Today (October 31,2014) is the thirty-ninth death anniversary of one of Hindi film music’s greatest music composers, Sachin Dev Burman. SDB is one of my favourite music directors. O.P. Nayyar is another music director I have a special fondness for. As I sit to make a list of SDB songs, I realised that I have blogged about … More A tribute to S.D. Burman
Two posts in a day? Not intended at all… but cannot help this one. A particular tweet on my Twitter timeline this evening is responsible for this. @BhopalHouse tweeted about a song on Coke Studio (Pakistan – Season 7) that reminded her of O.P.Nayyar’s music. Intrigued by the tweet, I heard the song. And yes, she was … More A tweet, a new song and Aar Paar (1954)
“Writers aren’t exactly people.. They are a whole bunch of people, trying to be one person.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald I read this quote some months back…No, not in any one of his books, but in one of those Hallmark posters that feature interesting quotes…..And it stuck on in my mind.. This came back to me … More Possession by A.S.Byatt
This post is unabashedly about the best lyricist/ poet Hindi film music (in my opinion) has ever seen. I have mentioned before in this blog that I adore Sahir Ludhianvi and that one or more of his songs do find a way into this blog every week or so… But today I have a valid reason to … More Mandatory Sahir Post of the week!
Today is the first death anniversary of that phenomenal, versatile, and fairly underrated singer, Manna Dey. Despite being born in the times of Rafi, Mukesh and Kishore and getting slotted as someone who is good for classical songs only, it is to his credit and brilliance that he managed to sing (some very popular songs) till the … More Remembering Manna Dey on his first death anniversary
21st October, 2014 would have been the eighty third birthday of Shammi Kapoor – the only actor that I have been a fan of and drooled over in my teenage years. It is another thing that he was way past his prime by the time I was born! My interest in old Hindi movies and music … More My Ten Favourite songs of Shammi Kapoor
I heard an old Manna Dey – Geeta Dutt bhajan from the film Devdas after a long time. It found a reference in Dustedoff’s impressive post on her top 10 songs featuring string instruments. As is the case, often memories are triggered – due to a word, a sound or a song. In this case it … More Na Main Dhan Chahun Na Ratan Chahun (Kala Bazaar, 1960)
More than ten years back, I had joined an online forum of old Hindi film music lovers. I met some very interesting people virtually through the forum. And we became friends thanks to our shared interests – love for Hindi music in general and love for Rafi, Asha Bhosle, SDB, OPN and Sahir in particular. This post is … More Chali Re Chali Re Main toh Des Parayee (Saranga, 1961)
Today is the 50th death anniversary of the legendary Guru Dutt Padukone. A choreographer, actor and director par excellence, Guru Dutt left behind a legacy of some unforgettable movies in the 1950s and 1960s. Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Mr & Mrs 55, Aar Paar, CID – each of … More San San San Woh Chali Hawa – Kaagaz Ke Phool, 1959
One of the self-imposed rules of this blog, which I have just now recognised, is that – Thou shalt write a long post on at least one Sahir Ludhianvi song per week. This realisation came about as I heard an old favourite play on the radio a short while ago. I try not to listen to the … More Rut Phire Par din Hamare Phire Na (Pyaasa, 1957)
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