Mangeshkar and SK: Lata remained busy with all the other leading music composers of 1950s. The story of her singing for Raj Kapoor’s ‘Barsaat’ is very interesting. Again I refer to my book ‘Melody Makers’ wherein on Shankar Jaikishen, I have written ‘The other day, I was reading a book on Lata Mangeshkar written by Harish Bhimani in which he revealed the story that music composer Naushad Ali had invited many stalwarts of Indian Film Industry for listening to recording of song by Lata Mangeshkar for the movie ‘Andaaz’, without letting Lata know anything about their presence in the recording room lest she became nervous. Lata was very young then and was struggling to enter in the domain of playback singing. The seventh take was finalized for this song. All the bigwigs appreciated this new entrant including Raj Kapoor who was present there. It was much later that a young fair complexioned music composer namely Shanker visited Lata’s flat informing that she had been picked up by Raj Kapoor to sing all songs for his next movie ‘Barsaat’. When I was a child and saw this movie many times released in Lahore Cinemas, I fell in love with its music. It was a story of a mountain girl Neela (Nimmi) falling in love with a Babu Gopal (Prem Naath) from the city. There were two parallel stories running in this movie; one between Nimmi and Prem Nath and the other between Pran (Raj Kapoor) and Reshman (Nargis), the former ending up in tragedy and the latter, not. Both Gopal and Pran are friends with opposite personalities; the former rich but sensitive and the latter a flirt, while Pran and Reshma’s love is true, Gopal disregards the faithful Neela (Nimmi) and condemns her to wait stanchly for his return at the next Barsaat (rainy season). Many characters in this story plot intrigues through which Pran and Reshma sail through facing parental opposition, accidents and an attempted forced marriage of Reshma to a crude fisherman, a role played by K. N. Singh. The couple is finally reunited. Gopal on the other hand finally becomes a reformed character and rushes to claim the ever faithful Neela who has been longing for him all the time. It is too late a realization for Gopal and when he returns to the mountains, he finds his true love dead. The film ends with Gopal lighting Neela’s funeral pyre as the rains finally fall with Lata’s song ‘Barsaat Mein Hum Sei Miley Tum’ in the background. From this climax song pictured on Nimmi, ‘Ab Mera Kaun Sahara’, to ‘Bicherey Hueye Pardesi’, ‘Jiya Beqarar Hei’ and ‘Mujhey Kisi Sei Pyar Ho Gaya’ (Nargis gets attracted to Raj Kapoor playing Baja (violin)), Mukesh/Lata’s ‘Patli Kamar Hei’ pictured on Prem Naath and Nimmi, ‘Hawa Mein Urta Jaeye’ on an unknown actress and a lovely sad duet to ‘Chore Geye Baalam’ on Nargis and Raj; all the songs of this movie were hit’.

It has been reported in the media that Lata Mangeshkar had stopped working with Shankar Jaikishen duo after the movie ‘Sangam’s episode due to her anger against both Raj Kapoor and Shankar in making her sing `Main Ka Karun Raam Mujhe Budhha Mil Gaya’ which she was not keen to sing, though it is history that this number became a great hit. Nevertheless, she continued singing for SJ even after the movie ‘Sangam’ till the end of the duo’s career. The other three movie released in 1951 were ‘Badal’, ‘Kaali Ghata’ and ‘Nageena’. I still remember Lata’s ‘Un Sei Pyar Ho Gaya’ pictured on lovely Madhubala. Lata’s ‘Tu Nei Haye Mere Zakhm-e-Jiger Ko Choo Liya’ was as haunting as ever. The musical hit ‘Dagh’ comprising Dilip Kumar and Nimmi was another hit the following year in which Dilip’s song sung by Talat Mahmud (happy version) and Lata’s song (sad version) ‘Aei Merey Dil Kahin Aur Chal’ in Raag Bhairvin.

Frome : Daily Times August 12, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part VI

Dr Amjad Parvez 

In an instant, it became a street song. Any tutor of light music still teaches this song to their students as a starter. The movies ‘Parbat’ and ‘Poonam’ were released in 1952 but the movie ‘Aah’ by Nargis and Raj Kapoor was a musical hit with Raj portraying as a tuberculosis patient. It left a mark as far as its music was concerned. Its songs “Raja ki ayegi gi baraat” and “Yeh shaam ki tanhaniyan” by Lata Mangeshkar are still fresh in my memory. How can one then forget the ever lilting melody “Aa ja re ab mera dil pukara” by Mangeshakr and Mukesh? Then movies ‘Aas’, ‘Aurat’ and ‘Naya Ghar’ in 1953 were released. Omaiya Chakarverty’s ‘Patita’ used Usha Kiran, the side heroine of ‘Daagh’ as its heroine. Dev Anand played opposite her and the duet by Hemant Kumar and Mangeshkar “Yaad kiya dil nei kahan ho tum” and Mangeshkar’s solo “Kisi ne apna bana ke hum ko muskurana sikha diya” are lovely songs from this movie. The same year SJ used Mangeshkar and Mahmud for Dilip Kumar, Nalini Jewant movie ‘Shikast’. Mangeshkar’s number “Karey badra ja re ja” (a classical music based tune) is a memorable tune. A soothing effect is produced when one listens to Mangeshkar’s “Mein piya teri tu maney ya na maney” with Nimmi dancing on Bharat Bhushan’s flute in 1956 film ‘Basant Bahar’. The same year, SJ composed for musical hits ‘Chori Chori’ and ‘Halaku’ (Lata-Asha’s “Aji chaley aao” and Mangeshkar’s “Dil ka na karna aitbar koi”). In my opinion the best song from the movie ‘Chori Chori’ with an element of Raag Bhopali was Mangeshkar’s ‘Rasik Balma’ in which the range, the murkis and overall melody transmits an element of longing were fully exposed, Mangeshkar-Manna Dey’s duets “Yeh raat bheegi bheegi” and “Aja sanam madhur chandani mein hum” were fantastic numbers and finally Mangeshkar’s ‘Panchi banoo urti phiroon” left the mark of a person just freed from penitentiary. One of my all times favourite songs from the movie ‘Anari’ released in 1959’ is Mangeshkar’s “Tera jana dil ke armanon ka lut jana” picturised on Nutun.

With reference to my book Melody Makers, I shall talk about the music for “Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai’ first. The film stars were Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari, Nadira, Tun Tun, Helen and Om Prakash. One of the famous songs in the film is “Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh” sung by Mangeshkar. The use of choir in this song is superb, a novelty at that time. Two songs of the movie were gems like “O! Basanti pawen pagal” (solo) and “Aa ab lot chalein” sung by Mangeshkar with Mukesh. Notable songs from the movie ‘Junglee’ like Lata/Rafi solos ‘Ehsan Tera Ho Ga Mujh Par’ was the salient feature of this movie’s music. Talat-Lata’s ‘Tu Roop Ki Rani Mein Choron Ka Raja’ with the same title of the movie was a very soft number but with catchy melody. From among 1962 movies, the most inspiring ones were ‘Dil Aik Mandir’ and ‘Haryali Aur Raasta’, the former memorable for Lata’s ‘Ruk Ja Raat Theher Ja Re Chanda Beete Na Milan Ki Bela’ and ‘Hum Terey Pyar Mein Sara Alam Kho Baithey Hein’. The second movie had Manoj Kumar and Mala Sinha as leading pair. The songs ‘Allah Jaane Kya Hoga Aage’ written by Hasrat Jaipuri, a Lata-Mukesh number and ‘Yei Haryali Aur Yei Raasta’ were the highlight of this movie. 

The other SJ-Lata combination was for the movie ‘Asli Naqli’ (the film was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and its stars were Dev Anand, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis, Anwar Hussain, Sandhya Roy and Keshto Mukherjee). I love its song ‘Tera Mera Pyar Amar’ by Lata and a catchy duet with Rafi ‘Tujhey Jeewen Ki Dor Sei Bandh Liya Hei’. Movie ‘Professor’ is remembered for the duet ‘Awaz Dei Kei Humain Tum Bulao’ by Lata and Rafi. This song sounds as fresh in its melody today as it sounded then. 1960s was a memorable decade for SJ. After ‘Aik Dil Sau Afsaney’ in 1963 (popular song with the same first line as that of title of the film), the next year 1964 was also memorable for SJ. Saira Bano, Rajender Kumar and Dharmender (in a negative role) appeared in movie ‘Aai Milan Ki Bela’ (Lata’s ‘Tumhain Aur Kaya Dun Mein Dil Kei Siwa’). It was a super hit. Movie ‘Raj Kumar’ is remembered for Lata’s ‘Aa Jaa Aai Bahar, Dil Hei Beqarar O! Mere Raj Kumar Tere Bin Raha Na Jaye’ with Sadhna singing it in the middle of a river on a flower bed and Shammi Kapoor watching her by poppimg in and out of the river. 
The other notable movie was ‘Sangam’. I saw the latter movie in Bombay in 1964 on my first visit to that city of film stars. 

Frome : Daily Times August 13, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part VII

Dr Amjad Parvez 

It was a big movie with Vyjantimala, Raj Kapoor and Rajender Kumar; a love triangle wherein Rajinder Kumar sacrifices his love for his friend Raj Kapoor. Its songs were good but the best one was Lata-Mukesh’s “O! Merey Sanam”. The year 1965 was another good start for SJ as one of my most favourite songs “Bedardi balma tujh ko mera mun yaad karta hai” picturised on cute Sadhna was composed for the movie ‘Arzoo’. It had a haunting melody. I especially liked its filming in wilderness. I also must mention Lata Mangeshkar’s memorable songs with SJ for the movie ‘Raat Aur Din’ in 1967. This was one of the last of black and white cinemascope movies and I love all its songs such as “Awara aye mere dil”, “Dil ki girah khol do” and ‘Na Chairo Kal Ke Afsane’ by Lata Mangeshkar and ‘Raat Aur Din Diya Jaley’ both by Lata and Mukesh. There are so many other songs with Lata-Shankar Jaikishen combination with whom we have a musical past; the places we were then, the friends we were with and the memories attached therein but I do not desire to further elongate this submission. Before venturing into Lata’s work with other composers, I must dwell into some more information about her life and music.

Lata’s life and music: Today Lata is 85 years old. She has sung for over five decades for actresses starting from heroines Madhubala, Nargis, Waheeda Rehman, Nutun, Sadhna and alike of past generation to Preity Zinta of present generation. She has sung melodious numbers including ghazals and religious songs in many albums and in many languages. In this submission we are encompassing her talent only for Bollywood made movies. Until the 1991 edition, when her entry disappeared, the Guinness Book of World Records listed her as the most-recorded artist in the world with not less than thirty thousand solos, duets and chorus-backed songs in twenty Indian languages between 1948 and 1987. Today that number must have increased. Her father Dinanath Mangeshkar initially tutored her in music. As reiterated above, Lata was taught by a number of other of accomplished musicians also. She was still a child oblivious to the machinations of the movie world and still unsure as to what her real mission in life was. She did not know then whether she could be a better singer or an actress. Indeed, as the tradition was at the time Initially Lata did act and sing for movies but failed. Lata acted her last movie role in the early 1950s. As elaborated above, in 1942, Master Vinayak started his last Navyug Chitrapat movie ‘Pahili Managalagaur’ and ensured a little part for the thirteen year old Lata. This, from all records, is Lata’s first stint with movies. Dada Chandekar created the music, but to the best of anyone’s knowledge, there was no Lata in any of the songs. Q Leo Rahman states in his mini biography of Lata Mangeshkar that she also studied music with renowned singers, Aman Ali Khan Saheb and Amanat Khan. Even at a young age she displayed a God-given musical gift and could master vocal exercises the first time. Ironically, for someone of her stature, she made her entry into Bollywood at the wrong time which was around the 1940s, when strong voices like Nurjehan and Shamshad Begum were established and popular. She was rejected from many projects because it was believed that her voice was too high-pitched and thin. The circumstances of her entry into the industry were no less inauspicious as her father died in 1942 and the responsibility of earning income to support her family fell upon her. After the success of the movies ‘Dulari’ and ‘Andaz’ both released in 1949, her unusually high-pitched singing became trendy and within a year, she had changed the face of playback singing forever. The only two lower-pitched singers to survive at Lata’s entry were Geeta Dutt (Roy then) and Shamshad Begum as Noor Jehan had opted for newly created Pakistan. Her singing style was initially reminiscent of Noor Jehan but she soon overcame that pattern of singing and evolved her own distinctive style. Her sister, Asha Bhosle, too, came up in the late 1950s and the two of them were the queens of Indian playback singing right through to the 1990s. Her voice had a special versatile quality, which meant that finally music composers could stretch their creative experiments to the fullest. In my humble opinion Lata’s maturity and clarity of voice emerged in her songs or 1970s films. Prior to that era her voice was shrill (sometimes) and girlish (as she was then) but was very tuneful. In 1980s and 1980s her voice her voice developed a tinge of sourness but the tunefulness persisted. She is lucky to get the best of tunes of all the music composers of India all her life time.

Frome : Daily Times August 14, 2014

Lata Mangeshkar — the living legend

Part VIII

Dr Amjad Parvez 

The prologue in the preceding paragraph brings us to see how Naushad Ali was instrumental in developing Lata’s vocals through his musical compositions. It was 1961 that I used to sing the song ‘Do Sitaron Ka Zameen Per Hei Milan Aaj Ki Raat’ sitting in Logia, Government College, Lahore. The song that often followed this one was ‘Koi Pyar Ki Daikhey Jadoogari Gulfam Ko Mil Gai Sabaz Pari’ (Raag Pahari) both very nicely crooned by Lata and Rafi. The music composer was Naushad Ali for the movie ‘Koh-e-Noor’. The beauty of these songs was also the pair Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari on whom these songs were pictured. The 1949 movie ‘Andaaz’ had beautiful melodies such as ‘Uthaei Ja Unke Sitem’ by Lata. In this picture, Raj Kapoor and Nargis are in love. Again Nargis sings ‘Koi Merey Dil Mein Khushi Ban Kei Aaya’ for Raj Kapoor while Dilip mistakenly thinks it is for him. The song ‘Tore Diya Dil Mera’ however is full of pathos as Raj Kapoor suspects her, breaks Nargis’s heart and leaves her. Shamshad Begum and Lata rendered ‘Dar Na Muhabbat Ker Lei’ for Nargis and Cuckoo while Dilip played Piano. Despite that Raj Kapoor was the hero of the movie; it was Dilip Kumar who stole the show for his fine acting and facial expressions. Those were the days of melody and romance with their affiliated tragedies.

Thus Naushad Ali became one of the early composers who gave Lata Mangeshkar an opportunity to sing for his as before these movies his favourite singers were Shamshad Begum and Zohra Bai. The first colour movie of India was ‘Aan’ with Dilip and Nadira in the lead and Nimmi stealing the show. Its music was hit with songs such as ‘Aaj Merey Man Mein Sakhi Bansuri Bajaei Koi’ in Raag Bheem Palasi. The movie that has left deep impressions on my heart is S. U. Sunny’s ‘Babul’ with Dilip Kumar, Munawer Sultana and Nargis in the cast. Though Dilip is in love with Munawer Sultana but Nargis’ beau is Dilip in her dreams. She falls of a tree while watching the bridal procession. This movie had outstanding songs by Lata and Shamshad Begum notably ‘Panchi Ban Mein Piya Piya Ganey Laga’ and ‘Chor Babul Ka Ghar’. Nitin Bose’s ‘Deedaar’ (1951) and Suresh-Nalini Jewant’s ‘Jaadoo’ were released in the same year. The movie ‘Deedar’ had superb cast comprising Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Nimmi in lead roles. It was a story of unfulfilled love, when hero’s childhood love is separated from him due to class difference; hero being poor and heroine, rich. They were separated when children and when the heroine grows up, she had forgotten who her love was. It was one of noted tragedies and upon its release the film became popular and established Dilip Kumar as “King of Tragedy”. As far as Lata’s contribution to its music is concerned, she shared the honours with Shamshad Begum for the song ‘Ho Bachpan Kei Din Bhula Na Daina’ and with two solos ‘Tu Kaun Hei Mera Keh Dei Balam Parun Main Tore Paiyyan, Duniya Nei Teri Duniya Waale Sukh Chain Hamara Cheen Liya’ and ‘Lei Ja Meri Duaein Lei Ja Pardes Jaane Waaley’. One of the best duets by Lata and Muhammad Rafi not only from this movie but from overall standards is ‘Daikh Liya Main Nei Qismet Ka Tamasha Daikh Liya’. Despite that the main load of singing was shared by Muhammad Rafi and Shamshad Begum for this movie, Lata excelled. I remember Lats’s song ‘Lo Pyar Ki Ho Gai Jeet Balam Hum Tere Ho Gaye’ very well from the film ‘Jaadu’. The other songs by Lata were ‘Ulajh Gaya Jiya Mora Nainon Kei Jaal Main’ and ‘Gin Gin Tare Main Haar Gai Raat Ko’, pictured on Nalini Jewant. The best sad song however was ‘Nadan Muhabbat Waalon Kei Armaan Badalte Rehte Hain/Is Rang Badalti Duniya Main Insaan Badalte Rehte Hain’. The best aspect of these songs was simplicity of their melody.

The trend of using classical music in commercial films was first introduced by Naushad Ali in India and by Khwaja Khursheed Anwar in Pakistan. I remember when the movie ‘Baiju Bawra’ was released it created a very positive change in Indian film music. This Vijay Bhatt’s directed movie’s all songs were based on Raags. Lata-Rafi duet ‘Tu Ganga Ki Mauj Mein Jamuna Ka Dhara’ was based in Raag Bhairavin. Lata’s hit song ‘Bachpan Ki Muhabbat Ko Dil Sei Na Juda Karna’ was based in Raag Maand. Finally my favourite song ‘Mohe Bhool Gaye Saanwariya’ by Lata is based on Raag Kalingda Bhairon.

Naushad and Lata’s greatest hit however was K. Asif’s ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ released in 1960. All twelve songs of this movie were written by Shakeel Badayuni. Movie Mughal-e-Azam (1960) is a biggest box office hit movie in Indian cinema directed by K. Asif and beautiful pairing of Dilip Kumar and Madhubala.

Frome : Daily Times August 15, 2014