Your Best Hour

 I am not even sure there is such a thing, but maybe it's a period longer than an hour. When you were at your best. I have a few nominations for music directors and lyricists, when according to me, they did their best work. 

SD Burman- Aradhana, where almost every song is so good, you hum it even today. His second best for me is Teen Deviyaan, and next, Chalti ka Naam Gaadi.

RD Burman. Aandhi is his finest hour, for the classy duets. Of course, Amar Prem also, for the solos. And for sheer entertainment, Yaadon ki Baraat and Teesri Manzil.

Neeraj, lyricist. Dil aaj shayar hai from Gambler. It's too good. Second, Phoolon ke rang se from Prem Pujari.

Anand Bakshi. Amar Prem, any day. Chingari koi bhadke, Kuchh to log kahenge and Yeh kya hua.. second would be Kati Patang- Yeh jo mohabbat hai, Yeh shaam mastani (from where this blog gets its name), and Pyar deewana hota hai..

Sahir Ludhianvi. For me, his song from Gumrah- Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jaayen hum dono is worth its weight in Gold.

Anand Bakshi- Volcano of Talent

Producing lyrics of high quality given the weird situations in Hindi films can't be easy. One guy who has done it with a lot of panache and consistently in the 70s is Anand Bakshi. Some of his best, like the lyrics for Amar Prem (Chingari koi Bhadke, Kuch to Log Kahenge, Yeh Kya Hua) went unrewarded at the Awards, but were highly regarded by the public. He created lyrics for the biggest hits like Sholay, Aradhana and also for meaningful films from Rajshree productions like Piya Ka Ghar. If I remember correctly, the song " Yeh Jeevan Hai, is Jeevan ka, Yehi hai, Yehi hai, Yehi hai Rang Roop, Thode Gham Hai, Thodi Khushiyan" is from that film- almost magical, with simple lyrics, nicely tuned (by Laxmikant Pyarelal?).

Mehbooba ("Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon"), Ajnabee, ("Ek Ajnabee, Hasina Se"), Jawani Diwani with blockbusters like "Saamne Ye Kaun Aaya", "Jaane Jaan, Dhoondhta Phir Raha Hun Tumhen Raat Din", tuned by RD Burman in inimitable style.

His crowning glory, and top of my charts, were his three songs from Kati Patang in the same period- "Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai, Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai, and Yeh Shaam Mastaani" from whose second line this blog takes its name. Bakshi sahab, you were a great lyricist.