The ones that got away - an article on Asha Bhonsle(from Filmfare)
neha...@hotmail.com
Here's bringing in 1998 with the nth article on the femme fatale - Asha Bhonsle...
I feel they are taking the "oh poor Asha was always the underdog" sentiment too far. The lady neither needs
nor deserves the pity that people seem to shower her with. She has great songs to her credit, but sadly is more
often remembered for the wrong ones..
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful new year!
--
Neha
Quoted from filmfare issue of Jan 1998.
THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY
Rediscovering the neglected songs of Asha Bhosle
Subhash K. Jha
<Picture>Perhaps Chain se humko kabhi aap ne jeena na diya is the anthem of Asha Bhosle's life. The
omnipresence of Badi Didi has tailed the gifted crooner from childhood.
All her life Asha has been trying to run away from the tag of being Lata Mangeshkar's sibling. That she has
succeeded in carving a distinctive niche is not because Asha Bhosle is a Mangeshkar but despite the fact.
Asha was always the second best. She always got the second best. By her determination, talent and
versatility she has turned them into the best.
In the 1950s and '60s Lata was the undisputed voice of the leading lady. Yet even in the scores dominated by
the Melody Queen, Asha made an impact--for example Asha's Bhigi bhigi faza was filmed on Shashikala
amidst a hurricane of melodies by Lata Mangeshkar for Sharmila Tagore in Anupama.
Earlier, in Guru Dutt's Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, the director's wife Geeta Dutt had sang all the Meena Kumari
songs. Asha had to make do with the leftovers filmed on second-lead Waheeda Rehman for whom Mrs Dutt
didn't want to sing.
(** this i certainly do not believe...i think it was just to have different voices...otherwise the songs she had in
the movie are no less than the ones sung by Geeta Dutt)
Over the decades, the indefatigable songstress who launched a thousand slits in Helen's sequinned gowns
and today does the same for teenybopper temptresses.
Here's looking at ten Asha Bhosle songs which have remained undeservedly underrated.
SINGING THE TUNES
DO BOONDEIN SAWAN KI--Phir Subah Hogi (1958)
At a time when Lata reigned so prim, Khayyam made music of sobriety with Asha. While her title song with
Mukesh flew into the firmament of fame, this plaintive and passionate solo got left behind. Do boondein
saawan ki is a wistful reminder of what Asha was capable of even in those days, if given half a chance.
Since Khayyam was himself deemed half a composer among the ruling stalwarts, it took two halves
(Khayyam and Asha) to make a perfect whole in our soul.
JAAN-E-KYA HAAL HUA HAI AAJ MAIKHANE KA--Maa Ka Aanchal (1970)
It was always a major grievance with Asha. That Madan Mohan never allowed her to sing his great ghazals.
Here was her chance to soar above the sore-point. Reportedly because this small-budget film (starring
today's amma Anjana Mumtaz and Sanjeev Kumar) couldn't afford the divine Ms L.
The ghazal that Asha sang for Madan Mohan possessed the uplifting tempo and emotional richness of an
all-time classic. Asha gave the song her best shot, hoping it would rank somewhere near the immortal
ghazals of Lata by Madan Mohan. Sadly it did not.
MAIN HOON EK BARKHA KE BIN JALTA SA DIN--Aavishkar (1973)
It was a tough act to follow up. Composer Kanu Roy had already elevated the songs of Basu
Bhattacharya's
Anubhav to seemingly insurmountable heights in the voice of Geeta Dutt. Remember Koi chupke se aake
and Mujhe jaan na kaho?
From the outset, Asha had elected Geeta as her prime competitor. In Aavishkar she had the chance to sing
a
song that was designed for Geeta Dutt. In Main hoon ek barkha ke bin Asha's vocal-control and her
penchant for painting emotions are more than palpable. Here's a compositional and vocal marvel awaiting
rediscovery.
MAIN JAA RAHI THI LEKE MAN MEIN TRISHNA--Bidaai (1973)
As the matriarch who watches all her loved ones migrate to the city, Durga Khote delivered an outstanding
performance. If there's one single moment that we remember her by, it's the moment when her grandson
arrives to give the lonely woman company during her last days. The relief, joy, ecstacy, gratitude and
resurrection of faith in humanity expressed in the line Achhe samay pe tum aaye Krishna by Asha fills our
hearts with an unbearable ache.
SAATHI RE BHOOL NA JAANA MERA PYAR--Kotwaal Saab (1977)
Ravindra Jain's jewel in Asha's croon is a complex tune conveying waves of surging emotions of a woman
who's grateful for the gift of love, but also fearful of losing it. Asha expresses a joie de vivre as well as
uncertainty in this brilliant ballad of the sad cafe.
YEH SAAYE HAIN YEH DUNIYA HAI TANHAIYON KI--Sitara (1980)
In the great big bustle known as life, there are soothing stopovers that diminish our despair and fatigue. This
song about the sham and illusion of showbiz written by Gulzar is full of a sighing nostalgia.
RAAT JO TUNE DEEP BUJHAYE MERE
--non-film album Meraj-e-Ghazal (1983)
The voice articulates the feeling of a shattered heart. More than the songs of Umrao Jaan, the album
Meraj-e-Ghazal recorded in collaboration with Ghulam Ali, witnessed Asha at her apogee. Her supple chords
coiled themselves around the fragile tunes like a serpent around a vine.
JEENE DE YEH DUNIYA CHAHE MAAR DALEY LOG HUM DEEWANE PYAR KARNE WALE
--Lava (1985)
A lean, mean season had set into R.D. Burman's career. For no fault of his, it might be add. For, here he
was the Pancham-good-and-proper composer creating for Asha tunes as colossal as Dekho yeh kaun aaya
(Savere Wali Gadi), O meri jaan (Manzil Manzil), and of course Jeene de yeh duniya.
Though defeated in the charts, it was another kind of triumph. The song's lyrics not only signified the
determination to conquer all opposition to love, it also epitomised Pancham's determination to return to past
glory. Asha's vocals (accompanied by singer-cum-cinematographer Manmohan Singh) were seldom in better
shape.
UMEED HOGI KOI... SHAAM DHALE VARNA KOI AATA NAHIN KISNE YEH PUKARA
--non-film album--Dil Padosi Hai (1987)
The inborn power of Gulzar's poetry has seldom been more poignantly projected. In this song about waiting
for love Asha Bhosle communicates the haunted and haunting desolation of Geeta Dutt's Koi door se awaaz
de chale aao. In an album of uniform exquisiteness this number radiates the glow of a candle on a sultry
wintry night.
(** Geeta Dutt was way too good in "koi door se aawaaz de...". Asha though excellent in this song, does not
come close to communicating the same desolation)
BOLO KYA TUM BAS ITNASA MERA KAAM KAROGE--Daayraa (1997)
It's a pity that all public attention was glued to Asha's shokh-vocals-ki-bijliyan in Janam Samjha Karo. In
Daayraa, she gave a much more enduring performance for Gulzar's sensuous lyrics tuned by--believe it or
not--Anand-Milind.
The Top 10
Bhanwra bada nadaan hai Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)
Isharon isharon mein dil lene wale Kashmir Ki Kali (1964)
Jaiye aap kahan jayenge Mere Sanam (1965)
Tora man darpan kehlaya Kajal (1965)
Jhumka gira re Bareilly ke bazaar mein Mera Saaya (1966)
O mere sona re Teesri Manzil (1966)
Parde mein rehne do Shikar (1968)
Dum maro dum Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1970)
Piya tu ab to aaja Caravan (1970)
Dil cheez kya hai Umrao Jaan (1981)
(** of course, my list is quite different. Besides the 1st and the 4th song, the rest are not her best for me)
--
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Anand Tiwari
>
>Earlier, in Guru Dutt's Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, the director's wife Geeta Dutt
>had sang all the Meena Kumari
>songs. Asha had to make do with the leftovers filmed on second-lead Waheeda
>Rehman for whom Mrs Dutt
>didn't want to sing.
>
>(** this i certainly do not believe...i think it was just to have different
>voices...otherwise the songs she had in
>the movie are no less than the ones sung by Geeta Dutt)
>
Geeta Dutt did not want to sing for Waheeda Rehman at that point of time.
That is a fact. However the left over arguement is 'faaltu'. Geeta Dutt
was singing very few songs around the time SBG was released. It was decided
that she would sing Meena Kumari's numbers in SBG and Guru Dutt did
not want to bring Lata for Jaba's (waheeda rehman) character.
Guru Dutt had some animosity towards Lata during that
period. The story behind this (from Ismat Chughtai's 'ajeeb aadmi') is as
follows. Geeta Dutt had called up Lata one night and cried bitterly about
her husband's relationship with Waheeda. Lata on hearing this rushed
immediately to comfort her and subsequently declared that she would not
work with anybody who worked with Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt did feel the
pressure of this declaration, went back to Geeta and apologised who
later asked Lata to take back her statement. Another point to be noted is
that Jaba's character is secondary in the novel and the movie. I personally am
not sure whether Lata would sing for Jaba's character though it is
entirely a hypothetical question in my mind.
In any case Asha's songs in SBG are neither leftovers nor pushovers.
regards
Anand (a Dev Anand fan)
SKalra902
Sometimes it seems to me that the singers themselves gorget the real good ones.
Asha probably forgot the beautiful lori song from the 'eena meena deeka' film
"Asha", "So jaa re chaNda so ja, chaNdaniya araj kare", filmed on Meenu Mumtaz
while hiding Kishore Kumar from the cops in her home.
And I cannot understand this 'she was always known as lata's sibling' argument.
I grew up listening to the songs from both the sisters, and in the 50's or the
60's, I do not recall this argument being put forth by anoy one, including Asha
herself. This seems to be a recent phenomenon being put forward, IMHO, and may
have its origins in the writings of today's journalists who want to bring
sensationalism to any, sorry, everything. All, IMHO, please.
Happy listenings.
Satish Kalra
SKalra902
Anand Tiwari wrote:
>
>Geeta Dutt did not want to sing for Waheeda Rehman at that point of time.
>That is a fact. However the left over arguement is 'faaltu'. Geeta Dutt
>was singing very few songs around the time SBG was released. It was decided
>that she would sing Meena Kumari's numbers in SBG and Guru Dutt did
>not want to bring Lata for Jaba's (waheeda rehman) character.
>
>Guru Dutt had some animosity towards Lata during that
>period. The story behind this (from Ismat Chughtai's 'ajeeb aadmi') is as
>follows. Geeta Dutt had called up Lata one night and cried bitterly about
>her husband's relationship with Waheeda. Lata on hearing this rushed
>immediately to comfort her and subsequently declared that she would not
>work with anybody who worked with Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt did feel the
>pressure of this declaration, went back to Geeta and apologised who
>later asked Lata to take back her statement. Another point to be noted is
>that Jaba's character is secondary in the novel and the movie. I personally
>am
>not sure whether Lata would sing for Jaba's character though it is
>entirely a hypothetical question in my mind.
>
>In any case Asha's songs in SBG are neither leftovers nor pushovers.
>
>regards
> Anand (a Dev Anand fan)
Taking some of the above arguments even further, I do not have the full
scenario of all the films produced by Guru Dutt. If we take the Filmarts' jaal
(1952) directed by Guru Dutt, Lata had some beautiful songs in it. However,
thereafter, in none of the Guru Dutt films like Baaz, Aar Paar, Mr. & Mrs. 55,
CID, Pyaasa, Kaagaz ke Phool, Sahib Bibi Gulam, did Lata sing for Guru Dutt !
I heard this before during those days (cannot recollect the source now), that
she did not sing for Guru Dutt films, since OP Nayyar was the chosen one for
Guru Dutt's movies from Baaz onwards (until Pyaasa), and we all know that she
did not sing for OP Nayyar!!.
Now what started first, her refusal to sing for OPN and hence for Guru Dutt,
or vice-versa, should be a topic for the researchers.
Happy listenings.
Satish Kalra
Anand Tiwari
In article <19980103220...@ladder02.news.aol.com>, skal...@aol.com
says...
Waheeda came into Guru Dutt's life after "Aar - Paar" and Mr and Mrs 55,
somewhere between 55 and 56. So IMHO, Lata is absent from the soundtracks
of early Guru Dutt films due to the O.P Nayyar factor. The incident which i
referred
to above comes later in Guru Dutt's life. Geeta sang practically all the
songs for Guru Dutt films with a couple being sung by Shamshad and others.
After all she had stopped singing for outside films due to Guru Dutt's
insistence and assurance that she would sing all the major songs for his
banner.
Another point to be noted is that Lata addresses Geeta as 'didi' in the book.
This and her subsequent stand against Guru Dutt clearly demonstrates that
there was no problem between Geeta Dutt and Lata. In a nutshell, i feel
that Lata and Guru Dutt did not come together initially because of OPN.
In the next stage Guru Dutt did not use anybody other than Geeta (for all
the major numbers in his films). Then came the incident described above. Guru
Dutt never forgot Lata's arm twisting tactics (even though i appreciate what
Lata did) and never used Lata again.
Also 'Jaal' which Satish ji points out was a Filmarts production. It
was produced by a mutual friend of Dev and Guru Dutt named T.R Fatehchand.
This gentleman also gave Raj Khosla his first break with the Dev starrer
'Milaap'. 'Jaal' was too early in Guru Dutt's career. I do not think he
had the same standing in the industry at that time compared to the legendary
status he gained towards the end of his career and life. He contributed
in some measure to the music of all films made under the 'Guru Dutt films
pvt ltd' banner but i am not sure whether he had a say in the music of
'Baazi', 'Jaal' and 'Baaz'.
Another comment worth remembering in the context of 'Pyaasa' and 'Kagaz Ke
Phool' is by Ashok ji: Geeta Dutt was SDB's favourite singer. Also Lata
and SDB had a tiff at some point of time maybe around 1960 (i am not sure of
the period just guessing from the fact that 'Kaala Bazaar' (1960) has Geeta,
Asha and Sudha Malhotra but no Lata!). So this may add two more reasons
to explain why Lata is absent in Guru Dutt films.
At least there is one legend in Hindi cinema whose films have great music
despite the fact that Lata is absent from most of his works.
regards
Anand (a Dev Anand fan)
PS: This discussion needs Vish and Ashok ji.
Obaid Qureshi
No doubt Lata is an institution in herself..but is still a human being. She
has made millions very happy and proud & will always be there for
generations to come. But the truth is ugly...she is over-using her voice
which no longer can produce gems. She needs rest. She should retire
honorably.
Obaid Qureshi.
Anil Hingorani
Anand Tiwari wrote:
>
> Another point to be noted is that Lata addresses Geeta as 'didi' in the book.
> This and her subsequent stand against Guru Dutt clearly demonstrates that
> there was no problem between Geeta Dutt and Lata. In a nutshell, i feel
> that Lata and Guru Dutt did not come together initially because of OPN.
> In the next stage Guru Dutt did not use anybody other than Geeta (for all
> the major numbers in his films). Then came the incident described above. Guru
> Dutt never forgot Lata's arm twisting tactics (even though i appreciate what
> Lata did) and never used Lata again.
>
In Lata's Shradhanjali, she does talk about her relationship with
Geeta. It seems like they were quite close.
> Another comment worth remembering in the context of 'Pyaasa' and 'Kagaz Ke
> Phool' is by Ashok ji: Geeta Dutt was SDB's favourite singer. Also Lata
> and SDB had a tiff at some point of time maybe around 1960 (i am not sure of
> the period just guessing from the fact that 'Kaala Bazaar' (1960) has Geeta,
> Asha and Sudha Malhotra but no Lata!). So this may add two more reasons
> to explain why Lata is absent in Guru Dutt films.
>
> At least there is one legend in Hindi cinema whose films have great music
> despite the fact that Lata is absent from most of his works.
>
Lata's last song for a Guru Dutt film was the fabulous 'badle badle mere
sarkar nazar aate hain...' from Chaudvin Ka Chand. I read composer
Ravi's interview on this subject in Filmfare a couple of years ago.
According to him, Lata had rehearsed another great song for Chaudvin Ka
Chand, but later Guru Dutt decided to drop the song and no one bothered
to tell Lata. She was told about it only when she showed up for the
recording and that pissed her off and she decided not to sing for
Ravi and Guru Dutt ever again. Of course she did sing for Ravi later,
but her relationship with him was never the same and he regretted that.
Cheers,
--
ANIL P. HINGORANI
e-mail: hingora...@jpmorgan.com