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Greatest Ever Hindi Film Lyricist?
I woke up this Saturday morning with a touch of hangover and to Hemant crooning Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni from Jaal. It is an interesting song that captures all that is good of Hindi film music. Set to music by a scion of the royal family of Tripura (S.D. Burman), penned by a young revolutionary poet from a feudal Punjabi zamindar family (Sahir), brought to life by a genteel Bengali bhadralok who grew up in Benares (Hemant Kumar) and all brought together by a Mysore born director (Guru Dutt) who reveled, then, in crime capers. I mulled over this some more as Hemant continued to pour honey in his Bangla-accented voice. And I had further reasons to support my long-held belief that the one area where Hindi cinema has been decidedly world class is in its music and the accompanying lyrics. Let me go a step further, while the originality of the music compositions have been questioned since long, there is scarce a doubt about the originality of the lyrics. So, you might accuse Pritam of being eclectically inspired in the Life in a. Metro soundtrack but you cant deny that there is a bit of magic when James sings to Amitabh Verma penned Alvida.
Since it was Sahirs birthday yesterday, I felt it would be appropriate to talk about lyrics and lyricists down the years and compare their relative styles. And, go out on a limb and crown one of them as the greatest Hindi film lyricist ever based on my considered opinion. I am aware that any exercise of this kind is fraught with the possibilities of inviting the wrath of several slighted devotees on me but the pleasure far outweighs any potential brickbats. Let me also hasten to add here, I am purely considering the merit of these wordsmiths based on their work in Hindi cinema so please do not point out to me the poetic merits of Talkhiyaan. Also, I will focus on what I consider the first generation of lyricists of Hindi cinema and for this post I will ignore the early pioneers like the Lucknawis (Arzoo and Behzad), Aaga Kashmiri, P.L. Santoshi and Kidar Sharma who did some wonderful work in the 30s and 40s. Also, I will not consider the next generation including Gulzar, Anand Bakshi, Indivar and possibly Javed Akhtar who have strong cases for being considered the greatest lyricist of Hindi cinema. This might rankle a lot of you but I believe, as a group, the first generation of lyricists was peerless and the issue of the greatest lyricist of Hindi cinema should be settled between them. Let me hasten to add, I remain a huge Gulzar fan and also a great admirer of Anand Bakshis versatility.
The first generation of this list shaped the idiom of the film songs in what is considered to be the golden years of Hindi film music. They include Sahir Ludhianvi, Shailendra, Rajinder Krishan, Shakeel Badayuni and Majrooh Sultanpuri. I am making two notable omissions here Hasrat Jaipuri and Raja Mehndi Ali Khan and I am willing to live with them.
I will start with Rajinder Krishan, a much-ignored lyricist, who was the most prolific during the 50s and one who effortlessly blended the high falutin with the low-brow. In that sense, Rajinder Krishan was the quintessential Hindi film lyricist, a chameleon who could write a Gore Gore, O Banke Chhore (Samadhi, C. Ramchander) and bring out the pathos of love in Hum Pyar Mein Jalnewalon Ko (Jailor, Madan Mohan). He was also an accomplished writer and wrote over hundred screenplays, a skill that gave him a unique sense of occasion while crafting lyrics. Sample the appropriateness of Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha (Chhaya, Salil Choudhary) or Yun Hasraton Ke Daag Mohabbat Mein Dho Liye (Adalat, Madan Mohan). Rajinder Krishan did some of his best work with Madan Mohan, C. Ramchander and Hemant Kumar (Nagin, Bluff Master) but his prolificity meant that he spread his riches quite evenly S.D. Burman (Bahar, Sazaa), Ravi (Khandaan, Bharosa, Doli, Anmol Moti), L-P (Intequam, Man Mandir), RD (Padosan, Chhalia, Bombay to Goa). Despite his versatility, his output slowed down considerably in the mid-60s as his favorite composers fell out of favor. Then, as the legend goes, his love for punting at Mahalakshmi paid rich dividends in early 70s and he won a huge jackpot which hastened his retirement. Arguably, then, Rajinder Krishan doesnt stand up to the test of time and changing tastes. Sure, his work with C. Ramchander (Albela, Azad, Samadhi, Patanga) sound contemporary even now but he wasnt able to create the same magic over a sustained period of time. I will move on with the five tracks that capture the essence of Rajinder Krishan:
Yeh zindagi usi ki hai (Anarkali, C Ramchander)
Man mein kisi ki preet (Aaram, Anil Biswas)
Sham dhale khidaki tale (Albela, C Ramchander)
Phir wohi sham (Jahan Ara, Madan Mohan)
Mera qarar le ja (Ashiana, Madan Mohan)
Sahir is possibly the most romanticized Hindi film lyricist. From his revolutionary credentials as part of PWA, his successful oeuvre outside the realms of Hindi cinema, his ability to weave scathing social commentary in his lyrics and his relentless support for the underdog, the oppressed and the voiceless, Sahir epitomized the best of enlightened Hindustani writing tradition. Sahir gave legitimacy to film lyrics, till then considered as a means to earn easy money for struggling poets, and ensured that while we gradually lost the habit of reading poetry we lost none of its magic through his words. Where does one even start on Sahir? The devotional - Aan milo shyam saanwre (Devdas, SD), Aana hai to aa (Naya Daur, OP), Allah tero naam (Hum Dono, Jaidev), the iconoclastic Sansar se bhagte phirte ho (Chandralekha, Roshan), Aasma pe khuda hai (Phir Subah Hogi, Khaiyyam), the voice of conscience Jinhen naaz hai hind pe (Pyaasa, SD), Aurat ne janam diya (Sadhna, N. Dutta), Chin-o-arab hamara (Phir Subah Hogi, Khaiyyam) or the romantic Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi (Gumrah, Ravi), Na to karvan ki talaash (Barsat Ki Raat, Roshan), Hum aapki aankhon mein (Pyaasa, SD), Sahir covered them all with rare aplomb. Sahir limited himself in terms of composers that he worked with and after his tiff with SD during Pyaasa and the passing away of Roshan in mid-60s, he found comfort only with Ravi, Khaiyyam or an occasional N. Dutta and Jaidev. This limited his output but his words didnt stop soaring. Sahir was indeed a magician among lyricists. The five defining tracks of Sahir in my opinion are:
Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya (Hum Dono, Jaidev)
Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye (Pyaasa, S.D. Burman)
Kabhie kabhi mere dil mein (Kabhie Kabhi, Khaiyyam)
Laga chunari meing daag (Dil Hi To Hai, Roshan)
Teri duniya mein jeene se (House No 44, S.D. Burman)
Shailendras work had an everyday quality to it which resonated with the masses. Teaming up with that hit machine, Shankar-Jaikishan, Shailendra churned out crowd-pleasing lyrics which were easy on the ears and lips of the ordinary cinema buff. That didnt mean there was any leeway on the quality of song writing, from the first composition Barsat mein tumse mile hum (Barsaat, S-J) to his last works Rula key gaya sapna mera (Jewel Thief, SD). In my opinion, the one thing defined Shailendras lyrics is their ability to blend into the language and set-up of the storyline. Its difficult to lay out a particular style of writing as his and he would be the one who gave me the maximum slips in any contest of identifying the lyricist of a particular song. His non S-J songs attest to this, Zindagi khwab hai (Jagte Raho, Salil) could sound like a Sahir work, Rimjhim ke tarane (Kala Baazar, SD) might be mistaken for a Majrooh while Mohabbat aisi dhadkan hai (Anarkali, C Ramchandra) could be taken for a Rajinder Krishan song. However, he reserved his best for S-J and will remain immortalized for his work in the R.K. banner films. Shailendra had all the qualities of successful Hindi film lyricist who could straddle generations but his early demise in 1966 left that potential untapped. The 5 best of Shailendras lyrics would include:
Yeh mera deewanapan (Yahudi, S-J)
Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai (Guide, SD)
O Jaanewale (Bandini, SD)
Ruk jaa raat (Dil Ek Mandir, S-J)
Toote huye khwabon ne (Madhumati, Salil)
Shakeel Badayuni was, unabashedly, the most romantic of Hindi film lyricists. Along with Naushad, Shakeel was responsible for creating the persona of Dilip Kumar in one tragic number after the other in films like Mela, Deedar, Babul, Amar and Udan Khatola. The other defining characteristic of Shakeel was his ability to write lyrics for big films set on a large canvas like Mughal-e-Azam, Mother India, Ganga Jamuna or Sahib Bibi Ghulam. With Naushad, Shakeel formed, arguably, the greatest MD-lyricist combination in Hindi film industry. The range covered by this duo is almost unbeatable covering the greatest filmy bhajan of all time O duniya ke rakhwaale (Baiju Bawra), classical Madhuban mein radhika (Kohinoor), breezy romantic numbers, Dil mein chhupa ke (Aan) or the tragic Meri kahani bhoolne waale (Deedar). The two other music directors with whom Shakeel formed a successful combination were Ravi (Chaudvin Ka Chand, Do Badan, Door Ki Awaaz, Gharana) and Hemant Kumar (Bees Saal Baad, Sahib Bibi Ghulam, Bin Badal Barsaat). Like other lyricists of the era, Shakeel too had an untimely demise in his mid-50s. And wrapping up, the 5 best of Shakeel Badayuni:
Zindagi dene waale sun (Dil-E-Nadaan, Ghulam Mohammed)
Suhaani raat dhal chuki (Dulari, Naushad)
Chaudvin ka chand (Chaudvin Ka Chand, Ravi)
Yeh zindagi ke mele (Mela, Naushad)
Khuda nigehbaan ho tumhara (Mughal-e-Azam, Naushad)
Majrooh Sultanpuri, a trained hakim, was brought into Hindi film world by Naushad with the song Gham diye mushtaqil for the K.L. Saigal starrer Shah Jahan. An accomplished Urdu poet, Majrooh successfully compartmentalized his film and his literary career. In a career spanning almost six decades, Majrooh moulded his writing to changing demands of time with a nary a compromise on the quality of his lyrics. So as you run through the decades with him, Tu kahe agar (Andaz, Naushad) in 40s, Udhar tum haseen ho (Mr. and Mrs. 55, OP), Aankhon se jo utari (Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, OP) in 60s, Loote koi man ka nagar (Abhiman, SD) in 70s, Aye mere humsafar (QSQT, Anand-Milind) in 80s and Pehla nasha (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, Jatin-Lalit) in the 90s, you learn the nuances of expressing love over the decades. The other defining trait of Majrooh was his ability to write romantic duets, an almost mandatory requirement in Hindi cinema, where he was peerless. Sample, Kahin na jaa, aaj kahin na jaa (Bade Dilwala, RDB), Chhod do aanchal (Paying Guest, SD), Aaja panchhi akela hai (Nau Do Gyarah, SD), Yeh ladka hai allah (Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, RDB) or Tum jo huye mere humsafar (12 OClock, OP). With O.P. Nayyar in 60s and RD in 70s, Majrooh defined youth and vivacity in Hindi film music. My pick of the best 5 of Majrooh include:
Hum hai mata-e-koocha-o-baazar ki tarah (Dastak, Madan Mohan)
Jalte hain jiske liye (Sujata, SD Burman)
Humen tumse pyaar kitna (Kudrat, RD Burman)
Hum bekhudi mein (Kala Pani, SD Burman)
Aye kaash ki hum hosh mein (Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Jatin-Lalit)
So there, I would stick my neck out and claim based on longevity, the ability to work with multitude of composers, the flexibility to reflect the mood of the time and write that most important element of Hindi film music, the romantic duets, that the crown for the greatest Hindi film lyricist would go to Majrooh. Am I happy with this choice? Well, let me say that my heart would still choose Sahir but my head says it should be Majrooh. And, I guess thats the best way to settle this.
99 Responses to “Greatest Ever Hindi Film Lyricist?”
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Good Morning :)
Achcha..
good morning se pata chala kaise hua hangover :-)
=d>
May there be more such mornings. Thanks for this nice article.
I feel that one of your metric i.e. Romantic songs, is not fare, I feel versatility needs to be a more important metric. May be because I am fed up of the overdose of romantic songs, I mean more than 90% of the songs in Hindi movies are romantic or related to romance or heart break. (That doesn’t make it less challenging though).
Sahir’s words describe my point well,
“Zindagi Sirf Mohabbat Nahin Kuch Aur Bhi Hai,
Zulf-o-Rukhsaar ki Jannat Nahi Kuch Aur Bhi Hai
Bhookh Aur Pyaas ki Maari Hui Is Duniya Mein
Ishq Hi Ek Haqeeqat Nahin Kuch Aur Bhi Hai.”
Regarding Longevity, Sahir died at the age of 60 where as Majrooh at 80. Sorry for being picky. I know you already mentioned the conflict of head over heart. I thought I’ll be able to bias you little more towards Sahir.
One of the major difference between Sahir and Majrooh’s work is: Sahir’s work is more personal. His personality reflects in his lyrics; …where as Majrooh’s lyrics were more detached and in line with the need of the movie. You can probably get an idea of Sahir as a person through his lyrics but you can’t claim that for Majrooh’s lyrics.
I would like to suggest following songs of Sahir in the list…for the shear honesty with which it conveys the row feelings.
One of sahir’s most underrated song
> “Mere mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhse”
(Ghazal, Roshan)…now thats a romantic song full of honesty and realism.
> “Man re tu kahe na dhir dhare” (Chitralekha, Roshan)…my favorite Rafi track. I think even Kishoreda loved it.
> ” Babul ki duayen leti ja” (Nilkamal, Ravi)…my Mom still cry whenever and wherever she hear this song…full marks for simplicity.
Subrat - thanks for this. Very rarely does one come across such writings about lyricists.
I completely agree with you about the tough choice between Sahir and Majrooh. As a poet (I repeat…purely as a poet) I rate Sahir higher, whereas as a lyricist who had a perfect understanding of the idiom of Hindi film music, Majrooh is the person.
Talking of Sahir, the way he adapted his nazm Chakle for Pyasa is noteworthy. The original poem had a line which was heavily persianized (or was it Arabicised?), and he replaced that with a seemingly sinple line that was extremely evocative and could appeal to even to the common man. I’m talking of how ‘Sanaa-Khwaan-e-taqdees-e-mashriq kahan hai’ became ‘jinhe naaz hai hind par wo kahan hain’.
Just before his death, Sahir had written the lyrics for B R Chopra’s The Burning Train. The film was a disaster, but the qawwali “Pal Do Pal Ka Saath’ is one of my favourite qawwalis. The song equated life to a train journey, which was so apt for the situation.
Majrooh’s ‘Hum Hain Mata-e-koocha-o-bazaar ki tarah’ was not written for the film. It was his existing ghazal (which probably explains the tough Urdu) which fit so well within the context of the film. It is difficult to imagine that it was written for Rehana Sultan’s character in the film.
Vikrant - Thanks for all the additional wonderful information. This will be a never ending debate, isn’t it? Anyway, I feel that the romantic duet is a strong parameter and I will buy peace with you by leaving you with some lines from Sahir penned duet which actually captures the essence of what you mention, that love ain’t everything:
This is from Izzat starring Dharmendra, Tanuja and cameo by Jayalalitha.
“mohabbat kar to lekin mohabbat raas aaye bhee,
dilon ko boz lagate hain kabhee julfon ke saaye bhee,
hazaaron gham hain is duniyaan mein apane bhee paraaye bhee,
mohabbat hee kaa gam tanahaa nahee, hum kyaa kare,
Yeh dil tum bin kahin lagta nahin hum kya karen.”
Tushar - thanks. Dpac - no that ain’t the reason for hangover!!
I sometimes feel that Sahir and Majrooh should have switched their takhallus (pen name). Sahir’s poetry had the ‘aah’ of the wounded one (Majrooh), whereas Majrooh was a true magician (Sahir) with words. :)
Aditya - Good morning (if you are still in Chicago). Yeah, that Chakle adaptation is quite a legend, isn’t it?
I am actually quite intrigued by Sahir’s contributions in the last few years of his life. He was a bit mellow and seemed like having fun.
my head and heart both say sahir.
for someone with a hangover it is unforgivable to ignore gulzar and include majrooh.
still , you might have done worse and included shabana’s husband or salman’s father….or shabana’s father….
my heart would still choose Sahir but my head says it should be Majrooh.
———
This shows that you are a perfect blend of a true blue “film” connoisseur. IMO, people who give more weigtage to lyrics ( preferably Urdu ) like Sahir more and those who love the film medium, like Majrooh more.
For me brain says Majrooh and heart says Shailendra.
Great article Subrat ! keep it up
@cdrakenc: Salman’s father as a lyricist? when? where?
As for Shabana’s father, he was not very prolific, but he has some great songs. Two songs that instantly come to mind are: Kar Chale Hum Fida (Haqeeqat) and Waqt Ne Kiya (Kaaghaz Ke Phool). And to write an entire film in verse is no mean task.
aditya ji,
waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam..etc.
if shabana’s husband can be mistaken for a lyricist, his partner in crime( salman’s father ) must be guilty by association too..
;)
uhhh…gulzar? no?
cdrakenc: I am a Gulzar worshipper, but Subrat made it clear that he was talking of the first generation of lyricists. If you wanna read my musings on Gulzar, read this:
http://urgetofly.blogspirit.com/archive/2006/08/03/gulzar-s-moon.html
http://urgetofly.blogspirit.com/archive/2008/01/22/ghalib-in-hindi-films.html
thanks for this, im posting from my cell phone wp,which does not read hindi..I shall get home and comment on your blog.
I think its appropriate to compare lyricists poets across generations.(maybe not music directors) for that reason, I think your comparing gulzar and ghalib is entirely appropriate,although I might have compared gulzar to mir and sahir to ghalib ( for the similar subjects they wrote about)
anybody know how to make a windows mobile device read hindi script?
subrat hope this article’s trp goes beyond 200th figure… :) gr8 post
I think saahir was more close to marxism than majrooh…we should not forget the background of these lyricists..(connection with feudal system)
see these lines of saahir..
jinki julm se dukhi hai janata har basti har gaaon me…
daya dharam ki baat kare wo baith ke saji sabhaon me…
n can compare with these lines of majrooh…
hum hain mataa e koocha bazaar ki tarah
uthti hai har nigaah khariddar ki tarah
but majrooh was more gramattically sound than sahir..once he even challenges faiz ahmed faiz regarding his ghazal grammar.
I love it when marxism is used as a stick to eat people you dont like. It’s like calling someone an athesit in America…
Im not getting into a sahir majrooh war here. take it to ebazm.
A wonderful write up, incredibly informative.
Thank you so much Subrat. My next day off work will be spent downloading many of the classics highlighted in this discuession :)
I would have to disagree with your disclusion of Gulzar. I do understand your reasoning, but then this list (an impressive one for sure) would only be the greatest of that era, not necessarily the greatest of all time.
Gulzar-saab has not only proven his longevity, writing such soulful lyrics for over 4 decades and counting, but also displayed such an incredible understanding of the film medium (being a screenplay writer and director obviously went a long way in contributing to his understanding of writing for specific moods/situations). And of course, what range, from “Is Mod Se Jaate Hain” to “Ladki Ki Kaati” to his contemporary writings, I’d have to advocate that he be given more than an honary mention amongst the greatest lyricists the industry has been blessed with.
Gulzar, to my mind is the most visual of all the true poets.
as a result his poetry can be simple because they evoke images ,not phrases.
Pooche jo koi meri nishani rang hee-na Likhna
Kore badan pe ungli se mera naam ada likhna
(yahaan)
aankhiyon ke aalon mein, tere bina raat bhar
jaalti hain baatiyan yahaan
(Paheli)
This man is smouldering.
din dhale jahaa raat paas ho, jindagee kee lau unchee kar chalo
yaad aaye gar kabhee jee udaas ho, meree aawaaj hee pehechaan hai,Ghar yaad rahe
(kinara)
any coomon person can relate to the feelings and respond. only a great poet can write this
zindagee tere gam ne
humei rishte naye samazaaye
mile jo hume, dhoop mein mile
chhaanw ke thhande saaye
(masoom)
Goosepimples.
jaane kab gam huaa, kahaa khoyaa
yek aansoo, chhupaa ke rakhaa tha
(same song)
bhai waah!
Ae jindgi gale laga le
Hum ne bhi tere har ik gam ko
gale se lagaya hai
Hai na ?
(Sadma)
(no nihilism for our poet of films…only realism)
Bisra diyo hai kaahe bides bhijaaike
(lekin)
PUNCH. one sentence expressing the despair of a daughter given away to a strange land.
We are not worthy Gulzar sahib.
one day maybe your shadow will fall on us …Among the Gam in this zindagi.
(lyrics cut/paste courtesy: Dishant.com
Subrat, my intention was not to argue . I blame it on single malt scotch. To be fare, considering the constraints you have picked, there is very little one can argue over you claim (so you see I picked on constraints). yes within this premise I agree with your claim of Majrooh. Peace!
waah…dilon ko boz lagate hain kabhee julfon ke saaye bhee…thank you…. Now I have to go back listen to it again..its been a while. Thank you.
cdrakenc, kya kar rahe ho yaar… all these deep, soulful lyrics are making me all introspective.. and I haven’t even had a drink yet..
Mere dushman hain zamaane ke gham
baad peene ke yeh honge kum
Ho zulm duniya ke na seh paayunga
Bin peeye aaj na raa paayunga
Mujhe haalat se takhraana hai
Mujhe haalat se takhraana hai
Aise haalat mein pee lene do…
Was that Sameer?
WOW subrat !!! Maza aa gaya ^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^^:)^
The info on saahir is a gem
And would u believe it.. i was humming E kaash ki hum hosh mein aaney na paaye from kabhi haan kabhi naa today while having a bath !!!
Just to add …. One of the most ‘painful’ songs written by Majrooh IMO is the one from arguably Priyadarshan’s best film - Gardish …
Hum na samjhe they … Add to that SPB crooning in a non classical south indian voice and RDB .. and Jackie/Amrish Puri’s expressions .. The song just rips your heart apart …
One of My fav sad songs . that I NEVER listen … makes me cry everytime …
Another one is Surmayi aankhiyon mein from Sadma …. But that for soem other post ….
Tony mera naam
Im drawn towards magnetic simple film music lyrics without complicated emotions or words, that still produc the bang for the buck..
Like
din dhal jaaye hai raat na jaaye tu to naa aaye teri yaad sataay.
is that shailendra?
The songs which makes me cringe are the songs of Dosti. Majrooh, right?
Dukh ho ya sukh, jab sada rahe na koi
fir duk ko apnaniye, ki jaaye to dukh na hoye.
Jaane walon zara mdke dekho mujhe
main bhi insaan hoon, tumhari tarah.
Chahoonga main tujhe shaam savere
fir bhi kabhi ab naam ko tere, aawaz main na dunga
Amazing, nahi?
I m very much passionate about Kishore Kumar and R.D.Burman’s combination.
Koyel…the combination had some pretty bad lyrics too %-(
Great! :)
I repeat the two songs mentioned by Vikrant(4):
‘Mere mehboob kahin aur mila kar mujhse’ and ‘man re tu kahe na dheer dhare’.
Noone else can write songs about love like the ones above.
He brings out emotions that are rarely found in other songs. I mean, is there any other song that says: tum agar mujhko na chaaho to koi baat nahi, tum kisi aur ko chaahogee to mushkil hogi!
And he has written some excellent conventional romantinc songs too.
Anyway I am biased, will always vote for Sahir :D
just curious…
how old are the people posting on this thread? how and where were you all exposed to this music? i seem to have completely missed it.
@ Dabba - Let me ask you, how old are you? ;)
@Dabba - Age has nothing to with it. I wasn’t even born when many of these songs were released. My exposure to this golden era of music started only in the late 80s/early 90s. Get hold of some songs from the 50s and 60s, and i can guarantee you’ll be hooked.
Great post …..my fav :
Dil Bahal To Jaayegaa Is Kayaal Se
Haal Mil Gayaa Tumhaaraa Apane Haal Se
Raat Ye Qaraar Kii Beqaraar Hai
Tumhaaraa Intazaar Hai, Tum Pukaar Lo
from the movie khamoshi ..its also one of the best picturised song ….
Subrat,
Great write up!
Sahir Ludhyanvi’s “Marxist” spin on Gita and Krishna:
Krishna has promised, that he will come back
Whenever the earth is menaced by injustice and oppression
And when chaos and anarchy threaten to pervade it.
He came to India once again, when things turned from bad to worse
To help the aggrieved and rescue the oppressed
But we realized rather late
That it was Krishna who appeared here to save us
Out of the bloody bondage in which we had sunk
The whole world witnessed it
But we realized belatedly that Krishna is not a sect or a creed
Nor is he a being
He is the embodiment
Of our hopes and aspirations
He is the unending link
That hinds us
To eternal salvation
Lifting us in age after age
He comes whenever needed
To give relief and succor
To the distressed and aggrieved.
Though it dawned on us late
That Krishna is not an individual,
He is not today; nor is he tomorrow
He is all action personified
He is a chain in the eternity of existence,
He takes new shapes and forms,
Every time he comes to us
To redeem and elevate us
To fulfill; our hidden urges
From time to time
Krishna is indeed the fulfillment
Of unfulfilled urges of every age.
-0-
Translation by Dr. Rafiq Zakaria
Does anybody know the original lines? I am sure I have heard but I can’t recall.
@ aditya -
I was curious about the access and exposure part, hence my question about age. Not a value judgement at all.
if i had to pick up three albums, what movies would you recommend? stuff that You and Subrat would take to a desert island and have to listen to on loop till you die.
@dabba: Only three? That’s a very tough one. Let me think: One would be Anpadh (because of my bias towards Madan Mohan and Lata mangeshkar). Then Mugahl-e-Aazam, and Madhumati. But then there are so many others….. This choice is highly personal and every person you ask would have his/her own favorite.
@dabba, I was born in 80. I came to know about all these gems very recently and in a round about way. I watched a few episodes of Mirza Ghalib and I was moved by his tragic life immersed in ink and alcohol. His poetry had so many layers that every time I went back I found different and more full filing interpretation. After sometime it became personal, I found myself connected to the author. He was sharing something really close to his heart somethings that I couldn’t muster the courage to share with even my best friends or vice versa.
Then Gulazar and Javed Akhtar’s Tarkash happened and later I realized that both of them were influenced by Sahir and I started looking for Sahir’s work. And the journey goes on…Now I listen to songs for poetry and not music.
Right now work of Faiz Ahmed Faiz is disturbing my thoughts.
@vikrant: call it coincidence, but my foray into poetry was also thanks to Gulzar’s Mirza Ghalib. I consider Ghalib (and Gulzar) as my poetry gurus :)
But the credit for my discovering the pleasures of old Hindi film music goes to the chance discovery of the works of a Punjabi fauji turned music director and his collaboration with a Bharat Ratna awardee ;)
Interesting coincidence. Javed Akhtar’s “Tarkash” is very close to my heart.
For old hindi film music, one of my friend is responsible for it. He is a die-hard Kishor fan and every time we are drinking there would some or other Kishor songs playing and one fine day we shifted a bit to Rafi, then MD, and now I make it a point to listen to old and undiscovered songs whenever I get a chance. I must confess, my exposure to 50s songs is very limited. But will listen to more as and when time permits.
thanks vik & adi
dabba, how abt u? how did u got exposed to old songs?
Dabba, whenever you are bored check out musicindiaonline and browse songs by year…
@Aditya
Anpadh? Really?
Strange choice!
@Dabba
I am younger than you :P
Anyway, you must have heard Pyaasa, Shree 420, HumDono, Mughal-e-azam etc. If not, did you grow up in India?
@ HG - thanks
@ vikrant, neeraja -
some strange time warp. i grew up in india. Hindi is not my first language but I lived in plenty of hindi speaking parts of the country. Haven’t watched any of these movies either.
I think i deliberately avoided old movies and the music used to depress me. i only liked the shammi kapoor junglee type of songs. even the happy and romantic songs from most of those movies used to depress me.
i have heard a handful of these songs. will try and make my way to them.
Amit, you had said:
The songs which makes me cringe are the songs of Dosti. Majrooh, right?
Cringe? Like bad cringe? Could there maybe be a “good cringe” because I love the songs of Dosti.
@Dabba
Having Hindi as first language definitely helps.
Lyrics was the thing that drew me to these old songs. It was the weakest part of Hindi film music I grew up with.
Follow Subrat’s wheel of time series. He will point out all the good ones.
People check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OUtDy0zHUQ&feature=related
naina Barse in Tamil! :) similar video also! Wonder if the movie is also a copy? Or is it the other way?
Dabba, not sure how old you are.. I’m 29 and was into older hindi music from about when I was 14-15, mostly because of my Dad.. but yeah, I know what you mean when you deliberately avoid some of the older films/songs because they really can be quite depressing.. too much soul-searching and introspective for a young dude… but as I got older and more mature, I slowly got pulled in… started appreciating, and respecting, these old songs/movies much more…
Dabba: I haven’t told you yet, I guess. My reason for knowing all these songs is coz I remember my previous birth. I was an arranger and worked with most of the top composers of 50s and 60s (I moonlighted as a jazz artiste in the evenings at The Taj). In mid-60s (about the time Laxmikant-Pyarelal started becoming popular), I got offers from Hollywood and I shifted base to LA. The last film I worked in was One flew over… And then I was reborn again in India
subrat -
don’t believe you. i am convinced that you ar an Ichadari nag that attained human form for the first time in 1949, and are continuing in your journey of discovering what it means to be human as displayed by your appreciation of music and Nag films.
@Neeraja - Yes, Anpadh. Purely for sentimental reasons. “Hai isi mein payar ki aabroo”, “aapki nazron ne samjha”, “Jiya Le gayo”…I can listen to this songs in endless loops. “Rang Birangi Rakhi”, “Wo dekho Jala Ghar”, and ‘Sikandar ne Poras” are not bad either. Is it really that strange a choice?
whose dabba and if shes pretty can she send a picture to cdrakenc@gmail.com ?
ill make good things happen to her.
;)
@Tony
Cringe? Like bad cringe? Could there maybe be a
dosti(old) lyrics are dumbed down. so while rahi manwa dukh ki chinta works amazingly, chahunga main tujhe makes one go whaaa? because i have no clue whom the singer wants and why…and why Awaz main na doonga? wtf?
cringe
One reason I love Sahir’s poetry is because it is the voice of protest. It is the song of the downtrodden, who are down but not out.
Witness this:
Ay rehbare-mulq-o-qaum zaraa
Aankhen to uttha, nazaren to milaa
Kucch hum bhi sunein, hum ko bhi bataa
Ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun maraa?
Dharti ki sulagti chhati ke, bechain sharare poochhate hain
Tum logon jinhe apna na sake, wo khoon ke dhaare poochhate hain
Sadkon ki zabaan chillati hai, sagar ke kinaare poochhate hain
Ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun maraa?
Ay rehbare-mulq-o-qaum bataa
Ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun maraa?
Woh kaun-sa jazba tha jis-se farsuda nizam-e-zist hila
Jhulse hue veeran gulshan mein, ik aas-umeed ka phool lhila
Janta ka lahoo faujon se milaa, faujon ka lahoo janta se milaa
Ye kiska junoon hai, kaun maraa?
Ay rehbare-mulq-o-qaum bataa
Ye kis ka lahu hai, kaun maraa?…
Im a fan of the simple hindi sahir romance
Hai jis rat mere dil ne dhadakna sikha
sokh jazbath ko seene se atakna seekha
kahin dekhi na suni aisi is haalat ki raat
Tum jo mil gaye ho
to yeh lagta hai
ke jahaan mil gaya
ek bhatke hue raahi ko
carvaan mil gaya.
(daag)
Tarasti nigaahon ne
Aawaz di hai
Mohabbat ki raahon ne aawaz di hai
(Taaj Mahal)
Woh nirmohi moh naa jaane
jiska moh kare
(chitralekha)
not sure if this is sahir, but it still rocks…maybe habana’s father…
vaqt hai maharabaan, aarazu hai javaan
fikr kal ki karen, itani fursat kahaan
(Kagaz ke phool)
Subrat
Nice to a post on lyricists. I really agree with your opinions of sahir and majrooh. But i still dont understand on leaving gulzaar out of this. a versatile gem of a wordsmith who understand cinema so well and how can get into the skin any kind of songs right from children songs to love to patriotic to politics…gulzaar has always done the best.
Best children songs right from ‘master ji ki aa gayi chitti’ from kitaab or ‘lakdi ki kaati’ from masoom or recent one from makdi…gulzaar so easily goes in childrens mood..
Also who can forget his songs from machis ‘chod aaye hum’ or ‘zihale muskin’ in ghulami…or even the politics teaser in ‘Mere Apne’ his given best lyrics
the one i like the best is from
“Kabhi kabhi shaam aise dhalthi ki jaise ghoonghat
uthar raha hai”
“tumare sine se uttha duaan hamare dil se gujar raha hai”
sexy! super sexy post. for me,its sahir sahir sahir. someone who wrote yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kya hai and then main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya….complete extreme…i dont need more. it says everything about life. also, sahir’s pyasa is good example of his verstality. sar jo tera chakraye,jinhein naaz hain hind par, jaane woh kaise, hum aapki aankhon, yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaye….^:)^^:)^^:)^
subrat….can we please have the list of second genration of lyricists now!!
btw, this post already has more than 600 views and almost sixty comments!! aaj khush to bahut hoge tum!!!:-?:-w
Wonderful post! A homage, some comparisons and done with good insights. And as usual, the writing flows
@Aditya(50)
Since you say its purely for sentimental reason, there is no argument against it :)
Why I find it strange is because, if I had to spend rest of my life in a deserted place, I would choose an album which has all good songs like Bandini, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Pyaasa, Anarkali, CID etc.
Anapadh has good songs but as an album, in my opinion, it ranks below a lot of other albums like the ones I listed.
@Subrat
What’s your answer to Dabba’s question@35?
i like the songs from khamoshi the old one …..tum pukar lo ….and woh shyam kuch ajeeb thi ….wonderful songs …..
i did not know that ‘Aan milo shyam saanwre
Dabba @ 35 and 49, Neeraja @ 60: 3 albums which I’d take and play on infinite loop in a deserted island? That list would change every year or so. But let me make an attempt: Haqeeqat (Madan Mohan - oh! the pleasure of ‘main yeh soch ke uske dar se chala thaa’), Nau Do Gyarah (SDB, the most under-rated SD soundtrack, and it reminds me of a summer vacation spent on cricket, Erle Stanley ‘Gardenering’ and eating chaat in the evenings and finally, a best of Jaidev that I had once which had Hum Dono, Prem Parbat (Lata in best possible form with Yeh Dil Aur Unki Nigahon Ke Saaye) and Bhupinder in Dooriyan (Zindagi mein jab tumhare gham nahin the and Zindagi mere ghar aana)
Phoenix - Seems like the title of the post did the trick. Wait till the title reads ‘wheel of time’ and I will be back to 300 views and 10 comments (thanks to ‘regulars’ Aditya, Neeraja, Indraneel and may be RK and Pavan). The cross that we bear for quality output, sigh!
Subrat,
ya my five stars are shining in silence. enjoyed reading it minus title and climax, as that goes against my philosophy so I reserved my visible entry for another time:)
Subrat: I’m still waiting for 52….
Sorry due to a call I had to leave comment in between,
Title - Greatest lyricists, goes easy with me:)
There may be phases in their respective careers.
they shared and enjoyed time when they all created great lyrics and talent of each other might have pushed them to give their best. Filmi song lyrics was dependent on team associated with film also as every aspect was used to enhance the impact of the film. When one is working for people like RK and all the three Anand brothers who knew what was better then composer and lyric writer both creative kind of creative persons tried their best. These biggies often dictated situation before lyric writer. Then its also important that many poets gave lyrics for few songs but these songs shine like Dhruv taras in sky of filmi songs.
For example Neeraj. His songs of Shraingar ras like he gave for Sharmeeli or he gave for Dev Anand in Prem Pujari and Tere Mere Sapne, Romance is at top position in his songs.
and then Indeevar who wrote Jab Koi tumhara Hridaya tod de.
and Majrooh wrote Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo, which is not rich in lyrics but famous and apt for film.
I Mean to point out that there should be context or narrowing down analysis where within the right contexts poets shine because of their personal talent. There should be some shot which only they play comfortably. But overall comparison ? I may get mild heart attack if I go on doing that for these biggies.
Two very good articles:
(1) http://www.screenindia.com/old/fullstory.php?content_id=7327
(2) http://www.singermukesh.com/articles_files/raju2.htm
RK - I agree with you aur aisi gustakhi was done deliberately. The lure of TRPs was too much on a Saturday morning :) Or as Gulshan Bawra would have said “viewrship ke chand tukdon ke liye, imaan ko becha jaat hai, imaan ko becha jaata hai” (background mein Balraj Sahni has lost everything in satta baazar)
Amit, I know what you mean man. My favorites are “Jaane waalo zara, mud ke dekho mujhe, main bhi insaan hoon bas tumhari tarah”. Makes you think twice about judging people. Very impactful. Also, of course, “Raahi manva dukh ki chinta kyun satathi hai, dukh to apna saathi hai.. Sukh hai ek chhaaoon pal ki, aati hai jaati hai dukh to apna saathi hai”
Also someone had pointed out that they weren’t exactly impressed with the line “Dukh ho yah sukh, jab sadah sang rahe na koi, to dukh ko apnahiye, jo jaaye to dukh na ho koi…” I think its beautiful.. somehow, if you understand what the writer (through the legendary voice of Rafi-saab) is trying to say, it can inspire you… it sort of gives you a certain strength to deal with adversity. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
cdrakenc: I personally don’t think the lyrics are dumbed down as much as they’ve been made to fit the situations in the film. Have you seen “Dosti”? If you haven’t, the song “Chaahunga main tujhe saanj savere, phir bhi kabhi ab naam ko tere, awaaz main no doonga” is one character expressing his hurt over another character abandoning him.
By god ki kasam, isey kehte hain…wonder pe thunder! and poor me reading all the appreciation mails that came in for boss ka debut on air :)
by the way, I am your resident regular. please count me too!
Why is Dosti everyone’s favourite? I find its songs strictly ok.
@Anand(61)
I love ‘wo shaam kuchh ajeeb thi’. What an intelligently and beautifully written song. Both the stanzas have same meaning but while the first one is about the past, second one is about present. Posting the lyrics:
Wo shaam kuchh ajeeb thi
Ye shaam bhi ajeeb hai
Wo kal paas paas thi
Wo aaj bhi kareeb hai
Jhuki hui nigaah mein kahin mera khayal tha
Dabi dabi hansi mein ek haseen sa gulal tha
Main sochata tha mera naam gunguna rahi hai wo
Na jane kyun laga mujhe ki muskura rahi hai wo
Wo shaam kuchh ajeeb thi
Mera khayal hai abhi jhuki hui nigaah mein
Khili hui hansi bhi hai dabi hui si chaah mein
Maine janata hun mera naam gunguna rahi hai wo
Yahi khayal hai mujhe ki saath aa rahi hai wo
@HG(62)
That’s a beautiful song.
what were these people called? baishnavas?
There is one is Pyaasa also: ‘aaj sajan mohe…’
@Subrat
Nau Do Gyarah :) I used to play that over and over while studying for my class XII exams. Don’t remember what was on the other side, may be Hum Dono.
@RK
That Mukesh article was very interesting. Thanks.
Tushar: appreciation mail for moi for the debut on air? Or is it your fan mail for inflicting words like Azeem Fankaar on unsuspecting public!! I thought there mightg have been brickbats for all the convoluted gyaan on redemption, cop-out, Shobha Gurtu, Rajkumari and Parveen Sultana etc?
And yes, you, DPac, Phoenix do keep the gaadi going as well. Thanks for that
HG, Neeraja @62: Yes, that’s a Baishnava number. Talking about Baishnva numbers and SD Burman reminds me of the anecdote around Gulzar’s first song (Pavan, if he is reading, can give more info). While making Bandini, SD and Shailendra had differences. Bimal Roy, of course, couldn’t tell SD to cop it or scoot, so Shailendra dropped out mid-way. SD had a clear vision of the kind of Baishnav inspired sountrack he wanted for Bandini. So he sent out Debu Sen (one of his assts) to look for someone who fits the bill. Debu Sen turned to his room-mate Gulzar who had impressed Debu and co withhis poetry. As the story goes, a young Gulzar was brought to Bimal Roy and the great man looked at Gulzar (presumably in the spotless kurta-pyjama) and asked Debu in Bangla, “Bhadralok ki Baishnav kobita jaanen” (does the gentleman know about Baishnav poetry) little knowing that Gulzar had learnt the language since he had this incredible desire to read the original Sarat Chandra and Tagore. Debu Sen informed Bimal Roy of the same and so he asked, “Gaana likhoge” to which Gulzar said no since he thought Hindi film lyrics were infra-dig. Anyway, word reached to Shailendra about this and he knew Gulzar from PWA links so he called the young man and asked him if the thought the likes of him and Sahir are all wasting time in Hindi movies. Chastened Gulzar went back and wrote Mora Gora Ang Lei Le for Bandini as his first song. The twist to the story is Shailendra and SD made up mid-way and Gulzar’s song was in jeopardy but Bimal Roy was indeed a great man and didn’t allow the song to be dropped.
I feel very enlightened having read the comments for this article. I now have a sizeable list of songs which I am going to revisit and other’s which I have to still hear.
BTW - Would it be too rude to ask how old you guys are? Just curious…
@71 Neeraja,
I respect your opninion about Dosti but may be, it would do no harm if you watch the movie and then try understand the songs as Tony said. They were path breaking, IMO.
And if my word is not enough, the filmfare for MD went to LP for Dosti, filmfare for lyricist went to Majrooh for Dosti and filmfare for best playback singer (male) went to Rafi sahab for Dosti.
And cdrakenc, the last two awards were for “Chahunga main tujhe..”, which made you go wtf! Do you guys exclaim like this everytime? Just curious..
According to the family members of Shailendra ( I know personally his son, Manoj and daughter, Amala ) Gulzar wrote the mukhda & Shailendra wrote the antara
I think there is one album of Shailendra, which is also unmatched in terms of variety :
Khoya Khoya Chanda - what a lorie !!
Jin Raaton ki Bhor - according to me no other song in the film world matches the pathos
Path bhoola ek aaya - biraha ki tadap !!
Koi Lauta De Mere - Longing for the past
Title song - words of hope
O Jag Ke Rakhwaale - an underrated prayer
Chhod Meri Baiyyaan - Raw Masti
The cherry on the cake for this album is the out of the world lyrics of “Aa Chal Ke Tujhe” by Kishore.
For me this along with Door Ka Raahi & Madhumati are definitely a must on a deserted island.
Amit,
I still go wtf when I listen to the song.Shahrukh khan and his gang of honhaar gundas win awards by the jholafull , I still dislike much of the output there,
Toni mera naam,
Thanks for giving me the context to the song, yes I remember the film, I was all like wtf even in the film.
Subrat,
The whole meme of the bangla film with a punjabi in it (starting fromSashi and shammi kapoor to rajesh Khanna and jitendar)probably began from the punjbi/urdu shayars writing for bengali/eastern productions and music directors for hindi films. (SDB was only one of the five or six people that brought the old uttam kumar ethetics to the hindi screen some songs are exact imports from angla film songs (often of the same music directors).
@subrat…radio debut?? when did that happen ?
@tushi…ab tera ho gaya kalyan. tu to gaya. bosses wil ask ki is subby ko hi show karne do!!!
Gulzar said no since he thought Hindi film lyrics were infra-dig.
————–
Gulzar had written a few film-songs before Bandini but his fame to Bollywood was through this song. Shailendra was kind hearted to let Gulzarji have his sole name on the gem.
@Subrat (68),
TRP will follow you on its own. Its readers loss if they miss your writings.
Down some years and many of us will be proudly saying that once we were sharing a platform with this writer Subrat.
It has been difficult for many to have a balance between heart and brain and perhaps you can break that barrier because of your analytical skills.
and no need to emphasise that what I write I mean it.:)
Anand G: Age is question that I get asked too often on this forum. I am a sprightly 72
kcp @81: Which are these songs which he wrote before Bandini? Pls enlighten
RK: Understand and shall abide!
@kcp (77 & 81) Since you know Shailendra’s family, I wouldn’t dispute it, but I’ve always found this myth/legend hard to believe. The line ‘Tohe Rahu Bairi Laage’ in the antara seems unmistakeably Gulzarian to me. But as I said, you seem to have more insider info.
Thanks a million…may be zillion….for this informative post…….my favorite list on winamp grew suddenly by 10 songs :)
Well my opinion of best lyricist - nobody can beat GULZAR saab (except Ghalib…he was the GOD). And I strongly believe that other’s are as good….but kya karein I am in love with Gulzar’s work, aur Pyaar andhaa hota hai !!
sandeep (above)
this is one for your quote books,
Art is the science of the subjective.
resist any attempt to externalize your enjoyment of the art..stories…message ….medium…you like.
That is the first goosestep….of many you will take othervice.
@ RK (67)
Thanks for the link. Good One
Neeraja, I love Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeeb Thi as well. Its a timeless classic.
cdrakenc, if you’ve seen the film and didn’t like the songs in context, then I say, fair enough. As long as its an informed opinion, even if its different than mine (which automatically makes it wrong. I mean, if I had a dollar for every time I was wrong, I’d be broke :D )
Subrat!!!
While I was missing all the fun for all last week, came to office in late night so I can read and catch up with all the action (Broadband and Phone not transferred at home as yet)..
A great post as always.. but somehow surprised on your (and most of the contributors’s) pick… When it comes to “Lyrics” ( do not read “Poetry”) I believe Shailendra stands way above and ahead of any of the lyricists.. Remember “Lyrics” is not “Poetry”.. The script, situation and characters defines scope of a film song not poetry.. A Lyricist never defines the canvass of the song, and has so many constraints while penning the song.. and Shailendra is truely unmatchable in that respect..
I also feel if we are appreciating the work of Sahir and Majrooh today, some credits should go to Shailendra for introducing us to film songs .. I am sure (atleast for me and people I know) the path to Sahir, Majrooh, Gulzar and films song lyrics goes thru Shailendra only..
Had there be no Awaara, Shree 420, Anaadi, Guide, Sangam, Barsaat in the paathshala of Hindi Film Music, I am not sure we would have appreciated higher education like pyasa, dastak as much (in the context of films) .. Many of us (in mid 30s and 40s) would agree that their introduction to Golden era of HFM was thru the songs Aawaara hoon, Mera joota hai jaapaani, Ramiyya vasta vaiyya, ichak dana, jeena isi ka naam hai, dost dost na raha…
Another reason why I prefer Shailendra in the top slot is that Shailendra has penned song for almost every situation, every emotion, every genre, and the rustic flavor in some of his song is truely unmatchable.. The song gives you similar pleasure both in and out of the film.
“Sajanava bairi ho gaye hamaar
Chithiya ho to har koi baanche
bhaag na baanche koye”
or
“bairan javaani ne chheene khilone
aur meri gudiya churaai
baabul thi main tere naazon ki paali
phir kyon hui main paraai”
or the human song
“Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisaar
kisi ka dard le sake to le udhaar
kisi ke waaste ho tere dil me pyar
jeena isi ka naam hai”
And not to forget the song of so many flavors..
“chhote se ghar me gareeb kaa betaa
main bhi hoon maa ke nasee ka betaa
ranj.o.gam bachapan ke saathi
aanndhiyon me jali jeevan baati
bhookh ne hai bade pyaar se palaa
dil kaa haal sune dilvala…”
Remember the Seema prayer or Kalaa bazzar bhajan? The lyrics stand out as an independent creation as well as in the script of the film..
“ghaayal man kaa, paagal panchhi udane ko beqaraar
pankh hain komal, aankh hai dhundhali, jaanaa hai saagar paar
ab tu hi ise samajhaa, raah bhule the kahaan se ham
Tu pyar ka saagar hai, teri ik boond ke pyase hum
”
What a prayer!!! but in the film depicts Seema’s situation brilliantly..
Can go on and on but it would be better to discuss genre by genre, song by song, situation by situation, character by character..
am on…
Aditya@86…even though I know them, I firmly believe that there is always a second side to the coin. Personally I find both of them in the song.
Subrat@84. I had made a complete list. will find and post it for sure sometime. In the meantime if Pavan has it handy ?
Pavan: Thanks for your views. I agree with you on the lyrics and poetry bit. But then don’t you agree that Majrooh had a longer and more successful stint as a lyricist than Shailendra.
Subrat@84
He wrote the songs under the name Gulzar Deenvi. Choron Ki Baaraat (1), Diler Haseena (3) and Shreemaan Satyawaadi (4songs) - are officially credited to him
When Gulzar was asked, he said that he, Gulshan Bawra and one/two more guys shared a room in Bombay those days and all of them used to scribble (songs for films ) and anything was credited to anybody. It was just a beginning for all of them and they really did not bother. But he did write a few of them
Hi Guys
A lot of meaningful and few trash discussions have been posted. Well my name is Reshma Krishnamurthy and I work as a RJ with Bangalore’s FM Rainbow, 101.3MHz. I also work as a freelance writer for a few publications here in bangalore.
Just wanted to mention to you Subrat that I host amongst other shows a hour show titled Meethi Yaadein on Mondays and wednesdays. And I happened to come to this post while i was researching for some content on a particular lyricst. really liked what you have written. Though I have done specials focussing on each lyricist on an independent show, I might do a show combing all of them in one hour. if I do will mention on air the credit for you.
thanks
reshma
(another Indian who loves hindi music)may do a show talking about these
Can some post the song of Film “Yeh Raste Hain Pyear Ke” starring Sunil Dutt Directed by R.K. Nayyar and lycis written by Rajinder Krishan and tuned by Music Directgor Ravi. The song is
“Koi Mujh Se Pooche Tum Mere Kya Ho,
Sajde Mmain Ghir Ke Mangee Woh Pahli Dua Ho”
There are two tacks of this song one of them is sand song
It is very disappointed that no body could post any reply to my query on the song writeen by memorable lyricists Rajinder Krishan for the Film “Yah Raaste Hain Pyar Ke” starring legend Sunil Dutt and Leela Naidu. The song is:-
“Koi Mujh Se Pooche Ke Tum Mere Kya Ho
Sajde Mein Ghir Ke Maangi Woh Pahli Dua Ho”
WELL…..THIS TOPIC OF WHO IS THE BEST IS A COMPLETE WASTE…………
BCOZ…………
ALL THIS WRITERS ARE GODS AND WE CAN CHOOSE AN GOD WE LIKE AND WE DONT HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND WILL NEVER HAVE.. TO TELL WHO IS SUPERIOR…………..BCOZ NO ONE CAN SAY WHETHER GODESS LAXMI OR GODESS SARASWATI IS THE BEST…WE ALL HAV OUR OPINIONS AND WE SHOULD LAY DOWN A COMPETITION OF THIS SORT OR A DEABATE OF THIS SORT………….
I AM A WRITER MYSELF AND I HOPE SUM DAY ALL M FRNDS IN THIS BLOG WILL HUMMM M LRICS TOO…………
BYEEEEEE FOR NOW………
WELL MY MAIL ID IS …….guuruu337@yahoo.com
if ny 1 fr friendship then mail me……
An interesting and insightful article, Subrat.
It is interesting to see you include Rajinder Krishan into the list. Honestly, I think he has the maximum number of sublime songs under his belt, yet despite trying very very hard there is not one of those songs that I appreciate for the thought or the lyrics. When it comes to RK I can not think of a single ‘quotable quote’ of the kinds that come tumbling out of the Sahir or Shailendra closet. For e.g ‘Chote se ghar mein gareeb ke beta, mein bhi hoon maan ke naseeb ka beta’ or ‘jal aur jaal hai jeevan apna kya sardi kya garmi’.. etc.
Most RK songs are good because of the singing and compositions. The lyrics fit well into the meters, are phonetically pleasing and do not overpower the music with the thoughts. In that manner you could give him credit.
But, I certainly rate him lower than the top 3 Sahir, Majrooh and Shailendra.
Shakeel has a lot of appeal to the urdu poetry loving crowd, but I have never managed to connect to him. He seems very outdated. Let me say, if I have to sing a love song I would not employ the services of Shakeel, I would probably goto Sahir or Majrooh. If was in the mood of getting ’senti’ I would goto Shailendra.
Sahir, Shailendra, Majrooh… they are the tops for me!