My ten favourite Dharmendra songs

Dharmendra had his birthday on 8th December, but unfortunately it was shadowed by Dev Anand’s demise. Happy belated Birthday, Dharmendra!

So much has been written about Dharmendra’s good looks. What shall I add to it? When I think of his fine appearance, the song that comes to my mind is:
chaand aahen bharega (the moon will sigh)
phool dil tham lenge (the flowers will clasp their hearts)
husn ki baat chali to (when the talk is of good looks)
sab tera naam lenge (your name will be mentioned)
What I find enchanting about him is his dazzling smile. When he smiles it has an assurance of ‘everything will be fine’ and one just melts away. He was not only good looks; he also made some splendid movies, till he went into the kutte-kaminey mode.

Choosing songs from his films was not easy, since many good songs by Mohd. Rafi have picturised on him. So to make things easier for me I had to put in some rules
a) One song pro film
b) Only solo songs
c) Songs to which he lip syncs, i.e. no background songs,that is why pal pal dil ke paas from Blackmail [1973] is conspicuous by its absence.
After the correction by Samir, I’ll put another clause:
d) Songs, where he is not “in Rakhee’s imagination, or just floating around”, that is why pal pal dil ke paas from Blackmail [1973] is conspicuous by its absence. 😉

Ten favourite Dharmendra songs is not a very original post. Sunehriyaadein and Greta have also done a similar post some time ago. Here is my take on it. So, here we go…
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Tags: Aaj Mausam Bada Beimaan Hai, Aap Ke Haseen Rukh Pe, aga ye jawal ye laju nako, Anand Bakshi, Anjaan, Anupama [1966], Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi [1966], Bhupendra, Blackmail [1973], Do Chor [1972], Dulhan Ek Raat Ki [1967], Duniya O Duniya Tera Jawab Nahin, Ek Haseen Shaam Ko, Ek Hi Khwab Kai Baar Dekha, Gulzar, Happy Birthday Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Hemant Kumar, jaane woh kaise log they, Kahani Kismat Ki [1973], Kaifi Azmi, Kalyanji-Anandji, Khamoshi [1969], Kinara [1977], Kishore Kumar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Loafer [1973], Madan Mohan, Main Jat Yamla Pagla Deewana, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Mala Sinha, Meri Jaan, meri jaan meri jaan kehna maano, Mohammad Rafi, Mumtaz, My ten favourite Dharmendra songs, Naya Zamana [1971], Nutan, O. P. Nayyar, pal pal dil ke paas, Pratiggya [1975], Pyaasa, R. D. Burman, Rafta Rafta Dekho Aankh Meri Ladi Hai, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Rajinder Krishan, S. D. Burman, Tanuja, Tum Pukar Lo, Waheeda Rehman, Ya Dil Ki Suno
My ten favourite Dev jodis

I got the news at fellow blogger Madhu’s site about Dev Anand’s sad demise. I just couldn’t believe it. The tag of ever-green hero suited him so well, that one thought that he was immortal. Just two days back, I wrote at Greta’s blog that Dev’s films from the 50s and 60s hardly let one down.
Dev was a good actor dominating the film industry for three decades. He had his own school of natural acting which endeared him to the masses as well as the critics. He remained for most part true to his genre of a slick urban hero, but he was versatile as far as the different fields of film production was concerned. He was producer, director, actor and once even a singer!

Dev, I think, must have had the most number of female co-stars in the history of the Hindi film industry. He acted with many new faces but also with established actresses. And he looked good with everyone of them. Here is to Dev and his female co-stars
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Tags: aajaa pancchi akela hai, abhi na jaavo chhod kar, accha ji me hari chalo man jawo na, Asha Bhosle, de bhi chuke ham dil nazrana dil ka, dev anand, dil ka bhanwar kare pukar, geeta bali, Geeta Dutt, Hema Malini, Hum Dono [1962], Jaal [1952], Kala Bazar [1960], Kala Pani [1958], Kalpana Karthik, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, layi khushi ki duniya hasti hui jawaani, Madhubala, Mala Sinha, Manna Dey, Maya [1961], Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, Nau Do Gyarah [1957], neend churake raaton me tumne baaton baaton me, Nutan, R. D. Burman, ruk jaana ruk jaana humse do baatein karte chali jana, S. D. Burman, Sadhana, Salil Choudhury, sanj dhali dil ki lagi thak chali pukar ke, Shareef Badmash [1973], Suraiya, tasveer teri dil me jis din se utari hai, Tere Ghar Ke Samne [1963], Vidya [1948], Waheeda Rehman, Warrant [1975], Zeenat Aman
My ten favourite Mala Sinha songs

Mala Sinha is an actress, who shaped Hindi film history in the late 50s and 60s with her portrayal of diverse roles, which ranged from a princess to a fisher-woman, from a spy to a blind flower-girl. In my childhood, I saw her a lot in the Chitrahaar and Chhaaya Geet programmes and also in the Sunday evening film. We children, used to make fun of her quite often, but were also in awe of her all the same. Even now, although she makes me laugh unwittingly at times, I do have a soft corner for her and a big one at that!

Choosing songs from her films was not easy. That is why put in some rules
a) One song pro film
b) Only solo songs
c) Songs to which she lip syncs, i.e. no background songs
Madhu, here is to your Mala Sinha, tujhko rakhe ram, tujhko allah rakhe
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Tags: Aa Jao Mere Pyaare, aajaa sanam madhur chandani me hum, Aasra (1966), Anand Bakshi, Ankhen (1968), Anpadh (1962), Asha Bhosle, Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Bahurani (1963), C Ramchandra, Chitragupta, Chori-Chori, Gairaon Pe Karam, Hai Isi Mein Pyar Ki Aabroo, Hamlet (1954), Hasrat Jaipuri, Jaa Re Ud Jaa Re Pancchi – Maya (1961), Kahe Jhoom Jhoom Raat Yeh Suhani, Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Love Marriage (1959), Madan Mohan, Mai Jagu Saare Raat Sajan Tum, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Mala Sinha, Mala Sinha songs, Meri Aankhon Se Koi, my 10 favourite Mala Sinha songs, Neend Kabhi Rehti Thi Aankhon Mein, O. P. Nayyar, Ophelia, Patang (1960), Pooja Ke Phool (1964), Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Rajendra Krishan, Ramesh Naidu, Rang Dil Ki Dhadkan Bhi, Ravi, S. H. Bihari, Sahir Ludhianvi, Salil Choudhary, Shailendra, Shankar-Jaikishan, Woh Hanske Mile Ham Se
My Ten Favourite Telephone Songs From Hindi Films
The research for the fruit expose has been needing me to call lots of people on phone. This lead me to the idea of making a telephone song list. Okay, I didn’t come up with it in the last few days, but have been collecting them over the last few months. And the fact that, that I love Jalte hai jiske liye just drove me to make this list. Not all of the songs are sung completely on the telephone. Some just start with it and end up with the characters cavorting around the trees, but telephone songs they are.

So, give me a ring!
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Tags: Aadesh Srivastav, Alka Yagnik, Amitabh Bachchan, Anand Bakshi, Anhonee (1952), Anil Biswas, Anjaan, Asha Bhosle, atulsongaday, Baazi 1968, Baghban (2003), Bombay Ka Chor (1962), C Ramchandra, Chand Zard Zard Hai Mere Dil Mein, Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi (1970), Ganesh, Gope, Hello Hello Ji, Hema Malini, Jaali Note (1960), Jalte Hain Jiske Liye, Jidher Dekhoon Teri Tasveer, Juari (1968), Kahan Gaya Mera Sanam, Kaho Kya Hai Ji, Kalyanji-Anandji, Kishore Kumar, Krishna Bose, Mahaan (1983), Main Yahaan Tu Wahaan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Mala Sinha, Mere Dil Ki Dhadkan Kyaa Bole, Mohd. Rafi, Mr. Naidu, Mubarak Begum, Mumtaz, Nanda, Nargis, Neend Ud Jaye Teri Chain Se Sone Wale, Nigar Sultana, Nutan. Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon, O. P. Nayyar, Patanga (1949), Pyar Ki Yeh Batein Humko Na Samjao, R. D. Burman, Rajinder Krishan, Ravi, S. D. Burman, Sameer, Samshad Begum & Chitalkar, Shailendra Raj Kapoor, Shakeel Badayuni, Shashi Kapoor, Sujata (1959), Suman Kalyanpur, Sunil Dutt, Talat Mahmood, Talat Mahmood & Lata Mangeshkar, Talat Mohammad, Tanuja, Telephone songs, Waheeda Rehman
Hidden umbrella passions in ten Hindi film songs
Umbrellophily, a phenomenon not spoken sung about in the Hindi film industry. The author of these lines like many other fans of Hindi film songs was not aware of this shocking fact either. During his search for a list of his 10 favourite umbrella songs (since rain-song lists have been beaten to death), he stumbled over this taboo topic in the Hindi cinema. While he was searching, he could unearth only three songs, which mention an umbrella and two-thirds of them were not even melodious. Why this step-motherly treatment towards this ‘protector against rain’?
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Tags: aakhir tuut jaatha hai, Aap ke nazaron ne samjha, Aasha, Aayega, aayega aanewaalaa, Ab mera kaun sahara, Amitabh Bachchan, Anand Bakshi, Anpadh, Asha Bhosle, Asha Parekh, Ashok Kumar, bari, Barsaat, Bhichde sabhi bari, Dharmendra, Dhoop Chhaon, Do lafzon ki hai dil ki kahani, gondola, gondoliere, Gulzar, guru dutt, hai lagaa, Hasrat Jaipuri, Hema Malini, Hindi film songs, hum par jurm kare, Jaya Bhaduri, Joshila, K. C. Dey, K. L. Saigal, Kaagaz ke Phool, Kaantaa lagaa, Kaifi Azmi, Madhubala, Mahal, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Mala Sinha, My Sister. Do naina matware tihare, Nargis, Parichay, Pt. Sudarshan, pyaar ke kabil mujhe, Pyaasa, R. C. Boral, R. D. Burman, Rain songs, Raj Kapoor, Rameshwari, Reena Roy, Rehman, Samadhi, Shakti Samanta, Shankar-Jaikishan, Sheesha ho ya dil ho, Sonaa mile to log aaj kal dil ko kabhi na le, Teri ghathri me laaga chor musaafir jaag zara, The Great Gambler, umbrella, Umbrella passions, Umbrellophily, Vishal Bharadwaj, Zeenat Aman
My ten favourite moon songs

Tomorrow is full moon and we all know what it does … ahem…, to the lovers. No wonder that the moon features in so many songs. It also has different roles in it. The moon is at times the messenger, at times it is an intruder, sometimes it is a catalyst or also be addressed as the beloved him or herself. It can be different things, but one thing is for sure, it doesn’t leave the lovers cold and nor it does me.
The moon songs genre belongs to one of my favourites. There are so many songs with chaand in it, that it is really very difficult to choose ten. So I had to use the following criteria:
1. The songs have to blatantly call out to the moon.
2. Not included are comparisons with moon (so, no chaudhvin ka chaand ho),
3. nor indirect allusions to the moon (no o jaanewale chaand…),
4. nor mere confirmation of its presence (no chaand akela jaye sakhi ri),
5. nor be a lullaby (no chandaa o chandaa kisne churayi).
So here are my favourite 10 ‘chaand’ songs (in chronological order) from Hindi cinema.
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Tags: A R Rahman, Aarti Mukherji, Ameerabai Karnataki, Angulimaal, Anil Biswas, Asha Bhosle, Ashok Kumar, Awaara, Aye chaand zaraa chup jaa, Bharat Bhushan, Bharat Vyas, Bhartruhari, Chanda jaa chanda jaa re jaa, Chanda re chanda kabhi to zameen par aa, Chandaa desh piya ke jaa, Chandaa re jaa re jaa re, Dam bhar jo udhar munh phere, dev anand, Dheere dheere chal chaand gagan me, Dheere dheere dhal re chanda, Dil Ek Mandir, Dilip Dholakia, Hariharan, Hasrat Jaipuri, Jaa jaa re chanda jaa re, Javed Akhtar, Jayshree Gadkar, Kamini Kaushal, Khemchand Prakash, Laatsaab, Lata Mangeshkar, Love Marriage, Madan Mohan, Mala Sinha, Manmauji, Meena Kumari, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, Nargis, Nimmi, Nutan, Prem Dhawan, Private Secretary, Pt. Indra Chandra, Raaj Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Rajinder Krishan, Ruk ja raat theher jaa re chandaa, Sadhana, Sadhna Sargam, Sapnay, Shailendra, Shammi Kapoor, Shankar-Jaikishan, Ziddi

The Story
The plot of Pyaasa though unique, lends heavily from two sources. One which is quite evident is Saratchandra Chatterji’s Devdas and the other is the story of Jesus Christ. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Calcutta, Devdas, guru dutt, Jesus Christ, Johny Walker, Kumkum, Leela Mishra, Mala Sinha, maya, Mehmood, Pyaasa, Rehman, S. D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, spirituality, V. K. Murthy, Waheeda Rehman

When I first saw Pyaasa, I must have been eleven or twelve years old. Well, in fact, I didn’t get to watch it because 1. I had a exam the next day, 2. I had a splitting headache. The end result was I couldn’t watch the film, except for a few glimpses from behind the curtain, I didn’t learn, my headache didn’t get cured. Huge failure on all fronts! When I was 19 or so it was aired again on DD at midnight or something. This time I could watch it and I was floored! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Calcutta, guru dutt, Johnny Walker, Kumkum, Leela Mishra, Mala Sinha, poet, prostitution, Pyaasa, Pyaasa film review, Radheshyam, Rehman, Shyam, Tun tun, Waheeda Rehman