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This fortnight at Music World...
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Phir Wohi Sham Wohi Gham
Saregama, Rs.50
CAN YOU imagine a Hritik Roshan or an Akshay Kumar singing "Jalte Hain Jiske Liye"? Talat Mahmood's voice going out of fashion, clearly, had something to do with the rise of the macho hero in the '70s. The silken voice of the Lucknow-born singer (which seemed to articulate the genteel graces of the Lakhnavi tradition itself) had no place when Bollywood started teeming with so many angry young men. In the latter part of his career, there were instances of even actors such as Dileep Kumar and Manoj Kumar objecting to music directors using Talat for their songs.
But it was Talat who gave a form to the genre of "filmi ghazals", with his characteristic tremolo, and these songs (sung through '40s, '50s, and '60s) remain unmatched for their wistfulness and ability to melt the stoniest of hearts.
This tape includes most of the Talat greats — "Jalte Hain Jiske Liye" (Sujata), "Phir Wohi Sham" (Jahan Ara), "Sham-e-Gham-Ki-Khasam", "Mohabbat Ki Na Jo Samjhe"... Well, what can one possibly say about these songs? But then, favourites are very individualistic, and so, if you love the unusual ebb-and-flow of "Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha" or the subdued regret of "Humse Aya Na Gaya" you will miss them in this collection.
Love Blooms Again
HMV, Rs. 110
CONSIDERING THAT love has been the single-minded obsession of Bollywood, from the first-ever film made to the latest, one would think that compiling "unforgettable romantic songs from films" would be the most challenging of tasks. But whoever compiled this double-cassette album doesn't much believe in such exertions. So, without any evident rhyme or reason, the album cobbles together 20-odd songs from films starting from 1974 to 1998. There isn't even a chronological progression (let alone a thematic one) in the sequencing of songs. One is left clueless as to why songs from the earlier years are not included. Was this a sequel to an earlier compilation, one wonders. But in the absence of sleeve notes, one doesn't know.
So, it begins with the Razia Sultana (1982) number "Aye Dil-e-Nadaan" and moves to "Ek Ajnabee Haseena Se" from the 1974-release, Ajnabee. The tapes remain very uneven in terms of music too, making the listening experience rather jerky. The quiet flow and silences of "Aye Dil... " are punctured by the rather uninspired "Ek Ajnabee" (despite R.D. Burman and Kishore Kumar). While Side A of Volume 1 has some good numbers, including "Humein Tumse Pyar Kitna" (unfortunately not the Parveen Sultana version) and "Rajnigandha Phool Tumhare", the rest of the songs hardly manage to hold attention. "Bhawre Ne Khilayan Phool Phool" (Prem Rog), "Tere Mere Beech Mein" (Ek Duje Ke Liye), and "Ho Gaya Hain Tujhko To Pyar Sajna" (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) are hardly one's idea of unforgettable romantic songs, either in terms of lyrics or music! Volume 2 is particularly taxing, barring a rare "Pyar Ko Ho Jane Do" (Dushman), if you can stand a Kumar Sanu and an aging Lata.
This album provides grossly inadequate data for any generalisations. But one does notice how the idea of love has undergone unmistakable transformation over the years. The construct of love, at one time, went with feelings of incredulity ("What's hit me, now?!") and ambiguity ("Have I found myself or lost myself?). But it seems to have grown more sure, articulate, and confident. So a "Jané Kya Tuné Kahin, Jané Kya Maine Suni... " (Pyasa) is replaced more and more by the likes of "Kabhi Main Kahun, Kabhi Tum Kaho Ke Dil De Diya" (Lamhe) or "Dil Deke Dard-e-Mohabbat Liya Hai, Soch Samajhke Maine Sauda Kiya Hai, Pyar Kiya Pyar Kiya... " (Maine Pyar Kiya). As one listens to the songs, one is also struck by how Lata can sing even a particularly passionate love song in an unbelievably matter-of-fact fashion. This becomes stark in a song such as "Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum" (Silsila), with Amitabh Bacchan reciting lines in between stanzas in his unmatched baritone, so full of intense, but understated, passion.
On the whole, it's a pity that the album fails to either establish one particular mood of love or take us through all its moods, celebrating love in all its colours.
Kabhi To Hasaye... Kabhi To Rulaye
Universal, Rs. 90
EVEN THE best of voices can get monotonous if you listen to them at a stretch. Ironically, this sense of deja vu is more if the voice is suave, polished, and versatile like Kishore Kumar's.
But then this double-cassette album does have some really wonderful songs — "Jeevan Se Bhari", "Kuch To Log Kahenge", "Tum Bin Jaoon Kahan", "Rim Jhim Gire Savan", "Mere Bheegi Bheegi Si"...
One wonders why the compilation skips the early phase of Kishore's career, which had some wonderful numbers in films such as Jhumroo and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. The 1958 song from the film Fantoosh, "Dukhi Man Mera", that brought him recognition as a "serious singer" is also missing. His masti songs such as "Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana" and "Eena Meena Deeka" are also out. Not one song in the tape has his trademark yodelling.
This is a compilation of Kishore's mellow numbers, and if you are not looking for variety, but for something pleasant to listen to on a long drive, this album may well be a good choice.
BAGESHREE S.
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