The bitter sweet song of love ….

Dev Anand was pretty much the flamboyant star in Bollywood even before Shammi Kapoor donned that hat in Tumsa Nahin Dekha. He was pretty much the yardstick for being the bees knees of the era.

His movies always had a strong storyline, great direction, and wonderful acting by his costars. They also invariably had powerful and unforgettable musical scores that added to the success of the movie as well as the repeat footfall past the turnstiles.

In that he enjoyed two partnerships of note first with the redoubtable Mohammad Rafisaab for much of the first third of his films, and then a rather more enduring one with Kishore Kumar, which continued for as long as Kishoreda lived. The vocal doppelganger was mutually beneficial, as each thrived by the association with the other.

There was a set of rather short lasting actor-singer partnerships that also resulted in some outstanding pieces of musical classics: Hemantada of course, and Talat Mahmood.

Who can ever forget Ghar # 44, Baat Ek Raat Ki, Manzil, Munimji, just to name a few to drive home the Hemantkumar– Dev Anand partnership.

So also we have the vibrato soaked in melancholy when Talat Mahmood sings for Dev Anand. (Taxi Driver, Aaram ) but there are a few joyous ones too. Check this out: https://youtu.be/XagIs_0zgaY

A wonderful (if a tad ambiguous) song that leaves me sure everytime I hear it there is a distinct underpinning of sorrow, of pathos.

The movie, Patita, about the travails of (what the world perceives ) un unwed mother, was decades ahead of its peers. As much as the old Prabhat Movies were in their era.

Amiya Chakravarti made this touching and amazing movies that is one of the few of the time where Dev Saab is actually bested by the leading lady – Usha Kiran in arguably the best role of her career. The music by Shankar Jaikishan was so different from their usual, predictable stuff for RK Films. Except for the duet Yaad Kiya dil ne (Hemantada and Lata) which was written by Hasrat, all the other songs are by Shailendra. And all the other male songs (4 solos) are by Talat.

Look at the power of Shailendra‘s penmanship:

हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत जिन्हें
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत जिन्हें
हम दर्द के सुर में गाते है
हम दर्द के सुर में गाते है
जब हद से गुज़र जाती है ख़ुशी
आंसू भी छलकते आते है
आंसू भी छलकते आते है
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत

काँटों में खिले हैं फूल हमारे
रंग भरे अरमानो के
रंग भरे अरमानो के
काँटों में खिले हैं फूल हमारे
रंग भरे अरमानो के
रंग भरे अरमानो के
नादाँ है जो इन काँटों से
दामन को बचाये जाते है
दामन को बचाये जाते है
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत

जब गम का अँधेरा घिर आये
समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं

समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं
जब गम का अँधेरा घिर आये
समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं दूर नहीं
हर रात की है सौगात यही
तारे भी यही दोहराते है
तारे भी यही दोहराते है
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत

पहलू में पराये दर्द बसके
हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तू हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
पहलू में पराये दर्द बसके
हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तू हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तूफ़ान से कह दे घिर के उठे
हम प्यार के दीप जलाते है
हम प्यार के दीप जलाते है
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत जिन्हें
हम दर्द के सुर में गाते है
हम दर्द के सुर में गाते है
हैं सबसे मधुर वह गीत…..

Just a fabulous combo of great verse, melodious composition and sublime singing that makes for an eternal favourite with an unlimited shelf life.

Stay happy, folks. Stay healthy.

Protect yourselves from the scorching summer

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