The fifth consecutive day of songs in this series.
I have been giving you Raaga Based Songs of the Day (eg, ‘Raaga Based Song Of The Day #82‘) for the last nearly three months now. Many of you, who know your music well, have many a times pointed out that a particular song, though ostensibly close to one raaga has traces of other raagas or has deviated substantially from the chosen raaga. I have readily admitted that, pointing out that it is not the job of the film songs composers to stick to the purity of any raaga. Their job is to produce tunes that would be popular and would tug at the emotions of the listeners.
With that in mind, I started a new series three days ago to give you songs that tug at your emotions even when they are not based on any raagas.
These are the songs that stay in the creases of your mind long after you last heard them, somewhat like the strains of the song of The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth.
I also feel that these are the songs that make you wonder whether the lyrics influenced you more or the composition or is it the composition that made you look at the beauty of the lyrics?
The first of these was put together by lyricist Shailendra and composer Salil Chowdhury and singer Talat Mahmood for the 1957 Dulal Guha movie Ek Gaon Ki Kahani starring Talat Mahmood, Mala Sinha and Abhi Bhattacharya: Raat ne kyaa kyaa khwaab dikhaaye (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #1‘).
Our last one, that is the fourth one, was put together by lyricist Kaifi Azmi, composer Madan Mohan and singer Mohammad Rafi for the 1964 Chetan Anand movie Haqeeqat: Main ye soch kar us ke dar se utha tha (‘Songs That Tug At Your Emotions – Song #4‘).
Today’s singer, Mukesh Chand Mathur or simply Mukesh, has a cult following. His fans swear by him as much as those, in my young days in the Indian Navy, who were hooked on to Charminar cigarettes and won’t accept even Rothmans and Dunhills freely available on board. In his initial years in the movies, he tried to imitate KL Saigal. Indeed, his first song in the movies: Dil jalta hai to jalne de was so similar to the style of singing of Saigal that the latter remarked, “That’s strange, I don’t recall singing that song”.
Mukesh sang for many heroes , which included Dilip Kumar in Shimla based Mehboob Khan movie Andaz (Beautiful numbers such as Tu kahe agar jeevan bhar main geet sunata jaayun, and Jhuum jhuum kar naacho aaj) and Madhumati (Suhana safar aur ye mausam haseen). He was, however, known as the Singing Voice of Raj Kapoor and hence frequently associated with Raj Kapoor team of Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri.
As far as Dharmendra is concerned, the hero on whom this song is picturised, many like to think of him as Garam Dharam, Dharam paaji and even Jatt Yamla Pagla Deewana. However, he is a serious actor in his own right. I do recall that his very first song in his debut movie in 1960 Dil Abhi Tera Ham Bhi Tere was a serious Mukesh number: Mujhako is raat like tanhayi mein awaaz na do. In his next movie, the 1961 Shola Aur Shabnam, he delighted us with another very serious songs put together by Kaifi Azmi, Khayyam and Mohammad Rafi: Jaane kya dhoondati rehati hain ye aankhen mujh mein, and Jeet hi lenge baazi ham tum.
This last song is an indicator of what to expect in this song; that is memory of childhood love. What was there between Dharmendra and Tarla Mehta in Shola Aur Shabnam was also there between him and Sharmila Tagore in 1966 Mohan Sehgal movie Devar and that’s why this song, because she was to be married to someone else.
The pairing of Dharmendra with Sharmila Tagore was first done by Hrishikesh Mukherjee in the 1966 movie Anupama, just before their Devar the same year (indeed, Mohan Sehgal retained the entire team of Anupama including Shashikala and Deven Verma). Hrishikesh called this the best pairing ever made in Hindi movies and they (Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore) went on to make eight movies together.
The composer of the song is Roshan of Barsaat Ki Raat and Taj Mahal fame.
Once again, as with all songs in the present series that I have given you, the song fills you with nostalgia about your own childhood and its strains persist with you long after you finish listening to it.
The lyricist is Anand Bakshi, the winner of four Filmfare Awards.
Please enjoy: Guzra zamaana bachpan ka…..
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
गुज़रा ज़माना बचपन का
हाय रे अकेले छोड़ के जाना
और ना आना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
वो खेल वो साथी वो झूले
वो दौड़ के कहना आ छू ले
हम आज तलक भी ना भूले – २
वो ख्वाब सुहाना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
इसकी सबको पहचान नहीं
ये दो दिन का मेहमान नहीं
मुश्किल है बहुत, आसान नहीं – २
ये प्यार भुलाना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
मिल कर रोये फ़रियाद करें
उन बीते दिनों की याद करें
ऐ काश कहीं मिल जाये कोई – २
वो मीत पुराना बचपन का
आया है मुझे फिर याद वो ज़ालिम
When asked about the most intense nostalgia of their lives, nine out of ten people are bound to tell you that it is nostalgia about their childhood. This is extremely curious since during that period we want to quickly grow and become big and capable. However, we continue to fondly remember it as the best and the happiest period of our life. This song gnaws at my innards when it reminds me of this period. I am suddenly transported to when I was small and carefree and hopeful and happy.
I hope you enjoyed it too.
Please await tomorrow’s song.
