MUSIC AND INDIA 2

The so called vintage era saw the rise of other successful singers like Ashok Kumar, Surendra, Amirbai, Zohrabai Ambalewaali, Noor Jahan, Suraiya and Shamshad Begum besides K. L. Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, K. C. Dey and Jagmohan.



                                                                         Ashok Kumar




                                                                           Surendra




                                                            Zohrabai Ambalewaali




                                                                          Noor Jahan



                                                                       Suraiya



                                                                   Shamshad Begum


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcUgBGGSbw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmKTDj1BGmM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVykPTPGyE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBO9UzeYR4

One of the best song I remember that Ashok kumar sung is from the movie ''Khoobsurat''(1980) , composed by R D Burman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSKVIfIvSc0

Post independence, India saw a new breed of male singers like Mohd. Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar. Noor Jahan immigrated to Pakistan after independence clearing the way for the new breed of female singers like Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, new breed of music composers like Shankar Jaikishan, OP Nayyar, Madan Mohan, S. D. Burman also came into the limelight changing the music style with introduction of new instruments and arrangement.

Indian music in movies came a long way from the first song that was recorded live with an harmonium and tabla for Alam Ara the first talkie or sound film in 1931 and sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan to K. L. Saigal to Mohammed Rafi, what a journey it was.

by iyerbhaskar

The Indian Cinema journey started with the first full length silent film in Marathi, Raja Harishchandra produced by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913, the female roles in the movie were played by male actors. Thereafter it took 18 years to transit from silent to talking film and the first Indian talking film was Alam Ara released on 14 March 1931 followed by Bhakta Prahlada on September 15, 1931 in Telugu and Kalidas in Tamil was released on October 31, 1931. Ardeshri Irani produced Alam Ara and H. M. Reddy produced Bhakta Prahlada and Kalidas was produced by Ardeshri Irani and directed by H. M. Reddy. One can say the talkie movies were pioneered by Ardeshri Irani and H. M. Reddy.

The period from late 1940 to 1960 was the “Golden Age” of Indian cinema when some of the most critically acclaimed Hindi Commercial films of all times were produced, Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz ke Phool (1959), Raj Kapoor’s Aawara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955), Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), V. Shantaram’s Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1957), Bimal Roy’s Madhumati (1958) and K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam (1960) to name a few made a mark and left a lasting impression on the Indian movie canvass.

Indian is the only country in the world that produces movies in over 13 languages catering to the different regions of the country. Over 1000 movies are produced every year in different languages with the highest number of movies produced in Telugu, Hindi and Tamil languages.

Songs are an integral part of the movies in India, there are very few movies made without songs and could be counted on one hand (Probably). Only two movies come to mind that had no songs in them, Kanoon in 1960 and Ittefaq in 1969, both produced by BR Chopra  and both suspense thrillers. They say B. R. Chopra took it as a challenge when he was told that Indian movies contained nothing but songs when he attended a German Film Festival and made Kanoon. Ittefaq was shot in 28 days flat with superstar Rajesh Khanna and Nanda and was directed by BR’s brother Yash Chopra and based on English film Signpost to Murder. Though these two movies did well at the box office there is nothing much to talk about besides being song-less movies.

Movies are remembered by its songs and as mentioned in my earlier posts there are movies which was a “Hit” at the box office mainly because of the songs, movies had to have eight to ten songs in them and film makers found different situations or created one to insert the songs in the movie. The music directors or composers are as much in demand as are the actors in the movies. It is very difficult to imagine a Hindi movies without songs.

Today Film songs has carved a niche of its own in the culture of India, one can say that besides Carnatic and Hindustani music there is a place for Film music too.It takes years of dedication and practice to learn the classic forms of Indian music but its very easy to learn and sing movie songs. Its the songs from movies that motivates and inspires us, its easy for a man to express his moods with the help of songs from movies.  Movie songs has  tremendous influence on us and without them our life is incomplete.

by iyerbhaskaThe Indian Cinema journey started with the first full length silent film in Marathi, Raja Harishchandra produced by Dadasaheb Phalke in 1913, the female roles in the movie were played by male actors. Thereafter it took 18 years to transit from silent to talking film and the first Indian talking film was Alam Ara released on 14 March 1931 followed by Bhakta Prahlada on September 15, 1931 in Telugu and Kalidas in Tamil was released on October 31, 1931. Ardeshri Irani produced Alam Ara and H. M. Reddy produced Bhakta Prahlada and Kalidas was produced by Ardeshri Irani and directed by H. M. Reddy. One can say the talkie movies were pioneered by Ardeshri Irani and H. M. Reddy.The period from late 1940 to 1960 was the “Golden Age” of Indian cinema when some of the most critically acclaimed Hindi Commercial films of all times were produced, Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz ke Phool (1959), Raj Kapoor’s Aawara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955), Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), V. Shantaram’s Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1957), Bimal Roy’s Madhumati (1958) and K. Asif’s Mughal-E-Azam (1960) to name a few made a mark and left a lasting impression on the Indian movie canvass.Indian is the only country in the world that produces movies in over 13 languages catering to the different regions of the country. Over 1000 movies are produced every year in different languages with the highest number of movies produced in Telugu Hindi and Tamil languages.

                                                                     B. R. Chopra

                                                                    Yash Chopra

MUSIC AND INDIA

India produces the largest number of movies in the world and that too in various languages catering to the different regions and cross section of the country. There are millions, like me, who are into, what we call, Indian Movies and Music. Indian movies are unique, the only one of its kind in the whole world where songs are an integral part of the movies, very few movies are made without songs and there are many movies which have become hits because of the songs in them. Actors are know by the songs and there are songs that became famous because of the actors.

These songs from the Indian movies, especially songs from Hindi movies have been a constant companion to me as it has been to many of my friends and I am sure it will be for you too. I hope the songs that I have selected and posted here give you the same joy and feeling of nostalgia it has given to me.

I am going to start with few songs of inspiring singers like K L Saigal, Punkaj Mullick, K C Dey, Jagmohan and others and will add more songs from these and other singers from time to time.

                                                                               K C Dey

                                                                        Sapan Jagmohan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz_Rd1jYIew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0be5noKMEU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkKVMinPzc

I have no idea what I am getting into with this, I am aware that this is not a easy task and demands time and to an extend dedication, regular updates and contribution is necessary to make it interesting.

I have received couple of feedback from my friends and I am sure many more will be coming in as we progress, I do look forward to every feedback and positive criticism, don’t like the negative kind so please refrain from that.

I see that its tough to go in a chronological listing of the music in movies of India so have decided to go with my random listing, I am however glad that I started with K. L. Saigal as I grew up listening to his songs everyday, though I was not a fan of KLS in my childhood I did later develop a liking and now love his singing, I realize why he was adored and copied by many singers. I would also like to add couple of songs of Pankaj Mullick, Kanan Devi and others to keep you in the mood of those days before I jump to music of the 50’s when Rafi, Lata, Mukesh started putting their mark on Hindi music.

                                                                                Md Rafi

                                                               Lata Mangeshkar

                                                                        Mukesh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxGargpJ9XY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zkKVMinPzc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6VR3OyMWd0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boIsny8t8z8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5HqC0Q-eo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUNmD7C7_xc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mguKXx_nBI8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heCY6UnsNSE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoCUt4Qtu9w

All  the above singers and songs are from before I was born, I thought of listing them as sometimes I wonder how it would have been if I was born in that era, maybe I might not be writing this as I would be too old, non the less I do relate to those years when these songs were composed and these singers contributed to the songs in Indian cinema. Were they the curtain raisers of Hindi cinema?