Khayyam at the Mountain Peak (2): Songs sans Pahadi

Second part of my two-part tribute to Khayyam (18.2.1927–19.8.2019) on his third Remembrance Day

Once the omission of Khayyam was brought to my notice by a reader, I realised any tribute to him could not be limited to one part. One can divide his work by the period, or by the singers, both are sensible approaches. He created great music from 1950 to 1982. This is a long span, not many of his stalwart peers had such a long productive life. He was not among the top music directors by the conventional pecking order. But he remained at the top without compromising quality, without joining the rat-race, without caring for the current trend. He created his own trend, which was classical, elegant, soulful and deeply moving.

One significant aspect of his unique identity was his fondness for the Raag Pahadi, which you can imagine as the melody of the hills. The first part of my tribute, posted on his third Remembrance Day 19.8.2022 was devoted to his songs based on Raag Pahadi. Some of his most iconic songs are based on this raag. But his creativity was not confined to one raag or one style or a few singers. In a long career, he got less than 60 films. Whether it was Khayyam’s own insistence on quality or the industry’s indifference, we got much less of Khayyam than what he was capable of. The deteriorating standards of film music made him sad and he retired from active work.

A grave personal tragedy struck him when his only son Pradeep died of heart attack in 2012. He didn’t let himself be devastated by this tragedy. He showed extreme goodness of character and generosity. Despite the fact that he was in difficult financial situation and had his own need for medical treatment, he and his wife Jagjit Kaur decided to bequeath their entire life earnings to “Khayam and Jagjit Kaur Charitable Trust”. From its annual interest income they helped film artists and technicians in need. “Without these unsung heroes there would be just no cinema”, said Khayyam in an interview to Yogesh Pawar published in DNA. I must thank Mahesh for sharing this interview with me. Khayyam’s noble heart must have poured into his high-quality music for a very long period when his erstwhile peers had long retired or were well past their prime.

In the first part of my tribute I had given his brief bio-data and his musical journey. That was confined to his songs based on Raag Pahadi. That having already become a basis for classification, I am now obliged to mention his great songs without this raag. Since Subodh Agrawal had once made a very catchy statement – ‘Lagta hai Khayyam Saheb kabhi pahad se utare hi nahin’ – my submission in this tribute is that Khayyam remained at the mountain peak even sans Pahadi.

He got awards and honours galore: Filmfare Awards for Kabhi Kabhi and Umrao Jaan, the latter also fetching him the National Award; Sangeet Natak Akademi Award; Padma Bhushan etc.

I conclude my tribute to him with songs that do not have this raag. Like my first post the basis for confirming the raag and Pahadi’s absence is KL Pandey’s ‘Hindi Cine Raag Encyclopaedia’.

1. Akele mein wo ghabraate to honge by Rafi from Biwi (1950), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Sharmaji (Khayyam)

Khayyam had still not started giving music in his own name. That would happen three years later. But this Rafi song from Biwi, composed by Khayyam under the name Sharmaji is memorable even today. As per Pandeyji this song has Bilawal+Khamaj raags.

2. Gar teri nawazish ho jaye gar tera ishara ho jaye by Talat Mahmood from Gul Bahar (1954), lyrics Shevan Rizvi, music Khayyam

Talat Mahmood had a purple patch in the 50s and he sang some of his best songs (including duets) under Khayyam’s baton. (As per KL Pandeyji  this song has Bhairavi+Nat Bhairavi.)

3. Phir na keeje meri gustakh nigahi ka gila, dekhiye aapne phir pyar se dekha mujhko by Mukesh and Asha Bhosle from Phir Subah Hogi (1958), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music Khayyam

Adapted from Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, the film was remarkable not only for its message, but also for its everlasting songs. Among several songs, my great favourite is this Mukesh and Asha Bhosle duet. (It has Yaman Bilawal+Yaman Kalyan as identified by KL Pandeyji.)

4. Hai kali kali ke lab par tere husn ka fasana by Rafi from Lala Rukh (1958), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Khayyam

In the first part of my tribute I had mentioned a superb Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle duet Pyas kuchh aur bhi  bhadka di jhalak dikhala ke. Now we have an outstanding Rafi solo with great picturisation. Rafi matches the mood of Arabic music and dance. (It has Madhukauns and Nat Bhairavi as per KL Pandeyji).

5. Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum, khel adhura chhoote na by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Shola Aur Shabnam (1961), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Khayyam

The film had an immortal Rafi solo, Jaane kya dhhondhati rahti hain ye aankhen mujhme. Here is this great Rafi-Lata Mangeshkar duet from the film, based on Raag Bhairavi.

6. Gori sasural chali by Jagjit Kaur & chorus from Shagun (1964), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music Khayyam

This film must have been drowned by the Great Showman’s Sangam. But Shagun remains a musical masterpiece. In the first part I mentioned/ included Parbaton  ke pedon par shham ka basera hai and Tum apna ranj-o-gham apni pareshani humein de do. This film is a clear example of Khayyam being at the Mountain Peak even without Pahadi. Rafi’s Tum chali jaaogi, parchhaiyan rah jaayengi (Yaman Kalyan) is a very melodious song.  Suman Kalyanpur’s Bujha diye hain khud apne hathon mohabbaton ke diye jala ke (Bhairavi) is among her best. Gori sasural chali in Kafi is my top favourite wedding song, sung by the women of the family.

7. Itne karib aa ke bhi kya jaane kis liye, kuchh ajanabi se aap hain, kuchh ajanabi se hum by Talat Mahmood and Mubarak Begum from Shagun (1964), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music Khayyam

I can’t help adding this beautiful duet between Talat Mahmood and Mubarak Begum from Shagun. The raags in this song, as per Pandeyji are Chhayanat, Manj Khamaj and Kedar.

8. Humse hoti mohabbat jo tumko tum ye apna chalan chhod dete  by Mukseh and Asha Bhosle from Mohabbat Isko Kahte Hain (1965), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Khayyam

In the first part I had included Thahariye hosh mein aa lun to chale jaaiyega, a gorgeous Rafi-Suman Kalyanpur duet as an example of Khayyam at the Mountain Peak with Pahadi. He did not need Pahadi to be at the peak. Here is one of the best duets of Mukesh-Asha Bhosle in Yaman Kalyan. Besides, these two there are some more well-known songs belonging to one or the other group: Mehfil mein aap aye jaise ki chaand aya (Suman Kalyanpur and Mubarak Begum), Itna husn pe huzoor na guroor kijiye (Mukesh), Jo humpe guzarti hai tanha kise samjhayen (Suman Kalyanpur, one of her best).

9. Surkh jode ki ye jagmagahat by Lata Mangehskar & chorus from Kabhi Kabhi (1976), lyrics Sahir Lushiyanavi, music Khayyam

Directed by Yash Chopran and helmed by Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Rakhi, Waheeda Rahman, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, Kabhi Kabhi must have been Khayyam’s first multi-starrer under a big banner. He gave music befitting for a project like this. Its variety was amazing: Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai by Mukesh/Mukesh-Lata Mangeshkar and Main pal do pal ka shayar hun by Mukesh for the poet-hero; Mere ghar ayi ek nanhin pari by Lata Mangeshkar depicting joy of first motherhood; Tere chehre se nazar nahin hatati nazaare hum kya dekhen and Tera phoolon jaisa rang, tera sheeshe jaisa ang par padi jaise nazar main to rah gaya dang (both by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar) for teenage lovers. However, my special favourite is this wedding song which rolls with the opening credit titles. Lata Mangeshkar’s slow, poignant rendering shows Rakhi is not too happy with her marriage, perhaps her lover is another person. But oblivious of her inner anguish, the women of the family sing fast-faced Punjabi folk wedding song with dholak – Saada chidiyan de chamba ve, babul asaan ud jana/ Saadi lambi udari ve babul kede des jana. I believe the Punjabi folk part is sung by Jagjit Kaur and Pamela Chopra (wives of the music director and the director respectively). I don’t understand Punjabi, but the impact of the song is deeply moving.

10. Hazaar raahein mud ke dekhin kahin se koi sada na ayi by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar from Thodi Si Bewafai (1980), lyrics Gulzar, music Khayyam

In the first post we met the beautiful Aankhon mein humne aap ke sapne sajaye hain in Pahadi. Now even more melodious and pathos-filled is Hazaar raahein mud ke dekhin in Bhairavi.

11. Jhoola kinne dala re amaraiyan by Ghulam Mustafa Khan from Umrao Jaan (1981), lyrics Traditional, music Khayyam

Umrao Jan was a piece of art created by the artist Muzaffar Ali. Khayyam had to match it with his own artistry, and he composed a score which was well above the level of film music of those days. Rekha as a tawaif outdid all the filmy talwaifs that came before her. In the first post I had included In aankhon ki masti ke. I am tempted to include all the remaining songs. Jhoola kinne dala ra amaraiyan is a traditional bandish which Ghulam Mustafa Khan, the doyen of Rampur-Sahaswan gharana sang in the film in Raag Tilak Kamod+Des. (After his demise in 2021, his nephew Ustad Rashid Khan is the leading torch-bearer of this gharana). In the film this song came as training for the initiate Umrao Jan. Shahida Khan sings the same song for a pre-teenager Rekha.

12. Ye kya jagah hai doston ye kaun sa dayar hai by Asha Bhosle from Umrao Jaan (1981), lyrics Shaharyar, music Khayyam

This song coming at the end of the film sums up the tragedy of Umrao Jan. She comes to perform at a place which she recognises as her village, where she played with her little brother when she was pulled away forcibly to finally land up at a kotha. Her mother recgnises her and is all teary-eyed at finding her, but her little bother now grown up, nastily pushes her away into the same life.  (As per KL Pandeyji this song has Yaman+Bihag+Maru Bihag.)

13. Chale aao sainya rangeele main wari re by Jagjit Kaur and Pamela Chopra  from Baazar (1982), lyrics Traditional, music Khayyam

Baazar was another landmark score for Khayyam, 34 years after his debut. In the first post I had included Bhupinder’s Karoge yaad to har baat yaad ayegi. You would like to include all the remaining songs: Dekh lo aaj humko jee bhar ke, Dikhai diye yun, Phir chhidi raat. Chale aao sainya is sadder than the opening song from Kabhi Kabhi. As Supriya Pathak is being married (a euphemism for being purchased by a rich, middle-aged man from the Gulf), she is lying listless, and her friends are singing this joyous traditional song at her good fortune.

Acknowledgements:
1. RSTV in its Guftgaoo series has excellent two-part interview of Khayyam by Irfan.
i. Part1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65lkNiIuTds
ii. Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8oxJf9m1UY

Disclaimer: The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over these which vests with their original owners.