My ten favourite Meena Kumari songs
Meena Kumari, a face, which launched thousand tragic films. A thousand might be a bit of exaggeration, but she alone on her star-power helped tragic films to great success. In the 50s and even in the frolicking, colourful 60s, people would flock the cinema halls (to different degrees) to see her suffer. She was also an adept comedienne, in which she also excelled and was quite successful as seen in Magroor [1950], Miss Mary [1957], Azaad [1955] and Kohinoor [1960].
Meena Kumari at a certain time in my childhood played a big role in shaping the image of women in my psyche. Exposed to a slew of films, where she played a neglected wife, a suffering daughter-in-law, a sacrificing daughter, a caring sister-in-law, a protective sister or ‘simply’ a tormented woman between two men, she moulded an image of women being forever doomed to suffer at the hands of men in life. It is true that even other leading ladies like Mala Sinha (Anpadh) or Nutan (Khandan, Chhota Bhai) played such roles but it was as if they were impersonating Meena Kumari in these films. Meena Kumari remained always the original and the one to which others had to match to.
The presence of strong, independent and liberal women in my family and surroundings though would rectify the image in my mind; Meena Kumari would nevertheless always remain special.
On 31st March it was her 41st death anniversary. To commemorate it here are ten of my favourite songs filmed on her. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 31st March, 41st death anniversary, aaj ham apni duaon ka asar dekhenge, aaj to meri hansi, ajeeb dastan hai yeh, Akeli Mat Jaiyo [1963], Asha Bhosle, Ashok Kumar, Bahu Begum [1967, Baiju Bawra [1952], C Ramchandra, chalo dildaar chalo, chalte chalte, Chitralekha [1964], Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai [1960], Dil Ek Mandir [1963], duniya kare sawaal to ham kya jawab de, Durga Khote, Edwina Violette, Geeta Dutt, Ghulam Mohammad, Gomti Ke Kinare [1972], ham tere pyar me saara aalam, Hasrat Jaipuri, Hemant Kumar, inhi logon ne, Kaajal [1965], Kamal Amrohi, kitni jawan hai raa tkoi yaad aa gaya - Azaad [1955], Lata Mangeshkar, Madan Mohan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, mausam hai aashiqana, Meena Kumari, mohe bhool gaye sanwariya, My ten favourite Meena Kumari songs, Nadira, Naushad, Pakeezah [1972], piya aiso jiya me samay gayo re, Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Krishna, Rajendra Kumar, Ravi, Roshan, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam [1962], Sahir, Sahir Ludhianvi, sansar se bhaage phirte ho, Sawan Kumar Tak, Shailendra, Shakeel Badayuni, Shanker-Jaikishan, thade rahiyon, tora man darpan kehlaye, woh jo milte the kabhi
My ten favourite Asha-Lata duets
Happy Women’s Day! Today on the occasion of Women’s day, I would like to focus on two ladies, who have influenced Indian cinema in a way, which hardly anybody has done till now. The two ladies in question are Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.
(by Gautam Rajadhyaksha, from: http://forbesindia.com/slideshow-big/recliner/gautam-rajadhyaksha-the-pharaoh-of-faces/28732/1)
Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle dominated the female playback singing in the Hindi film industry from the 50s to the 80s. Their art and artistry still influences the singing of the female singers in India. Each of them has allegedly sung more than 4000 songs, but it is said that they recorded only 75 songs (duets, trios, and quartets) together in Hindi films. Their first duet was recorded for the film Daman [1951] under the baton of K. Dutta and the song was ye ruki ruki hawaiyen.
(from: http://withfriendship.com/user/neeraj/Asha_Bhosle.php)
While Lata has that virginal, untouched, sweet voice, there is this dark, seductive tone of Asha’s. For me Lata’s voice is like a thandi hawa, which refreshes and cools, while Asha’s voice is one which though it might be outwardly calm brings a whirlwind bringing all my feelings and emotions in a chaos. What really strikes me about Asha’s voice is her phenomenal width. She seems to go from one octave to the other like a lift and bridge it with a effortlessness, which takes my breath away. Both of them have a phenomenal technique, which has assured them a long career.
Making a 10 favourite list for Lata or Asha is a futile task. I won’t even attempt it, thus I have taken an easier way out and listed my ten favourite Asha-Lata duets. In the duets their rivalry or let us say healthy competition can be seen in how the lines of the song are divided among them. It is also interesting to note that if the duet was between the leading lady and her friend, then Lata always gave playback to the heroine and Asha got to sing for the sakhi.
I will stop analysing and present my ten favs. Hope you like and enjoy them.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Aaye Din Bahar Ke [1966], Ae Kaash Kisi Diwane Ko, Aji Chale Aao, Anand Bakshi, Aruna Irani, Asha Bhosle, Asha Parekh, Bahu Begum [1967, Basant Bahar [1956], Bela Bose, Bharosa [1963], Chanchal, Daman [1951], Dhadhkaa O Dil Dhadhkaa, Halaku [1956], Happy Women’s Day! Lata Mangeshkar, Hasrat Jaipuri, Helen, Hemant Kumar, Jab Jab Tumhe bhulaya, Jabse Laagi Tose Najariya, Jahan Ara [1964], Jamuna, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai [1960], K. Dutta, Kar Gaya Re Kar Gaya Mujh Pe Jadoo, Kum Kum, Kya Hua Yeh Mujhe Kya Hua, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, Man Kyo Beheka Ri Beheka, Meena Kumari, Minoo Mumtaz, Miss Mary [1957], My ten favourite Asha-Lata duets, Nazima, Nimmi, Pad Gaye Jhoole, Padmini, Rajinder Krishan, Ravi, Roshan, Sahir, Sai, Sakhi Ri Sun Bole, Shailendra, Shankar-Jaikishan, Shikar [1968], Subbulaxmi, Utsav [1984], Vasant Dev, ye ruki ruki si hawaiyen, Zeb Rehman