My ten favourite Nutan romantic-duets
Comes 4th of June and it is Nutan’s birth anniversary again and also that of bollwood deewana and Richard’S sister. It is turning fast into a tradition to celebrate Nutan’s birthday on this blog. This is her third birthday here. Last year I listed my favourite solo songs of hers. This year it is the turn of duets.
As usual I have taken only one duet per film. What really surprised me was that in her three most famous films, Seema [1955], Sujata [1959] and Bandini [1963], she doesn’t have any duets with her love interest! They are also missing in her Nagina [1951] and Hum Log [1951].
Well, here are my favourite Nutan duets. Enjoy them!
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Tags: . Dekho Rootha Naa Karo, 4th of June, Aasmanwale Teri Duniya Se Jee, Ae Chaand Zaraa Chhup Jaa, Ae Kaash Chalte Milke, Anil Biswas, Asha Bhosle, Basant [1960], Bharat Bhushan, Chhod Do Aanchal, Chori Chori Ek Ishara, chupke se mile pyaase, dev anand, Dil Hi To Hai [1963], Dilli Ka Thug [1958], Geeta Dutt, Ghulam Mohammad, Hasrat Jaipuri, Heer [1956], Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Laatsaab (1967), Laila Majnu [1953], Lata Mangeshkar, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Man Ki Been Matwari Baaje, Manna Dey, Manzil [1960], Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, my ten favourite Nutan romantic-duets, Naushad, Nutan's birth anniversary, Nutan’s birthday, O Saajana Chhuta Hai Jo Daaman Tera, O. P. Nayyar, Paying Guest [1957], Pradeep Kumar, Qamar Jalalabadi, Raj Kapoor, Ravi, Roshan, S. D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shabab [1954], Shailendra, Shakeel Badayuni, Shammi Kapoor, Shankar-Jaikishan, Talat Mehmood, Tere Ghar Ke Saamne [1963], Tumhari Mast Nazar Gar Idhar Nahin Hoti, Yeh Raatein Yeh Mausam
First of all I would like to thank everybody for their good wishes to my/our blog on its birthday.
The quiz got a nice response. Shashi and Samir sent me the answers the very next day. They had some sophisticated techniques to get to the answers. Samir in his feedback to the quiz elaborated on it. Samir, would you be so kind to post it also in the comments section below? It is very enlightening!
Lalitha was very industrious and worked till the last hour and sent me her answer four hours back.
Totally eight persons sent me their answers and it was fun going through them. Lomo and Andi were new for me. They told me that they usually read my posts and the comments by the readers and that they enjoy it a lot and at times more the comments than the post itself (so says Andi).
Here are the scores
Archana = 128,5
Pacifist = 126
Shashi = 124
Samir = 106
Lomo = 100
Lalitha = 93
Andi = 93
Anu = 55
Congratulations Archana for scoring the most points and thanks to all participants! The email communication with you regarding the hints and clues was a source of great pleasure for me!
Well, here are the answers! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 5 Rifles, Aaj Yeh Meri Zindagi, Aar-Paar, Abhi To Haath Me Jaam Hai, Ambika Johar, Amitabh Bachchan, Anand Bakshi, Anjaan, Asha Bhosle, Aziz Nazan, Bappi Lahiri, Chandan Ka Palna [1967], Chhod Mera Haath Mujhe Peene De, dev anand, Dharamendra, Dil Hi To Hai [1963], former Miss India, Geeta Dutt, happy God, Hasrat Jaipuri, Hoon Abhi Main Jawan Ae Dil, Hum Hain Nashe Mein, Jhoom Bharabar Jhoom Sharabi, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Leela Naidu, Madan Mohan, Mahjabeen, maid of jerky movements, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Manna Dey, Meena Kumari, Mohd. Rafi, Mujhe Le Chalo, Mukesh, Namak Halal, Naza Sholapuri, Nutan, O. P. Nayyar, R. D. Burman, Raj Kapoor, Rajinder Krishan, Rakesh Khanna, Ramlal, Ravi, Roshan, Sahir Ludhianvi, Sandhya, Seeta aur Geeta [1972], Sehra [1963], Shahi Kapoor, Shakila, Sharaabi, sharabi sharabi mera naam ho gaya, Subah-O-Sham [1972], the illustrious one, Thodi Si Jo Pee Li Hai, Tumhari Mast Nazar, Waheeda Rehman, Yeh Raaste Hai Pyar Ke
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.
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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
Ten of my favourite flower songs
Blame it on dustedoff! Yeah, she asked me to do this post. And since I always do what I am asked to. Here it is.

Flowers and love go together. Flower codes abound as to what flower to send as secret message. In Hindi film songs, the flowers have been mostly used as similies or metaphors for the heroine. Gulabi hooth (rosy lips) being one of the common comparisons.
In my list I have again used some criteria to boil my list down to ten:
1. Songs with flowers used as adjectives have not been taken (so, no ‘gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi’)
2. One different flower pro song (i.e. if I like two songs, both with rose in it more than the song with jasmine, than I had to choose between the two rose songs)
3. One song pro film (that was very easy)
4. When the name of the flower is the name of a character in the film, it has been rejected (so no ‘ghar jayegi, tar jayegi’
So here are my 10 favourite solo songs featuring ten different flowers.
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Tags: Aaj Raat Ko, Ai Nargis-E-Mastaanaa, Ajit, Amol Palekar, Arzoo, Ashok Kumar, B. S. Kalla, Baant Bahar, Bahut Din Huwe, Basu Chatterji, Bharat Bhushan, Chaman ke Phool Bhi Tujh Ko Gulaab Kehte Hai, Chameli, Champa, Champa Khili Daar, Champakali, Delonix regia, Devta, Dil Ek Mandir, Dooj ka Chand, dustedoff, English Name: Daffodil, Faisla, Farooq Qaiser, Flower Power, flowers, G. S. Kohli, Genda, ghar jayegi, Gulaab, gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi, Gulmohar, Gulmohar Gar Tumhara Naam Hota, Gulzar, Hasrat Jaipuri, Hum Dil Ka Kanwal, Jasmine, Jasminum auriculatum, Jasminum sambac, Juhi, Kamal, Ketaki, Ketaki Gulaab Juhi Champak Ban Phoole, Kewra, Kishore Kumar, Kyu Chameli Khil Khilati Hai Bataa, Lata Mangeshkar, LotusJuhi Ki Kali Meri Laadli, Madhubala, Magnolia, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Manna Dey, Marigold, Meena Kumari, Michelia champaca, Mohammad Rafi, Narcissus, Nargis, Nelumbo nucifera, Pandanus, Phool Gendawaa Naa Maaro, Polianthes tuberosus, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Indra, R. D. Burman, Raaj Kumar, Ragini, Rajanigandha, Rajanigandha Phool Tumhare, Rajendra Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Rosa, Rose, Roshan, Royal Poinciana, Sadhana, Sahir, Saira Banu’s Magnolia champaca, Salil Chaudhary, Sanjeev Kumar, Sarika, Screw Pine, Shailendra, Shankar-Jaikishan, Shikari, Suman Kalyanpur, Tagetes, Tuberose, Vidya Sinha, Vinod Mehra, Vyjayanthimala, Yogesh, Zindagi
My 10 favourite Nutan songs
Yesterday, June 4, was Nutan’s 75th birth anniversary. Nutan was a great actress and she was good-looking too. She had a career of 20 years in leading romantic roles and even in her third decade of her career, she got plump roles, which is quite uncommon in the Hindi film industry. In the 80s eventually she started taking up mother roles for leading heroes. And she did what in the 50s it seems was quite common, she worked even after getting married and childbirth.

Fellow-blogger and a big fan of Nutan, Yves, has put up a monument for Nutan. So if anybody wants to know more about her, just visit this. Bollywood deewana, who also shares his birthday with Nutan (Happy Birthday, Bolly Deewana!) has put up scans of an article with interviews of her relatives.

Nutan’s films were mostly with very good music, which makes choosing 10 songs a bit difficult. That is why the list is of solo songs only. Nutan herself had a beautiful singing voice though she never put it into practice for the films.

So here are my 10 favourite solo songs featuring Nutan (in chronological order).
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Tags: 10 favourite Nutan solo songs, Aakhri Dao, Asha Bhosle, Balraj Sahni, Bandini, Bharat Bhushan, Chand Phir Nikla, dev anand, Dil Hi To Hai, Dulhan Ek Raat Ki, Hasrat Jaipuri, Haye Unki Wo Nigaahen, Jogan Ban Jaungi Saiyan Tore Karan, Jogi Jab Se Tu Aaya Mere Dwaare, Kaali Ghata Chhaye Mora Jiya, kaanton ko hum mahkayenge, Kai Din Se Dil Hai, Kaifi Azmi, Lata Mangeshkar, Madan Mohan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Man Mohana Bade Jhoote, Naushad, Nigahein Milane Ko Jee Chahta, Nutan's 75th birth anniversary, Paying Guest, phool to kya hai, piano songs; Tumse Bichhad Ke Chain Kahan; Maharaja, Raj Kapoor, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Roshan, S. D. Burman, Sahir, Sanjay Khan, Seema, Shabab, Shailendra, Shakeel Badayuni, Shammi, Shankar-Jaikishan, Shekhar, Sujata, Tere Ghar ke Samne, Yeh Tanhai Hay Re Hay