Book Review of Amol Palekar's Memoirs

 It's called Viewfinder in English. I read the Marathi version.

It has a lot of content that I was not aware of. I liked it for its personal tone and insights into how theatre works in Marathi and Hindi at least. Both mainstream and parallel categories. He also interacted with Bengali playwrights, and directed Badal Sircar's plays like Juloos. 

He has a soft corner for Jaidev, who scored music for Gharonda and Ankahee (he also co-produced this with Jayant Dharmadhikari, my BIL). 

His attempts to get out of the boy next door characters in Hindi films, and attempts to make films about taboo topics including LGBT starring subjects gets a mention. Also how Nana Patekar got after him for that role in Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jaayen. And did it so well!

Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Gol Maal, Naram Garam) and he shared a bond. And of course, Basu Chatterjee, who gave him 3 hits in a row- Rajnigandha, Chhoti si Baat and Chitchor.

Those who like theatre, and his kind of films will enjoy this memoir.

Landmark Tunes- Hindi Films

There are a few landmark tunes that are associated in my mind with music directors in Hindi films.

Vasant Desai- Bole re papihara in Guddi. It is so different from the usual songs.

RD Burman- Dum maro dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna. I don't think anyone else could have thought of this.

SD Burman- Wahan kaun hai tera, musafir, jayega kahan (film- Guide), in his own voice.

Jaidev- Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya. A masterpiece from Hum Dono, sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Kalyanji Anandji- Pal bhar ke liye koi hamein pyar kar le from Johny Mera Naam. Dev Anand and Hema Malini added a lot of charm to it.

Shankar Jaikishen- Sayonara, sayonara from Love in Tokyo.

Laxmikant Pyarelal- Mere mehboob qayamat hogi from Mr. X in Bombay.

OP Nayyar- Piya piya piya mora jiya pukare, from Baap re Baap. Early use of Kishore Kumar's yodeling, and trademark hoofbeats that he used in many songs.

Bollywood Music Directors

Lots of music directors in Hindi had a signature style, or a favourite way to compose songs-maybe an instrument, or beat, or orchestration. Here is an attempt to list out a few.

C. Ramchandra- Shola jo bhadke, dil mera dhadke exemplifies his style- melody, beat, simplicity..dance by Bhagwan and Geeta Bali is just too good.

Hemant Kumar- His signature style can be found in Bees Saal Baad; the two outstanding songs for me were Zara nazron se kehdo ji, and Beqaraar karke hamen yun na jaiye-melodious, minimalistic.

SD Burman- Folksy music/tunes, but very hummable. Yeh dil, na hota bechara from Jewel Thief, or O meri, o meri, o meri Sharmeelee are examples. All the Chalti ka Naam Gaaadi songs too.

OP Nayyar- had a thing for tanga (horse-carriage) beats, and used them well. Unique use of instruments, his tunes are very recognisable. Aaiye meherbaan from Howrah Bridge and Leke pehla pehla pyar from CID (Dev Anand film) are typical OPN tunes.

Ravi- The way I remember him is by the superb mellow songs he composed for BR Chopra films Humraaz and Gumraah- like Neele gagan ke tale, dharti ka pyar pale, and Chalo ek baar phir se ajnabi ban jayen hum dono. Used Mahendra Kapoor in many of these.

Kalyanji Anandji- The Johny Mera Naam songs are my favourites- Pal bhar ke liye koi hamein pyar kar le, and Ooo mere raja in particular.

Jaidev- Relatively fewer films, but some classics- Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya from Hum Dono and Yeh dil aur unki nigahon ke saaye by Lata Mangeshkar in Prem Parbat stand out.

Rajesh Roshan- from Julie (Dil kya kare jab kisi ko kisi se pyar ho jaaye) to Des Pardes (Tu pee aur jee), he is one of my favourites. Sounds very different, recognisable, like Chhokar mere man ko, kiya tune kya ishaara, in Yaarana, and Na bole tum na maine kuch kaha, from Baton Baton Mein.

Shankar Jaikishen typically used a lot of musicians/orchestration in their songs. Some songs that I liked were Badan pe sitare lapete hue from Prince and O mere shah-e-khuba from Love in Tokyo.

Laxmikant Pyarelal were not my favourites, but they had some excellent tunes, like in Parasmani (Hasta hua noorani chehra), and Shagird (Dil wil pyar vyar main kya jaanu re)

Kishore Kumar produced some classic tunes when he gave music in some films- the Door ka Rahi song sung by him and Sulakshana Pandit -Beqaraar dil, tu gaayeja- is one.

Dil Machal Raha Hai

Machal, or machalna of the dil, maybe akin to fluttering of the heart. A word used well in some Hindi film songs, as illustrated by-

Dil machal raha hai, rang badal raha hai..

Machalti hui, hawa mein chham chham hamare sung sung chali ganga ki lehren..

'Machle hue jazbaat, baat hasin hone do', from the middle of a lovely song, Pyaar manga hai tumhise, na inkaar karo..one of Kishore Kumar's best romantic numbers from a vague movie called College Girl. Tuned by Bappi Lahiri. Surprised?

Dheere dheere machal, ai dil-e beqaraar, kio aata hai...after a lot of research, I found that this gem of a song is shot on Surekha and Tarun Bose.(in Anupama)...both look great in this, but I never saw any of them anywhere again, other than this song. Maybe they were Bengali actors, and didn't act in many Hindi films. One of Lata Mangeshkar's best solos, tuned by Jaidev. Also, a female piano song.

Music Arrangers and the Sound of Music

Times Now had an interesting program yesterday on the men behind the music, apart from the composer, of course. These are called arrangers. They may also play an instrument or two, but they form an integral part of the team that a composer uses, and lead it, so to speak. Some of the innovations in the music one hears are from the arrangers, though they may be behind the scenes, and you may never hear about them.

Maruti Keer, Kersi Lord, Manohari Singh,.. ever heard of them? They were all a part of the R.D. Burman team that produced magical numbers throughout the 70s and some in the 80s (and late 60s). The tinkling sound in the Hum Dono song Main Zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya, was from an innovative instrument brought in by Kersi Lord (for Jaidev, the composer), which was used by church choirs, and brought in an element of novelty that charms you even today.

Similarly, the trumpets (or something similar) in some songs from Teesri Manzil, and the percussion used in 'Saamne ye Kaun Aaya Dil Mein Hui Hulchul' (Jawani Diwani) as also in 'Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyaar ke Charche Har Zabaan par' (from Brahmachari composed by Shankar Jaikishan) lend a unique touch.

O.P. Nayyar and hoof-beats are almost synonymous with each other. Wonder who thought of those. Maybe it was one of the guys. Dum Maro Dum had a unique instrument that created the atmosphere of a drugged-out scene and became a rage. The tinkle of a glass in Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko from Yaadon ki Baaraat was sensational. The drums in Laila Main Laila were likewise, superb (Kalyanji Anandji were the composers). Piano beats are part of what makes the song 'Pyaar Diwana hota hai Mastaana Hota Hai' so mesmerising.