Chitrahaar 22(Part II - Clues) - First Repost
Balaji A.S. Murthy
This is the first repost of the Chitrahaar 22 quiz posted
earlier. This is the second part of the quiz. Thanks to
Satish Subramanian, the complete quiz (both parts) is also
available at the RMIM page at the following URL
http://www-users.cs.umn.edu/~subraman/rmim.html
- Balaji and Malini
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The first part of this post was the intro. This part contains
the clues.
But before we launch into the clues, a couple of points,
especially if you haven't read the intro. It is recommended
that you read the intro post, though.
Chitrahaar 22 features piano songs in Hindi films. There are
a total of 30 clues. The entries will be graded for two
categories
- RMIM award for correctly identifying the mukhada
- RAMLI award for correctly identifying the film the song is
from
And finally, please remember, do not post your answers (or
comments) on the net. Instead, please email them to
The last date for receiving the entries is October 18th, 1998.
On to the quiz now.
The early years (40s and 50s)
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1) A handsome young man has just finished playing badminton
with two lovely young ladies. The conversation goes
something like this
Young lady #1 : "hamane aapakaa pyaano(sic) nahii.n sunaa"
Young man : (unintelligible)
Young lady #1 : "jii!!"
Young man : "achchhaa, ek shart par"
Young lady #2 (heroine) : "aur vo kyaa"
Young man : "aapako gaanaa pa.Degaa"
And then starts this lovely Lata-Shamshad duet by the two
young ladies. In a classic pose, leaning on the piano,
they challenge the young man to play the game of love, as
the young man entertains them with the piano. A movie which
pioneered the love triangle theme, so to say. The young man
in question, already a star, went on to become the 'tragedy
king' of Hindi cinema.
It was tough to choose only one song from a movie, which has
many very good songs with piano accompaniment.
2) Here is a post master who his neighboring girl has fallen
in love with. But he himself mutually likes another girl,
who is quite rich, and meets her on a regular basis. It is a
matter of time that he is called upon to teach her music.
The first teaching session is this most popular song (a
Talat-Shamshad duet) of the movie. Hero plays the piano and
sings while he teaches her. And she repeats each line after
him. The entire song proceeds with this pattern, including
the antara portions.
One of the only two movies the male singer sang in for this
composer, the movie being another tragedy starring the
Tragedy King once again with the heroine from clue #1.
3) Our first party song in the quiz. The party is hosted by
Suresh who has returned from abroad after finishing his
studies. On Suresh's urging Suraiya agrees to sing this song
and sits down at the piano, while Suresh gives her company.
Raj Kapoor, who is also in the party, is totally
disinterested in the proceedings and starts eating a banana
as the song starts, and continues to be nonchalant through
the song. Suresh, on the other hand, seems to be totally
enjoying the song. Veena, who plays Raj Kapoor's elder
sister in the movie, is also seen in the song.
It has been told that the composer himself was an
accomplished pianist, so it should probably come as no
surprise that the first three clues in this quiz are all his
compositions.
4) No compilation on piano songs is complete without this
Anil Biswas composition, in our opinions. So, don't rest
till you find the answer to this one.
Madhubala is visiting Durga Khote, who wants to introduce
her son Premnath to her. On the way upstairs, they hear some
melancholy strains on a piano, which is due Premnath. As
they get upstairs, Madhubala picks up the notes being played
and breaks into this lovely Lata song, urging him to fall in
love with someone.
The piano accompaniment continues through the entire song,
and is first rate. The film itself is an early Dev Anand
starrer, but without a single song picturised on Dev.
5) Raj Kapoor visits Nargis often who lives with Ashok Kumar
who is an artist. On one of his visits he tries to woo
Nargis with this lovely Talat solo playing the piano, much
to the consternation of Ashok Kumar. Nargis is of course all
over him, oblivious of his true nature, since after all, it
is difficult to control the heart, no matter how much one
tries. Much later she would realize she has been duped by an
infidel.
One of the last movies composed by A.R.Qureshi a.k.a. the
tabla maestro Alla Rakha Khan.
6) This film features one of the most natural actors seen by
the Hindi film industry and an accomplished dancer, Balraj
Sahni and Vyjayanthimala. He is the widower owner of a
theatre and is thrilled to have found an artiste with a lot
of promise. He has found her quite by accident while
auditioning a puppetmaster for a show. During the audition,
he is very impressed with her imitation of a puppet.
In the current song, he has just come home after rehearsing
her for one of the upcoming dance shows and is very happy.
He immediately sits down at the piano and starts singing
this song. His happiness is contagious. She too feels it and
dances away to herself. He knows that he can once again
pursue his old goal, now with the new companion.
One of the earliest songs by Subir Sen in Hindi movies.
7) A remake of a very successful Telugu/Tamil movie starring
Gemini Ganesan (who starred in all the three versions). For
the sake of employment two unemployed graduates are forced
to pretend to be a married couple, which gets them
employment in a school.
The daughter of the owner of the school needs music lessons,
and it befalls the husband to teach. But this results in the
wife not liking it one bit. Here in this song the piano
playing hero likens himself to Krishna and explains to his
wife, that she has no reason to be jealous, just as Radha
had no reason to be jealous of others as Krishna was loved
by the whole world.
Apparently Hemant Kumar liked the original so much that he
retained S.Rajeswara Rao's tune as is in the Hindi version,
leaving Rajinder Krishna to just fill in the words (which
are a word to word translation of the original too).
8) The scene starts with our rich heroine breaking up with
the poor hero, who is a real ignoramus in the ways of the
world. She tells him she cannot expect to have all the
material comforts she is used to if she marries him. As she
talks, she walks over to a conveniently placed piano and
starts tapping the keys. The hero is dismissed. However as
soon as the hero leaves she starts playing the piano and
breaks into this song. In truth her future dreams have been
robbed by the hero's departure from her life. She was in
fact forced to enact that drama by her uncle Motilal.
Lalita Pawar as Mrs. D'sa steals the show from an
accomplished cast.
The middle years (60s and 70s)
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9) We have seen this scene in hundreds of movies. Hero in
love with the heroine. Party at the heroine's house. Hero is
an invitee/walks in accidentally/happens to be there, a
piano is conveniently available. He is asked to sing.
Here the heroine is Jamuna, hero is Kishore Kumar and it is
Jamuna's birthday. Her father has just announced her
engagement. Not to Kishore, if it is not obvious by now.
Well, Kishore Kumar (which happens to be his name in the
film as well), is asked to sing. He says he has brought a
song for her. Alas, if only she could listen to.
Still puzzled about the movie? We'll let you in on a secret,
Kishore Kumar's one of alleged classical songs is from this
movie.
10) Story of a wife gone astray, or is it? The husband comes
in contact with his wife's ex and invites him home for
dinner, creating an awkward situation for the wife and the
guest. Of course the husband doesn't know anything about the
relationship. To make matters worse for them, at the end of
the dinner the husband asks the guest to sing a song, as he
has heard he is a very good singer. There is a piano
conveniently available. Our guest has to oblige. He starts
on the piano and sings this song. Very intelligently he lets
his ex know through the song that it is best they become
strangers to each other again, while the lady of the house
uneasily keeps the pretense.
A B.R. Chopra blockbuster.
11) When our hero went to report on duty to Air force, he
entrusted his girlfriend to his best friend. On his return
and reunion with them he profusely thanks his friend for
taking care of her and keeping her company in his absence,
and says he is indeed very fortunate to have such friends.
And then he narrates the plight of one of his friends with
this song, who was betrayed in a similar situation by both
his friend and his love.
But, our hero, who is also playing the piano, has his back
to these friends and cannot see the discomfiture his song is
causing them, because in reality, they too are guilty of
betrayal, and mistakenly think that the song is addressed to
them.
This well known love triangle from 1964 was probably only
the second time Vyjayanthi collaborated with this actor-
producer-director.
12) A desolate hero is sitting alone in the club nursing a
drink for a temporary respite from his troubles. This second
lead, who lost out to the heroine, comes in and tries to
provide some solace to the hero. Hers is the true love, who
is willing to do anything for him knowing she can never get
him. She sings this ghazal to her own piano accompaniment in
which she asks him to turn over all his troubles to her.
The composer has exploited his wife's slightly
unconventional voice very well to create this stunningly
beautiful song. The piano accompaniment too superbly blends
into the song.
The cast for the movie includes Waheeda, Kamaljeet and
Nivedita(on whom the song is picturised).
13) The lost and found formula was used a lot in the 70s.
But, this B.R.Chopra multistarrer from '65 was one to use
the theme very successfully well before it became a formula.
The movie depicted tellingly how the ravages of time can
make or destroy anybody/anything.
Anyway, on to the song. Sadhana, one of the heroines, has
just heard about the arrival of her childhood love Sunil
Dutt, and her eyes light up with excitement. Naturally, she
expresses her feelings through a song. Meanwhile,
unbeknownst to her Raaj Kumar enters the house and hears her
singing. He mistakes her to be singing for him. Where does
the piano come? Well, didn’t we say all houses in Hindi
films have pianos? So, she in the course of the song come
across the piano, and of course plays it too. The song ends
with her still at the piano, when she notices Raaj Kumar.
14) Bharat Bhushan is a music teacher. He teaches his
students and his children on the piano, which is his only
major worldly possession. Fate takes him away from his
family. However, one strong memory his children have of him
is a song he used to sing playing the piano. And they
remember him through song whenever there is spring and the
flowers bloom. In fact, this song plays a major part later
in the movie, when Farida Jalal, one of Bharat Bhushan's now
grown up children, plays the piano during a party and sings
this song with her siblings. The song leads Bharat Bhushan
to his lost family. Fate, which took him away once, takes
him back to his family.
15) A typical triangle story with two heroines and one hero,
the ever popular Mr. Bharat. One heroine, whom the hero
loves, is pressured by his people to leave him alone. So,
she does and tries to create animosity with him. He thinks
it is for real and doesn't understand the reason for the
sudden change in her behavior.
Meanwhile, there is the birthday party of the other heroine.
He's asked to sing a song. Sure enough, he does, playing the
piano and lets the first heroine know of his feelings in no
uncertain terms. What he had thought she was - the goddess
of love, and what she turned out to be - statue of stone.
This title song is in Rafi's voice though the other songs on
the hero are by Mukesh.
16) A movie starring Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala.
However, the song in question is picturized on another
actress in the film who is in love with Rajendra Kumar. And
her family has thrown this party to celebrate his arrival
from abroad. She starts singing this song on a piano while
he, who she considers her companion, is busy mingling with
other people and friends and enjoying the party. But for
her, he is one, whose very arrival has brightened up the
gathering.
17) Here is this forest officer (played by the superstar of
the time) and this widow (at least in the eyes of the world)
whom the forest officer likes. The widow doesn't like to
socialize, in order to keep the façade of being a widow.
Finally, our man has convinced her to make an appearance at
his birthday party. He is overjoyed when she arrives(in a
spotless white sari of course). So he proceeds to give this
superhit by Kishore. He wants to tell her that love is
something unique which is unaffected by all the happiness
and sadness in this world. How much ever she pushes him
away, he would return to her. Oh, and yes, he is playing the
ubiquitous piano. All our heroes know how to play it, right?
Especially at the parties!!
18) This '71 movie stars two of the Ganguly brothers from
Khandwa. In fact, it is a home production for one of them,
who has also composed the music for this film.
The hero, who is a nomadic philanthropist, on one of his
stops is staying with a man and his widowed daughter. One
evening, in a fit of nostalgia, the father starts playing
the piano and sings this song to provide some solace to his
restless mind. Halfway through the song, the daughter joins
him. It brings back all memories of her husband for her.
Towards the end, she becomes too emotional and just stops
midway through the last line.
The composer himself has provided the playback along with
Sulakshana Pandit for this lovely duet.
19) The big B, a villain? Surprised? Here's is a movie where
he was one. The song? Well, there is this party in a
club/restaurant, with lot of music (there's even a band
here) and dancing going on. The hero, Navin Nischol is
teasing Yogita Bali through this song. He thinks is feeling
shy. Amitabh, who loves her too, is just a silent
spectator. He finally can't bear to watch the proceedings
and moves to the piano in the corner. He starts playing the
piano without even sitting down, and we hear Mohd Rafi's
voice in the background. Amitabh doesn't actually sing here.
Whenever he gets the focus, however, the song continues, in
the background mode, in Rafi's voice.
The interesting aspect of this song is that Rafi's and
Kishore's portions are so contrasting in styles and disjoint
that they might as well be two songs. Loud orchstrations and
upbeat singing in Kishore's portion, mellow piano
accompaniment with sombre singing by Rafi.
20) Another B.R.Chopra movie with a slightly different kind
of plot. A murder mystery, the facts of which seem to
be shrouded in thick fog.
The song in this clue actually is from a portion in
flashback being narrated by the heroine, wife of the murder
victim.
Her husband, a very bitter man after losing both his legs in
a hunting debacle, abuses her routinely, both physically and
verbally. Tired of this abuse, she takes a liking to a
lawyer-politician who frequents their house. The whole
situation creates a huge dilemma for her. In this song she
is playing the piano to herself, reflecting upon the
complications her life has gotten into, and the fact that
she can neither unravel the complications of her life nor
find a way out of its misery. Her husband wheels himself
near her, and the lawyer arrives as well during the song,
although she remains unaware of either till end of the song.
Navin Nishchol makes a guest appearance in the film, though
his role is very crucial to the plot of the movie.
21) Shashi Kapoor is a piano tuner by profession. And has a
piano at home. His daughter is used to him playing it daily
before she goes to bed. Circumstances force him to be
separated from his family.
Bindiya Goswami is the now grown up daughter, but she
harbors a latent love for piano playing. Her foster father,
Sanjeev Kumar takes her to this club where a very good
pianist performs every evening. And, lo and behold, it is
Shashi Kapoor who is the performer. On this night he sings a
song which is a favorite of his. He remembers the lovely
moonlit nights which render him sleepless these days. And
Bindiya Goswami listens to him with rapt attention.
22) This song is from a hugely popular Prakash Mehra multi-
starring blockbuster from the 70s.
Ever since this little rich girl came to stay in a guest
house he worked in, this boy fell in love with this memsaab.
They grow up, times change, the girl's family is no longer
rich, and the boy makes a good life for himself, mainly due
to his own efforts. He is indeed the master of his own
destiny. However, in spite of the fact that his love for his
memsaab has only grown stronger, he hasn’t been able to
express it to her. So, he asks his friend and roommate, a
lawyer, to write a letter on his behalf to her.
The letter is written, delivered to her and she gets the
message. Her happiness knows no bounds. The heart after all,
is heart, and hers too has taken fancy for somene. However,
the lucky one is not our hero. For, she secretly likes the
lawyer, and recognizing his handwriting, thinks the letter
is from him. While she is playing the piano and singing on
this lovely night, her two admirers, who live across the
street, are both happily enjoying the song, each thinking
that she is singing for him.
23) Talk of the supreme sacrifice. In a situation which is
exactly the opposite of the one faced by our heroine in clue
#17, here the widow keeps the facade of being still married,
to honour a promise she made to her husband just before his
death. He doesn't want her to let their children know until
his youngest daughter, who has a heart problem is operated
upon and cured.
This song takes place a little before the man of the house
dies, actually he is in a different town getting treated for
cancer. The occasion is the mother's birthday, and she is in
the puja room, offering her prayers to the god. As she comes
out, she hears joyous notes of piano in the air. The three
daughters, led by the youngest one, (baby) Padmini Kolhapure
proceed to give this upbeat birthday song to their mother.
Padmini plays the 'pyaano' too. In fact, she is learning to
play from her 'pyaano' sir, The (no longer) Jubilee Kumar,
who happens to be their mother's old college flame.
Another piano song in the movie was a well known Yesudas-
Anuradha tandem which shot Anuradha Paudhwal to fame.
The modern classics(80s and 90s)
--------------------------------
24) There was a Punjabi movie in 60s or 70s called 'cha.Dhii
javaanii buDDhe nuu'. We don't exactly know what that movie
was about, but the title seems to be very appropriate here.
Three old men, start on a quest to enjoy the life, now that
they have retired. Their 'interest' takes them to Goa, where
they chance upon a nubile young woman who owns the guest
house they stay in. Each has his go on wooing this young
lady in question. This song is one such episode.
Here Ashok Kumar(one of three old men) manages to engineer a
day alone with her. His plan, get her to drink some wine,
play some music on the piano, sweep her off her feet, and
then, take the rest as it comes. The first part works, the
second part is the song. While playing the piano he sings,
let's make a lovely song, and hum it together. The playback
for male part is provided by Ashok Kumar himself.
The other two old men are played by A.K.Hangal and Utpal
Dutt.
25) Title song for this movie from '83. In fact, the song
appears more than once in the movie, in male, female and
duet versions.
The context in this situation is the little girl's birthday.
The now jaded superstar is her widowed father. Her governess
whose wedding anniversary happens to be the same day has
been persuaded to attend the party by them. The father is
thrilled by her presence (he doesn’t know she is married).
Time for a sentimental song, one which the girl's mother
used to sing. Expertly playing the piano he declares to his
daughter that were it not for her, he probably wouldn’t have
any desire to live. We know, his indications are more to her
than just his daughter. Of course, another reason for the
hero to be so interested in the lady, the governess, is
that she is the spitting image of his late wife. The
governess also joins in and sings, although her thoughts
revolve around only her handicapped husband (played by Raj
Babbar), and no one else.
The female lead after playing a lot of nondescript roles in
the early to mid 70s really came into her own in late 70s to
become a very accomplished actress by the 80s. Also, she is
the daughter of the hero in clue #7.
26) Here's a song from the well-known Hindi remake of 'Dial
M for Murder'.
Suresh Oberoi, who is Dimple's college friend and lover has
now become a very famous singer. Dimple in the meanwhile is
married to Raj Babbar. Suresh Oberoi visits them on Raj
Babbar's invitation. Raj Babbar, who doesn't know this
earlier relationship, is star struck and practically forces
Suresh Oberoi to sing a song, who agrees to sing on one
condition. Dimple must accompany him. Raj Babbar is
surprised that his wife sings, but is all ears to hear both
of them.
Strangely there is a piano in the house, although Raj Babbar
doesn't sing, nor does he know that Dimple sings.
In any case, Suresh Oberoi settles down at the piano. He
knows that things are not going quite well between the
couple. He wonders if her eyes are beckoning him and this
reminds him of some old episodes. When Dimple joins him
later in the song, she politely indicates to him in her
reply that all is fine between her and her husband.
27) Anil Kapoor is a hot shot lawyer and Meenakshi is his
lover. Anil Kapoor is fighting a holy war as a lawyer and
plays the piano too. In fact he owns a piano which has on
its side an emblem of Krishna giving Arjuna the Gitopadesha,
for inspiration. The piano belonged to his parents, Girish
Karnad and Nutan.
Anyway, in this song, while waiting for Anil Kapoor at the
beach Meenakshi dozes off and conjures up this song in her
dream. She too knows that Anil Kapoor plays the piano, so,
the piano takes an overwhelming role in her dream. We see
(i.e. she sees in her dream :)) quick flashes of about
twenty different pianos, of various styles and sizes right
at the start of the song. Right out of nowhere, Anil Kapoor
appears on the beach, playing a piano. Then there is a girl
dancing on a giant piano, and she plays the piano by moving
from one key to another. There is also an orchestra right
inside the water supporting our hotshot piano playing
lawyer. And what is Meenakshi doing during all this. Well,
she is singing, of course, about the prince of her thoughts
and dreams.
28) Who could imagine mist flowing out of a piano?
Apparently the director of this movie does. The queen bee Ms
Dixit is on a stage singing the song written by her favorite
poet in a college competition. The piano she is playing is a
spotless white piano (this was the first we saw a white
piano in a Hindi movie, BTW). The mist flowing out of the
piano as she plays creates a dream-sequence like feeling.
Must have been some college competition. Anyhow, the poet
seems to claim in the poem that he loves his lover very
much, and in fact is willing to swear by it. Guess he never
knew the dangers of perjuring himself :).
Sunjay Dutt (as the poet) and Salman Khan make up the other
two points of this 90s love triangle.
29) The two sons, of this rich couple are both in love with
the daughter (Kajol) of their driver, unbeknownst to each
other. Halfway through the movie the elder brother (Akshay
Kumar) finds out about his brother's intentions about his
girlfriend. So, on the younger one's birthday he brings a
novel present. The girl of his dreams. What more is needed
for a song? A piano is in the middle of the huge hall to
complete the scene. The three then combine to sing this hit
song from this movie. The father Saeed Jaffrey thoroughly
enjoys the song, which warns those present that this
involvement of hearts is not just a game, while the mother
Reema Lagoo grows redder in the face by the minute, to the
point that she explodes at the end of the song.
30) A scene heavily inspired by the recent movie "Green
Card" starring Gerard Depardieu and Andie MacDowell.
The heroine puts the obnoxious hero in a quandary by
announcing in the restaurant that the hero will give a piano
performance. The hero is taken aback. But he has no option
but to perform. So he moves to the piano and sits down.
However, as soon as he starts, it becomes clear he has no
knowledge about piano nor any idea about music. He pounds
the keys of the piano maniacally jumping up and down making
a fool of himself (which some say comes naturally to this
actor :)). The heroine feels good having exposed the truth
about this guy, thankful that he will not bother her any
more. And she gets up to leave. But, just when everyone
seems to have given up on him, he reverses gears and
proceeds to give a virtuoso performance, stopping her dead
in her tracks, with a lovely song to boot.
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That's it folks. Hope you all enjoy it.
Please make sure you send your entries by October 18th 1998
to
- Balaji and Malini