Bombay Talkie Quiz #2

Again in the title sequence, a magazine/newsstand is being shown.

Quiz # 2: Name the three actresses on the magazine covers ?

1. Filmfare - ???
2. Film World - ???
3. (Top right) - ???



Good Luck!

Bombay Talkie Quiz #1

I was watching the opening credits sequence, and noticed some movie billboards up behind the Helen Poster.

Quiz # 1: Which 4 films are being displayed on billboards in the background of the Helen credits? (I already found Abhinetri)

1. Upper Left - Abhinetri

2. Upper Right - ???

3. Lower Left - ???

4. Lower Right - ??? Starts with "B"?

You can also checkout the opening sequence itself.

Hope you can figure it out!

Shankar Jaikishan: Bombay Talkie (1970)

Bombay Talkie is quite a find. The music, by Shankar Jaikishan, is the only collaboration between themselves and the famous Merchant-Ivory film team (Ismail Merchant and James Ivory). The english film, starring Shashi Kapoor, his wife Jennifer Kendal and Zia Mohyeddin, mostly takes place in Bombay of the late 60's early 70's. Vikram (Shashi Kapoor) is an aging hero stuck in an unhappy arranged marriage with his wife Mala (Aparna Sen). Lucia, a three time married middle age novelist, takes a liking to Vikram while Hari, a Bombay screenwriter, madly in love with her, does as she pleases. This has to be my favorite Merchant-Ivory film ever! But I won't say any more than that, as I will probably review the film one day. For now, let me talk about some of the soundtrack's great songs.

The tracks comprise, mostly of various versions of the Bombay Talkie Theme, "Title and Theme" can be heard in the Title Credits along with "Tum Mere Pyar Ki Duniyamen" a few seconds before that. In this particular sequence, the "Title and Theme" is played as hand painted portraits (filmi style) of the cast and crew are shown around the streets of Mumbai.

Besides the theme variations, five, of what we can call conventional, songs are found on the record. Along with the previously mentioned "Tum Mere Pyar Ki Dumiyamen" you have to start with the great and famous "Typewritter Tip Tip Tip" song because, well, just because. With the fantastic Helen and Shashi dancing on a giant typewriter, what else do you need. A young and spunky Usha Lyer gives us two versions of "Hari Om Tat Sat" (हारी ॐ तट सात). One is the orchestrated version which is

the film version and the other version is the "official" version. She also sings the vocals to the Bombay Theme tune "Good Times, Bad Times".


As for the variations I enjoy the "Rajput Suite" "Now I Shall Call You Ma" and especially "Picnic in the Cave" with it's new wave synthesisers.

Overall, though it's not entirely a commercial Hindi film soundtrack, it is very enjoyable and interesting to listen too. As much for it's filmi songs, instrumentals and some rare Usha Lyer (now Usha Uthup) tunes. Just listen for yourselves!

Oh, and once your done listening to the music, those who have not seen the movie yet, rent it or buy it NOW!

Tracks:

Side 1

1. Instrumental - Title and Theme
2. Mohd. Rafi - Tum Mere Pyar Ki Duniyamen

Variations of theme:
3. Instrumental - Incidental Music
4. Instrumental - Devotion
5. Instrumental - Rajput Suite
6. Instrumental - Now I Shall Call You Ma
7. Instrumental - More Incidental Music
8. Usha Uthup - Hari Om Tat Sat



Side 2

9. Usha Uthup - Hari Om Tat Sat (with Orchestra)

Variations of theme:
10. Instrumental - Picnic in the Cave
11. Instrumental - Birthday Party 1
12. Asha Bhosle & Kishore Kumar - Typewriter Tip Tip Tip

Variations of theme:
13. Instrumental - Meeting and Birthday Party 2
14. Usha Uthup - Good Times, Bad Times


Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri, Usha Lyer/Uthup only for "Hari Om Tat Sat"

Stella_1's score: 4/5

Get the music now: Shankar Jaikishan Bombay Talkie

Compilation: Film Favourites of the Fifties (1962)

The 1950's were a time when the Hindi film industry was in full bloom. It was a golden age for filmi music but sadly this record only showcases a fragment of the classics of this period. Personally, the songs on this vinyl this would not make my top picks (not because they're not good, I just think some are better), but it is still well rounded with a good variety of noted composers and playback singers. For the most part, the songs are based on folk (Naushad usually derives from Rajasthani folk and O. P. Nayyar from Punjabi) so you won't find any songs falling under the categories of classical or "westernised".


Two songs I was glad to see "made the cut" were "Bol Ro Kath Putli" from Kath Putli and "Chali Radherani" from Parineeta because they are rarest of the bunch to find on vinyl.

My favourite songs are all the ones on Side 2, in addition to Talat Mahmood's male version of "Ai Mere Dil" from the classic Daag. I like the song from Mother India but I prefer other tunes from the film. In all, it's a good record.

Something I found weird was the Aan song. It's not the same in the video as on this record.

Lyrics

Aa Ha Ha...

Aaj Mere Man Me Sakhi Basuri Bajaye Koi*

Aaj Mere Man Me*

Aaj Mere Man Me Sakhi Basuri Bajaye Koi

Pyar Bare Geet Sakhi Baar Baar Gaye Koi

Basuri Bajaye*

Basuri Bajaye Sakhi Gaye .....

* missing from this record (not film version, either cut or variation)

Here is the video version:

Mini Challenge

Hey, if you could make film favourites from the 50's, which songs would you absolutely have to put on the record? Tell me some or all of them? I will try and figure out my top picks as well (its hard for me there are so many). Anyway, can't wait to hear from you, and I hope you enjoy!

Tracks:

Side 1

1. S. N. Tripathi - Janam Janam Ke Fere: Zara Samne To Aa O: Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd. Rafi
2. Shankar Jaikishan - Daag: Ai Mere Dil: Talat Mahmood
3. S. D. Burman - Pyaasa: Jane Woh Kaise Log: Hemant Kumar
4. Naushad- Mother India: O! Mere Lal Aaja: Lata Mangeshkar
5. C. Ramchandra - Nastik: Kitna Badal Gaya: Pradeep
6. Arun Kumar Mukherjee - Parineeta: Chali Radherani: Manna Dey


Side 2

7. O. P. Nayyar - Naya Daur: Reshmi Salwar Kurta: Asha Bhosle & Shamshad Begum
8. Naushad - Aan: Aaj Mere Man Men: Lata Mangheskar & Chorus
9. O. P. Nayyar - Phagun: Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le: Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi
10. Shankar Jaikishan - Kath Putli: Bol Ro Kath Putli: Lata Mangeshkar
11. O. P. Nayyar - C. I. D.: Leke Pahla Pahla Pyar: Shamshad Begum & Mohd. Rafi
12. Shankar Jaikishan - Ujala: Ya Allah Ya Allah: Lata Mangeshkar & Manna Dey

Stella_1's score: 3.5/5

Get the music now: Compilation Film Favorites from the Fifties

Naushad: Dard (1947/1977)

Here is a classic Naushad score. Dard is a totally female album. It is one of many albums by Naushad, released prior and in the early 50's, which follows the trend of being in majority female. One factor for this could possibly be that film heroines in the 40's would be more important than their male counterparts, thus having more importance in the film and story. But this would only be one of many factors explaining this tendency.

The "female voices" on Dard might be unknown to some of you, but they were immensely popular at the time and still are to the few who can appreciate the early singers and musicians of Hindi cinema (I hope that you are one of these people or are yet to become one soon). And except for Shamshad Begum whom I love (yet she does not standout on this record), for those of you who have no clue who the other two playback singers are, I will get you acquainted.

Suraiya, the actress and playback singer, was associated to Dev Anand with whom she had a love affair. The peek of her career was from 1947 to 1950. She reigned in this period, for the most part, because she filled the void of the earlier queen Noor Jehan who in 1947 left for Pakistan during Partition. Suraiya's short stay at the top was also due to the arrival of India's very own nightingale, Lata Mangeshkar, as her first big hit "Aayega Aanewala" from Mahal (1949) changed the whole meaning of playback singing. You could not just be good, you had to be great. But Suraiya is not merely the one who filled the gap in between these two legends. For me, she is a simple beauty that evoked rawness and realism with her voice and expressions. I see Lata as a perfect queen and Suraiya as a modest artist. Later she still worked, mostly as an actress, but she still sang for other and herself. She was not a trained singer but she will always be remembered as one of the last popular singing actresses.

Who is this Umadevi (Uma Devi)? Voh Kaun Hai? Well, perhaps Tun Tun might ring more of a bell. We might know her more for her comedic or secondary roles in later films but in the beginning of her career she aspired to be a singer, even threatening to kill herself if Naushad did not give her chance. He did, and she ended up with the hit of the film and one of the best songs "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon".

"Chale Dil Ki Duniya" was my favorite from the start. Other tracks to listen to are "Beech Bhanwar", Ham Dard Ka Afsana.

Overall, I enjoyed it more and more every time I listened to it. It took me a while but I gave it a chance and it grew on me. Hope it does the same with you!

Tracks

Side 1

1. Suraiya: Beech Bhanwar

2. Umadevi: Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon

3. Shamshad Begum & Chorus: Ham Dard Ka Afsana

4. Suraiya: Ham The Tumhare Tum The Hamare

5. Umadevi: Aaj Machi Hai Dhoom

Side 2

6. Suraiya: Chale Dil Ki Duniya

7. Umadevi: Yeh Kaun Chala

8. Suraiya & Umadevi: Betab Hai Dil

9. Shamshad Begum: Yeh Afsana Nahin Zalim

10. Suraiya: Dil Dhadke

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Stella_1's score: 3.5/5

Get the music now: Naushad Dard

Kalyanji Anandji: Upkar (1967)

Even though I do not admire Manoj Kumar as an actor, I appreciate the films he has directed. Upkar as a film, is very evident in theme yet it’s experimental in its photo direction. And this is particularly evident in the song sequences with even make the music more notable (and sadly not the other way around).

The story is that of a young man played by Manoj Kumar, who is forced to sacrifice his education for his brother's played by Prem Chopra (looking quite handsome indeed!). Chopra’s character goes away to study and later returns as a young westernized and selfish man. Many of the themes in the film; East vs. West, Country vs. City and Rich vs. Poor are reflected in the brothers’ relationship.

On the side of the Indian simpleton with superior moral values is the patriotic song "Mere Desh Ki Dharati". It reminds me of the “we proudly work our land” type of patriotism found in Mother India (1957). The cover of the album also shows Manoj’s character admiring Nehru while holding a plow as in THE song of the album.

You don't need fancy lounges or glamorous city clubs, just check and see how much "Punjabi style" fun you can have with the village song "Aaye Jhoomke Basant". I dare you not to dance!

The next song "Gulabi Raat Gulabi" is associated with the "EVIL" West! (you know, Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West type of West or the Pardes (Sharukh Khan version) type of West). But it's one of the best songs on the album, sung by the one and only Vamp Queen Asha Bhosle. The song is divided into two parts. Asha sings to the consumerist westernized party goers and the second part is sung by Mohd. Rafi as images of hungry and miserable street goers are shown as they try and survive in the slums.

No sharabi (alcohol) for you mister!

Also, lend an ear to "Kasme Wade Pyar Wafa" and "Diwano Se Mat Puchho".

It's a classic film and soundtrack, but not one of my personal favourites. I absolutely recommend watching the film, Kamini Kaushal and Pran are amazing!

Take that Slumdog Millionaire!

Tracks:


Side 1

1. Mahendra Kapoor & Chorus: Mere Desh Ki Dharati

2. Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, Shamshad, Sunder & Chorus: Aaye Jhoomke Basant
3. Manna Dey: Kasme Wade Pyar Wafa

Side 2

4. Mukesh: Diwano Se Mat Puchho
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Har Khushi Ho Wahan
6. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Gulabi Raat Gulabi

7. Mahendra Kapoor & Chorus: Mere Desh Ki Dharati

Lyrics: Gulshan Bawra, Prem Dhawan, Qamar Jalalabadi and Indiwar

Stella_1's score: 3/5

Get the music now: Kalyandi Anandji Upkar (link to Music From the Third Floor, because my computer is STILL broken.)

Who I was in a previous life!

There are strong chances that I am Margaret Thompson's reincarnation or bizarrely related to her. This is the Kannada (maybe a link- I live in Canada) Bili Hendthi from 1971. It's somewhat weird but a little funny as well. Just have a look for yourselves!