O. P. Nayyar: Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963/1978)

I was totally ready to praise Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon with it's wonderful cover (Asha Parekh looks great!). And without even knowing who the composer was I put on the first track.....Ahrg! No...nahin! Not the horse trotting songs! Picture my reaction in cinematic terms. The scene starts, I've just heard the song, then there is a shot of horse hooves trotting, quick shot of O. P. Nayyar, back and forth shots, horse trotting-O. P. Nayyar, horse trotting-O. P. Nayyar, then a turning spiral superimposed on a spinning picture of me looking confused and demented. The album cover was a trap! And it only got worse as I realized that there is not 1, not 2, but 3 "horse trotting songs" on the same record. Didn't I just mention in my last post that Nayyar needed to crank up the originality button. If some people couldn't hear the constant auto-copying last time (Kashmir Ki Kali or Kismat), this record is certainly proof of it. If some people don't know what type of song I am talking about, a standard O. P. Nayyar soundtrack has at least 1 song with a beat that resembles the sound of a horse trotting. Too name a few examples, you have Naya Daur's "Maang Ke Saath Tumhara" or "Piya Piya Mora Jiya Pukare" from 1955's Baap Re Baap " and then the less evident "Deewana Hua Badal" from Kashmir Ki Kali or "Dekho Kasam Se Kehte Hain" from Tumsa Nahin Dekha, and I could go on.

Anyway, on this record the three "horse trotting songs" consist of the title track "Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon", "Ankhon Se Jo Utri Hai Dil Men" (the beat is used more subtly since it's played on the guitar) and "Lakhon Hain".

My favorite song has to be "Dekho Bijli Dole Bin Badal Ki" probably because it is inspired by classical music, but I also think that I have a weakness for dance battles especially in Indian movies (e.g. Vijayantymala Vs unknown in Amrapali, Vijayantimala vs Helen in Prince or Padmini vs Vijayanthimala in the tamil film Raj Tilak). Also, even though I like classical music I also enjoy O. P. Nayyar's Punjabi inspired songs, which in this specific film is shown in "Aji Kibla".


I would simply like to end this post by saying that my intentions are not to bash O. P. Nayyar, I even applaud him for having succeeded in the film industry without having musical training or using the instant success magnet Lata Mangeshkar. I also applaud him, for his courage to be different and original at the beginning of his career and not following the latest craze, but making one instead. But as I once said, there is missing something, especially at the stage in his career of Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. The folk songs seem to be fuller but most of the time you can almost listen to this album and not even know when the songs change from one to the other because the mood and style do not vary much through the record. And as I have said before, I still find that his music becomes more and more unoriginal as time passes, especially after listening to more and more of his work. But even with that said, I cannot say that this is a bad soundtrack, just an unimaginative one.

Thanks and Enjoy!

Both screencaps are from Apni East India Company

Track:

Side 1

1. Mohd. Rafi: Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon

2. Asha Bhosle: Dekho Bijli Dole Bin Badal Ki

3. Mohd. Rafi: Anchal Men Saja Lena

4. Asha Bhosle: Ankhon Se Jo Utri Hai Dil Men

5. Asha Bhosle: Mujhe Pyar Men

Side 2
6. Mohd Rafi: Lakhon Hain

7. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Zulf Ki Chhaon

8. Mohd. Rafi: Aji Kibla

9. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Hamdam Mere

Lyrics: Majrooh

Stella_1's score: 3/5

Get the Music now: O. P. Nayyar Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon

O. P. Nayyar: Kashmir Ki Kali (1964)

The film, Kashmir Ki Kali , introduced Sharmila Tagore to Hindi cinema (she is of course Bengali, and is a distant relative of the TAGORE. Previously, she acted in two Satyajit Ray films, World of Apu (1959) and Devi (1960)) co-starring with an always charming and overly expressive Shammi Kapoor. Even though the film is set in Kashmir, generally for many films, O. P. Nayyar, who is Bengali (Jan. 12th Correction who is Punjabi), focuses on Punjabi folk which I consider to be Nayyar's forte (strength).


The film was a big hit and the soundtrack as well, but I truly think that it was Shammi Kapoor's persona, more than O. P. Nayyar's songs, that helped sell records. Because I find the music not bad, just uninspired.



Two tracks which I enjoy are, firstly, my favorite, "Subhan Allah Haseen Chehra" with Rafi's wonderful voice on the most melodious song on the record, accompaning some folk instuments and harmonium. Secondly, "Meri Jan Bale Bale", (love "Punjabi Shammi" ! My heart goes oy! oy! bale bale!) is a great song but Asha's voice isn't Punjabi sounding at all (Shamshad or Noor Jehan would have been better) and is missing a little authenticity. Though Mohd. Rafi is not "authentic" compared to let's say Gurdas Mann, but he seems to get away with it more easily.


I also enjoy, "Diwana Hua Baadal"but honestly I am not impressed with this album. Maybe my hopes where too high, but I am beginning to become too familiar with O. P. Nayyar's work, and the more I listen too his soundtracks, the more it's all sounding the same. It sounds as if Nayyar would say: "I'm cool. I am the highest paid music director. I sound western and rebellious. Come targeted urban youth! Want to rock'n'roll?". Ah, but this type of music would later become either a musical and creative trap for O. P. Nayyar (or a way to make easy money in the film music industry by duplicating his own style, either way it's starting to get to me. I mean, give me Naushad or give me R. D. Burman, but not the squeaky clean somewhat repetitive attempt to be different. C. Ramchandra was western before him and Shankar Jaikishan could imitate Nayyar better than he could imitate himself with rock'n'roll songs (e.g. Gumnaam, Junglee) which had at least some melody. I know I'm a sucker for classical inspired albums or really wacky musical gems , but O. P. Nayyar is on the bottom in my best composers list. Ok, ok, I will stop this useless rambling, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. So I hope you enjoy the record more than I do! I encourage you too watch the film.


In the 60's there was Kashmir Ki Kali, now we get Mission Kashmir? Sad. One day peace will come and we will be singing and dancing in Kashmir once again.

Tracks:

Side 1

1. Mohd. Rafi: Taarif Karun Kya Uski

2. Mohd. Rafi: Hai Duniya Usiki Zamana Usika

3. Asha Bhosle: Phir Thes Lagi Dil Ko

4. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Meri Jan Bale Bale

5. Asha Bhosle: Balma Khuli Hawa Men

Side 2

6. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Diwana Hua Baadal

7. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Isharon Isharon Men Dil Lene Wale

8. Mohd. Rafi: Subhan Allah Haseen Chehra

9. Mohd. Rafi: Kahin Na Kahin Dil Lagana Padega

Lyrics: S. H. Bihari

Stella_1's score: 3/5

Get the music Now: O. P. Nayyar Kashmir Ki Kali

O. P. Nayyar: Kismat (1968)

At the first glance, you know that this record is certainly not like Phagun. Instead, Kismat incarnates the typical rebel O. P. Nayyar style. His music was rebellious for it's time, but now it's pretty clean, so let's just call his style non traditional. On this record he is inspired by some jazzy rock'n'roll of the 60's with a little folk as well.


In general the songs are very guitar based. You have the almost county "Lakhon Hain Yahan Dilwale" and the bouncy "Aankhon Men Qayamat Ke Kajal".You also get great instrumentals with "One Two three Baby" which is also available on Bombshell Baby of Bombay vol.2, that you can find on Bombay-Connection Records.

My favorites are the Punjabi inspired "Karja Mohhabat Wala" and the heroine's drunk song "Aao Huzoor Tumko".



I understand that O. P. Nayyar makes the music and melodies simple as to make it easy for the viewers to instantly connect with the songs. But from my personal perspective, I feel that the music is in need of multiple layers, but he doesn't provide that. I prefer O. P. Nayyar's earlier work such as Aar Par, Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Paghun and Naya Daur. In the 60's he was popular because he did not follow trends, he made them. But I have a feeling that during this period when Kismat came out, he was just copying his own music, making this record unoriginal and a bit boring to listen to today.


But I still like to rock'n'roll from time to time. So Baby, tell me what you think!


Tracks:


Side 1
1. Mahendra Kapoor: Aankhon Men Qayamat Ke Kajal
2. Asha Bhosle & Shamshad Begum: Karja Mohhabat Wala
3. Title Music


Side 2
4. Asha Bhosle: Aao Huzoor Tumko
5. Mahendra Kapoor: Lakhon Hain Yahan Dilwale
6. Mahendra Kapoor: One Two Three Baby


Lyrics: Noor Dewasi & S. H. Bihari


Stella_1's score: 3 /5


Get the music now: O. P. Nayyar Kismat

O. P. Nayyar: Phagun (1958/1989)

Now this is one I like. I love this entire album (It has 12 songs). I don't think everyone will, because it's really for the 50's fans. It can be dull if you like the wacky and weird, but give this one a listen, you might be delightfully surprised.

Even tough it's not as musically detailed or refined as some more classical inspired soundtracks, I am attracted to it's simplicity.

The title music at the beginning is a dramatic intro. (that should be required for all hindi films).

The classic, "Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya" comes next. It is also the theme of the soundtrack, and can be heard in the "Title Music","Piya Piya Piya" and "Teer Yeh Chup Ke". It's the fist time I have heard a theme in old hindi cinema. They have it all the time now, but it is especially used in western classical scores.

The dramatic start and mainly the chorus at the end of "Barso Re" make it stand out a bit. Also enjoyable are"Chhun Chhun Ghungroo Bole" and "Teer Yeh Chup Ke".

The song I least like is "Shokh Shokh Aankhen". I don't know why, but I noticed it was the most western inspired, with it's guitar and accordion.

The end of the 50's was a peek for Asha Bhosle's voice. It's great on this album.


Here is a modern remake of "Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya". Oh, god! I think I will stick with the 1958 version.

Enjoy the album and leave me your comments!

Track

Side 1
1. Title Music
2. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya
3. Asha Bhosle: Sun Ja Pukar
4. Asha Bhosle: Chhun Chhun Ghungroo Bole
5. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Ja Meri Chhod De Kalahi
6. Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Shokh Shokh Aankhen


Side 2
7. Asha Bhosle: Piya Piya Piya
8. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Tum Rooth Ke Mat Jana
9. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Main Soya Aankhiyan Meeche
10. Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Barso Re
11. Asha Bhosle & Mohd. Rafi: Bana De Bana De Prabhuji
12. Asha Bhosle: Teer Yeh Chup Ke


Lyrics: Qamar Jalalabadi


Stella_1's score: 4/5


Get the music now: O. P. Nayyar | Phagun