Indian starlet, doing dance numbers.
Detailed info about Vinita Amladi can be read in my this article- http://atulsongaday.me/2012/10/11/meera-kahe-bina-prem-se-nahin-milen-nandlaala/”
(I would update you if I get some more information about Honey O’Brien – AK)
I am grateful for a wonderful information Mr Arun Kumar Deshmukh has come out. It htows a plenty of light on the song and the singer. However I am not much convinced that the singer of Dillise Aya Bhai on the screen is the same one as the singer of Ik Bewafase in Awara as both ladies body langaues and appearnce are very different. The first one looks more northern Indian and the second one looks more European as thescene in the Awara demanded a very Anglicised atmosphere for the situation.
So if possible more reseach in this aspect is needed.
Shalan La
One of my favourite songs, may be somewhere in the thread but I missed it (the song linked above by me could be this but the link is not working now). Thumak thumak : Film – Oot Patang (1955)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyelYEaDNQY
Gaddeswarup ji I tested this link and it is working.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyelYEaDNQY
Please visit http://www.youtube.com/9821210047 for most of Vinodji’s songs.
This article has eventually developed in such a way that it has become a little encyclopedia for much extra interesting information. Wonderful!
Naresh P Mankad,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation.
V good. Surprised to note writers zeal and details covered in the article
Anil Goyle,
Welcome to SoY and thanks a lot for your appreciation.
I am glad you have taken excerpts from my article on a great music director Vinod. “Barbad mukkaddar ne mera” and “Arman bhara dil toot gaya” are both creations of Vinod ji. I consider his two Lata Mangeshkar songs from Punjabi film “Chaman” and “Ajj mera maahi naal tutt gaya pyar ve” from Punjabi film “Bhaiya ji” amongst his life’s best creations.
Sincerely Harjap Singh Aujla E-mail address harjapaujla@gmail.com
Mr Harjap Aujla,
Welcome to Songs of Yore. Hope we get to know more from you about other music directors of the Punjab School.
My biggest sources of information about Vinod ji and the other music creators were music directors Sardul Singh Kwatra of Yuba City California USA, Pandit Shiv Dayal Batish of Santa Cruz, California USA and S. Mohinder (Mohinder Singh Sarna {Bakhshi}) of Virginia USA. The first two have died. Now my only source of information is S. Mohinder, who is getting too old (90+). I am still writing what I learnt from the trio of great music composers of the yore. I shall love if S. Mohinder ji gets a Padma Award, which he amply deserves.
Harjap Singh ji ;
I am in total agreement to your views . S. Mohinder ji surely deserve Padmashri Award for his immense and rich contribution to film music . To live the old memories , I regularly follow his contributions over various interviews available on Y.T .
Dear
It is admirable task and appreciable efforts I salute to your work. please keep it up . I note to visit your site regularly
Ravindra Mehta
Ravindra Mehta,
Welcome to SoY and thanks a lot for your appreciation.
Most of the article is based on my article. But my name was not mentioned in it
Mr Aujla,
I went over my article again. I have given a very brief profile of Vinod which is publicly available. However, I have specifically acknowledged two sources – I have given a hyperlink to your article, and mentioned Pankaj Raag’s ‘Dhunon Ki Yatra‘. I am a great admirer of your articles on apnaorg.com, I am especially careful in acknowledging any source I have referred. Linking an article is considered appropriate way to acknowledge.
Ramlal is another forgotten music director who needs to be included.
SK Mishra,
Welcome to Songs of Yore. Yes Ramlal is a forgotten composer. Despite his two superhit scores in V Shantaram’s Sehra and Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne, he didn’t get any noteworthy work in Bollywood. Unfortunate.