BEAUTIFUL DANCES FROM HINDI FILM 'GUIDE'

Sachin Dev Burman

Shailendra

                                                                         Actress Waheeda Rehman was basically a dancer and in her roles in Hindi films whenever she danced on the screen,she did full justice.May be her any film like: Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja,Mujhe Jeene Do,Ek Phool Chaar Kaante,Teesari Kasam,Baat Ek Raat Ki or Dharti ,her dances were always admired by the audience.But in film GUIDE she was at her best.Waheeda performed an unique Sapera Nritya(Snake Charmer-Dance) on the Lahra of Been music.

                                                     
Next was the song "Mose Chhal Kiye Jaye..."sung in thumri style in ragas:Khammaj,Jansammohini and Jhinjhoti  and Waheeda Rehman  very beautifully expressed the feelings hidden in lyrics of  the song,with her dance.

                                                  
But  song "Piya Tose Naina Laage.." was the longest and most challenging to perform, because it had many shades and a spectrum of ragas:Khammaj ,Jhinjhoti and Gawati were used in its composition.But what to say about Waheeda Ji's superb dancing on this song.We keep on viewing it, mesmerised by her step by step wonderful dancing. I think it as her best dance ever performed on cinema screen.
The credit for it also goes to Dada Sachin Dev Burman for his wonderful music composition and beautiful lyrics written by poet Shailendra.

RAGA SHANKARA IN FILM:AASHIQ(1961)

Raga Shankara is a rarely used raga in the film music.Therefore this melodious song is a rare treat for classical music lovers.Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, this song is picturised on dancing star Padmini.She was one of the three famous Bharatnatyam exponent 'Travancore-Sisters'( Lalitha, Padmini and Ragini ).The lyrics " Jhanan jhanjhana ke apni payal, chali main aaj mat poochho kahan.."also relate us with the dance.Padmini is no more,she left us on 25 Sept.,2006. 

PADMINI

                                                            SHANKAR-JAIKISHAN

SHAILENDRA

A TRIBUTE TO SHRI MANNA DEY: RAGA' AHIR BHAIRAV ' AT ITS BEST IN HINDI FILM :MERI SOORAT TERI ANKHEN (1963)

Dada S.D.Burman

ASHOK  KUMAR

MANNA DEY

S.D.BAATISH

The Raga 'Aheer Bhairav' is a morning melody.Its use in the music compositions of film songs is very rare.But due to the genius of veteran music director of Hindi films,Dada S.D.Burman, we got this superb creation to enjoy for ever.Dada was a disciple of Great Ustad Faiyyaz Khan Saheb of Agra Gharana and before the recording of this song, he took his permission to present his Guru's composition in a film.The Addha Taal used on Tabla has increased the depth of the raga Aheer Bhairav in the song.The efforts of all involved in the screen presentation of this composition, is outstanding.Great actors Ashok Kumar and Kanhaiya Lal have presented the real depth and pathos of the song on the screen.In the first part when kanhaiyya Lal teaches the raga to child Ashok Kumar then S.D.Baatish and Suman Kalyanpur sing this song. In the second part Manna Dey sings the complete song for Ashok Kumar.Lyricist Shailendra has penned this unforgettable song:

"पूछो न  कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी|
 इक  पल जैसे इक  जुग बीता |
 जुग बीते मोहे नींद न आयी ।।
 उत जले दीपक इत मन मेरा,
 फिर भी न जाये मेरे घर का अँधेरा।।
 तड़पत तरसत  उमर गँवाई ।।
 पूछो ना कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी||
 ना कहीं चंदा ना कहीं तारे,
 जोत के प्यासे मेरे नैन बेचारे।
 भोर भी आस की किरन  न लायी।।
 पूछो ना कैसे मैंने रैन बितायी....।।"   

ENCHANTING TRIVENI OF TABLA, SINGING AND DANCE IN FILM: MERI SOORAT TERI ANKHEN (1963)

HEROINE ASHA PAREKH

PT..SAMTA PRASAD MISHRA

PT.SAMTA PRASAD PLAYING ON HIS TABLA

POET  SHAILENDRA

DADA SACHIN DEV BURMAN

MOHD. RAFI

All this happened in the climax sequence of Hindi film MERI SOORAT TERI AANKHEN(1963).The hero of the film(Ashok Kumar) is ugly faced but is a marvellous  classical singer.He always hides himself from the people who  like the beauty only.In this episode he has to sing on the stage for a kathak dancer.The music director of the film  S.D.Burman composed in raga Bhairavi the song "Naache    man  mora  magan tikta dhigi dhigi.... " written by poet Shailendra and sung  with full devotion by singer Mohd.Rafi.The beauty of the song is specially used 'Dhaivat' on Tabla in Kaharawa Taal(8 beats) by Pt. Samta Prasad.Asha Parekh once said that she danced her best on this song.Music director S.D.Burman kept on waiting for Samta Prasad's arrival from Banaras and postponed the recording of this song.He was very particular about the special beats on tabla to be played in this song,which only Samta Prasad could do for him.The lyrics to suit the mood of the song are:
" नाचे मन  मोरा मगन तिक ता धिगी धिगी ।
   बदरा घिर आये रुत है भीगी भीगी ।।
   कुहुके कोयलिया कहीं दूर पपीहा पुकारे ।
   झूला झूलें सखियाँ की घर आजा बालम हमारे ।।
   बदरा घिर आये  रुत है भीगी भीगी ,
   नाचे  मन मोरा .......।\" 

PT. BHIMSEN JOSHI DEFEATED IN SINGING IN FILM:BASANT BAHAR(1956)

शैलेन्द्र 

जयकिशन 

शंकर 

भीमसेन जोशी 

मन्ना डे 

LP- RECORD COVER

This film had music as its central theme.It was based on the कन्नड़  उपन्यास  ' हंस  गीते'  by Taa  Raa Su.This episode shows a classical music competition organised by Chitradurga State in Tipu Sultan's dynasty.For the state singer's son playback singing was given in the voice of the stalwart of Kirana Gharana Pt.भीमसेन  जोशी  rendering राग  बसंत  बहार .The song was written by poet शैलेन्द्र  creating the atmosphere of Basant Ritu:"केतकी  गुलाब  जूही  चम्पक  वन  फूले , ऋतु  बसंत  अपनों  कंत  गोरी  गरवा  लगाये , झुलना  में  बैठ  आज  पी  के  संग  झूले .गैल  गैल  कुञ्ज  कुञ्ज ,गुन  गुन  भंवरों  की  गूंज ,राग  रंग  अंग  अंग ,छेडत  रसिया   अनंग , कोयल  की  पंचम  सुन  दुनिया  रुख  भूले ." while the singer is in full swing, exploring the raga vibrantly, the other competitor, hero of the film भारत  भूषण  takes entry with aalap in same raga Basant Bahar and  continues singing :" मधुर मधुर थोरी थोरी मीठी बतियों से गोरी ,चित चुराय हंसत जाय चोरी करे सिर झुकाय ,शीश झुके चंचल लट गालों को छूले .केतकी गुलाब जूही चम्पक वन फूले ..... " capturing   the attention of the King on the judge's seat.Singer मन्ना  डे  gave playback for the hero and singing beautifully the same song defeats his rival and gets the declared prize from the king. In reality Pt. Bhimsen Joshi could never be challenged at any level in classical singing by playback singer Manna Dey,but in film he was singing for the defeated artist.This makes it interesting to see in the film, the doyen of किराना  घराना  loosing his crown in singing to a playback singer. This song is still popular due to excellent vocal performances by both artists.Music directors of the film शंकर -जयकिशन  did superb job by creating many beautiful compositions in the film,like this song.