YEH RAATEIN ,YEH MAUSAM, NADI KA KINARA
Some time in the 1960’s a distant relative of mine from New Delhi visited me at my home in Chennai[then Madras]. This guy was born and brought up in Delhi and was, at the age of about 25, visiting my city for the first time .Once he had settled down at my home in Nandanam he expressed a desire to visit the Marina beach. ‘I have never seen a beach’ he said to my astonishment .We forthwith boarded a bus to Triplicane and thence walked to the Marina. It was dusk by the time we reached the beach. As soon as his eyes set on the blue waters he exulted ‘This is divine’. We sat on the sands and I switched on my transistor and what song should we hear but that Kishore and Asha Bhonsle perennially alluring romantic song, YEH RAATEIN YE MAUSAM NADI KA KINARA.
As the sound of the winds meshed with the dulcet voices of the master singers , and as the gentle lyrics wafted into the air, my relative closed his eyes for several moments even after I had switched off the radio. As a few tears trickled down his eyes I asked him how he felt . Slowly as if returning from a state of coma he said
‘If there is any proof needed at all that love is the greatest emotion known at all living creatures this song is the proof. If there is anything more beautiful than the sea, I am yet to experience it. I am shifting for good to Madras’.
He lived up to his words and even to this day at past the age of 60 he is a familiar sight at the Marina on most evenings romancing the sea.
These thoughts raced through my mind last evening when I attended another excellent concert conducted by SATRANGIMUSIC Chennai, headed by Pramod Nair and accompanied by singers Usha and Jaya.
Jaya and Pramod sang that Ye raatein melody from DILLI KA THUG [By the way why does ‘Dilli’ alone attracts that pejorative word ‘thug’?} almost to perfection. Jaya has a comely sensous voice that resembles Asha Bhonsle’s.
The evening began with a song from HOWRAH BRIDGE –after all it was a concert to pay tribute to Madhubala and Nutan . Jaya began with that all time great club song AAYIYE MAHERBAN number from that movie composed by O.P Nayyar. She captured that come hither spirit of the song.
The first high point of the concert was then to arrive as Usha rendered that song that takes me back to my childhood when the moon was the object of much poetic description—a tradition that has been sadly lost. Any poet who refers to the moon these days may be accused of being just that—a lunatic ! Usha sang CHAND PHIR NIKLA that lyrical statement of love ad longing from PAYING GUEST . Usha has a touch of Lata and has a comely personality to boot—not the ‘come- on- dance- with- me’ look that is in fashion these days. Her joy at the very idea of singing is something to behold. An MA in music she is grooming her daughter Kamalaji to sing. The smile that she has at the end of her song sends your heart into a silent contemplation of the beauty of her voice and the musical quality of the songs she chooses..
Usha and Pramod joined voices to sing that peppy title song from TERE GHAR KE SAMNE that had the audience tapping their feet. Only to be entranced next by Jaya with KAALI GHATA CHHAI MORE from SUJATA .The song CHOD DO AANCHAL that Pramod and Jaya sang next from the film PAYING GUEST reminded us of gentler times when zamana frowned on undue physical expression of love .These days …. Oh let us leave it at that !
Compere beyond compare Lakshmi told the audience that the song that followed was the one that first established Lata as a musical marvel. Just as Lakshmi finished her brief interlude came the gentle voice of Usha with that evocative song AAYEGA AAYEGA AAYEGA AANE WALA, AAYEGEGA from MAHAL .My heart skipped a few beats. Lakshmi had asked who the composer was and promptly came the answer from an obvious lover of hindi film melodies . Khemchand Prakash whom the iconic Naushsd described as My Musical Guru!
Usha’s rendition was a highlight that evening and this song brought out how a song ought to be sung—the listener must unconsciously feel the emotions of the song. I for one truly felt a longing for what I can not fathom….that was the depth of emotion Usha and the song stirred in me.
Interspersed with songs from Sarawati Chandra, Phagun,Kalapani, came the one with Hemant Kumar singing LEHRON PE LEHER from CHABILI with music by Snehal Bhatkar.This sentimental hit was followed by that cute melody from Bandini MORA GORA ANG LAI LO . MOHE SHAAM ANG DAI DE .Lakshmi told us that this was written by Gulzar !Trust that poet to overturn current obsession for fair skin!Shah Rukh Khan ought to listen to this song and stop endorsing fairness cream!
Usha then sang another show stealer from Khandaan TUMHI MERI MANZIL TUMHI MERI POOJA— a song never to be forgotten. A couple of songs later Usha again rose to the pinnacle of the evening PYAAR KIYA TO DARNA KYA, that classic Madhubala enacted Naushad masterpiece from MUGHAL- E- AZAM . I switched on my mobile and let a lover of this song sitting in a distant part of the city listen to this gem !!
Two songs later came the denoument – ZINDAGI BHAR NAHI BHOOLEGI WOH BARSAAT KI RAAT.
There is something about nature that inspires the best prose, poetry and art in general. If the nadi stirred me earlier in the concert it was barsaat ki raat that dipped into the deep recesses of my heart .Pramod and Usha sang in unison with the soft drizzle in Chennai on a night said to be colder than any other over many years. Unbelievable that Chennaites were actually seen in shawls. But then many things are unusual about the city—love of the golden era of Hindi film music is one such.
K.R.RAVI
For details of the next concert visit www.satrangimusic.com
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
A R REHMAN SACHIN ETC
A.R.REHMAN TENDULKAR BRADMAN
Cricket legend Brian Lara was asked how he would compare Sachin Tendulkar with Bradman. As India waited with bated breath for the answer that might have led to the declaration of another national holiday, came the excellent reply ‘We cannot compare great cricketers of different eras.’ He added helpfully that Sachin was the Bradman of this era.
Something similar may be said of film music. Many including yours truly have held that the period 1950 to 1970 may be called the Golden era of Hindi film music. the era when Melody was Queen . With astonishment we heard the immortal melodies of Naushad, S.D.Burman, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas., O.P Nayyar. Roshan, Shanker Jaikishan, Ravi. Jaidev and many others. Using the awesome talents of Rafi,Kishore Mukesh , Manan Dey , Lata, Geeta, Asha etc these musicians produced the kind of songs that will forever remained etched in the hearts of listeners like me. Bliss is it to have been born in that era.
I am sure lovers of music in other languages will have similar views about their music . But I ask a simple question—Are we committing the common error of reconstructing history in a distorted way? Are we overdoing things and saying that there was no bad music in that era .?Are we saying that audiences then loved melody?
I am provoked to ask this question in the light of this comment made many years ago by O.P.Nayyar ‘ I was king when I composed trash. I strove for musical quality only to crash’.
Even granting that a man whose career was coming to an end may be excused for being bitter how does one account for R D Burman’s lament that the market wanted only dhing -chak music while he yearned to give melody of the kind he gave in Amar Prem and Aandhi?. Would you believe that RDB rated Hemant Kumar as the most accomplished singer of the golden era and regretted that he never composed to Hemantda? Would the audience of even that era accept RDB-Hementda combo? Or would they have preferred ‘Mehmbooba mehmooba?
. I believe A .R.Rehman is in a situation familiar to our Prime Minister ,Manmohan Singh who when accused of being week and a doormat mumbles of the ‘ compulsions of coalition politics’. Rehman may also mumble- Compulsions of market realities—which is what O.P.Nayyar talked about.
Rehman has composed immortal melodies like
KAANU KU MAI AZHAGU
Netri ilada matram
Uyirum neeye
Yennavale
Irumugamaye
Then there the lilting melodies from Thiruda Thiruda including Chandralekha that are on par with R.D.Burman’s Chura liya hai .
These will stand testimony to my assertion that if only the market permits him he can do to Tamil film songs what C. Ramachandra and Naushad did up north.
But there is the market that constrains any creative person .Look at Chetan Bhagat. His articles in some papers on sensitive topics reflect his serious thinking on those subjects. But his books which are aimed at the ‘time pass’ adolescents and young adults refect his sensitivity to market forces. His books are quite puerile as are Shoba De’s writings that are aimed at the vacuous page 3 reader
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
Cricket legend Brian Lara was asked how he would compare Sachin Tendulkar with Bradman. As India waited with bated breath for the answer that might have led to the declaration of another national holiday, came the excellent reply ‘We cannot compare great cricketers of different eras.’ He added helpfully that Sachin was the Bradman of this era.
Something similar may be said of film music. Many including yours truly have held that the period 1950 to 1970 may be called the Golden era of Hindi film music. the era when Melody was Queen . With astonishment we heard the immortal melodies of Naushad, S.D.Burman, Madan Mohan, Anil Biswas., O.P Nayyar. Roshan, Shanker Jaikishan, Ravi. Jaidev and many others. Using the awesome talents of Rafi,Kishore Mukesh , Manan Dey , Lata, Geeta, Asha etc these musicians produced the kind of songs that will forever remained etched in the hearts of listeners like me. Bliss is it to have been born in that era.
I am sure lovers of music in other languages will have similar views about their music . But I ask a simple question—Are we committing the common error of reconstructing history in a distorted way? Are we overdoing things and saying that there was no bad music in that era .?Are we saying that audiences then loved melody?
I am provoked to ask this question in the light of this comment made many years ago by O.P.Nayyar ‘ I was king when I composed trash. I strove for musical quality only to crash’.
Even granting that a man whose career was coming to an end may be excused for being bitter how does one account for R D Burman’s lament that the market wanted only dhing -chak music while he yearned to give melody of the kind he gave in Amar Prem and Aandhi?. Would you believe that RDB rated Hemant Kumar as the most accomplished singer of the golden era and regretted that he never composed to Hemantda? Would the audience of even that era accept RDB-Hementda combo? Or would they have preferred ‘Mehmbooba mehmooba?
. I believe A .R.Rehman is in a situation familiar to our Prime Minister ,Manmohan Singh who when accused of being week and a doormat mumbles of the ‘ compulsions of coalition politics’. Rehman may also mumble- Compulsions of market realities—which is what O.P.Nayyar talked about.
Rehman has composed immortal melodies like
KAANU KU MAI AZHAGU
Netri ilada matram
Uyirum neeye
Yennavale
Irumugamaye
Then there the lilting melodies from Thiruda Thiruda including Chandralekha that are on par with R.D.Burman’s Chura liya hai .
These will stand testimony to my assertion that if only the market permits him he can do to Tamil film songs what C. Ramachandra and Naushad did up north.
But there is the market that constrains any creative person .Look at Chetan Bhagat. His articles in some papers on sensitive topics reflect his serious thinking on those subjects. But his books which are aimed at the ‘time pass’ adolescents and young adults refect his sensitivity to market forces. His books are quite puerile as are Shoba De’s writings that are aimed at the vacuous page 3 reader
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
I GET HATE MAILS
WHY WE SEND HATE MAILS?
If a shopkeeper tells you that he does not have the thing you are looking for but will make it available to you in a few hours what he means is that you may try after 2 days. If he tells you that he will get it in two days it means you ought to revisit his shop after two weeks. If he tells you that the goods will arrive ‘definitely’ after 15 days it means he has no plans to get it for you.
I leave it to you to try and figure out who said this about our way of dealing with requests. But suffice it to say that this is an aspect of not just Indian but even Asian behaviour. We find it difficult to be straightforward in replying to others for fear that we may be seen as rude.
What’s wrong with this? some may argue .True we ought not to be rude but look at this way. Are we not misleading the other guy by not being honest with him regarding our inability to deliver what he is seeking? Do we not believe in honesty in our dealings? Is it not possible to be honest AND polite?
The argument about not being rude is really not convincing since we do not consistently exhibit that trait in our other dealings where politeness is required.
I have written many articles on a range of subjects some of which may be unpalatable to many .That to my mind is exactly what we need –the vibrant market place of ideas, the clash of alternative viewpoints .Did I say ‘clash”? Maybe that’s where I err .It is the responses from some people to my articles that leads me to believe that Indians of the sort who reply to me are also strong believers in clash but sadly of a different sort. They have a right –indeed a duty--- to highlight where I may be wrong, but do the replies have to take a near sinister personal turn?
Here is one response to my article
.
He seems to be an immatured guy and probably
writes at the instance of some body.
One may rate himself as an intellect,but should not think that others are fools…. is good enough to tighten him
I almost sought police protection against this letter –so underworld- ish it sounds. Read the lines’ Good enough to tighten him’! How more personal can you get.
On the same topic another reader said I was ‘bigoted’ and called me names .
Then came a response from someone in New Delhi who wanted to know if I were a ‘circus clown’. An Indian from Texas wrote that I was suffering from a disability considering what I wrote n my piece about suicides in south India. Of course this guy is probably influenced by Bollywood movies where making fun of disabilities is a form of comedy never mind the total contempt it shows to the less fortunate among us. A reader from Coimbatore told me to restrict myself to articles in my area of specialisation-lateral thinking. I told him not to read articles in areas other than HIS area of specialisation! I was kidding.
The list is long but you get the point.
My question is this—Is it not possible to express disagreement with style and respect? Is it not possible to segregate a person’s views from his larger persona? If I disagree with you does it necessarily mean that I consider you to be a total fool? Can we not disagree and yet be friends? Can we not confine our responses to facts and opinions on specific points rather than launch a general tirade on the person who has written something?
What is in evidence in such instances is possibly the play of what can be called the ego. Somewhere my articles inadvertently hurt some people’s ego or sense of self worth . We are an ultra sensitive people and take to heart any comment that is not in sync with our views. What is worse we rush to convert any comment into a generalised attack on our identity –not just our individual identity but on our race, community, state or language group. I have been assaulted by a barrage of harsh comments for my article on why India shining is a myth that the middle class is nourishing at the cost of over 700 million Indians who live on less than Rs 20 a day .It’s been months since I expressed these views and I am still getting hate mail
I have been airing my hypotheses about this in the past. It goes like this. A nation starts by feeling inferior about itself—that was India’s plight not so long ago when we were victims of socialism .Then a country becomes touchy about any criticism of itself. India—a now developing India—is now in that stage, We are touchy about any negative report . We were touchy about toilets at the Commonwealth Games village being sub-standard. The middle class India which strives to impress white nations was up in arms against this dirty toilet report. This class would have not risen in revolt if the games were Indo-African games!! Finally a nation reaches a stage where it cares little for what others think. China is such a nation. Then there are nations that are self confident and go about their business quietly far from international media glare.
That will happen to India—this quiet self confidence—but we have to MAKE it happen. One way of doing that is to be restrict emotionality and allow rationality a greater play even when I write articles that do not meet universal approval!! COOL.!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
If a shopkeeper tells you that he does not have the thing you are looking for but will make it available to you in a few hours what he means is that you may try after 2 days. If he tells you that he will get it in two days it means you ought to revisit his shop after two weeks. If he tells you that the goods will arrive ‘definitely’ after 15 days it means he has no plans to get it for you.
I leave it to you to try and figure out who said this about our way of dealing with requests. But suffice it to say that this is an aspect of not just Indian but even Asian behaviour. We find it difficult to be straightforward in replying to others for fear that we may be seen as rude.
What’s wrong with this? some may argue .True we ought not to be rude but look at this way. Are we not misleading the other guy by not being honest with him regarding our inability to deliver what he is seeking? Do we not believe in honesty in our dealings? Is it not possible to be honest AND polite?
The argument about not being rude is really not convincing since we do not consistently exhibit that trait in our other dealings where politeness is required.
I have written many articles on a range of subjects some of which may be unpalatable to many .That to my mind is exactly what we need –the vibrant market place of ideas, the clash of alternative viewpoints .Did I say ‘clash”? Maybe that’s where I err .It is the responses from some people to my articles that leads me to believe that Indians of the sort who reply to me are also strong believers in clash but sadly of a different sort. They have a right –indeed a duty--- to highlight where I may be wrong, but do the replies have to take a near sinister personal turn?
Here is one response to my article
.
He seems to be an immatured guy and probably
writes at the instance of some body.
One may rate himself as an intellect,but should not think that others are fools…. is good enough to tighten him
I almost sought police protection against this letter –so underworld- ish it sounds. Read the lines’ Good enough to tighten him’! How more personal can you get.
On the same topic another reader said I was ‘bigoted’ and called me names .
Then came a response from someone in New Delhi who wanted to know if I were a ‘circus clown’. An Indian from Texas wrote that I was suffering from a disability considering what I wrote n my piece about suicides in south India. Of course this guy is probably influenced by Bollywood movies where making fun of disabilities is a form of comedy never mind the total contempt it shows to the less fortunate among us. A reader from Coimbatore told me to restrict myself to articles in my area of specialisation-lateral thinking. I told him not to read articles in areas other than HIS area of specialisation! I was kidding.
The list is long but you get the point.
My question is this—Is it not possible to express disagreement with style and respect? Is it not possible to segregate a person’s views from his larger persona? If I disagree with you does it necessarily mean that I consider you to be a total fool? Can we not disagree and yet be friends? Can we not confine our responses to facts and opinions on specific points rather than launch a general tirade on the person who has written something?
What is in evidence in such instances is possibly the play of what can be called the ego. Somewhere my articles inadvertently hurt some people’s ego or sense of self worth . We are an ultra sensitive people and take to heart any comment that is not in sync with our views. What is worse we rush to convert any comment into a generalised attack on our identity –not just our individual identity but on our race, community, state or language group. I have been assaulted by a barrage of harsh comments for my article on why India shining is a myth that the middle class is nourishing at the cost of over 700 million Indians who live on less than Rs 20 a day .It’s been months since I expressed these views and I am still getting hate mail
I have been airing my hypotheses about this in the past. It goes like this. A nation starts by feeling inferior about itself—that was India’s plight not so long ago when we were victims of socialism .Then a country becomes touchy about any criticism of itself. India—a now developing India—is now in that stage, We are touchy about any negative report . We were touchy about toilets at the Commonwealth Games village being sub-standard. The middle class India which strives to impress white nations was up in arms against this dirty toilet report. This class would have not risen in revolt if the games were Indo-African games!! Finally a nation reaches a stage where it cares little for what others think. China is such a nation. Then there are nations that are self confident and go about their business quietly far from international media glare.
That will happen to India—this quiet self confidence—but we have to MAKE it happen. One way of doing that is to be restrict emotionality and allow rationality a greater play even when I write articles that do not meet universal approval!! COOL.!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM
.
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