Random Expressions

Today is World Music Day - and I cannot let this day pass without saying a prayer and thanks to the musical legend who has been one solid constant in my life; one who epitomises music; one who has inspired generations - LATA MANGESHKARji, aap ko shat shat pranaam. You are the beginning and end of music!

On this day I also remember and bow before other legends who have colored my life with their golden voices: Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar and Manna Dey. My thanks to Asha Bhonsle for her songs, and also praise to some contemporary voices like Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, Shreya and Sonu Nigam.

A day dedicated to music cannot be completed without a mention of three of my most favorite composers - Madan Mohan and Shankar-Jaikishan.

However, there are many others whose contributions have had significant impact on me viz. Naushad, Anil Biswas, Husnlal Bhagatram, SD Burman, C. Ramachandra, Chitragupt, Sardar Mallik, Kalyanji-Anandji, RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Bappi Lahiri. My sincere thanks to many contemporary music composers as well , listing them out will not be possible here.

Words add beauty to music. Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, Rajendra Kishan, Raja Mehndi Ali Khan, Shakeel Badayuni, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi, Javed Akhtar and Gulzar and to many others I have missed out to mention - thanks for your invaluable words which have touched my heart and soul.

Listing out every artiste of each music field is impossible. But everyone’s contribution is always important, and somewhere it does make an impact.

Lastly, my reverance to Goddess Saraswati, who gave this priceless gift to mankind called music!

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While HRD Ministry draws rightful flak for its regressive reservation policy, there is a positive tune also emanating from its corridors. The Ministry has proposed changes to the archaic Copyright Act 1957. Under the proposed changes, it will be difficult for the remix brigade to pick up any song and maul and distort it at their fancy - the journey from beautiful to beat-iful will get tougher!

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Rajesh Roshan has come up with quite an unlikely present day song. And I was correct. The roots of this melody can be traced in the background score of Kaho Na Pyar Hai. In the scene where Hrithik and Amisha are stranded on a deserted island, there is a shot where Hrithik is running towards the make-shift flag (made of Amisha’s skirt) - the dholak-based tune in that shot is same as the lines, ‘Aao sunaoon pyaar ki ek kahani’.

Often music directors develop their own background scores into full-fledged songs. Shankar-Jaikishan were particularly known to do this often. Shiv Hari converted Chandni’s love theme into the sumptuous Kabhi Mai Kahun for Lamhe.

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Where do I begin? Where do I end? She is part of my continuum; a companion of my life; a portion of my soul. She is like the gushing blood in my veins; the air that breathes through my lungs; the beats that thunder in my heart. She sat with me in that school bus on a frosty Greek winter morning, even though I did not recognize her. She walked with me on this potted pavement on a hot Delhi summer afternoon. There, on that rusty bench at the park corner, where I sulked, she soothed my frayed nerves. Here, I was lonely and feeling bored, she came and entertained me. That day, when I joked with friends, she naughtily teased me. This hour, when I saw my first crush, she whispered hauntingly.

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Picking up a leaf from Ashish s blog (or should I say, picking up an ingredient from Ashish s masala?), I am starting this series of posts on my own favorite composers Shankar Jaikishan. Since I am already covering the Lata Mangeshkar songs on the other blog, the series here will concentrate on the male songs (or at the most, the duets). The first part of the series Lata/SJ-Black and White Era Songs is already up on my other blog (click here).

For those who have been regular in following the Expressions here, they might have often wondered at the lack of mention of any male voices. It is not that I do not listen to male songs at all; it is just that beyond Lata Mangeshkar I hardly get any time to concentrate on them.


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Here I pick up another beautiful number (sung by Lata Mangeshkar) that could not survive the tides of time, but nevertheless, is a delight to listen to.

First the lyrics:


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I must have been around 12 or so when the writing bug got permanently installed within the grey matters of my brain ( more on that some other time). And ever since the day I started to write, my ambition has been to write on Lata Mangeshkar. But whenever I have started to do so, words have terribly failed me ( how do you describe this great voice- its like saying describe the heat of the sun, can anyone do that?) , and I have been compelled to stop, and pick up some other topic.

I did write a few “Letters to the Editor” in Filmfare defending Lata Mangeshkar (if there was any adverse comment on her, and criticising a female called Anuradha Paudwal who thought she could oust Lataji) but never a full fledged article or essay on her. But today, having started this Blog, and having forced open a new avenue of writing, I return to my favorite, and respected, topic. I am still not convinced if I can write even half as comprehensively as what my mind wants me to write, but I will definitely give it a try.

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