An accomplished actress, a Bharatanatyam danseuse par excellence, a Carnatic classical singer and a parliamentarian, Vyjayantimala has several feathers to her cap. Her influence on Hindi cinema has been far-reaching. It is because of her, primarily, that training in classical/ semi-classical dance has become a necessary part of a heroine’s resume in Hindi cinema. The … More Happy Birthday, Vyjayantimala ji
I have never been much of a Mukesh fan. I found him a bit limited in his range and technical mastery, when compared to my favourites Rafi and Manna Dey. And most of his songs sounded morose – not particularly endearing to my younger self. And in particular he was the voice of an actor I … More My favourite songs sung by Mukesh
A couple of weeks back, I saw a tweet announcing an upcoming book that piqued my curiosity. I wanted to get my hands on it right then. The book was titled Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, a compilation of 50 classic Hindi film songs from the period 1935 to 1993. And it had a still of Nutan and Dev Anand on … More Gaata Rahe Mera Dil – 50 Classic Film Songs – Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal
I spend a couple of hours in a car daily as I commute from Gurgaon to my work place in New Delhi. Last week, as I was on my way, I started thinking about how so many songs have been picturised in modes of transport – cars, cycles, jeeps, boats, trucks, lorries, trains, bullock carts, horse carts … More My favourite ‘car’ songs
A couple of mornings back, the skies of Delhi were overcast with dark, grey clouds. Coupled with cool winds, a light drizzle and very pleasant weather, the monsoons were here, a day earlier than expected. Now that was then! Since then all is well with the world. Delhi is back the way it is meant to be – swelteringly and … More My favourite songs with the word ‘Badal/ Badra’
I must have been around 12 years old when I got hooked to old Hindi songs. I had begun to recognise different voices and started forming distinct preferences during this discovery phase. Asha Bhosle was and is my favourite female playback singer. Among the male voices, while Rafi was and is my favourite, I was also fond of Manna Dey … More My favourite Hemant Kumar Songs
Some years back, the vibrant city of Amsterdam with winding canals and narrow houses and steep staircases was the place I used to call home. A singular aspect of life in Amsterdam is cycling. The entire city has a cycling path of nearly 400 kms. It is the preferred mode of travel for most residents. You aren’t … More My Favourite Cycle songs
Here is another song list, quick on the heels of the previous one. This one features a legendary actress who worked extensively with Mr. Sunil Dutt, mostly in the melodramatic Madras productions of the mid-late sixties; though this was not her only claim to fame! Nutan, of the speaking eyes and quiet, elegant dignity, would … More My favourite Nutan songs
I realised a few days ago, that of all the many song lists, I have not compiled a list of songs featuring one of my favourite actors – Sunil Dutt. Sure enough, many of his songs have regularly featured in other lists on my blog (also primarily because he has acted in so many songs penned … More Remembering Sunil Dutt ….. with a song list!
Today is the 43rd death anniversary of one of the most iconic stars of Hindi cinema. The Tragedy Queen, as she was dubbed, thanks to the number of weepy roles that she played, Meena Kumari is one of the best-known actresses of her generations till date. She starred in approximately ninety films in a career … More My favourite Meena Kumari songs
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