Kuchh to log kahenge

Film: Amar Prem (1971) Singer: Kishore Kumar Lyricist: Anand Bakshi Producer and director: Shakti Samanta   One of the gifts that the Hindi film industry has given us is the three tragedy heroes, who shunned their friends, near and dear ones or the so-called civil society and embraced the company of wine or a woman. […]


O Maria

Film: Saagar (1984) Singers: S.P. Balasubramaniam, Asha Bhosle and chorus Lyricist: Javed Akhtar Producer: G.P. Sippy Director: Ramesh Sippy   When Saagar was released, I was just three years old, so by no chance could I see the film then. Later in my life, I did get to listen to the songs, at a friend’s […]


Raat Banoon Main Aur Chaand Bano Tum

Film: Mangalsutra (1980) Singers: Bhupinder Singh and Asha Bhosle Lyricist: Nida Fazli Producer: Ravi Kumar Director: B. Vijay   Creating a mood for the song is like half the battle won for any music director and sustaining it throughout the song and taking it to the crescendo is the other half. Both the Dev Burmans […]


Tum Mujh Se Roothe Ho

Film: Phir Kab Milogi (1974) Producer: Hari Mehra Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri Singer: Lata Mangeshkar   I am not sure why but I always think that ‘may be’ Pancham has composed tunes for ‘Sharm Aati Hai Magar’ and ‘Tum Mujh se roothe ho’ at the same time. Though Phir Kab Milogi was released in […]


Do naina aur ek kahani

Film: Masoom (1982) Producer: Devi Dutt Director: Shekhar Kapur Singer: Aarti Mukherjee Lyrics: Gulzar Masoom is one of the most brilliant scores of Pancham. A variety of songs, popular as well as classy, in their own merit. And a distinct flavor of the film’s music is the singers Pancham has used, each one in his/her […]


Raah Pe Rahte Hain…

Film: Namkeen (1982) Producer: Jayanti Malkan Lyricist and director: Gulzar Singer: Kishore Kumar   I had watched ‘Namkeen’ in college days with friends. The film made us to come out from the theater with a sad impact due to influence in every manner right from the story, direction, acting and music. When listened and watched […]


Katra Katra

Song: “Katra katra milti hai” Film: Ijaazat (1987) Singer: Asha Bhosle Lyricist: Gulzar Producer: R.K. Gupta Director: Gulzar   In life, if we get anything that meets our expectations, we become happy and it’s human tendency that we immediately share the feeling with someone who is very close to us. Also, while sharing or expressing […]


Jeene De Yeh Duniya

Film: Lava (1985)   Producers: Balbir Kaur   Director: Ravindra Peepat   Lyricist: Anand Bakshi   Singers: Asha Bhosle and Manmohan Singh   While it’s a fashion to say that Pancham was a spent force in the 1980s − especially after Saagar − I personally just love his creations during this period. He was at […]


Chanda O Chanda

  Film: Lakhon Me Ek (1971) Producer and Director: S.S. Balan Lyricist: Anand Bakshi Singers: Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar   Some songs in Bollywood’s music history can be regarded as “never-repeatable” songs. There are unique aspects that make them “once in a lifetime” compositions. The sheer seamless flow, the extraordinary passion and creativity content […]


Do Naino Me Aansoo Bhare Hain

Film: Khushboo (1975) Producer: Prasan Kapoor Director: Gulzar Lyrics: Gulzar Singer: Lata Mangeshkar   Bollywood has many examples of great songs marred by off-tangent, and hence poor, picturization. But “Do nainon mein aansoo bhare hain”seems to be a one-of-a-kind exception. For, Gulzar, the director of the movie Khushboo, decided to re-record the song because it was not apt for the scene of the […]