Sunday, August 20, 2017

Blackmail (Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas) : By ~ Niilesh A Raje



As we celebrate Poet's Day today (21 August 2017) I thought it’s time to pick up my pen and write what’s in my heart today and let my words keep flowing like a river. Writing that reflects one's inward state of mind.

I would like to pen down a short piece on this song, Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass from the 1973 movie Blackmail. A lovely romantic number casted on Dharmendra and Rakhee which still continues to soothe the ears of the music lovers. Voice of Kishore Kumar and his valley of emotions resonates straight from the heart.

Film maker Vijay Anand (Goldie Anand) was contemplating on his next project it was producer Vinod Doshi who felt it would be apt for Goldie to take up this new project as its director. Goldie was the leading director those days and Dharmendra was equally keen to work with Goldie the director of repute. Around the 70’s Dharmendra and Rakhee as a pair had worked together and became popular in the movie Jeevan Mrityu. Looking at their good work and growing popularity amongst the masses Goldie decided to have the same couple in his new project Blackmail.



Now that the cast was fixed Goldie decided to work on the song aspect in this film. Music composition in Blackmail was done by Kalyanji-Anandji. Rajendra Krishnan the richest writer in Hindi Cinema was the lyrics writer chosen to be part of this project. He was considered the richest writer reason being he had won a jackpot worth 4,600,000 rupees in horse racing which was indeed a huge amount then in the 70’s.

Having done all this Goldie now wanted one romantic song to be part of the project. He was already clear in his mind that he would shoot this song in the Queen of Hill Station namely Ooty. Independent luxury cottages peace and quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Goldie had this situation in mind which he had told the lyricist and music director. Situation revolves around matters of heart where in the lead male star Dharmendra is unable of express his love to his lady love Rakhee due to his timid nature. How true the words in this song says it all, “Mein soch mein rehta hoon daar daar ke kheta hoon”. To express his love the man keeps writing love letters daily to his lady love.

However, his shy nature does not give him the courage to post these letters to his lady love. One day he (Dharmendra) gathers courage takes all these letters and showers in the lap of his lady love (Rakhee). His lady love reads all these letters written to her by her admirer and that’s when the romantic number unfolds with passage of time.

The creative direction by Goldie is evident if you see the flow of the letters and eventually the courage gathered by the lover. First letter states, Priya(Dear) Miss Mehta. Second, Priya(Dear) Asha Ji. Third, Priya (Dear) Asha. Fourth, Asha and the fifth one finally says it all, Meri Asha. Goldie wanted these letters to sing the song in the movie Blackmail. How to make the letters sing in the given situation was something even the music directors were not getting the pulse right initially.

Many days were spend on composing the tune but nothing seems to be working out in the positive direction. Goldie had planned his dates to shoot this song in Ooty. A night before going to Ooty Goldie sat down with Kalyanji-Anandji. Morning turns into afternoon, afternoon into evening and evening into night but still nothing was seen working positively as expected as far as musical compositions went.

It was here Goldie suggested how about these words, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass Tum Raheti Ho. Jeevan Mithi Pyas Ye Kheti Ho”. Immediately tune was created revolving around these words. Next day before departure to Ooty Goldie sat down with both Kalyanji-Anandji and lyrics writer Rajendra Krishnan. He told Rajendra Ji clearly that he is not a prolific poet as he is and also conveyed the words, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass Tum Raheti Ho” that came across in his mind a night before. Now whether to include it or drop these words is your final choice. Rajendra Ji was speechless but after given thought for a couple of hours came up with the wonderful lyrics for, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass Tum Raheti Ho”.  
Finally the song was ready with the words so was Goldie to depart to Ooty. What was pending was the recording of the song. Goldie being creative and genius person decided to go ahead with his shoot in Ooty for this song. The difference, he told Dharmendra just to lip sync the words as per the requirements of the song. Recording of the song in the studios is something Goldie decided to do it after his arrival from Ooty. Also, Dharmendra being busy and Rakhee being pregnant getting mutual dates wasn’t easy. But the creativity of the director Vijay Anand (Goldie) had the romantic pot finally in place after overcoming all the obstacles. The song, “Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass Tum Raheti Ho” is so popular even today that it’s difficult to believe that the shooting of this song took place first and recording of the song later.

Not to forget as I mentioned in the beginning today (21 August 2017) is Poet’s Day. Time to pick up the pen and write what’s in the heart today and let the words keep flowing like a river.

Happy Poet’s Day . . .          

        
      

         
      





      


Tuesday, August 15, 2017

SHOLAY : 42 Years Epitome of Box Office Success by Niilesh A Raje



Forty-two years ago on this date, 15th August movie “SHOLAY” was released which till date has proved to be indeed a defining moment in the history of Indian Cinema. The greatest story ever told. Out of the many songs featured in this movie, I would love to pen down short piece on this toe tapping number from the movie namely, “Mehbooba Mehbooba”.

Just before the start of this gypsy number is the climax and electrifying dialogue from Sanjeev Kumar (Thakur), “Ye Heera Gabbar Ko Badukein Aur Goliyan Bhejne Ata Hai. Ek Do Din Mein Gabbar Use Jaroor Milega. Loha Garam Hai Mar Do Hatoda”. 

While R D Burman composed the songs for the movie the lyrics were penned down by Bakshi Saab (Anand Bakshi), “Phool Bahaaron Se Nikla, Chaand Sitaaron Se Nikla Din Dooba”. Song was sung by the music composer himself R D Burman that later gave him a good identity as the lead singer.  

It was planned for a five-day shoot for which sets were constructed and the shooting location for the song was none other than R K Studio at Chembur. Screenplay writer Salim Saab used to drop in between during the shoot of this song. Yes, matters of the heart speak and we see Helen play a pivotal role in this super hit song.




Actor Jalal Agha played the role of the gypsy singer opposite Helen. In the song actor, Helen has played her role well where she is seen neither speaking nor singing anything in the song in front of the ruthless Gabbar Singh. 

Shooting scheduled dates were already communicated to Jalal Agha in advance but it’s learnt that he failed to report on day one of his shoot as he was out of station working on other assignment. Ramesh Sippy was obviously upset and decided to go ahead and complete the solo shots with Helen required in this song. Ramesh Sippy had made up his mind to do the role himself in an unlikely event if Jalal Agha did not report on the second day for the shooting. He did report on the next day and we see him wearing European gypsy costume playing the mandolin.

The song was indeed toe tapping however the curiosity and thrill amongst the masses in this song being Jai and Veeru seen in the background who are preparing for an explosion within the vicinity of Gabbar Singh.

R D Burman was later seen as plagiarist for using the tune of Demis Roussos’s, “Say you love me” in the song “Mehbooba Mehbooba”. The reality being the tune was indeed recommended to Pancham Da by Ramesh Sippy only who had heard this song earlier at his brother’s home and developed instant liking towards its tune.

Its forty two years now since SHOLAY was released both the movie and songs still continue to be the epitome of box office success.

The veteran lyricist of this song Bakshi Saab (Anand Bakshi) went way ahead with the same word "Mehbooba" and two years later post release of Sholay in the year 1977 came up with another lovely number from movie "Dharam Veer", "O meri mehbooba mehbooba mehbooba tujhe jaana hai toh jaa teri marji mera kya".
  


Sunday, August 13, 2017

36 Years “Silsila” ~ by Niilesh A Raje



14th August 2017 completes 36 years for the release of Amitabh Bachchan Ji's movie 'Silsila' (The Affair, 1981).  The advertisement proclaimed boldly, “Love is faith and faith is forever”. The movie was controversial right from the beginning much before its release date especially with extra marital themes addressed boldly by Yash Ji in his film.

The original cast was Padmini Kolhapure but it did not work out as she was tight on time with her dates and availability. Then next choice then made was Parveen Babi and Smita Patil.  Both were not considered apt for the roles and were eventually dropped from the choice list.

The film witnessed average business at box office and was trashed by the media then as 'silly sila'. However, today's age the film has gained a strong cult and is considered to be classic. The movie's soundtrack became "super-hit" upon the release and still continues to be equally popular.

Silsila was shot in Yash Ji’s house in Kashmir, Delhi and Netherlands. Netherlands is another beautiful country in Europe, where the evergreen song ‘Dekha Ek Khwab’ featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha was shot.



“Dekha Ek Khwab To Ye Silsile Hue” the popular song from the movie is also the first Hindi Film song release written by Javed Akhtar after the duo Salim-Javed split. Tunes were composed by Shiv Hari. It is learned that Javed Saab ended up spending one full day with composers and words started flowing like a river end result was a musical hit song. 

The song was shot at Keukenhof Tulip Garden, Netherlands giving more power to the lyrics "Dur Tak Nigahon Mein Hai Gul Khile Huye" with Keukenhof. Keukenhof (Kitchen garden) is also known as the Garden of Europe, and is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world’s largest flower garden. Several hit movies and songs from our Indian Film Industry have been shot here. The costumes worn by Amitabh Bachchan in the movie were his own clothes.

Yash Ji's choice of lyricist had always been Sahir Ludhianvi and he was his obvious choice when it came to “Silsila”. He never replaced Sahir with anyone else until Sahir passed away. It is learned that Yash Ji had requested Sahir Saab to write all the songs for the movie within five days. Sahir Saab said, "He would give all the required songs after a span of two weeks only and not a minute before". He did not understand the obvious reason why this rush in delivering it within next five days. The reason, the music director was busy post seven days and Lata Mangeshkar Ji was travelling abroad for 10 days. Yash Ji’s recording staff had kept the pot in place for whatever was required to complete the recording.

Sahir Saab was deeply hurt as he felt his very own viewpoints were not considered at all even while the recording dates were being planned by Yash Ji. He bluntly refused to write any songs for the movie “Silsila”. Yash Ji tried to convince Sahir Saab there were many lyricists ready to write all the songs within two days but he still wanted him only to write all the songs. Sahir Saab said, “In that case, he should go with other lyricists and have the songs written from them”. The end result was an abrupt end of this long professional relationship they both shared over a decade. To sum it up I would quote this song from the movie “Silsila” here, “Yeh Kahaan Aa Gaye Hum Yunhi Saath Saath Chaltey”. “Love is faith and faith is forever”.