Saturday 13 April 2013

Those were the days! (Part 1)

 Tuesday, 25 January 2011



The world was experiencing turmoil everywhere-from collapse of Soviet Union to collapse of Berlin wall (1990) to invasion of Kuwait by Iraq leading to war that was seen world wide via cable…


Closer home, the gigantic majority was lost by Rajiv Gandhi… there was introduction of Mandal Commission, assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, process of economic liberalization just about started, Babri masjid was demolished…
Australia & Pakistan won cricket world cups in 1987 & 1992 respectively, while the then West Germany won World cup football in 1990…

(As if) Oblivious to all of this… we attended College from 1987 to 1993 to complete our graduation! Those 5 1/2 years were indeed mesmerizing & memorable days of our life. This is an attempt to re-visit those days from different perspective-through Hindi film music! This is a compilation of 40 songs (40 because we have now crossed that milestone-age-wise) from 1987-1993. The choice of songs is mine & may be prejudiced & suited to my temperament (so no dhan-te-dhan type of songs). But if legendary Lata Mangeshkar’s choice of songs can be questioned… then who am I? So just enjoy the songs… you might be pleasantly surprised to know that melody was preserved in our days too.
(The songs are in alphabetical order.)

1)    Aaj phir tumpe pyaar aaya hai-
Film- Dayavaan, 1988 Singers-Pankaj Udhaas & Anuradha Paudwal.
Lyrics-Aziz Kaisee        Music-Laxmikant Pyarelal.
Picturized on-Vinod Khanna & Madhuri Dixit.
This song has Madhuri & long, visually pleasing interludes! No further explanations required!

2)   Aaja meri jaan-
Film-  Aaja Meri Jaan 1993     Singers-S.P.Balsubramaniam & Anuradha Paudwal.
Lyrics- Sameer                       Music- R D Burman
Picturized on- Krishen Kumar & Tanya Singh  
Why this song? You might wonder.. But listen to the saxophone, the change of scale.. SP’s yodeling.. this song also takes you back to Sagar-(remember Dimple’s introductory swim shots?) & of course, this is RD’s song. I will be biased towards him! So forget the people on whom it is picturized & listen…

3)   Aake teri baahon mein-
Film-  Vansh 1992 Singers-S.P.Balsubramaniam & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics- Sameer       Music- Anand-Milind
Picturized on- Sushant Ray & Ekta
A morning raga- Vibhaas. The rhythm of Anand Milind with female chorus & use of flute is typically seen here. These were the days when Lata would manage to sing high notes well.. Again a good song to listen than see the forgettable pair. Their best claim to fame? He is grandson of legendary V Shantaram & she is wife of Mohnish Behl!

4)   Aanewala kal ek sapna hai-
Film- Phir Teri Kahani Yaad aayee 1993   Singer- Kumar Sanu
Lyrics- Kaifee Azmee    Music- Anu Malik
Picturized on- Rahul Roy & Pooja Bhat
Imagine Kaifee Azmee (who wrote ‘Waqt ne kiya kyaa haseen sitam’) penning a song for Anu Malik!  Good meaningful song..And must say that Anu was also up to the task. A beautiful song, the railway-feel quite interesting throughout the song! Also accordion piece gives nostalgic feeling. Was perhaps the first movie made for viewing on cable.

5)   Aate jaate hastey gaate-
Film- Maine Pyaar Kiya  1989   Singers- S.P.Balsubramaniam & Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics-  Dev Kohli   Music- Ram Laxman
Picturized on- Salman Khan  & Bhagyashree.
Not a bad desi version of Stevie Wonder’s-‘I just called to say I love you’ !
Salman Khan’s first major hit. The movie led to a wave of black colored ‘Friends’ caps everywhere. Times were changing & so were friends-turning in to lovers!

6)   Aina mujhse meri pehli si soorat maange-
Film- Daddy  1991  Singers- Talat Aziz   Lyrics-  Sooraj Sanim  
Music- Rajesh Roshan  
Picturized on- Anupam Kher & Pooja Bhat .
I actually used to think that this song was sung by Anupam Kher himself, until one of my classmates corrected me. They don’t play this song anymore-lost in to oblivion. Leave apart the loud-ish orchestration, the tune & Talat’s voice is good.

7)   Akele hai to kya ghum hai-
Film- Qayamat se Qayamat tak  1988 Singers- Udit Narayan & Alka Yagnik Lyrics- Majrooh Sultanpuri Music- Anand-Milind
Picturized on- Aamir Khan & Juhi Chawla.
Fresh faces, fresh music directors & singers, fresh director made a great combination & even the clichéd story (or the lack of it) looked different. The film was such a rage. I too might have seen at least 4 times in theatres. One of it was at Deccan- searching the protagonists in between the pillars of the theatre. Need I write Aamir Khan’s 1st film as a lead actor? Majroohsaab might have written his first song in 1940s, but here he is almost 50 years later, still in sync with the times!

8)   Aur is dil mein kyaa rakha hai-
Film- Imaandaar 1987 Singers- Suresh Wadkar & Asha Bhosale  
Lyrics-Prakash Mehra  Music- Kalyanji- Anandji
Picturized on- Sanjay Dutt & Farah 
A soulful number going on screen to a wrong person-he is absolutely clueless! Might be one of the last movies of Kalyanji-Anandji with a good track.  

9)   Baazigar o Baazigar-
Film- Baazigar  1993  Singers- Kumar Sanu & Alka yagnik  
Lyrics-Nawab Arzoo   Music- Anu Malik
Picturized on- Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol
 The eternal- sapano-ka-raajkumar-riding-a-horse song! But good guitar pieces. Kajol looks unbelievably bad. Those were the days when Shah Rukh Khan was trying different things. And then, he just became Raj & Rahul in every other film.

10) Bada dukh dina tere lakhan ne-
Film- Ram Lakhan  1989  Singer- Lata Mangeshkar.    
Lyrics- Anand Bakshi      Music- Laxmikant Pyarelal
Picturized (mainly)on- Madhuri Dixit & Anil Kapoor.
Again, Madhuri Dixit… so no explanations required. A kind of mujra but Madhuri takes  it to a different level. The pain of virah expressed by Madhuri v.well. LP’s typical orchestration with multiple sitars & chorus quite evident. 


11)  Chandani raat hai-
Film- Baaghi  1990  Singers- Abhijeet & Kavita Krishnamurthy   
Lyrics-  Sameer       Music- Anand-Milind
Picturized  on- Salman Khan & Naghma
Not many songs of Salman Khan with Abhijeet as playback. One of the many south-made movies of that time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqC530rCaiw

12)   Chhotisi kahani se-
Film- Ijaazat 1988  Singer- Asha Bhosale    
Lyrics-  Gulzar      Music- R D Burman
Picturized  on- Title track
Gulzar’s best movie till date. A mature take on husband-wife relationship! Unfortunately, it was not a commercially successful film. RD was in full form & so was Asha.The visuals complimented the lyrics v.well & the mixing of 2 voices of Asha was wonderful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVg7aR64DBg

13)  Chhotisi Asha-

Film- Roja 1992  Singer-Min Mini   
Lyrics-  PK Mishra       Music- A R Rahman
Picturized  on- Madhu
Mani Ratnam & Rahman made a strong impression. Beautiful & refreshing visuals, different & path breaking music. Madhu literally lived the role of Roja. Though a dubbed movie, was worth watching. First movie of the trilogy of sorts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCSaFkW6Dkc&feature=fvst

14)   Dhak dhak karne laga-

Film- Beta 1992   Singers- Anuradha Paudwal & Udit Narayan   
Lyrics-  Sameer       Music- Anand Milind
Picturized  on- Madhuri Dixit & Anil Kapoor
 The song that gave Madhuri the Dhak-dhak tag! Don’t ask why the song is there in the movie. Just see!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmvQgeMPALM

15)   Dil hai ke manta nahi-

Film- Dil hai ke manta nahi 1991   Singers- Anuradha Paudwal & Kumar Sanu    
Lyrics-  Sameer       Music- Nadeem-Shravan
Picturized  on- Aamir Khan & Pooja Bhat
Mahesh Bhat’s interpretation of Roman Holiday or Chori Chori? Those were the days when he was actually calling the shots & not asking anyone to ghost direct the films. Good composition & simple yet romantic picturization.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L8PRRCcse0

16)   Dil hoom hoom kare-

Film- Rudaali 1993   Singer-Lata Mangeshkar  
Lyrics-  Gulzar      Music- Bhupen Hazarika
Picturized  on- Dimple Kapadia
Quintessentially a Dimple’s movie. Hoom hoom is a unique word & Lata sings it in a peculiar way.A different use of instruments.A folk based song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLL5dsIVCcc

17)    Ghoongat ki aad se-

Film- Hum hai raahi pyaar ke  1993   Singers- Kumar Sanu-Alka Yagnik   
Lyrics- Sameer  Music- Nadeem Shravan
Picturized  on- Aamir Khan & Juhi Chawla  
Mahesh Bhat ki aad se Aamir Khan ne direct kia hua movie? A Fun movie!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3uAc9ffOv4

18)   Humko aaj kal hai intezar-

Film-Sailab 1990   Singer- Alka Yagnik  
Lyrics- Javed Akhtar   Music- Bappi Lahiri  
Picturized  on- Madhuri Dixit

Both lyricist & music director seem unlikely for this song. Chorus seems to have more lines to sing than Alka!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg4EP7UhsLo

19)   Jadoo teri nazar-

Film- Darr 1993   Singer-Udit Narayan 
Lyrics- Anand Bakshi  Music- Shiv-Hari
Picturized  on- Shah Rukh  Khan & Juhi Chawla 
Ga..ga..ga..ga..good guitar pa..pa…pa…pieces!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFUv89uvXfg

20)Jab koi baat bigad-

Film- Jurm 1990   Singer-Kumar Sanu & Sadhana Sargam   
Lyrics- Indivar   Music- Rajesh Roshan  
Picturized  on- Vinod Khanna & Meenakshi Sheshadri

A soft, romantic number…oldie Vinod Khanna’s last ditch effort to convince us that he was still a hero material. Most of his heroines looked like his daughters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_mtmnptlTA

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