CHAYN SE HUMKO KABHI

Song 71:

As in this segment we are exploring some of Asha's sombre songs that delve into emotions other than pure fun. She was best known for her effervescent songs and the music director who gave her that identity was definitely O P Nayyar. They had a scintillating partnership, creating bestselling music that made you want to sing and dance and smile and tease. But there were other moods that Asha essayed well in her songs. We started with the one from Bandini expressing longing, the one from Lekin expressing jealousy, yesterday's song was about incomplete love. Today it is an even deeper one about parting ways after having loved deeply. But it's a 'been there done that' song. Sometimes you acknowledge it was great while it lasted, the amour gave her what no one else could but still the relationship brought more anxiety than peace.

It is well known that Asha was involved with O P Nayyar and this is the last song she sang for him. You can almost feel the remorse and pain of parting in every word of the song. I think its one of Asha's best songs, gentle, mature and introspective. Yet this song was never picturised as the Producer of the movie 'Pran Jaye Par Wachan Na Jaye'(1974) for which it was composed, did not like it! So its one of those songs that remained undefined and intangible.

It is believed they split on August 5, 1972. It is not clear what made them part their ways. On being asked the reason for their parting, O P Nayyar once said, "I know astrology very well. I knew that one day I had to part with her. Something also happened, that upset me, so I left her." Nevertheless, he also said "...now that I am seventy-six, I can say that the most important person in my life was Asha Bhosle. She was the best person I ever met."

The parting of Asha Bhosle and O.P. Nayyar was bitter, and probably therefore she has hesitated to give Nayyar his due. While talking about O.P. Nayyar in an interview with TOI, she once remarked - "Whichever composer gave me work, it was because my voice was suited to his music at that point. No one musician did me any favor by asking me to sing for him." She gives the credit for her first big break to B R Chopra, the producer of Naya Daur.


 

KITNA RANGEEN HAI YE CHAND

Song 70:

And then some love stories remain intangible. You're almost there and yet an elusive air pervades. What is lacking? Two great people, perfect setting, similar thoughts, simmering chemistry. A full moon may be shining on an ink blue night, you would be deserted on a yacht in the middle of nowhere, cool breeze blowing. Yet something prevents the two to get together. It is almost as if there is an invisible chasm between the two. They flit in and out of each other's lives, ruffle a few feathers, flutter a few eyelashes, utter a few words of love and passion but the relationship never develops to consummation. What is left is just a few memories, a whiff of the special scent of that woman, a faint shadow of that glint in his eyes. Perhaps these relationships are meant to fade away into the horizon, almost like a fable or a myth.

Perhaps they were too perfect together. Perhaps they were not meant to experience the ennui of routines, of those in between periods of nothingness and boredom. Destiny had spared such romances the ordinariness of a snoring partner, the puffiness of the morning after, the puking after the two champagnes down drive, the PMSs and the unshaved legs, the outburst of sudden acne and the mood swings. This could be the only reason that some loves come into our lives and remain a bit incomplete. They retain a freshness and anticipation. They fill in the blanks.There's no 'been there done that' dead end here.

Just the way some projects, movies, programmes made with the best of efforts and intentions fail to see the light of day due to unexplained reasons. They just do not take off in spite of all the hard work and planning and spade work that goes into them.This beautiful Asha Bhosle-Rafi duet is from one such movie that never got released. I think Sadhana looks her best ever (though I say that in every song of hers!) and Guru Dutt too looks devastating. An almost ethereal setting. Beautiful music by N Datta. What a pity it never got seen in a movie hall. But such is life. At the end of the day you can just resign to your fate and accept that we can't control everything. Better to have made that effort and failed than to have never tried. Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

JHOOTHE NAINA BOLE SANCHI BATIYAN

Song 69:

Today is noted lyricist and writer Gulzar's Birthday. Right from his first song 'Mora Gora Ang Layile' from Bandini, Gulzar in every movie has set new benchmarks of excellence. His songs straddle the tough tight rope of cultural depth and popularity with consummate ease. He has always renewed typically Indian folk and rural idiom and given it an alchemist's transformation, that entertains and enthrals. To choose Gulzar's top 10 songs would be a tough task. From the languorous peace of 'Mausam' to the jagged recklessness of 'Maachis', from the simmering passions of 'Dil Se' to the pop raunchiness of 'Omkara', from the timelessness of 'Aandhi' to the earthiness of 'Lekin' and 'Rudali', from the permissiveness of 'Ijaazat' to the kitschy madness of 'Bunty Aur Babli', Gulzar has given Hindi cine-goers vivid wings of imagination. The balance and the bravado, the piquant flavours and the pathos, the innuendo and the intimacy, weave tales textured in myth, mystery and mysticism.

My pick for the day is this Asha Bhosle number from Lekin, with a classical setting. Hema in all her folk regalia and effortless dancing (no one could do better justice to these costume dramas than her-she is 42 in this song by the way and so resplendent, handling Kathak in spite of being a Bharatanatyam dancer), a decadent era, exquisite music by Hridayanath Mangeshkar, a mysterious tale that leaves many unanswered questions but awakens the supernatural, sub conscious in you. The gentle complaining, the jealous accusations, a manifestation of the deepest love itself. The prodding and the provoking that establishes some truths you're dying to know. Yet done so artistically, with no rancour or TV serial dramatics. Love the line 'Ab lipti lipti banao na batiyan'! May the magic of such movies live forever. Long live Gulzar Saab!

AB KE BARAS BHEJO BHAIYYA KO

Song 68

If you thought all Asha and Geeta excelled at were vivacious, efferevescent songs, you've got another one coming. For both Asha and Geeta belted out some heart-rending numbers. In some ways these songs are even sweeter and more haunting than their 'happy' songs.

This song is a sad version of a typical saawan song, sung brilliantly by Asha Bhosle. Great music (as in minimal music) by S D Burman and lyrics by Shailendra reminiscent of the pure dialect of Bihar UP belt of India. Monsoon was the time when a lot of festivals associated with familial bonding appear on the Indian calendar. It was time for married girls to start sending messages and feelers to her 'maika' to send her brother who would chaperone her to her parents' place for a few days. Rakhi and Teej were eagerly awaited by women as they got to dress up and visit their parental homes and meet their long lost childhood friends.

The drudgery of their hardworking routine in the marital homes made them seek the luxury and pampering of parental homes. The significance of the love between a brother and a sister is immense. They are like friends for life and give you an honest perspective from the opposite sex, something that can always come in handy in your relationships.

In olden times sisters would travel miles to be able to go and personally tie Rakhi on her brother's wrist. If not possible they would be posted with loving letters well in advance as the postal services would often goof up during this season. We also used to post 'Rakhis' to our cousins living in other cities. I remember we were often told not to write the address with an ink pen as it would invariably get washed in the rainy season. So we would use a ball point pen. Not getting Rakhi on the right date made the day incomplete and sisters would worry about the wellbeing of their brother. This song though depicted in a jail has a befitting mood, the mood of yearning, the mood of getting away from it all and being with your loved ones.

Well Rakhi is around the corner but the mood is marred by the News of 5 brave Indian soldiers having been killed ruthlessly. My heart goes out to the sisters and families of those jawans who would be witnessing their valiant sons being brought in in such a state. Also the terrible News of innocent kids in Lyari being killed for playing Football? In the holy month of Ramzan and just before Eid? Unbelievable! Hope people everywhere realise that at the end of the day relationships are the same on every side of the border. The day we start respecting and valuing human life more than any piece of land or deviant ideology, perhaps this world would be a better place.

BACHPAN KE DIN BHI KYA DIN THE

Song 68:

Today is Happy Friendship Day! While I don't believe in such randomly anointed days for relationships or issues or causes, it is still worth while to at least sit calmly and recollect what that day means to you. What has friendship meant to you over the years. We find friends in the strangest of circumstances. The truest friendships, I feel were formed when we were kids. Straight forward and direct, without any agenda or worldly motives, we connected with friends naturally. The attachment totally depended on our affinity to that person. There were no boundaries of rich and poor, caste or creed, political correctness, or 'what will I get out of this?' syndrome. Giving was natural and sharing was unpretentious, pleasures were simple and lasting. Through school, college and neighbourhoods these buddies were our 'run to' pals at any odd hour.  Be it to go sneak some mangoes or shehtoots (Mulberries) from the trees in the garden of that ill tempered old man around the block, or to cover up for 'homework not done' with a totally fictitious story for a friend as to how you actually saw your friend's Alsatian gobble up his entire homework!

My earliest friend was my bro, two years younger to me. We'd fight and box each other in the nose (both of us have slightly crooked noses coz of that!) But over the years we had such a beautiful bond that we can share almost any problem, any issue with each other and basically just sharing solves half of the problem. I had to change almost 10 schools thanks to my Dad's transferrable job. So every new station, one had to make new friends quickly. There was no facebook or twitter or mobile phones. Each one of those 'best friends' has left a little vignette of a special friendship in my heart. Over the last few years one has connected with many college friends through Facebook, but some from my school years are still untraced. But the memories will always remain, each more precious than the other.

Remembering the ones I didn't find. Kanu from Presentation Convent Jammu for that huge tree under which we'd lie and gaze at the beautiful red school building, Chunmun from St Joseph's Sagar, MP for those green tamarind beans we used to pluck and eat together and hold our hand going down that dark chapel staircase, Swati Sharma from St Joseph's Ferozepore for the best tomato cheese sandwiches in your tiffin that I later learnt how to make from you, And for reading our first book together in the school library that we totally fell in love with-'The Magic Faraway Tree' by Enid Blyton, Shailja Kamra from Seventh Day Adventists Convent in Ganganagar for those trips to your Dad's Campa Cola factory and the souvenirs we'd get and Shalini Sharma for just being so cool (Can't forget the first day you walked into class in a strappy, red polka dotted dress and hat, making me fall in love with polka dots forever!),  Ritipal Pannu from KV, Ahmedabad for those evening walks and our wishing well where we'd drop coins and wish for Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand songs in Chitrahaar and experiencing our first deep loves at 16 together and sharing all about it 10 times a day over the phone, Anureet Soin for your brazen, boldness and how I heard you, a girl say a swear word with so much zest for the first time, and the fact that you were a Sardarni who smoked unabashedly coz you never believed in pretences and your rendezvous that I had to fix from movies planned in that open air theatre in A'bad Cantt (But sigh you went away too soon, maybe you were too bold for this world!), Priti Aggarwal for introducing me to Mukesh and your Mom's Pineapple pastries, Lakshmi Priya for those yum  idlis I ate from your tiffin and you'd have my parathas gladly! Hope you are the same lovely people and have a great life wherever you are! :)

And what better song to capture the essence of those friendships than this Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt duet!

MASHALLAH MAHJABEEN

Songs 61-67


Today is the birthday of the iconic Indian actress Meena Kumari aka Mahjabeen Bano who ruled the 40s and 50s with her brand of poignant, sensitive and heart wrenching portrayals of the quintessential Bharatiya Nari. Always restrained and measured and sensitive and staid, Meena Kumari exemplified the silent tragedy queen who preferred keeping the tumult of her emotions well hidden from the world. Instead of anything shrill or shaky, she stood rock steady, taking it all in with nerves of steel and a mysterious Monalisa like smile. So needless to say most of her songs were sung by Lata. But there were songs in her earlier movies that were sung by Asha and Geeta. Meena Kumari definitely looks fresher in those songs, almost hopeful, almost optimistic and not as if carrying the burden of unspeakable agonies on her shoulders. Let's go though a journey of some of Meena's most memorable songs and capture her many moods, right from debutante to décolletage flashing, from mysterious to mystic, from flirtatious to enigmatic.

Here's the first pretty bold one for those times. Lo and behold it is a bathing song! Gosh, Meena and bathing song? Arre Meena Ji aap to aisi na thii? Well see it for yourself! She was all of 21 and a stunning beauty. Well what's the point of being 21 and not totally enjoying your looong shower!
KAISA JADU DALA RE
 

Now that the beauty was bathed and sussed, the next step was to adorn herself with solah singaar! In ancient Indian belief a beautiful belle had to partake of 16 essential beauty treatments to get ready for her amour to ensnare him. This adorable Geeta Dutt number from 'Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam' showcases Meena doing just that.


 PIYA AISO JIYA MEIN

But it was often Lata's voice that suited Meena Kumari to the T. Together they delved into emotions so undecipherable and complex that the result was staggering. There is unrequited love and there is unrequited love. I am sure everyone has had one such experience but still everytime such an experience happens, you are ill equipped to deal with it. Some take it head on and bang some crockery, some drown their sorrows in booze, some write caustic letters to let their betrayer burn in guilt. But not Meena Kumari. She simply lets that sinking feeling bottle up at the base of her throat, holds that tear right at the brim of her gorgeous eyelids and wishes her beau all the best in his new found happiness. Walking out of a love gone awry gracefully? Well learn it from Meena how to take a bow. And how! One of my all time favourite songs ever that I looove singing.

 AJEEB DASTAAN HAI YEH

Soon movies moved on to coloured climes, but do you think Meena Kumari's world became brighter? She was always this achingly beautiful figure. Madly in love, deep in her passions but never actualised. She searched and seeked that perfect love, that perfect life. People came and went. She lit up with hope but some twist of fate made sure her permanent companion was melancholy. Noone played the nautch girl or Tawaif with a heart of gold better than Meena. Pakeezah was her swan song and each one of the songs from this movie is a masterpiece. Starting with this one song that portrays so beautifully the circumstances and compulsions that force women into selling their bodies. I know today the politically correct thing to say is 'So what? It's her choice.' But as a woman one can well imagine that no one  would do it out of great sense of pride. It is a shame that is slowly internalised and desensitised. To sell your body every day must be like slow death every day. Kudos to the maker of this one song that with a riot of colours shows the magical allure as well as the pitfalls of the flesh trade. It in one breath shows the dazzle of this world and condemns the society that fails to give women better options to earn a living.


INHI LOGON NE
 

But while she was at it, she learnt all the tricks of the trade. She used men to get her way, she manipulated their weaknesses to survive in the jungle called life. Meena perfects the art of slow seduction in this song, Indian style. She leads on, she teases, she mocks, she cajoles, she flirts and literally has them curled around her little finger. The song is different from Meena Kumari's usual moods. Here she is someone who knows her power over men and flaunts it. The song is also steeped in Shringar Ras- the elixir of beauty and love according to ancient Indian texts. The power of mystery and subtle play rules.
THARE RAHIYO O BAANKE YAAR




Talk of these nautch girl movies, so they were rather long and sad and pretty hopeless. Just think 'Pretty Woman' with lot more heavy make up, dressy costumes, classical dancing, meaner pimps, lot more crying and then she doesn't even get Richard Gere in the end! People came and people went and walked all over her heart. All she could do was to recall the faint footsteps of her loved one and philosophise that she just met a stranger for no reason but she was still where she always was. Now this song is a study in rhythm and beats. The Kathak dance by the two side dancers is exemplary. Meena Kumari per se was not a trained dancer. Also she did not really have the agile body of a dancer but man does she emote with just a deft play of hands, a look and slight gesture. Her powerful face spoke volumes and there were many takers. The train sound in this song was a special leitmotif of this movie. All in all it is a stunning creation of Kamal Amrohi, well executed by Meena.
 

CHALTE CHALTE




It is believed she had a rather tragic life too. Born into a very impoverished family in Mumbai, she was forced to join films almost a child woman. Love eluded her, till she married the much married Kamal Amrohi who was many many years elder to her. Pakeezah was conceptualised in 1958. They had differences soon and the movie was shelved by mid 60s when they separated. The making of Pakeezah itself took so many years as she took to drinking heavily. She was supposed to have a very tender and loving relationship with a much younger and stunningly handsome Dharmendra but by then she had lost the strength or will to let it culminate into something more meaningful. She wrote lotsa pensive poetry and drowned her last days in booze and shairi in her reclusive boudoir. Finally Nargis and Sunil Dutt on seeing the rushes of Pakeezah convinced the duo to reconcile for the movie and finish the swan song.The last scenes of Pakeezah were shot when she was in a critical condition due to liver cirrhosis. Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari died almost in penury that she was born in.

She once wrote of Kamal Amrohi
"Dil saa jab saathi paya
Bechaini bhi woh saath le aaya"

But this song somehow is how one would like to remember her. Happy and content in her own imaginary little world, longing for her lover but at peace. Loving the idea of being in love, more than anything else. One can only wish such a warm and gentle soul is happy wherever she is today.

 MAUSAM HAI AASHIQANA