Her Story: Love Lyrics - 2

I have stepped into the world of love with a lot of hopes...so says our young lady. Presenting a song from "Malhar" (1951) today.

Trivia: Shammi lip-synced to this song in the film. This was her first film as a solo heroine. She was not much successful as a leading lady, but did much better later, playing different roles in TV serials.

Indeevar's real name was Shyamalal Babu Rai. This is one of his notable songs.

Singer Mukesh was the producer of this film.

Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh
Lyrics: Indeevar
Music: Roshan

Her Story: Love Lyrics - 1

Having said what had to be said, and seeing that he reciprocates her feelings; she is happy. Now, there are several songs in Hindi films-old and new-that are written around this idea. It is interesting to see how the treatment changes with time, while the emotion remains the same. I am amused by this and I will keep posting both, old and new songs that are apt for a certain situation. Today, enjoy an old gem from "Ada" (1951). I could not find a video from the film, but decided to post this lovely melody anyway, for the beautiful words, lilting tune and the sheer pleasure of listening to the fresh voice of a young Lata Mangeshkar.

Trivia: The cast for this film included names such as Rehana, Shekhar, Gope, Madan Puri, Mohana and Shanta Kanwar. Did Rehana lip-sync to this song? I wonder.

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics: Prem Dhawan
Music: Madan Mohan

Her Story: How To Tell Him?

Our young lady is now convinced that she is in love. But she is not sure how to let her beloved know about her feelings for him. She does get it across to him, albeit in an unusual way. This sweet song from "Bobby" (1973) seems to be just right for this situation.

Trivia: This was a landmark film, featuring a real-life young couple as lead actors. This film marked the debut of Dimple Kapadia and the first leading role for Rishi Kapoor. It portrayed the 'rich versus poor' theme in the light of teenage romance, and went on to become a blockbuster. Its music was hugely popular too.

Rishi Kapoor won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for "Bobby", while Dimple Kapadia shared the Best Actress Award with Jaya Bachchan (nee Bhaduri) for "Abhimaan".

Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Shailendra Singh
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Music: Laxmikant Pyarelal

Her Story: Love Blossoming!

She is ecstatic. She has just realised that she has found that 'special someone' in her life. This song from "1942: A Love Story" (1993) conveys her emotions in the most beautiful manner. Lovely lyrics, catchy composition and a marvellous Manisha Koirala went on to create this memorable melody. Enjoy it, it is an audio-visual treat.

Trivia: This film was R. D. Burman's last work as a composer. It brought him one of the three Filmfare Awards that he received in his entire career, although he was nominated for 16 films. This was the first Indian film to use Dolby Stereo.

Kavita Krishnamurthy bagged the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback for this song. She married Violin Virtuoso L. Subramaniam and settled down in Bangalore. Javed Akhtar received a Filmfare Award for Best Lyrics too, but for another song from this film, Ek ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga.

Singer: Kavita Krishnamurthy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Music: R. D. Burman

Her Story: Love Blossoming?

She is an adorable young lady. Of late, she is experiencing something which is hard to tell in words. She is wondering about this strange feeling that has come over her. Has she met a young man who might be the reason behind this? There are umpteen songs in Hindi films that describe this delicate phase in a woman's life beautifully. I have two compositions in mind that seem to be just right for this situation. First, a lovely melody from "Bhai Bhai" (1956). Watch out for the other one in the next post.

Trivia: The lady lip-syncing to this song on screen is Shyama. She was born as Khurshid Akhtar in Lahore in undivided India. Director Guru Dutt gave her the name Shyama.

Geeta Dutt died young, but she left her distinctive mark in the world of playback singing with her sensuous voice. Noted critic Raju Bharatan had this to say about her in Filmfare (February 1 - 15, 1985):
"Geeta Dutt was thandi hawa and kali ghata rolled into one. The moment she came, you got the refreshing feeling of aa hi gayi jhoom ke. There was a rare swing in her voice. She hit you like a thunderclap...This made Geeta Dutt the one singer that Lata Mangeshkar really feared. In training and technique Lata was way ahead but neither training nor technique was of much use when pitted against Geeta in the recording room...This put Lata on the defensive and I think she avoided singing with Geeta as far as possible. (They have sung few duets). I vaguely remember Lata acknowledging this fact when Geeta died on July 20, 1972."

Singer: Geeta Dutt
Lyrics: Rajendra Krishan
Music: Madan Mohan

Her Story: A Young Woman - 2

Our young lady is enjoying life to the fullest with fun, family and friends. She loves the idea of falling in love. But she is clueless about what it is like to do so. It'll happen when it has to happen. Right now, watch her on her day out with friends in this duet from "Padosan" (1968).

Trivia: This film was a super-hit comedy, adapted from a Bengali film "Pasher Bari" released in 1952. Soon, a Telugu version "Pakkinti Ammayi" appeared in 1953. The Hindi version took longer, but when it did get made, it was hugely successful. This is one of those films that people watch again and again. No matter how many times you watch it, it is as entertaining as ever; each time, every time.

This is one of the few duets that sisters Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle have sung together. Quite a treat!

Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
Lyrics: Rajendra Krishan
Music: R. D. Burman

Her Story: A Young Woman - 1

Our girl is not a little girl any more. She is a beautiful young woman with lots of dreams and hopes for her future. She is at an age where she is curious about what it feels like to fall in love. I have selected two songs that describe this stage in a woman's life. The first one is from "Hum Aapke Hain Koun" (1994). The other one follows in the next post.

Trivia: This song was not included in the film, one of the biggest grossers in the Hindi film industry. The 3.5 hour-long film had 12 songs. This song, the 13th one, appears in the original soundtrack though. Madhuri Dixit was older than the character she was playing, but she is bubbly and looks cute. Lata Mangeshkar, who was 65 then, sang this song which was supposed to be filmed on a teenager.

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics: Dev Kohli
Music: Raamlaxman

Her Story: The Classroom Singer

Our girl is now old enough to sing a song on her own, without her teacher's help. Watch her here in "Do Kaliyaan" (1968) doing exactly that.

Trivia: Neetu Singh, who went on to marry Rishi Kapoor later, was a child actress who was known by her screen name-Baby Sonia-in those days. She starred in a double role in this film, playing identical twins who are instrumental in bringing their estranged parents together. This was a very popular song at its time. Many girls sang this if asked to sing, be it at a party, a family get-together, a social occasion or when there were guests at home.

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
Music: Ravi

Her Story: Off To School! - 2

It is still songs and stories at school. School time seems like fun time. Kids who were not comfortable initially about being away from home, begin to enjoy the school experience. It sure is so much fun when a child finds herself surrounded by other children of her age. Our girl is one of so many such kids who have just started liking their school after the initial hiccups. Watch a class of young ones listening to a song in which their teacher is trying to tell them a story. This lovely composition is from "Lajwanti" (1958).

Singer: Asha Bhosle
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
Music: S. D. Burman

Her Story: Off To School! - 1

A child's first few days in school. Her first exposure to the outside world. For her, it is just an extension of her home. At times, she tries to find her mother in her teacher. That is why, it helps to have persons who are sensitive to a child's needs as teachers at the nursery level. Our girl is learning her first lessons at school now. I have two beautiful songs that show a loving and caring mother figure showering affection on her little wards. First, a super-hit duet from "Shree 420" (1955). The other one coming up in the next post.

Trivia: Watch Raj Kapoor at his Charlie Chaplinesque antics while Nargis asks riddles to the kids in her class in what looks like a makeshift school under a tree. This film was a big hit in the then Soviet Union. As a result, Raj Kapoor was very popular there. This particular song struck a chord with Iranians and they used to say "Ichak Dana" if they wanted to refer to someone from India. Antakshari players will surely remember this song, for it is often a favourite option when they are challenged to come up with a number that begins with an "ee".

Singers: Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Music: Shankar Jaikishan

Her Story: Fun And Games

Playing with friends in the neighbourhood is a part of growing up. This is the first step towards learning social skills. A kid who is used to having her way at home, learns to be accommodative while interacting with her friends. These activities, which may sometimes look silly and meaningless, help in the overall development of a child. Our girl has graduated from playing at home with family to playing in the local park with other children. Joining them in the fun is a not-so-young person. But he is young at heart for sure. Watch him becoming a child in the company of other kids in these delightful ditties from "Aashirwaad" (1968).

Trivia: The little girl asking questions is Sarika, who later starred in many Hindi and Marathi films with Sachin. She married and divorced Kamal Haasan, with whom she had two daughters, Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan. Lyricist Harindranath Chattopadhyay was the younger brother of Sarojini Naidu. And as far as Ashok Kumar's rendering of these songs is concerned, I wonder if Shankar Mahadevan was inspired by these for his "Breathless"!

Singer: Ashok Kumar
Lyrics: Harindranath Chattopadhyay
Music: Vasant Desai

Her Story: Growing Up!

Our little girl is growing up. She is an apple of everyone's eye. When she laughs, her laughter is so infectious that the whole house laughs with her. She has that wonderful ability of bringing out the child in everybody around her. Her mother is enjoying the bliss of motherhood. Watch her showering her little darling with endearments in this sweet song from "Dil Ek Mandir" (1963).

Singer: Suman Kalyalpur
Lyrics: Shailendra
Music: Shankar Jaikishan

Her Story: Happy Birthday!

Life becomes so full with a small baby at home that one never realises how time flies. Every day brings a fresh challenge. As the baby learns new things, parents learn with her too. They have to deal with anxieties, lack of sleep, feeding schedules, visits to the paediatrician, vaccinations and a whole lot of other things. But all this seems to be worth it when they see a radiant smile on their baby's face and a lovely twinkle in her eyes. And babies smile quite a lot, much more than we do!

When the little one completes the first year of her life, there is joy and celebration in the family. We celebrate our girl's birthday with this very old song from "Andaz" (1949).

Trivia: This song is from an era when the playback singers did not get any credit. So, Lata Mangeshkar and the playback singers who sang other songs in this film, were not mentioned in the film's credits.

Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
Music: Naushad