Listening to: Talash (1969)

Help! Something is seriously wrong with me! My brain has been gobbled up by aliens! I watched Talash last week and although the movie stars Rajendra Kumar for whom I cannot find one complimentary adjective, although the comedy track, which is not in the least comic, seems to have more screen time than the main story, although the story stretched my credulity to its limits, I was riveted by it! I need Help (capital intended)!

Demand On Credulity(DOC) 1: So there is this young man Raju, just out of college, played by Rajendra Kumar who is all of 40 years old in real life! DOC2: His bosom pal and class mate is played by O.P.Ralhan, who is only a few years older at 45! Raju’s stated ambition in life is not just to be rich, but super rich. He takes up a clerical job in Ranjit Rai’s (Balraj Sahni) business and after some hiccups, impresses his boss.

DOC3: On a holiday in…now where was this? I’ve lost my notes..let’s call it a hill station, he is mistaken for a prince. And from where does he get his princely garments pray? This prince thread is quite superfluous to the story, just an add-on to enhance sex-appeal of a star with very little sex-appeal. He meets a village girl Gauri (Sharmila Tagore, who is a nubile young this and an age appropriate 23 years old in real life) with whom he falls in love and thankfully for us, sings some nice songs with. He promises to come back on a particular festival day and marry her. She says if he doesn’t come she will kill herself.  Any sensible person would have been put off  by this statement, googling ‘self destructive psychosis’ to find out what’s wrong with her and how fast he can run away from her, but not our hero. Sounds risky then to leave it until the last day then, wouldn’t you think? And yet, DOC4: we will see that the hero will make no allowances  for transport issues, bad weather, villains and such but leave it all until the very last moment!!

Back at work, he gets invited to a party at his Boss’s home to celebrate the return of his only daughter, Madhu, from abroad. Sharmila and her dimple look delightful in spite of weird hairdos. DOC5: Though she is a dead ringer for Gauri, Raju though confused does not recognize her! But of course, she is none but Gauri. To test his love, she sends out lures (tut-tut!) and is upset when he succumbs finally. Surely this is entrapment? DOC6: Worse still, she gets her father to offer unbelievable amounts of money to lure him to marry Madhu and poor Balraj Sahni has to use his not-to-be-sniffed-at histrionic skills for a most inappropriate action. The ending is obvious enough. DOC7: When Raju realises what Gauri/Madhu has been about, he laughs aloud instead of strangling her!!

O.P.Ralhan, who is both the writer and director of the film, gives himself a most undeserved, meaty role as the sidekick. This secondary plot has more drama than even the main one! Helen has a nice role and the supporting cast do a decent enough job.

Now that I have revealed all, you would think that I sat through it with a supercilious air, sniffing my nose at the odd goings on. Not so. I was riveted to the screen and at times even abandoned my ironing so I could pay better attention to the dialogue!! I have no explanation. It must be the brain-slurping aliens. That’s what it is. And the music by S.D.Burman with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. You will notice that I have given a big smile to all songs except one! Here are the tracks:

• Meri Duniya Hai Ma – S.D.Burman. I have a great liking for songs sung by S.D. and this is no exception. He has an ethnic and plaintive note to his voice which I love. But honestly, this absurd ‘ma’ devotion! I am a mum and I love my mum too and we are a super-species, absolutely. But this level of dripping sentimentality? Yikes!  And surely its a bit too much for a 40 year-old Rajendra Kumar pretending to be 20 something to say ‘My life is in your aanchal’ to his mum, played by Sulochana who is – hold your breath – only 1 year older to him in real life! But what a song! 
• Kar Le Pyar – Asha Bhonsle. This is Asha singing for Helen’s cabaret number and the combination is fantastic! Who but Asha can flutter down the scale saying ‘haseen’ just so? Asha and Helen at their best. Nice 60’s club-style instrumentals.
• Palkon Ke Peeche – Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar. Very unique composition, with rather a staccato feel to it, unusual for Indian music.  Nice sitar & flute interludes. Very well sung.
• Aaj Ko Junli Raat – Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar. A memorable duet. I felt though that the sound was a bit sad, not suitable for the celebratory feel that the occasion warranted. It also struck me on seeing poor Rajendra Kumar make his moves that its not often that yesteryear heroes had to actually dance, not just strike poses and look admiringly at the wriggling heroines.
• Tere Naina Talash – Manna Dey. Excellent song. Manna Dey is the king of this genre. S.D. has outdone himself with this song based on Raag Chayanat.
• Khai Hai Re Hamne Kasam – Lata Mangeshkar. S.D. has incorporated some nice folk-sensibilities into this slow and gentle song. Lata’s voice is velveteen.
• Kitni Akeli – Lata Mangeshkar. Another very melodious solo by Lata. The very simplicity of the song is its strong appeal.
• Mera Kya Sanam – Asha Bhonsle, Mahendra Kapoor. Even an album as good as this one needs a black-spot, kahin nazar na lag jaye. This is my least favourite and yet its not too bad.

To listen to the whole album, click here.

My choice for the day is the title song by Manna Dey.

And to admire Asha’s expertise in this genre and Helen’s shaking of her tail feathers, here is Kar Le Pyar by Asha Bhonsle.

Listening to: An Evening in Paris (1967)

I was on holiday in USA when Shammi Kapoor passed away. I’ve waited to come back home to acknowledge it properly. On my return, I rummaged through my recent purchase of 40 odd golden oldies known for their music but to my astonishment, I haven’t selected even one film of Shammi’s! But why? I am puzzled! There are so many entertainers with good music amongst his films…

In my teenage years, I didn’t quite enjoy his films. I think I found his buffoonery annoying.  Plus I registered him in my mind as an overweight middle aged man who acted with women much too young for him – an off-putter for any teenager! I realise now that he wasn’t really old at all. I remember it was my sister who urged me to watch Teesri Manzil in the late eighties. ‘You’ll like it, its fun’ she said. And I did. And it was.

After that I saw many more of his films, all of the masala-entertainer category, with Shammi’s unique touch of exuberant wildness! I never saw him as an actor, merely as a star who acted out a lot. Yet there was an actor within the over-actor, and an attractive man within the I-have-let-myself-go physique.

As an apology to overlooking the value of films which are just fun and nothing more, and in appreciation of all the fun Shammi has provided, I dedicate this post to him. My own in-memoriam to this memorable star of Bollywood. As I live in Switzerland, An Evening in Paris is the appropriate choice for today’s post – it was one of the pioneers of ‘Bollywood in Switzerland’. This brochure issued by Swiss Tourism would be an interesting read for Bollywood fans.

This film  is everything a Shammi entertainer should be and more. Evidently big money was spent on its making – it has been shot in France, Switzerland, Beirut and around the Niagara Falls. There are descents from helicopters, motor boat chases and water-skiing displays. There is much to entertain & please the discerning viewer – Shammi in colourful shirts and colour-coordinated hats, Sharmila in (very) skimpy clothes, Pran with bright orange hair, a dilettante who becomes a nurse at the drop of a hat, Sharmila pretend-waterskiing with beehive hair, Shammi hanging from a helicopter in a striped dressing gown(!), Shetty in a wig, Rajendranath as a madcap Sardar and well-brought up goons who say please and thank you!! And if all that doesn’t tempt you, there are some really good songs too! The music is well composed by Shankar Jaikishen and even though the lyrics by Shailendra & Hasrat Jaipuri don’t stand out and say ‘quote me’, they are quite adequate.

• Aisa Mauka Phir Kab Milega – Mohammad Rafi. Just the song for Shammi’s shimmying, I noticed that the firangi girls just strut about doing much of nothing. Today’s firangis contribute a lot more, don’t they?
• Deewane Ka Naam To Poocho – Mohammad Rafi. Rafi’s magnificent voice makes the best of any song !
• Hoga Tumse Kal Bhi Samna – Mohammad Rafi. I didn’t remember this song, perhaps it wasn’t played much on the radio? Didn’t quite take to it..
• Akele Akele – Mohammad Rafi. Now this is a classic, good lyrics, great music and fantastic singing by Rafi. I was excited to see the Mürren sign, I’ve been hiking there!
• My Name is Suzy – Asha Bhonsle. Never heard this one before, and won’t again.
• Aasman Se Aaya Farishta – Mohammad Rafi. Another unforgettable classic. How did Rafi do it, sounding more like Shammi than Shammi himself?
• Mera Dil Hai Tera – Mohammad Rafi. I had forgotten this song; another upbeat song, its so-so.
• Raat ka Humsafar – Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhonsle. This is the only duet in the film. Its a lovely song to which both Asha & Rafi add lustre. Plus its shot in Paris at night, what could be more romantic?
• Zuby Zuby – Asha Bhonsle. An item number by Sharmila, its refrain is melodious but the rest of the song doesn’t hold it for me.

To listen to the whole album, click here. My choice for today is Aasman Se Aaya Farishta as it is, to me, the iconic song of this film.

Enjoyed the song? Now watch Shammi Kapoor talking about his experience of shooting this – he is a showman incarnate !

A Song for Sharmila’s Dimple

I confess, I am a a dimplophile (if such a word doesn’t exist, it should!!). I was always fascinated by Sharmila’s awesome dip-in-cheek, so today’s post is in honour of the said dip.

Now, how can I do justice to her dimple? Let me trawl through memory for all the happy songs (we need a smile here) which have been picturised on her.  I’ll stick to the early and middle phases of her career when she looked her best.

Kashmir Ki Kali (1964), which was her launch in Mumbai, has fantastic music by O.P.Nayyar. The lilting Isharon Isharon mein showcases a very young Sharmila’s beauty.  Anupama (1965), a memorably poetic film, has her in a totally different avatar in the haunting Kuch Dil Ne Kaha, where one catches but fleeting flashes of the dimple.  It is more in evidence in Duniya mein aisa kahan in Dewar (1966). Sharmila and her dimple look super cute in a blue swimsuit saying Ja ja ja in Aasman se aaya farishta, An Evening in Paris (1966). But what in the world is Shammi doing wearing a striped dressing gown hanging from a helicopter? Hiding the middle-aged middle?

In Yakeen (1969), the dimple is flashed while Lata’s voice lulls us in Ghar Tum Bhula na Doge. But why why is Dharmendra holding a gun? I am intrigued…have to see this film!!. And as Rafi’s voice and Rajesh’s eyes make love with Yeh Raat hai Pyaasi Pyaasi in Choti Bahu (1971), the dimple responds with pleasure.  R.D.Burman’s music is  outstanding in Amar Prem (1972), there aren’t superlatives enough to praise it. Fleeting glimpses of the dimple are evident while Lata sings Raina Beeti Jai. Good lyrics by Anand Bakshi too:  तन मन प्यासा अखियों में पानी (mind and body parched, but the eyes are wet) – well written indeed!! I must mention Rajesh Khanna’s sparkling white Dhoti and Kurta which look great on him. Why have citified Indian men discarded this so elegant an attire?

Dimplophiles will have their money’s worth in Ab Chahe Maa Roothe Ya Baba from Daag (1973), where poor Sharmila prances about in a very unflattering costume. Kishore fans will also enjoy the song for he is in good voice indeed!! Bhupinder’s gravelly voice croons Dil Dhoonta Hai phir wahi in Mausam (1973), but its a bit difficult to catch the dimple at work.

I have chosen today’s song for a number of reasons; the dimple looks enchanting, Sharmila and Dharmendra make a glorious looking pair, just seeing the clip had me giggling in memory of the film which was SO much fun…in short, its a true homage to the dimple! Here is Ab Ke Sajan Saawan Mein from Chupke Chupke (1975), sung impressively by Lata Mangeshkar to S.D.Burman’s music. Enjoy! And if you haven’t seen the film..don’t wait!

Ab Ke Sajan Saawan Mein–Lata Mangeshkar