It is widely reported that SD Burman had a special fondness for Kishore Kumar. In my earlier posts some statistics has also been discussed regarding SD Burman’s number of songs with different singers. Kishore Kumar has more than any other male singer – beating his nearest rival Rafi by 53 solos to 46 (115 to 94 taking solos and duets together), and others by a wide margin. Hans has given excellent analysis by breaking these numbers into three phases – the initial phase of 1946-56, the middle period of 1957-65 and the last phase of 1966-75. So to the extent these numbers convey a message, Kishore Kumar, besides being a lovable lad, was also SD Burman’s most preferred singer.
If we look beyond SD Burman at the music scene as a whole, in the 1950s and 60s Kishore Kumar was nowhere close to being a competitor to Rafi. He also came behind Mukesh, Talat Mahmood and Hemant Kumar in popular reckoning. As Rafi and Mukesh became associated with Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar respectively, Kishore Kumar was lucky that his association with SD Burman made him one of the main voices of Dev Anand, the third part of the Great Trinity. But here also given Rafi’s versatility, Kishore Kumar had to contend with him as the voice of Dev Anand. Jury is still out on the SD Burman-Rafi-Kishore Kumar question – even in SD Burman’s scheme of things there were songs where Rafi was the ultimate.
Then something happened in 1969, which has no parallel in the history of Hindi film music, and probably anywhere else. After two decades of trailing behind his great contemporaries, with Aradhana he became the new Rafi and a little more, becoming the voice of all the heroes and all the composers. SD Burman was the conductor of this Black Swan event (Mr Asshok Vaishnav introduced us to this term). Kishore Kumar was miles ahead of others in the last phase of SD Burman’s composing career, giving outstanding songs till his end.
With such strong Dev Anand-SD Burman connection, curiously Kishore Kumar’s first song with SD Burman was for Raj Kapoor in Pyar (1950). This was when he already had a very successful playback debut for Dev Anand with Khemchand Prakash in Ziddi (1948). While I took all this as well settled and accepted, I have just come across the transcript of a purported radio interview of Kishore Kumar on SD Burman conduced by Ameen Sayani, at Anmol Fankaar, in which he said that his first song for SD Burman was Qusoor aapka huzoor aapka from Bahaar. Since this film came in 1951, how do we reconcile it to Pyar songs? That is why I generally look at the major trends rather than ‘precise’ facts, which coming from even the horse’s mouth may create more doubts. Then there are some more nuggets for trivia buffs – that he sang a few lines in chorus in Aath Din (1946) in the song Banka sipahiya ghar jaiyo. Somewhere else I read that his very first singing was for Saraswati Devi (and RC Pal) in Bandhan (1940) in the chorus Chal chal re naujawan.
To cut a long story short, SD Burman was the most important composer and influence for Kishore Kumar. In my series on SD Burman’s songs for great singers Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Lata Mangehskar, Asha Bholse and Geeta Dutt, I present what I consider the best of Kishore Kumar songs for SD Burman as my tribute on the former’s death anniversary, October 13 (4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987).
1. Qusoor aapka huzoor aapka from Bahaar (1951), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
As I have mentioned earlier, Kishore Kumar in his radio interview claimed this to be his first song with SD Burman, but there is some doubt on this because Pyar came in 1950 and its songs are available on YT. This also had a twin version in the voice of Shamshad Begum. As it happens with twin songs in general, Kishore Kumar’s version is more popular. Here is this delightful comedy song picturised on Karan Dewan, who was no mean singer in his own right, who sang some immortal songs for Naushad in Ratan (1944).
2. Mere labon pe dekho aaj bhi tarane hain from Baazi (1951), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi
Baazi was a path breaking film from Navketan which catapulted Dev Anand to the big league in the company of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. This new persona of a handsome youth, eking out an existence in the urban underbelly living on the margins of law, made Dev Anand an instant rage as a romantic star. This carefree song beautifully captures the essence of this personality – the first SD Burman-Kishore Kumar song on Dev Anand which would be followed by many more.
3. Dukhi man mere sun mera kahna from Funtoosh (1956), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi
This film had a typical Dev Anand-Kishore Kumar light-hearted song Ae meri topi palat ke aa, and one of the best soft, romantic duets with Asha Bholse, Wo dekhen to unki inayat. And you have a complete contrast of an extremely poignant, sad song. Many were sceptical whether Kishore Kumar would be able to carry it off, but SD Burman had no doubt about his capability.
4. Hum hai rahi pyar ke from Nau Do Gyarah (1957), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi
SD Burman-Kishore Kumar-Dev Anand for Navketan banner create another classic which consolidates the image of Dev Anand as the quintessential romantic. Typical of SD Burman, he creates not one but several songs in the same film which are regarded as landmarks – you also have a great KK-Asha Bhosle duet Ankhon mein kya ji, and a superb Asha Bhosle solo Dhalti jaye chunariya hamari ho Ram.
5. Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri
Kishore Kumar was now the hero in this laugh riot. SD Burman’s music was one of its great strengths. Among several outstanding songs in the film, Ek ladki bheegi bhagi si is very unusual. Its mukhada is slightly off-meter, the lyrics are more like prose sung in staccato style, but Kishore Kumar’s acting or antics with the car mechanic’s tools and SD Burman’s music make it an all-time classic.
6. Khwab ho tum ya koi haqeeqat from Teen Deviyan (1965), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri
This film had two Rafi solos to this Kishore Kumar solo (two versions), and his three duets. So who was SD Burman’s first choice? More important than this debate is SD Burman’s genius who could give such wide-ranging variety. Dev Anand could have melted not only three deviyans but thousands of them.
7. Ye dil na hota bechara from Jewel Thief (1967), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri
The only solo on Dev Anand was in the voice of Kishore Kumar. He had another great duet with Lata Mangeshkar, Aasman ke neeche hum aaj apne peechhe. Compared to this Rafi had only a duet with Lata, Dil pukare aa ja re aa ja re. Hans had commented that from this film SD Burman had relegated Rafi from his scheme, and Kishore Kumar’s ascendancy in Aradhana two years later was its natural corollary. (The argument further goes that the story that KK’s arrival was because of fortuitous circumstances of SD Burman’s illness, and a stop-gap RD Burman jettisoning Rafi in favour of his friend KK, has no basis.) Let us enjoy the quintessential Dev Anand song – a carefree romantic in the befitting voice of Kishore Kumar.
8. Mere sapnon ki rani kab ayegi tu from Aradhna (1969), lyrics Anad Bakshi
I am aware the words ‘path-breaking’, ‘landmark’ start sounding like clichés, but how do you describe Mere sapno ki rani kab ayegi tu which overturned the pecking order, created a new Kishore Kumar, made Rajesh Khanna ‘a phenomenon’, ‘the first superstar’, the likes of which Hindi Film had not seen before.
9. Dil aaj shayar hai gham aaj naghma hai from Gambler (1971), lyrics Neeraj
With the new Kishore Kumar, SD Burman had a renewed wave of creativity. While his great peers fell by the wayside, he continued unabated. Neeraj was known for his pure Hindi lyrics, but he writes an elegant Urdu nazm here. The King of Folk from Bengal is Master of everything. So enjoy this youthful ghazal sung in recital style by the evergreen Dev Anand on the screen in the voice of the new Kishore Kumar.
10. Badi sooni sooni hai zindagi ye zindagi from Milli (1975), lyrics Yogesh
Effectively this was SD Burman’s last film, though Barood which he had done earlier got released later in 1976 because of some delays. Shows SD Burman’s relevance and virtuosity till the very end when he was in a very poor health. Milli, which was kind of Anand with a female protagonist, gave scope for many mood songs. Kishore Kumar, right from his earliest days till the end, could yodel, dance, act crazy, and also bring tears to your eyes.
{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
I belong the category where I like Kishore Kumar, as an exception.
SDB may have had soft corner for KK and may have done his best to create tune ecosystem that would bring the vocal qualities of KK to the best, but the moment you have a film wherein KK and Rafi have songs in it, the difference speaks out by itself – look at the Teen Deviyan or Guide as an example.
Ashokji,
I also belong to the same category. But the comparison is not always one-sided. They have both sung in Nau Do Gyarah and Jewel Thief where KK is no less. Probably it has to do with how Dev Anand and SD Burman decided to place and picturise the songs in the movie.
Post-69 the situation clearly changes. Not only they have sung in the same movie, they have also sung different versions of the same song, in which I find KK’s version more memorable – one such case, Tum bin jaun kahan. There are some more.
Kishore with SDB.
Their mutual love was always evident in their songs.
I have always felt that SDB had the capability of bringing out his singer’s best and with Kishore it was more so because he was the apple of SDB’s eyes.
You have nicely compiled their best.
Very good tribute to KK
I have some differences over the comparisons you have drawn,
as today being KK’s death anniversary I reserve that discussions for some some other day.
Why is it that a post on Rafi stands on its own feet, while one on Kishore always draws a comparison? This itself shows that Rafi is the ‘gold standard’ of male Hindi film singers. Kishore’s voice has an individuality that many of us, myself included, find very charming; while Rafi is the ultimate composer’s singer – he would and could do anything the composer demanded. Personally I am very fond of Kishore, and I think Rafi has produced more average and indifferent songs than any other singer, but Rafi has also produced more outstanding songs than any other. Despite my fondness for Kishore I would say that your Rafi-SDB list trumps the Kishore-SDB list any day. ‘Dukhi man mere’ is perhaps the only song in this list that may stand in comparison with songs of the other list.
Subodh,
As I have said in my post, in the 1950s and 60s Kishore Kumar was not counted in the same league as Rafi, Mukesh, Talat Mahmood etc. The whole comparison arises on account of Aradhana (1969) watershed.
I do not know if there is any way of comparing the best of two artistes. But in absloute terms the best of SD Burman-Kishore Kumar are really outstanding songs.
I also wrote my views on this post not with a view to draw KK-Rafi comparison to the fore rather than evaluating KK’s songs by SDB.
I simply wrote this with a view that I do not hold any view on the subject because of my own personal preferences.
Kishore had his own space even when he was not in the race, and when he jumped the row, post-1969, he deserves credit for keeping the torch of singers from 50 /60s aflame with stars of far young in age.
Be that as it may, I can not resist the temptation to draw attention to Gambler where KK ( Dil Aaj Shayar Hai – http://youtu.be/ZaEAHon2VN8 )and Rafi (Mera Man Tera Pyasa – http://youtu.be/qg4BSk8qTu4) have had more or less equal footing as far as SDB’s patronage ( or quality of composition is concerned). Each one can draw one’s own conclusions with regards to these songs.
Subodh Agrawal,
You have spoken my heart out.
I was looking for a better way on some other day but you did it, bang on, for me.
I thank you for that.
AK, if you put a gun to my head and ask me to name my favourite male singer, I would have to pick Mohammed Rafi. But like the others, I hate that comparisons are drawn (not here on SoY, but in general), especially between Rafi and Kishore, when the two stalwarts had nothing but love and respect for each other. As far as Aradhana was concerned, yes, it was SD’s ill health and RD’s preference for KK that brought KK into the film and sidelined Rafi into singing just the one song in the film. Be that as it may, I loved the songs you listed, especially Khwab ho tum ya koyi haqeeqat, Badi sooni sooni hain, Hum hain raahi pyaar ke and Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si. My personal choices for their collaboration would be: O nigahein mastana from Paying Guest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RJScO4RJmY Jeevan ke safar mein raahi from Munimji http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9kjx2ngbRc and Khilte hai gul yahan from Sharmilee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTqz4JIN7UM
Anu,
No questions about Rafi, no one needs to point a gun at anyone for him. Any comparison which seeks to declare who is number one or two is totally misplaced. As I have said, the comparison arises only because of Dev Anand-SD Burman factor and the 1969 watershed.
O nigahein mastana is also my great favourite. I prefer Mana janab ne pukara nahi because it is somewhat atypical of Dev Anand-SDB-KK songs with a very unique orchestration of the prelude. Somehow I completely missed this song, which would have been in my list.
AK ji,
Thanks once again for the treat on SBD-KK.
I request you to add a new post ASAP so that we get over this endless and futile debate about Rafi-KK. The contribution of both these legends to HFM is priceless and its best that we enjoy them according to our own preferences.
I like this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZj2w9ruFFU
Gaddeswarupji, From where do you get these gems? Dev Anand Thelawala and Kalpana Kartik his fare and beautiful song Humein aaj koi na chhediyo. Very rarely heard. Thanks for mentioning it.
Mahesh Mamdapur,
I guess in some contexts KK-Rafi debate becomes inevitable. Fortunately, SoY regulars are of a level that regardless of our personal preferences, we respect all the artistes. I do not intend to carry forward the comparison. Hopefully this would be last of the kind.
AKji, I think she is Sheila Ramani. I browse off and on and some of them stick in my mind and some of those I watch again and again. I think that this video brings out the ‘ joie de vivre’ which we usually associate with many of Kishore Kumar songs.
AK, can’t quarrel with your list. Great list as usual.
Gaddeswarupji: Thanks for the Funtoosh song. I had quite forgotten about it. Enjoyed it tremendously. This is a link to SDB’s Bengali version : Moloyo Cholo Dheere (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8ejasXjne4). What a difference in the style and mood of the two renditions.
To all Rafi admirers on this blog: We know you love Rafi to death. You think he’s the Grand Poobah of male playback singers. Guess what? We, KK admirers, agree. So stop the incessant comparisons.
Gaddeswarupji,
Thanks a lot for pointing out the error. At time when I am mobile, I access internet through the phone, can’t trust the small screen. But I should have remembered that Kalpana Kartik was not in the movie
Soumya,
Beautiful song by SD Burman this. Thanks a lot. The similarity is very thin, unlike some of his other famous adaptations such as Ghum bhulechhi (Hum bekhudi main). At places I though it was similar to Ami chhinu eka.
Maheshji,
I agree with you. There is no point in furthering this debate. All are greats. Rafi for interpreting terse & poetic lyrics & also for adapting his singing style according to the requirements. Kishor for dramatizing songs,Mukesh for pathos in his voice,Hemant Kumar for his magical voice, Talat for romanticism. Then where Manna Dey stands ?.Probably at the top. I hope that I am not starting a new debate.
Thanks,
Abhijit.
AKJi
Enjoyed the write-up and needless to say the selection of songs were as usual excellent.
My favourites were Dukhi man mere sun mera kahna, Hum hai rahi pyar ke, Khwab ho tum ya koi haqeeqat and Dil aaj shayar hai gham aaj naghma hai. In the song Khwab ho tum we can hear R D Burman playing the harmonica.
If I go by the three phases quoted by you, in the first phase (1946-56) S D Burman gave Kishore Kumar about 25 songs out of which about a dozen were solos. In comparison S D Burman gave Md.Rafi less than 10 songs and only a couple of solos during the same period. In the middle period (1957-65) Md.Rafi surpasses Kishore Kumar. Kishore had a little more than 30 songs and Md.Rafi sang more than double the number. During the same period Kishore sang about 15 solos whereas Md. Rafi sang almost 40 solos for S D Burman. And during the last phase (1966-75) Kishore had almost 60 songs out of which about half of them were solos. Md Rafi had roughly a dozen songs and only 3 or 4 of them were solos. Only in the middle period (8 Years) Md.Rafi outstrips Kishore Kumar, even then S D Burman gave Kishore Kumar about 30 songs. This clearly shows S D Burman’s preference for Kishore Kumar. But that is only a statistical comparison. I do not want to enter into the debate of their greatness. Enough has been said in the past and in this post. I will prefer to listen and enjoy their songs.
You have correctly said:
‘Any comparison which seeks to declare who is number one or two is totally misplaced. As I have said, the comparison arises only because of Dev Anand-SD Burman factor ………’
Almost one third of the films for which Kishore Kumar sang for S D Burman were Devanand’s films. That is roughly 15 films in which he had 36 songs, out of which 17 were solos. That is also reflected in your selection of songs, 6 out of 10 were Devanand films. Even in the comment section shows similar trend. The next highest number Kishore sang under S D Burman’s baton was for himself, roughly 22 songs, out of which 11 were solos.
Here is a light-hearted song which Kishore sang for himself.
Dhole tu aaj apne dil ki sab daag dhole from Apna haath jagannath, lyrics Kaifi Azmi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4BNb4wC1uU
One of my favourites
Phoolon se rang se from Prem Pujari (1970), lyrics Neeraj
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiLLMg3Q5AQ
Kishore Kumar sings for Dilip kumar
Upar vaala dukhiyo ki nahi suntaa re from sagina (1974), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T1qhCeC5DQ#t=20
Thanks once again
Venkataramanji,
It would be interesting to examine how many third party (other than Dev Anand and KK himself) songs SD Burman gave him in the three phases. My impression is pre-69 these would be very few.
The song of Apna Hath Jagannath you have given was new to me. KK not only sings well, he also performs wildly.
AKji,
You are right.
In the 1st phase (1946-56) almost 50% of the songs were for Devanand films. Some of the songs he rendered in other films were not for the main hero. In the film Eight days, I do not think he sang for Ashok Kumar. Similarly in the film Nau Jawan he did not sing for Premnath. He also lent his voice for Jeevan and Mohan Choti too.
In the 2nd Phase (1957-65), all the songs were for films of either Devanand or Kishore Kumar and none else.
In the last Phase (1967 -75), Kishore sang roughly 15 songs for Devanand, a dozen songs for Rajesh Khanna and 8 songs for Dharmendra and the rest for Sunil Dutt, Amitabh Bacchan, Sanjeev kumar, Sashi Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, but none for himself.
In the film Ek Nazar, both Karan Dewan and Rehman were there. But the following song he renders for Gope.
Naye zamane ki Mohabbat from Ek Nazar (1951), lyrics Rajendra Krishna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLq_qpHjQg
Thank you Venkataramanji for this interesting information which is as I had suspected. The third phase, I have used a phrase that he was the new Rafi (i.e. post-69). Middle phase he had no third party songs. First phase we should only count from 1950, i.e. start of SD Burman-KK alliance when I think third party songs would be much less than 50%.
What does it say? Pre-69, take out SDB-Dev Anand, there is no Rafi-Kishore Kumar comparison.
Before 1969 every KK song was eagerly awaited and was a treat. After Aradhana these became dime a dozen. But the number of fans multiplied, and some of them took out years of frustration during Rafi regime in a series of letters to Filmfare. The tone of exchanges quickly crossed the limit of decency. The editors stepped in and ended it all with a final letter from KK who confessed that he himself was an inveterate Rafi fan!
Filmfare award controversies relating to the music of Guide/Suraj are well known. Less well known is the conspiracy against Aradhana. Within weeks of debut ‘Mere sapnon ki rani’ had reached the top of Binaca Geetmala and looked more solid at the perch than the rock of Gibraltar, with six other Aradhana songs in tow. Couple of years ago when Teesari Manzil songs were making waves, Amin Sayani, on the pretext of allowing listeners to enjoy songs from more movies, had announced a rule that no more than two songs from one movie would be played in weekly Geetmala. But the Aradhana threat was orders of magnitude bigger and the empire decided to strike back once again. Suddenly one week we heard the empire’s mouthpiece — Mr Amin Sayani – announcing in his inimitable voice that the crowning of Aradhana songs as ‘Sartaj’ was a foregone conclusion and they would be retired as ‘Sartaj’ songs after 16 — rather than the usual 18 — weeks so as to allow listeners to enjoy songs from other films. And they played the trumpet for the ‘sartaj’ song and retired ‘Mere sapnon ki Rani’ in early December 1969. Then came the annual Geetmala and the great Phalke award winning radio compere — Mr Amin Sayani — conveniently forgot his proclamation. He played ‘Mere Sapnon ki rani’ at # 14 along with songs that had failed to become ‘Sartaj’, saying that it had been played only 16 times in the Geetmala.
The charade continued next year too. ‘Kora Kaagaz tha’, ‘Roop tera mastana’, and Bagon mein bahar hai’ were similarly retired with the trumpet and the usual ‘fanfare’ under that proclamation after having played in Geetmala for 16 weeks. And no ‘Aradhana’ song was played in the list of ‘sartaj’ songs in annual Geetmala in either 1969 or 1970. ‘Kora kagaz tha’ was played at # 32 in 1969 and #15 in 1970; ‘Roop tera mastana’ at #22 in 1970 and ‘Baagon mein bahar hai’ at #20 in 1970. (http://www.hindigeetmala.net/binaca_geetmala_1970.htm) By way of perspective, the top 13 slots in 1969 had (among others) ‘memorable’ hits from Inteqam, Kanyadaan, Jeene Ki Raah, Vishwas, Ek Phool Do Mali, Prince, and Wapas and the top 14 in 1970 from Do Raaste, Sachha Jhutha, Pehchan, Khilona, Abhinetri, Sharafat, Devi, Aadmi aur Insaan and Anjaana! The 1970 Filmfare award for music went to Jeene ki Raah while Aradhana and Chanda aur Bijli were the two other nominated. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmfare_Award_for_Best_Music_Director).
KK songs (including more than one from ‘Chalati ka naam gaadi’) account for the largest number of entries for SDB in the database on plagiarism in Bollywood songs (http://www.itwofs.com/hindi-sdb.html) — something that SDB-KK fans cannot be proud of. In 1960 Filmfare published a ‘confessional’ of sorts by KK. I have its Hindi translation entitled ‘Masakhari ka ant’ published by Tehelka (Hindi) (May 15, 2012, pp. 58-61) in a special issue commemorating 100 years of Hindi Cinema (http://emagazine.tehelka.com/tehelkahindi/15052012/home.aspx). In this KK describes how he was misled by advisors at the beginning of his career, began acting in cheap slapstick comedies, and with initial success turned into a brat who even laughed at his mentor, Khemchandra Prakash, telling him that times had changed and that people wanted jazz and yodeling. I will try to reproduce verbatim the para relating to SDB (with my best attempt at translation, although if any SoY regulars have access to Filmfare issues from 1960, perhaps we could get the original English text):
“… Phir ek din main ne apani hi film launch ki. Iska naam tha Chalti ka Naam Gaadi. Apne sahi hone par mujhe itna yakin tha ki jab sangeetkaar SD Burman ne iske liye banai huyee kuchh maulik dhunen mujhe sunaayeen to main ne unhen harka diya. Main ne kaha, ‘Kya aap ko lagataa hai ki janata yeh sunana chaahati hai? Krupa kar ke aap kisi music store mein jaayen aur kuchh Rock-n-roll records khareeden. Lekin dhyaan rakhen ki aise records na khareed lijiyegaa jo doosare sangeetkaar bhi khareed rahe hon.’ …”
“… Then, one day, I launched my own film. It was called ‘Chalati ka naam gaadi’. I was so confident of myself that when the music director SD Burman gave some original tunes he had composed for the movie to me to listen to I ridiculed him: ‘Do you think the public wants to listen to this? Please go to a music store and buy some Rock-n-roll records. But do take care not to buy the same records that others were buying too.’ …”
Let me end this post with a link to ‘Sach sach sach’, a KK song from ‘Bewaqoof’ (1960) which is interesting for couple of reasons. One, you get a glimpse of yodeling a la Jhumroo (1961). And two, Manna Dey sings couple of lines in stanzas 2 and 3 — I have no idea why because both KK and Manna Dey are giving playback for KK on the screen. Perhaps SoY’s knowledgeable commentators will be able to explain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crPFEvRaneg
Canasya ji,
In the second para,you have referred Amin Sayani ji as ” Phalke award winner’. How come ?
Did he win any other Phalke award ?
Please enlighten.
-AD
Canasya,
You have again given very interesting information. That Aradhana was target of scheming to deprive it of Filmfare Awards is not so well known. This also proves that if something is path breaking and timeless, it is bigger than any award. Who cares whether Mughal-e-Azam got Filmfare Award for music or not? For that matter, can any award make us remember any song of Pehchan or Beimaan?
One perspective on plagiarism was given by Nashad (not Naushad) in an interview – he said everyone is creating music out of the same eight notes, so there is bound to be some similarity. If the adaptation is very novel from the source, I don’t hold it against the composer. In many of the songs listed on the site, the similarity is not very obvious, as the site also acknowledges. SD Burman’s songs in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi eminently fit with the theme. Similarly, there is a long chain of alleged plagiarism regarding Ye thandi hawayein, and its copycats. I have to preface my remarks that I am not an expert, but even after the ‘knowledge’ about these songs not being original, my respect has not gone down one bit for SD Burman’s Ye thandi hawayein or Roshan’s Rahe na rahe hum. (This does not mean that Anu Malik’s note-by-note copy of Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn or AR Rahman can be also viewed in the same light.)
Sach sach sach is very interesting. Yes the yodelling which is precursor of Jhumroo, as also Manna Dey singing some lines. Requires very careful listening. HFGK mentions only KK as the singer.
Arunkumar Deshmukhji @23: My apologies for having misled SoY community. It was intentional! I had been similarly tricked couple of years ago when I had attended a programme that was being compered by Amin Sayani. I was surprised when I heard him being introduced as Phalke award winner. But it seems that there is THE Phalke award instituted by the GoI, which is what we commonly associate with that name. And then there is another more recently introduced by the industry called ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award’ that is handed out to about a dozen people from Bollywood every year. Amin Sayani was given the 2003 Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award for ‘Devoted services to Indian Film Industry’ (through promotional campaigns for feature films on radio). Here is the relevant link:
http://www.ameensayani.com/awards.html
I do not know whether the announcer who had introduced Amin Sayani did it unknowingly, or had been asked to do so with the intention of misleading people, in which case there might be complicity on the part of the awardee too. I would like to believe that the former is true as I had myself been a fan of Amin Sayani’s voice for decades.
Canasya,
I took it as a tongue-in-cheek expression. I did not know that he had actually won Dadasaheb Phalke Award!
AK ji,
Some confusion of errors over idioms. Your second sentence (after full stop of first sentence) in the last comment says he HAD won the award, while in reality he has not won the award.
His website says….. DADASAHEB PHALKE ACADEMY : Award for “Devoted Services to Indian Film Industry” (through promotional campaigns for feature films on radio).
Am I confused ?
Mahesh Mamadapur,
Canasya has set the cat among the pigeons. The website you are quoting shows he did win an award, whatever, in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke. So let us have some fun, which seemed to be the purpose of Canasya’s tongue-in-cheek comment.
Canasya ji,
Thanks. I knew about this award given every year by the industry,so i was thinking that it must be that only. perhaps there are some more awards too in the name of Phalke,I guess. Afterall this is India and there is constitutional freedom to do what you want !!!
-AD
Canasya ji, / AK ji,
The Dadasaheb Phalke Academy distributes following awards-
1.D phalke Academy Award
2.Sarswati phalke Award
3.Phalke Ratna Award
4.Phalke Ever memorable actor award
5.Phalke Excellent performance award
6.Phalke memorable performance award
For details and a news item visit this link-
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/1799743/Yash-Chopra-Rajesh-Khanna-to-receive-Dadasaheb-Phalke-awards
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Very interesting discussion here about ‘SDB and his missing awards’. I understand that in case of Guide his name was unofficially announced in the evening on the earlier day. Nargis rang up SDB and told him that, “Dada, you are winning the award for Guide”. Overnight it all changed and Dada lost out on the award.
I have interviewed (recorded voice / video) at least half a dozen luminaries from the industry who worked with SDB on both Aradhana and and/or Guide, and have been told that all of them were disappointed that Dada did not get the award. But Dada was philosophical and said “public appreciation is my award, which I got in plenty”.
It is interesting to note how many Phalke awards are being given in our free country.
Moti Lalwani,
I have said earlier that timeless creations do not need awards for validation. Many a time if someone gets an award for unworthy work, it becomes a millstone around his neck. This has happened to some composers whom we all know. The industry bracketed great talents like SD Burman, Madan Mohan, Roshan and Chitragupt in the ‘other’ group. But do we care that they were not in the rat race for the highest fee or number of awards?
Anu Warrier’s cooment # 8 posted on October 13, 2013
Dada Burman was very much hale and hearty during Aradhana (1969). It has been a lie spread by vested interests. I am giving proofs:
1. Kersi Lord’s interview by me on YouTube where he has said that during recording of ‘Roop tera mastana’ RDB was not even present and Dada Burman gave him all the instructions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIPgAsPGTbA
2. Interview of Mr HQ Chowdhuri (author of ‘Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman’) by me. Mr Chowdhuri had met Shakti Samanta who told him that the music was by Dada Burman.
Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtsqDc9TvCU
3. I am in touch with Mr Bheemsinh who also had met Mr Shakti Smanata and confirmed that the music was indeed by SDB:
This is what Bheemsinh wrote once in reply to doubting fan:
“I don’t want to make this as controversy as it is discussed at pancham group several times.
I do believe the persons those were present at that time only. as per my discussion with Shakti da, its Purely SDB’s work.
As I’m great Music lover of the Burman Clan, no offences, and only due respect to the legends. Any claim or statement made by Pancham group is difficult to believe, Here’s a slight observation of Pancham group, which is having a large number of hypothetical brains. Some hypothesis are –
– Any music credited to Panchamda, is created by Panchamda (no doubt :)).
– Music Composed by Sachinda, is composed by Panchamda,
– Music Credited or composed by Panchamda’s assistents is composed by Panchamda.
– Music Composed by Pancham da’s friends is composed by Panchamda.
– Music composed by person who is not of above categories, is not composed by Panchamda, but somewhere music looks Like Panchamish, may be that person was Inspired by Panchamda’s music.
– And music may be recorded but not used and leaked by recording studio employee.
Please don’t Underestimate or Over glorify the legends, love them as they are. Bheemsinh
4. In my recorded interviews with other stalwarts like late Manohari Singh, and two other musicians , all of them have said that Dada Burman was not at all sick, and he composed the music of Aradhana.
5. Bhupendra Singh who is fortunately alive and took an active part is also on record that Dada Burman was not sick and music is by him.
6. The Jackpot of all this is Shakti Samanta’s own voice where in ‘Aaj ke Fankar’ program on Vividh Bharati where he himself has said about Rafi going away abroad and he suggested to Dada Burman to use Kishore Kumar with whom he had created earlier very good songs. The link is:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/sni9aligbffso7c/SHAKTI%20SAMANTA%20-%20Aaj%20ke%20Fankar.mp3
7. Shahid Ali, son of Rafi ji has gone on record that his father had gone for Haj to Saudi Arabia where a Muslim priest told him that it was wrong to sing and to make money from it. Rafi ji got confused and went away to London to stay with his son for six months. He thought over to it and fortunately for fans he dicided to come back and conrinue singing but by that time Kishore Kumar had taken the music world by storm thanks to his mentor Dada Burman.
I think these are enough proofs and the truth shall prevail now. I would request all fans of both SDB and RDB to give due credit to both father and son which was due to them
AK
Very true. It has been happening so often that the rightful person doesn’t get recognition. But, considering that I would get hurt, some of them may not show but inwardly the bottling up of emotions hurts a person even more and the health breaks down. For SDB, I have been told by so many that he showed no emotions whatsoever at being sidelined, at least those present could not make out that Dada was hurt.
AKji @32; Moti Lalwaniji @34
Couple of years ago I had been to a concert in Madan Mohan’s memory. In between songs the announcer kept us regaled with anecdotes and trivia. Among other things, he said that in 1967, a day before Filmfare nominations were announced there were rumours that Mera Saya was one of the 3 (along with Guide and Suraj) in the best music category and many colleagues congratulated Madan Mohan. Next day, however, the nominations were made public and Mera Saya’s name had been replaced by Do Badan! “Can you imagine how Madan Mohan would have felt?” asked the announcer. Someone in the audience shouted, “He did not care.” Then Madan Mohan’s sons, Sanjeev and Sameer Kohli, who were present, came on stage and said, “Wrong. He did.” And they then told the audience how galling it had been for their father to be labeled among the ‘unlucky’ MDs, that they had tough time convincing their friends in school that their father was an MD (‘Is his name GS Kohli?,’ they would ask – Madan Mohan did not use his surname in movies), … . Who knows what role industry’s treatment played in his alcoholism and death at the age of 51?
“Bhookhe pet na bhajan hoi gopala” is a more powerful mantra than Gita’s ‘Karmanye Vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana’. Quality is desirable, but is a liability if it is noticed by connoisseur alone and fails to bring in the resources needed to support one’s dependents. Money implications of awards and rankings in a winner-take-all market (to use AKji’s phrase from another post) such as music are high. Some MDs understood this and spent the requisite amount. I do not defend the practice but am merely pointing out that these are symptoms of a deeper malaise. Currently newspapers are full of stories about pending hospital bills for Manna Dey, one of THE greatest Bollywood will ever get to see. And this story has been repeated so many times: the cases of Hangal and Mubarak Begum come to mind immediately.
After reading about Mozart I had wondered how somebody with a musical mind ever be unhappy. But after seeing Amadeus I could empathize with the burdens of geniuses. Greatness in one field ensures deficiencies in others – usually the worldly affairs. Given a chance, would Harilal have wanted to be the son of the ‘Father of the nation’?
Canasya,
Genius and worldly-wise need not be always mutually incompatible. In the field of art or for that matter in any endeavour, an X factor works. We may call that luck. Naushad is one example of being a genius, but he was also worldly wise. And most important, he was lucky. If I compare with Ghulam Mohammad, many years senior to him, he later worked as his assistant. We know of so many of his brilliant scores. But films like Dil-eNadan, Mirza Ghalib were miserable flops. Napolean, when told of the bravery and virtues of a General, asked, “But is he lucky?”
I always post giving references unless the article is from my own interviews. Here I posting something which has a reference to Vividh Bharati, and I found it on the net. KCP at the end is Mr KC Pingle who is a trusted source. Please read and make your own judgement:
Pyaarelal ji makes a big confession on Vividhbharati !!!!!
As spoken on the show “Ujaale Unki Yaadon Ke” ( Episode 3 )……….maybe this reveals the nature of some “suspicious” awards, all these years !!! Regds, KCP
Relevant excerpts given below
————————————————————————————————
KS: Pyare-ji, pehli film ke liye kitne paise mile the aapko?
PL: mere Khayaal mein shaayad 4000 mila hoga lekin jo ‘amount’ hamne
liya, ‘for the first time’, Dosti mein, 10000 hamne liya.
KS: 10,000 us samay bahut baDi rakam hoti thi.
PL: aur 10,000 hamne liya tha aur Filmfare ward ke liye 65,000 rupaya hamne ‘loan’ liya tha, Filmfare mein woh bharne ke liye. Filmfare ke ‘form’ bharne ke liye 65,000 rupay hamne lagaaye.
KS: us samay kya paise dene paDte the ‘award’ ke liye?
PL: naheen kya tha ki Filmfare ki ek ‘copy’ khareedni paDti thi, usmein ek ‘form’ hota tha, usmein aapko ‘Best Music’ ke andar apna naam likhna paDtaa tha, us zamaane mein yeh hota tha, woh aaj bhi
chal raha hai…
KS: to aap se pehle bhi logon ne yahi kiya tha?
PL: bilkul, kyunki dekhiye, ismein koi buri baat naheen hai, yeh ‘business’ hai, jab tak aap kuchh karenge naheen to ‘business’ chalega naheen. aap bahut sat chalenge to naheen chal paayenge. to hamne Filmfare ki ‘copy’ lekar ‘hero, heroine, director’, sab khareed liye, ‘amount’ to mujhe yaad naheen lekin laakh do laakh rupay hogaa. to hamne, maan leejiye 25000 Filmfare ki ‘copies’ kahreedi, usmein har ‘copy’ mein ek ‘form’ hai, to sab mein Best Music Director mein apna naam likhke bhej diya, waise hi ‘hero’ ke liye, ‘director’ ke liye. to hamne bhi kiya tha aise. to Dosti ke andar 65,000.
KS: lekin us zamaane ke hisaab se to bahut baDi rakam hai yeh.
PL: ab hamko shauk tha, maine kahaa tha Laxmi-ji ko ki ‘ismein faayda kuchh naheen hai’.
————————————————
Song: jaanewaalon zara muDke dekho mujhe (Dosti)
————————————————
KS: us saal Filmfare Award ke liye kaun si filmen Takkar mein theen?
PL: Woh Kaun Thi, aur Sangam.
KS: yaani ki Madan Mohan, Shankar Jaikishan aur Laxmikant Pyarelal.
PL: aur ham logon ko mila ‘award’.
what a shameful thing for music ! Filmfare awards are always painful bcz of this corruption. One can easily understand why some mediocre films cud get trophies.
SJ’s ‘chanda aur bijli’ got nomination in 1970 ff awards ! I heard that whole album and cudnt find any song which i can repeat ! On which base it entered in nomntn against too many good films ??
Madanji were a big victim of ff’s serial injustices..even after his demise…the popular as well as classic work at the end of his life -Laila majnu(strongest music of 1976)- cudnt get even a nomination !!
@Motiji , thanx for such infos.
Moti Lalwani,
It is difficult to believe that it could be so crude. One always thought that these were anecdotal stories. Could you please give the link of the said interview? Thanks a lot for sharing this.
On Yohoo there are many groups created by fans. One such group is on Sachinda and the link is http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/sachinda/conversations/messages/118
where a member can see message # 118 posted on Nov 13, 2007 by Mr Kaustubh Pingle who is also on Facebook. I am not sure if non members can read that message. If it can’t be viewed, no harm in becoming a member and reading the message.
The owner of the group is Mr भीमसिंह राहंगडाले who also has website on SDB called sdburman.com on the net. Some years back I was co-opted as co-owner/co-moderator of this group by Mr Bheemsinh.
This is where I have taken that interview of Pyare ji.
Friends,
Here is one more link to this post on Pyarelal:
http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/vividhbharati/message/1735
The website http://www.sdburman.net/website/Articles/Article_aMaestroWhoWasAMisfit.htm has this story about Guide: A local filmland publicist-cum agent approached Dada with a proposal that shocked and enraged him. “Give me so much”, the man said, “and you will get the award”. He had come in connection with a popular award hoping that the old man would fall for the offer readily. He was in for a surprise.
“Now look young man”, Dada told him, “I will be honest and tell you that I am interested in getting this award though I never knew it could be manipulated or bought. I can afford the money that you are asking for. And I also know that compared to the gains the award might yield the money you ask is nothing. But I would rather give it away to those who had acclaimed my music than buy the award….”
And here is what Raju Bhartan says about the music award to Suraj in his ‘Down Memory Lane’ (p. 85): “… But the music part of Filmfare Awards had become a package deal by this 1966 stage. That is to say, if Shankar-Jaikishan bagged the Best Music statuette for Suraj, Rafi automatically stood to benefit (from the same Filmfare coupon entry) as the Best Singer. Thousands of Filmfare copies (sans the entry coupons) dumped by Bombay’s Haji Ali seaside – during the year-end – became a familiar phenomenon in the matter of invoking the ‘awakening’ blessings of the Holy One there. …”
Later, on pp. 220-221, Raju Bharatan continues: What was it if not ‘Shankar-Jaikishani Sangeet’ manipulation that cost Naushad (Mughal-e-Azam) and S. D. Burman (Guide, 1966) the Filmfare Best Music awards they richly merited? You had to meet Naushad at the time to get a true feel of how the Shankar-Jaikishan duo had struck at his ego in managing to steal a 1960 Filmfare Best Music march over Mughal-e-Azam via Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai. Naushad did not just sulk; his ego impelled him to seek an appointment with J.C. Jain in the General Manager’s office – to apprise the all-dominant Times Group head-honcho of the precise position in the Mughal-e-Azam matter. ‘Jain Saab,’ surmised Naushad, ‘the award has been handed out and nothing can change that. Therefore I come here with but one request – that never again, in any one of your multiple publications, carry an article wondering why the standard of Hindustani film music is going down. If your Times institution feels that the music of Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai is superior to my lifetime score in Mughal-e-Azam, I want you to reflect upon whether it is true Hindustaniat you are encouraging in our cinemas.’
And Raju Bharatan becomes more specific on pp. 231-232: “The problem of musical standards plummeting in our cinema began as the cartel of Shankar-Jaikishan, Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxminkant-Pyarelal and Ravi took the initiative in booking each and every recording studio (barring Mehboob Studios refusing to oblige) in the city of Bombay and beyond – from 1 January to 31 December – for the entire year. In this grimly forbidding setting, if a Madan Mohan, or a Khayyam, or a Jaidev wanted to ‘take’ a song, such an infrequently recording composer had to ring one of the ‘above four’ to spare the music studio for that day. The permission thus sought was instantly granted, but just imagine the creative humiliation of these ‘greats’ at having to seek such permission. Where it had been a singing monopoly of the Corsican Sisters before, it was a ‘Cartel of Four’ music directors calling the recording room tune. …
“… Moreover, this is when even Radio Ceylon, as it turned into Radio Sri Lanka, became the citadel of corruption. The entire 8:00-9:00 a.m. farmaishi one hour programme was ‘bought’ through its first 20 minutes of play. It was an organized racket and, like all such quick-fix deals, it was run with clinical professionalism. Over the years, the programme lost total credibility. It was amazing how much without scruple our trio of duos grew in their pursuit of pelf. Admittedly, even Ameen Sayani’s Binaca Geetmala was not totally free from such attempts by music makers to influence its paidaan course, especially in its latter more vulnerable stages. Binaca Geetmala’s transformation into Cibaca Geetmala was but symptomatic of the fast sinking standards, a downslide by which what we, growingly, got to hear was sheer tinsel in tinpan alley. …”
this is in relation with comments made by canasya ji on 19/10 regarding binaca geetmala annual list of 1969 & 1970.
so far i remember, anokhi raat,sambandh,dharti kahe pukar ke songs were also part of top 14 list of 1969. same goes for prem pujari,naya zamana( both are sdb songs),hathi mere saathi & sharafat songs,who were part of 1970 top 14 or 15 binaca list.
if i am wrong,lease rectify.
regards,
abhijit.
Canasya @ 42
Discerning fans should be careful while going through Raju Bharatan’s writings. On the positive side he was on the scene and has a lot of information.
While on the negative side, many times his information is distorted and biased – in favor of some and against some. In other words he is capable of twisting matters to undermine some greats and promote some others. My advice o knowledgeable fans here, don’t take everything as gospel truth on face value.
Abhijit @ 43
I was talking about the ‘empire’ feeling threatened by Aradhana. I did not have to name the ‘empire’ as Raju Bharatan has already done it by calling it the ‘Cartel of Four’ comprising SJ, LP, KA and Ravi. Please see my comment @ 42, Moti Lalwaniji’s (@ 44) caveat notwithstanding. I would not expect somebody like Roshan to be involved in such machinations and would be terribly disappointed if he really was. You have to be from that generation to realize that no song in the annual geetmala played above Aradhana songs was more popular during those years.
Dear Canasya ji,
I agree with your point of view. I have heard specially about Shankar Jaikishan blocking all sound studios & purchasing heaps of Filmfare copies for humiliating other music directors & winning the award It seems that being senior music directors, thy started the trend.Probably from commercial point of view thy were somewhat right also .When RD was asked to compose music for ‘Teesri Manzil,he had to beg for studio dates from SJ,which he was granted.Result was disastrous for SJ.Suddenly from the top they started falling & within 3-4 years they became jobless.Death of Jaikishan & rise of LP also played their part .
In fact I had been an avid follower of Binaca Geetmala. lating other music directors & getting nominated for the award.Probably they started the trend.
Dear Canasyaji,
In fact before completing my comments in 46,it got automatically posted probably because of some virus problem.In fact I was an avid follower of Binaca Geetmala in my younger days.Your comments brought me back to that period of my life..I was just naming the songs which made their ways in the top half list of the BG.in ’69 & ’70.It has nothing to do with Roshan or O.P.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Hats off to Mehboob studios and their owners.
AK @ 24
A very interesting observation has been made by AK. However, it is not one song but three songs in Bewaqoof (1960) with music by SD Burman, where Manna Dey sings for Kishore in parts. Here are the details:
1st Song: ‘Michael hai to cycle hai’ – Kishore, Asha and Manna Dey
This duet in the movie is lip-synchronized by the hero Kishore and heroine Mala Sinha. However, the male voices actually in the song are by Kishore and Manna Dey; both giving play-back for Kishore which is something rare in Hindi Films. Manna Dey’s voice is used only once in the 2nd stanza; and the words are:
‘Ulfat pe qurbaan hoon main dekh to jaaiye (twice)
Nainon mein aake mere, jhool-jhool jaaiye’
2nd song: ‘Sach, sach, sach’ – Kishore, Asha and Manna Dey
Kishore and Mana Dey, both playback singing as male voice for Kishore as the hero is something very unique!
Manna Dey sings:
(In the 2nd stanza)
Kaahe ko hai bani, tu ja ja badi rani,
Sunaa do na mere dil ke
(In the 3rd stanza)
‘You-you be ek chaili, and I-I be ek chaila,
Saath hamare chalna, peeche-peeche aana, ruk mat jaana’
3rd song: ‘Tu mi piaci cara, garcia’ – Kishore, Asha and Manna Dey
In this rare song picturized in color in Bewakoof (1960), Dada Burman has again introduced a gimmick by giving just one line to Manna Dey at 4.31- ‘Arey dil mera jale jale’- just as he has done it in ‘Sach sach sach’ and ‘Mai kal hai to cycle hai’.
Why did Dada Burman do this? Let’s ponder on this.
Akji
A confession
In comment no. 38
I have stated abt the album ”chanda aur bijli”(1969)
Now
I am sustaining my opinion that ‘chanda aur bijli’ was not such a strong music which can be included in 1969’s top 5 best musics.
But
I m taking back my statement : ” i heard that whole album but cudnt find any song which i can repeat ”
In fact, i have repeated a song AN’GINAT times in last month. I liked this gem of Mannada too much.
The great song is ”kaal ka pahiya ghoome bhaiya”
Another song of this movie ”Bijli hun main to bijli” is also superb. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvstFnIufj4
‘Kaal ka pahiya ghoome bhaiya
Laakh tareh insaan chale
Leke chale baraat kabhi to
Kabhi bina saamaan chale
Ram krishn hari, ram krishn hari
Janak ki beti Avadh ki rani
Seeta bhatke ban ban men
Raah akeli raat andheri
Magar ratan hai daaman men
Saath na jiske chalta koi
Saath na jiske chalta koi
Uske saath bhagwan chale
Ram krishn hari, ram krishn hari
Bravo SJ…..
Jignesh,
‘Kaal ka pahiya ghoome bhaiya’ is indeed superb. Manna Dey has acknowledged that SJ had the most important role in his career growth.
Moti Lalwani,
It is difficult to explain why SDB should do this. But this explains why Manna Dey was so sore with him (though his songs by SDB are my great favourites).
AK@52
I’ll take up Manna Dey later, first Kishore.
The big question I always had was that that why did SDB leave his favorite singer Kishore and switch over to Rafi, Rafi and Rafi?
Before I proceed to try and answer, let’s analyse the 3 periods from 1946 to pre-Pyaasa, Pyassa to Pre-Aradhana and Aradhana to last song of SDB.
Period Years Films Male Songs Rafi Kishore
1946-’57 11 30 83 11 26
1957-’68 12 29 133 70 28*
1969-’75 6 30 80 10 52
* In the 2nd period i.e. 1957-’68 Kishore had three films as a hero and Dada could not have ignored him. They were Apna Haath Jagannath (1960), Bewaqoof (1960) and Naughty Boy (1962). If one were to skip these 3 movies, the songs by Kishore would be much less than 28*, resulting in some of them likely going to Rafi, and his score could have been higher.
Now we come to why SDB did ignore his favourite singer Kishore.
So far ardent fans of SDB and Kishore have been thinking of a few plausible reasons due to which he got busy and could not give dates. They were:
(1) Kishore courting and subsequently marrying Madhubala. Naturally one gets busy.
2. Madhubala’s illness, and her doubting nature as one reads, naturally took its toll on Kishore’s time.
3. Kishore got busy in his own production ”Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’ (1958) and ‘Jhumroo’ (1961). As the preparatory work and shooting starts a year or two earlier, he was not available for a long time.
4. Guru Dutt wanted Rafi, but SDB was not for Rafi for Pyaasa (1957) and no one could dictate to SDB. SDB’s favourite singer Geeta Dutt brought Rafi, who with folded hands told Dada that he was willing to learn from Dada the way he was expected to sing for Pyaasa. Dada mellowed down and Rafi sat with SDB for a month in his ‘The Jet’ bungalow to pick-up the fine nuances of singing Pyaasa (1957) songs. Naturally SDB liked resultant mellowed voice of Rafi and stuck on to him as Kishore was not available.
And now, thanks to this forum, I have gathered perhaps the most important answer which I had been looking for since long, that “Why Did SDB chuck Kishore whom he had mentored so lovingly. That most important information that I have gathered from here is from Canasya from his post # 22 as follows:
I am numbering it as reason No 5, in addition to earlier 4.
5. “In 1960 Filmfare published a ‘confessional’ of sorts by KK. I have its Hindi translation entitled ‘Masakhari ka ant’ published by Tehelka (Hindi) (May 15, 2012, pp. 58-61) in a special issue commemorating 100 years of Hindi Cinema (http://emagazine.tehelka.com/tehelkahindi/15052012/home.aspx). In this KK describes how he was misled by advisors at the beginning of his career, began acting in cheap slapstick comedies, and with initial success turned into a brat who even laughed at his mentor, Khemchandra Prakash, telling him that times had changed and that people wanted jazz and yodeling. I will try to reproduce verbatim the para relating to SDB (with my best attempt at translation, although if any SoY regulars have access to Filmfare issues from 1960, perhaps we could get the original English text):
“… Phir ek din main ne apani hi film launch ki. Iska naam tha Chalti ka Naam Gaadi. Apne sahi hone par mujhe itna yakin tha ki jab sangeetkaar SD Burman ne iske liye banai huyee kuchh maulik dhunen mujhe sunaayeen to main ne unhen harka diya. Main ne kaha, ‘Kya aap ko lagataa hai ki janata yeh sunana chaahati hai? Krupa kar ke aap kisi music store mein jaayen aur kuchh Rock-n-roll records khareeden. Lekin dhyaan rakhen ki aise records na khareed lijiyegaa jo doosare sangeetkaar bhi khareed rahe hon.’ …”
“… Then, one day, I launched my own film. It was called ‘Chalti ka naam gaadi’. I was so confident of myself that when the music director SD Burman gave some original tunes he had composed for the movie to me to listen to I ridiculed him: ‘Do you think the public wants to listen to this? Please go to a music store and buy some Rock-n-roll records. But do take care not to buy the same records that others were buying too.’ …”
(End of the relevant portion)
This perhaps is the most important reason which made SDB drop Kishore like a hot potato. The other reasons are valid too, but they lose significance.
I will dwell on Manna Dey some other time.
Continuing from where I left above post # 53.
SDB used to re-record songs if he was not happy with the outcome. The reason of Manna babu singing for Kishore must be that those 1 0r 1 lines may not have been properly sung by Kishore and SDB wanted re-recording.
Kishore not being available, or having spoken as above, SDB would have retained the rest of the song except the lines in question.
There is one more instance when SDB got bugged with RDB, Basu, Manohari, etc and chucked all of them out. Only Maruti Rao escaped as he cried and was allowed to work with SDB.
After that Maruti Rao continued working for both father and son, while the rest were out for good. Dada worked without any of his assistants and produced the most beautiful song, ‘Jeevan ki bagiya mahkegi’ in Tere Mere Sapne’, with no assistants, no arrangers. But, being decent enough, he didn’t tell anything to anyone. During the recording, Dada told Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia that for this song he didn’t want any assistants or arrangers. They wondered why, but didn’t dare ask Dada. During our interview with Shiv Kumar-ji this episode came out, and Shiv-ji learnt from us about the reason.
Moti Lalwani,
I have been following with great fascination this discussion about SDB and his singers. One simple inference that can be drawn about the wide divergence between Rafi/KK in the there phases is that in the first phase SDB went with KK for his personal fondness, as Rafi was really not that hot, as we are coming to realize from the yearwise comprehensive review on this blog. By the middle phase, Rafi had zoomed as the male voice with his range and diversity. In the third phase, Aradhana happened (how it happened is not important). KK dominance in the third phase is an outcome of this watershed movie.
AK,
Thanks for this simple reasoning. You could be right, as I have no other reason to believe as yet.
Thanks.
Moti Lalwaniji.(post 33)
I can throw some light upon controversy related to “Roop Tera Mastana’ song.My contention is based upon a telivision interview & discussion with a host of a telivison musical talent hunt show by Amit Kumar,where he was one of the judges. He claims to have first hand information of what hapened behind the scene.
SD composed the tune,no doubt about that, but it was on different rythm platform, which was not synchronising with scene SSvisualized.SD being very senior & respected person,Sakti Samanta was very hesitant to ask for some kind of alteration in the tune or rythm. SS went to Kishor Kumar’s place & also called RD to join him.They had a meetting over there.This is where Amit Kumar steps in.He was present there throughout the discussion.In this meetting RD suggested another rythm pattern(present form) which Sakti Samanta found perfect.”Who will bell the cat” syndrome was still there.After lot of discussions, Kishor Kumar was entrusted with the job of facing & suggesting SD for altering the rythm format.Strangely without any fuss,SDreadily & gladly accepted the changed pattern & recorded the song accordingly,which actually surprised KK very much.So according to Amit Kumar tune definitely belongs to SD,RD onlyhad some hand in recreating the song in a new rythm platform. As entire process have happened behind the closed door,Kersi Lord was not probably aware of the happenings,but both Manohari Singh & Bhupinder Singh being members of RD’s inner ring should have known about it.I
Moti Lalwaniji,
I would like to add a word or two with my previous post. I believe Bhupinder Singh & Manohari Singh both probably wanted to avoid the controversy & did not go into the details while you were discussing the matter with them. I would request you,if opportunity arrives,to interview Amit Kumar for lifting the curtain over the matter.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Abhijit ji,
Are you suggesting that all three senior music greats of the industry in 1969 when Aradhana was released, and respected world over, were wrong.
Manohari Singh (38 years old in 1969), Kersi Lord (34 years old in 1969) and Bhupindra Singh (30 years old in 1969) were all involved in Aradhana’s music.
Are you suggesting that they should not be believed. And a kid of 15 years when film was released and about 14 years old when Aradhana was being made should be believed. He was not even involved in Aradhana but, at the most, could be only visiting his father.
After having interviewed our greats, I think interviewing anyone else much-much junior on the same subject will be an insult to the intelligence of those who were interviewed.
Kersi Lord has said in his video recorded interview that RDB wasn’t even present during the recording of ‘Roop tera mastaana’, and subsequently Manohari Singh has said in his signed interview that, “Credit goes to Burman. Haan, Kersi correct bolta hai. ‘Aradhana’ ka music sab S. D. Burman Saab ka hi hai. Poora music Burman Saab ka hai. Haan, RD is mein involve nahin hai. Nahin, RD is mein involve nahin hai.”
Please go through the post No 33 properly, and in case you need any clarification, feel free to ask. Listen to what Shakti Samanta says in his ‘Aaj Ke Fankar’ program. Clear all your doubts.
And then there are two living fans who met Shakti Samanta in 2006. You can write to them.
Amit Kumar jiis a performer on the stage. He has to say something chat-pata so that public says wah-wah and get their ‘paisa wasool’ (money’s worth back). Will he stand in front of these greats and say the same thing?
To me the most melodious Kishore numbers of SDB came around Aradhana time or later. See my post ‘The best of S D Burman, the charming Dada’ at http://rsbaab.wordpress.com. You can also enjoy 25 of my favorite ‘Best of SD Burman’ songs on a player.
Moti Lalwaniji,(Post 59)
I think you have got me wrong. I am not contesting what you have said in your post #33.I am just reproducing what Amit Kumar said in that telivision rogramme.The tune is definitely credited to SD.He only said that there was some problem regarding metering of the song,which RD sorted out & everything was done clandestinely. SD had his career spanned for more than 30 years in Hindi films.That stands for RD too.Both of them have composed a great deal of music during this period.Strangely this is the only song,which is at the centre of controversy probably from the day 1.There must be something in it.Even after 45 years we are discussing the matter.That is why I requested you to interview Amit Kumar,if possible.Amit Kumar was a teenager then,not a child.I think his version cannot be discarded altogether.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Moti Lalwaniji,
I would like to add something to my post #63 . In fact I have heard Amit Kumar speaking in this regard twice. First time he made some passing remark in a TV interview around6 or 7 years ago,details of which I do not remember. Second time,the environment was quite serious.In later part of 2009,he was judging a show called Zee Bangla SA RE GA MA PA, a talent hunt show which has millions of global viewers & is attended by luminaries of both Calcutta & Bombay music circles,either as judge or chief guest. On that day,if my memory serves right,noted Bengali actress/director Aparna Sen was sharing the dais with him.His co judge was music director Shantanu Moitra. Amit Kumar narrated the”Roop Tera Mastana”incident in details ,against a question thrown to him by the anchor of the show, singer Babul Supriyo. It is hard to believe that Amit Kumar,who is from a such an illustrious family & has his own standing in the music world,concocting & telling such a story which is equivalent to white lie & that too in a show which is attended by millions. I believe there must be something in his story,which only can be revealed by properly interviewing him. In fact I have come to know from a journalist friend of mine about existence of an interview of Sakti Samanta in print media before his death,which also narrates the incident in more or less in same line. I am trying to collect that very old issue & will let you know after going through it.
thanks & regards,
Abhijit.
Abhijit @ 61 and 62
(About Amit Kumar)
I am happy that in spite of having heard Amit Kumar, you have kept an open mind on the issue.
As regards interviewing Amit Kumar and asking him something on which he has made up his mind, I find it as futile. I rather believe Manohari Singh whose interview is voice recorded, later typed by me and signed by him when I went there again. The complete interview has appeared in the book on SDB published from Bangladesh titled ‘Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman’.
When Manohari ji worked in Aradhana, he was 38 years old and not a teenager. He had worked with SDB from 1958 till 1970 after which the entire team including RDB was dispensed with by SDB (read my post # 54). He had worked with RDB right from his first movie ‘Chote Nawab’ in 1961 till last movie ‘1942 A Love Story’ released in 1994 after RDB’s death.
I am reproducing an extract relevant to ‘Roop tera mastana’ song (Q for question and MS for Manohari Singh):
Q. Dada, ‘Aradhana’ (1969) picture I will come to. In Aradhana, Kersi was there, and you were also there?
MS: Yes.
Q. I talked to Kersi Lord that day, and he said that it was purely S. D. Burman’s music, and during the recording of song ‘Roop Tera Mastana’, RDB wasn’t even present.
MS: Yes. That’s correct, what Kersi said.
(MS continues) Aapko main batata hoon, that gaana bante bante finally uska jab finishing banta hai na, finishing mein aata hai na, uska kuch shape alag ban jaata hai. Bol aata hai, bol ka wajan ho jaata hai, bolon ko wajan mein daalne se, idhar udhar karte karte, gaana shuruaat hota hai ek type ka tune mein; aur usko sajaate-sajaate, usko banaate-banaate, finally uska shape change ho jaata hai.
Woh ‘Roop Tera Mastana’, woh Dada ka hi gaana tha, woh gaane ko usne hi banaaya tha; Dada ne. Phir Kishoreda ne kuch idea diya, wajan diya, Kishoreda ne, ki aisa kuchh karenge gaane ke bol ko, ‘Roop tera mastana’ gaane ke bol ko thoda thoda wajan dekar phir baad mein Dada bola to “Arre Kishore, achcha us ko tune bana diya. Arre bahut achcha kiya tune Kishore, achcha usko bana diya”.
Kishoreda bhi great composer, great actor, no doubt about that. Unhonein kuch bol ko karke, kuch upar neeche karke, wajan idhar udhar daalke, gaane ko ek meter mein laya. Sur was not there, then after that ahiste-ahiste usko sur improve hua, usko sur mein laya.
Q. Par yeh normal hai, naturally assistants have to give suggestions to improve it. SDB approve karenge, (ya) nahin karenge, unke upar hai. That’s what I feel.
MS: Correct, wohi baat hai. Assistants always suggestion denge, achcha suggestion hoga to woh le lega, line daal bhi dete hain aisa kuch gaane mein, do-char sur ke liye gaane ka roop hi alag ho jaata hai. Aisa hota hai na, so why not accept it, aisa bhi hota hai.
Credit goes to Burman. Haan, Kersi correct bolta hai. ‘Aradhana’ ka music sab S. D. Burman Saab ka hi hai. Poora music Burman Saab ka hai. Haan, RD is mein involve nahin hai. Nahin, RD is mein involve nahin hai.
Q. That you are saying, because you were personally involved. ‘Aradhana’ mein aap Assistant Music Director the?
MS: Main Assistant Music Director tha ‘Aradhana’ mein. Mera poora arrangement tha us mein. Mere saath Basu Chakraborty bhi tha, mera partner. Main aur Basu music director bane the hum log, ‘Basu-Manohari’. Hum logon ne music diya, ‘Sabse Bada Rupaiya’ aur kafi pictures. Basu bhi tha. Hum logon ne milke kiya.
Doosri baat yeh bhi hai, thoda sa gaana sajana ke time mein, Burman saab ne humlog ke upar chod diya, ‘Usko yeh hai, uska yeh roop batao, uska yeh roop dikhana. Thoda modern hai, aisa hai, yeh hai, woh hai, thoda sexy banana. Burman Saab thoda aise bolte rahte the.
To hum logon ne socha, chalo theek hai. Uska rhythm pattern fix kiya. Usmein kaun: main, Basu, Maruti, Pancham. Pancham bhi assistant hi tha full. Sab hum log wahaan baith-ke rhythm ka pattern set karke aur uske baad tune ke upar aisa, filler hota hai, aisa banaya. Hum log sab milke usko sajaya. Is sajawat mein contribution sab ka hai, mera hai, RD ka hai, Basu ka hai, Maruti ka hai. Maruti rhythm section ka poora dekh bhaal karta tha.
So it was team work. Hamara team bhi accha tha, bahut hi accha tha. S. D. Burman ka, R. D. Burman ka, dono ka team. It goes as a team work. Aur assistant arranger sabka, jo jitna ho sake, gaana ko khubsurat banana. That was their responsibility. Hum log karte the.
To usmein poora arrangement mera tha complete. Gaane ka upar arrangement karne ke liye poora responsibility mera tha. Likhna, score banana, uska arrangement karna, gaane ko aage peeche karna, that was my contribution. Yeh hi har assistant ka kaam hota tha jyada karke. Assistant log ka kaafi kaam hota hai, kaafi contribution hota hai. S. D. Burman ke liye kiya, RD ke liye bhi kiya.”
* * * * *
(About Shakti Samnata):
Have you heard his voice on the link which I gave above in # 33. Please listen to it here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sni9aligbffso7c/SHAKTI%20SAMANTA%20-%20Aaj%20ke%20Fankar.mp3
Please hear him talk about how Kishore was selected after Rafi went on a tour)
I will be happy to answer any more questions on this.
Regards.
Moti Lalwaniji(post#63)
Thanks for your invaluable interview with Manohari Singh. One thing I would like to clarify that I am not one of those millions of RD fans,who believe that any good music composed after ’61(even before that) is actually the brain work of RD. It is only my curiosity which led me to write this post. SD compositions during Aradhana period(68 to 70) were very classy as well as highly popular. Why particularly this song is at the bull,s eye of controversy? It has always intrigued me. What Amit Kumar said is not very different from the Manohari Singh’s version. He never said anything about the presence of RD in the recording room. Actually during this period,so far I know, RD had some kind of blow hot blow cold type of relatio0nship with his father. Amit Kumar never said that RD had ever composed the song (What I have heard that this song is actually loosely based upon some tribal song of Tripura).What he said that RD had just suggested some new metering pattern which was conveyed through Kishor Kumar as KK had some special kind of bonding with SD. What I gathered from Amit Kumar’s conversation with Babul Supriyo that SD would never have accepted the new format if his son’s name was dragged into it. I actually believe that RD’s contribution was very limited but new metering pattern gave totally ” new look” to the song.That is why rumors spread that RD actually did the job.
Time pressure is preventing me to write something more which I want to. Next time.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Abhijit @ 64
I admire your persistence and perseverance in trying to understand /unearth what could/would have happened. I appreciate it.
I would earnestly try to reply some of your points here within quotes, followed by my observation based on my research/knowledge:
1. You wrote, “I am not one of those millions of RD fans,who believe that any good music composed after ’61(even before that) is actually the brain work of RD.”
My reply: Knowledgeable fans do not believe like that, but give credit to both father and son for their respective contributions. I am a member of such an RDB group (where I post articles about SDB), and know of another one.
And if you were to talk to RDB’s contemporary music directors, Anandji, Pyarelal and others, SDB scores over RDB. Take for example, Pyarelal telling us that he would rate RDB as ‘gold’ and SDB as ‘diamond’. And, Anandji praising my selection for research of ‘The Best Composer’ of our times.
2. “SD compositions during Aradhana period(68 to 70) were very classy as well as highly popular.”
I found SDB’s many more compositions classy in the 50s (Baazi, Bahar, Jaal, Taxi Driver, Munimji, Paying Guest, Nau Do Gyarah, Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, etc.), than in the 60s (Jewel Thief and Aradhana).
3. “Actually during this period,so far I know, RD had some kind of blow hot blow cold type of relationship with his father.”
I would not say blow hot blow cold. SDB loved his son to no end, but differences were there not only during this period, but right from the early 60s. There are many instances where father SDB did not agree with son’s loud orchestration. One such instance was conveyed to me by Gulzar, where SDB reprimanded his son and Manohari for loud music in ‘Panchi Pyare’ song (Bandini 1963), telling both in presence of Bimal Roy that they should compose the interlude music as per the situation, and not completely different than the situation.
The other is YouTube video Majrooh talks about SDB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5whdz2PJJc
At 1.00 minutes Majrooh speaks about his Burman sahib asking him to tell Pancham to change his style, and again at 3.59 where SDB fired both RDB and Manohari Singh for loud music and spoiling the song.
I have several other similar instances. One of them is an interview with Amrut Rao, to whom father expressed his fears that the way Pancham composes, he might face failure one day.
4. “RD had just suggested some new metering pattern which was conveyed through Kishor Kumar as KK had some special kind of bonding with SD.”
I have Manohari Singh’s voice and later signed interview which you have read. He has given credit to KK and not RDB for changing the song. Since Manohari Singh was involved in this song and all Aradhana songs as well, I would give credence to Manohari ji’s version and not Amit Kumar’s, as Amit was not at a party to it, except that he could be visiting his father.
Manohari’s exact words to me were
“Aapko Main batata hoon, that gaana, bante bante finally uska jab finishing banta hai na, finishing mein aata hai na, uska kuch shape alag ban jaata hai, bol aata hai, bol ka wajan ho jaata hai, bolon ko wajan mein daalne se, idhar udhar karte karte, gaana shuruaat hota hai ek type ka tune mein; aur usko sajaate sajaate, usko banaate banaate, finally uska shape change ho jaata hai.
Woh ‘Roop Tera Mastana’, woh Dada ka hi gaana tha, woh gaane ko usne hi banaaya tha; Dada ne. Phir Kishoreda ne kuch idea diya, wajan diya, Kishoreda ne, ki aisa kuchh karenge gaane ke bol ko, ‘Roop tera mastana’ gaane ke bol ko thoda thoda wajan dekar phir baad mein Dada bola to “Arre Kishore accha us ko tune bana diya. Arre bahut achcha kiya tune Kishore, achcha usko bana diya.
Kishoreda bhi great composer, great actor, no doubt about that. Unhon ne kuch bol ko karke, kuch upar neeche karke, wajan idhar udhar daalke, gaane ko ek meter mein laya. Sur was not there, then after that ahste ahste usko sur improve hua, usko sur mein laya.”
* * * *
Manohari worked with RDB from his first movie to the last one ‘1942 A Love Story’. He praised RDB and appeared god fearing man. If Manohari did not speak about RDB’s contribution for ‘Roop tera’, I would take it as final if I wanted only truth, otherwise I would go on speculating like many people do.
That is why I am not very keen to trust any who were not on the scene, and one visit to the sets does not make them an authority. Manohari Singh was the senior most present there, and I consider him an authority. These were my questions and his answers to it:
Q. Par yeh normal hai, naturally assistants have to give suggestions to improve it. SDB aprove karenge nahin karenge, unke upar hai. That’s what I feel.
MS: Correct. Wohi baat hai, assistants always suggestion denge, accha suggestion hoga to woh lelega, line daal bhi dete hain aisa, kuch gaane mein, do char sur ke liye gaane ka roop hi alag ho jaata hai. Aisa hota haina na, so why not accept it, aisa bhi hota hai.
Credit goes to Burman. Haan, Kersi correct bolta hai.
‘Aradhana’ ka music sab S. D. Burman Saab ka hi hai. Poora music Burman Saab ka hai. Haan, RD is mein involve nahin hai. Nahin, RD is mein involve nahin hai.
Q. That you are saying, because you were personally involved. ‘Aradhana’ mein aap Asst Music Director the.
MS: Main Assistant Music Director tha ‘Aradhana’ mein. Mera poora arrangement tha us mein. Mera saath Basu Chakraborty bhi tha, mera partner. Main aur Basu music director bane the hum log, ‘Basu Manohari’. Hum logon ne music diya, ‘Sabse Bada Rupaiya’ aur kafi picture. Basu bhi tha. Humlogon ne milke kiya. Doosri baat yeh bhi hai, thora sa gaana sajana ke time mein, Burman saab ne humlog ke upar chod diya, ‘Usko Yeh hai, uska yeh roop batao, uska yeh roop dikhana. Thoda modern hai, aisa hai, yeh hai, who hai, thoda sexy banana. Burman Saab thora aise bolte rahte they.
To hum logon ne socha chalo, theek hai, uska rhythm pattern fix kiya. Usmein kaun: main, Basu, Maruti, Pancham. Pancham bhi assistant hi tha full. Sab hum log wahan baithke rhythm ka pattern set karke aur uske baad tune ke upar aisa ………………………
filler hota hai, aisa banaya, hum log sab milke usko sajaya. In sajawat mein contribution sab ka hai, mera hai, RD ka hai, Basu ka hai, Maruti ka hai. Maruti rhythm section ka poora dekh bhaal karta tha.
So it was team work. Hamara team bhi accha tha, bahut hi accha tha. SDBurman ka, RDBurman ka, dono ka team, it goes as a team work, aur assistant arranger sabhka, jo jitna ho sake, gaana ko khubsurat banana. That was their responsibility. Hum log karte the.
To usme poora arrangement mera tha. Completely, gaane ka upar arrangement karne ke liye poora responsibility mera tha. Likhna, score banana, usko arrangement karna gaane ko aage peeche karna, that was my contribution. Yeh hi har assistant ka kaam hota tha jyada karke. Assistant log ka kaafi kaam hota hai, kaafi contribution hota hai. SD Burman ke liye kiya, RD ke liye bhi kiya.
* * * * *
If you have any fresh evidence, please feel free to write.
Regards.
Moti Lalwaniji(post#65)
Hope you are not getting me wrong. My intentions are not to discredit SD from his achievements. My only motive is to find out the truth.I have mentioned 68-70 period because Aradhana was released in ’69. Other than Jewel Thief & Aradhana,music of Prem Pujari,Naya Zamana,Ishq Par Zor Nahin, Sharmilee were composed during this period. All were very popular as well as achieved some class. I agree that those albums cannot be ranked with Sujata.Bandini or Guide but they definitely are classy. In my opinion if SD’s 68-70 music is compared with the works of other music directors during this period, specially with SJ,LP & KA. , differences can very well be measured.
Anyway, I told you earlier about existence of some very old interview with Sakti Samanta in print media which also narrates something about this song . I am trying to locate it. Will let you know as soon as I find it .
Hope you will keep me writing & enrich my knowledge.
Thanks & regards,
Abhijit.
Abhijit,
I don’t think you have written anything new. If you were in Bombay, I would have made you listen to my interviews with, Manohari Singh, Kersi Lord, Homi Mullan, Amrut Rao, UK Dubey, Shakti Samanta, etc.
And in turn what have you got to show me? Nothing except your doubt/intuition/??? I don’t blame you because lies have been fed to new generation of fans for so long.
When I started my research I had anopen mind. We all should have an open mind. Otherwise we learn nothing.
With my best wishes.
Moti Lalwaniji,
Thanks for inviting me to listen to the interviews of such great people.
You are right to say that Bombay is not my hometown, but I frequently visit Bombay & sometimes I stay there for a pretty long period. If situation permits, I would love to get in touch with you during my stay over there. I repeat that listening to those taped voices of those legends would be great experience for me.
Finally I apologize for late responses. In fact time pressure always holds me back from doing right thing at right time.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Abhijit @68
Any time. But please do inform me in advance.
Regards.
Moti Lalwani
Moti lalwaniji,
Thanks. It would be great privilege. I will definitely let you know my tour plans.
Regards,
Abhijit.
Moti Lalwaniji, post#69,
Coming back to you after a long gap. In fact I am scheduled to arrive at Mumbai on 5th. of next month & intend to stay there for entire stretch of July. If possible, I will definitely try to meet you .
Thanks & Regards,
Abhijit.
SD Burman was Kishore Kumar’s mentor, and help KK develop his own singing style, rather than copy K.L Saigal. Of course there has always been that unanswered question regarding the lack of ‘m o d u l a t i o n’ that Kishore Kumar did not have. We hear interviews where even Kishore Kumar admits that his brother Ashok Kumar (who apparently was classically trained) did not consider his younger brother a singer as he lacked MODULATION. Nobody ever explains how Kishore Kumar did actually develop any range — did he ever? No he didn’t, his voice was morphed post recording. The only saving grace with SD Burman’s compositions is that this post recording morphing was limited to just a speed change. Sachin Dev Burman’s son Rahul Dev Burman took this whole idea a step further when he drastically changed Kishore Kumar’s voice (post recording) by first putting it through an equalizer and then changing the speed to create the singing superstar. Great superhit music was created, too bad it was not a true sound.
Mankeerat,
Welcome to SoY. This is the most fantastic thing I have ever heard. I would wait for some experts to comment.
AKji
very interesting post and prolific and knowledgeable comments by everyone. Thanks very much!
My personal favourite solo of Kishore for SDB would be Phoolon ke rang se from Prem Pujari. Very different structure of song with longmukhda. Kishore does excellently.
Side point on Neeraj. I actually recall superb Urdu lyrics when I think about him: subah na aayi shaam na aayi; woh hum na the woh tum na the; and of course, karvan guzar gaya ghubar dekhte rahe.
Tadatmya,
Thanks a lot. Nice point about Neeraj. My greatest favourite is Aaj ki raat badi shokh badi natkhat hai, aaj to tere bina neend nahi aayegi.
Mankeerat @ 72, and AK at 73,
In my interview, ‘Roop tera mastana’ from Aradhana (1969) – Kersi Lord’s Interview’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIPgAsPGTbA&t=3s
one Sanjay Sing had asked a question about “… a machine that they used to make recordings sound better. What was this machine called?”
I asked Kersi Lord who rubbished use of any machine. In my several years of interaction with him, I found Kersi to be very forthright and straight forward. Being a solo musician, he used to come only for recording and leave after it.
I will be sad if it is true.
Mr Lalwani,
I have heard this interview. He is very categorical Aaradhana’s music was entirely SD Burman’s, but some stories do not die, true or false is immaterial. Kersi was the last of the old era musicians and arrangers. He talks very fondly about those days, and acknowledges its death was certain.