Hindustan Times
The best of the best
If someone were to ask you, ‘Who is your all-time favourite Hindi movie music composer?’ would you be able to answer the question — quickly? Wouldn’t it be tough? I mean, there have so many great songs, right from the Forties and Fifties to the present day, by so many different composers that it’s near-impossible to choose one.
For example: Naushad’s songs in Mughal-e-Azam. OP Nayyar’s music in Kashmir Ki Kali, Mere Sanam, CID. Madan Mohan’s incredible songs in Mera Saaya, Dastak, Haqeeqat (I still get goosebumps when I listen to Kar chale hum fida). Salil Chowdhury’s songs in Madhumati. Kalyanji Anandji’s score for Safar.
And so on and on, for all composers, not just the few I’ve mentioned above. I can’t think of a single music composer who hasn’t give us at least some great songs.?
And if you look at the scenario today, well, there’s Shankar Ehasaan Loy and of course, the staggeringly talented A R Rahman (I am a big fan).
But I know that if I were asked to name my all-time favourite composer, I would cheat a little (name two people instead of one) but I would have no problem answering the question: SD Burman, followed by RD Burman.
There are two reasons why SD is my No. 1. First, while I’m sure I haven’t heard each and every SD song, there isn’t a single SD song I know that I don’t like. (I can’t say this for any other composer). Second, usually when composers create music for a film, a couple of songs are really good, a few are average and a few forgettable. But in SD’s case, there are so many films where the <I>entire<I> score is masterful: Guide (his absolute best), Pyaasa, Bandini, Sujata, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Jewel Thief, Amar Prem, Abhimaan, and more.
He used Bengali folk music traditions to beautiful effect (Ore maajhi from Bandini). He did wonderful classical compositions (Poocho na kaise maine from Meri Surat Teri Aankhen). He created light-hearted, fun songs (Haal kaisa hai janaab ka from Chalti Ka Naam Gadi). He composed melancholic songs (Dekhi zamane ki yaari from Kagaz Ke Phool). He could create any mood: romantic, tragic, peppy, dark, yearning, haunting, anything, everything.
And his son? Has there been a more influential composer (they’re <I>still<I> doing tributes to him in our movies. In Mr and Mrs Khanna, RD’s Bade achche lagte hain crops up all the time – because Kareena’s character is called Raina). Also, just like SD, there are many films where RD’s entire score is superb. For me, top of the list is the amazing, path-breaking score of Teesri Manzil (from Tumne mujhe dekha to O haseena zulfonwali), and then the others: Yaadon Ki Baraat, Padosan, Masoom, Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, Kati Patang etc. And for all those who, when they think of RD, only think of racy numbers like Duniya mein or Piya tu ab to aaja, do remember songs like Raina beeti jaaye (Amar Prem), O mere dil ke chain (Mere Jeevan Saathi, one of my personal favourites), Rimjhim gire sawan (Manzil, the ultimate monsoon song) and so many others.
Just one thing though. Unlike his father, I don’t like every RD song that I’ve heard.(Also, since everyone spoke so much about RD’s collaboration with Gulzar in the last blog, I haven’t gone into that at all).
So, for me, it’s SD and RD all the way.
And for you?
(4 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Poonam Saxena on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Filed under Bollywood · Tagged Bollywood, Hindi movie, Kalyanji Anandji, Madan Mohan, music composer, Naushad, OP Nayyar
Hellos Poonam Ji, well if someone ask me as who is your fav composer, the immediate reply will be AR Rehman and Shankar Ehasan Loy, i mean Rehman sir, we cant describe him in words, he is like God of music in film industry, and Shankar Ehasan Loy, I admire them from the time they have given Dil chahta hain, i mean still now if you have heard of dil chahta hain theme music, its so great and youthful and i mean like rock on was too good, no one could beat that music, i mean fantastic composers. Whats your take?
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 9:59 am
I love Rahman’s music. Every time I listen to songs from Roja, Dil Se, Bombay, Taal, I marvel at him, and how he changed the very sound of Hindi film music. Tu hi re… too beautiful.
And yes, I like Shankar Ehsaan Loy very much too — specially the music they’ve done for Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho and Bunty aur Babli
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reena Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 7:37 am
I trhink his Taal score was best till date for hindi movies
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i think its kinda unfair to compare music directors from different timeliness..the music directors of yesteryear were great..even ahead of their times.and we must not forget that the technology at that time was not that advanced..still they created timeless music..and the songs of yesteryear have survived so many years..whereas the shelf life of a song these days is hardly 3-4 months…how many of us actually remember the songs of himesh reshamiya tor pritam after say 6-8 months..which were such big hits..
lets say create a if we broadly divide the timeline into, say pre RD, post RD till say 80s, then the dark 80s and 90s, post rehman till SEL, post SEL till say pritam..for all time fav i would definitely chose rahman for his path breaking music, and shankar ehsan loy for being outstanding..among the the older i would go for RD:)..
oops how can i forget nadeem shravan..i know they r kinda strange choice but somehow i think during their peak time they ruled!!;)
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I’m sure Rahman’s music will be remembered thirty, forty years later too. (And I really like some of Pritam’s songs — i think some of them will survive the test of time as well).
Nadeem Shravan??? Okay, Aashiqui was nice, but in a best of the best list?? I think not…
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Nitin Joshi Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 10:48 am
yeah..i agree about rahman…timeless is the word..
cant say the same about pritam though..he has been around for juts a few yrs…also beacuse of the charges of plagiarism..:(
yeah i guess u r right abt nadeem shravan…not in best of best list..couldnt help naming them here because aashiqui and others have been a part of my growing up;)
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RD, it is. Though you are right… I was thinking quite hard but could not think of any ‘bad’ SD song.
But RD had contend with one thing that SD didn’t have to. An illustrious father in the same profession. RD made his mark with the desi-pop, Indi-jazz numbers of Teesri Manzil but proved himself worthy of the Burman name by doing Amar Prem.
One usually associates RD with pop-disco numbers but forgets that he composed music for films like Ghar, Masoom, Aandhi, Mausam and Ijaazat.
Which brings me to wonder that probably there is no other lyricist-composer pair as brilliant as Gulzar and RD!
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How can you not even mention the incomparable Shankar Jaikishen duo. Barsat, Awara, Shri 420, Junglee , Dil Apna aur Preet Parai just to mention a few. More than 10 filmfare awards and another 10 - 12 nominations they virtually ruled the film industry through 50s,and 60s till the death of Jaikishen in early seventies. Choosing one from the list is impossible. C Ramchandran, Anil Biswas, Naushad, SD Burman, RD Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal, OP Nayyar, AR Rehamn…. No madam I can’t even choose best five. You have correctly said every one of the music directors has given a hit !
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Yes, Shankar Jaikishen were wonderful. I love many, many of their songs. (Does anyone remember Lata’s songs from a film called Amrapali — Neel gagan ki chhaon mein, Tumhe yaad karte karte). But somehow, their music doesn’t affect me as profoundly as SD’s does.
(Also — minor crib — I still can’t believe that their music for Suraj won the Filmfare award over and above SD’s Guide! Inexplicable!)
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SD was good, very good actually. But somehow I like Shankar-jaikishen duo more. The youthfulness, the hope, the energy in their songs was amazing. Theres a reason that they ruled the 50s and 60s inspite of greats such as Naushad, SD and others.
RD was very talented but lets not forget that some of his popular nos. were lifted from the western pop popular at that time.
Rahman on the other hand has given us duds in a lot of movies. I mean.. if he gives music to 5 films a year then 3 will be ****** and 2 will be absolutely brilliant. He is too volatile.
I would like to give an honorary mention to a jewel of previous era. His name is Ravi.
Lets start the list — Gumrah, humraaz, waqt, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, aankhen, neelkamal, do badan, ek fool do maali etc. He gave us cult songs like “Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai”, “Babul ki duyaen leti ja ” which are still played in marriages all across india.
The melodies he gave, the music he created became legend but sadly he still remained in the shadow of more glamorous composers.
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Chalo ek baar phir se from Gumrah… beautiful. And probably one of the two or three Mahendra Kapoor songs i actually like!
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Hi Poonam,
you missed a landmark SD/RD movie — Aradhana. just listen to the tiltle song, sung by SD himself!!! So fresh and huanting even today. amazing tune and lyrics and sung so hauntingly that it brings tears even today!!!
I rest my case … no comparison!!! SD is the best!!!
the lyrics are:
banegi aasha ik din teri ye niraasha
kaahe ko roye, chaahe jo hoye
safal hogi teri aaraadhana
kaahe ko roye…
aankhe teri kaahe naadaan
chhalak gayi gaagar samaan
sama jaaye is men toofaan
jiya tera saagar samaan
jaane kyon tu ne yun
asuvan se nain bhigoye
kaahe ko roye…
kahin pe hai sukh ki chhaaya
kahin pe hai dukhon ka dhoop
bura bhala jaisa bhi hai
yahi to hai bagiya ka roop
phoolon se, kaanton se
maali ne haar piroye
kaahe ko roye…
diya toote to hai maati
jale to ye jyoti bane
aansu bahe to hai paani
ruke to ye moti bane
ye moti aankhon ki
poonji hai ye na khoye
kaahe ko roye…
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Oh yes, Aradhana is one of those evergreen scores. And you know, I always liked the songs SD sang himself — like the one you’ve mentioned above. Then there’s Ore majhi (Bandini), Wahan kaun hai tera (Guide), Doli mein bithai ke kahar (Amar Prem), Sun mere bandhu re (Sujata). His voice is like a wandering minstrel’s — i always associate it with paddy fields, boatmen rowing their boats down rivers as vast as the sea…
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Jaya Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Hi Poonam,
So true.. HMV has a cassette SD on SD.. having all SD songs sung by SD.. amazing playlist!!!!
my most favourate!!!!
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Jaya Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
These days, the music is so loud that the lyrics and the singer’s voice , all are drowned!!!
Average lyrics and singers are deemed hit !!!
just listen to SD to hear that the music supports the singer and lyrics and not the other way around!!!
his voice is so stirring!!!!! amazing!!!!
Well, your post really made me think about the name that strikes my mind when it comes to my all-time favorite music composer.I would say it would be ‘Lata ji’, perhaps the innocence of her voice has made her my evergreen choice..She has been constantly giving hit numbers, although for today we have certain good playback singers coming up.But for sure, Lata ji is the inspirational light that is making the Indian film industry more credible.
Many thanks
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Hi dear lady,
You are very right in pointing out that its really difficult in choosing one great composer from such a huge pool of talent we have had since last 50-60 years. If I have to list my favourites in a priority order, I’ll be spoilt for choices, since there are so many to choose from.
Below are my picks (in no particular order):
SDB (for every album of his!)
OP Nayyar (for all his songs with Geeta Dutt & Md. Rafi, specially Mr & Mrs 55)
Salil Chowdhury (Parakh, Yahudi & Madhumati)
Hemant Kumar (Anandmath, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam…)
Ravi (Chaudhavin Ka Chaand)
Madan Mohan (Bawarchi)
Shankar Jaikishen (Teesri Kasam)
You can say that I am a little biased towards the MDs of 50’s… because I think that 1950 was the decade when we have had the most creative movies and music!!!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Thank you, Punya, for mentioning Teesri Kasam, one of Shankar Jaikishen’s finest scores (the song I like the most is Sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamaar, though all the songs are lovely, from Paan khaye saiyyan to Chalat musafir moh liya re). I agree with all your choices, but Bawarchi would not be my favourite Madan Mohan score
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Punya Srivastava Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Bingo!!!!
Sajanwa Bairi Ho Gaye Hamaar… is my most fav from this album.. Mukesh in his element!!!
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My favourite would be AR Rahman, Shantanu Moitra, Viju Shah and M M Kreem for sure!
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Nothing to do with this subject at all (she said sniffily). No, what I wanted to HUG you for was your Saturday column in HT- the latest piece called ‘The Goddess of Big Words’. Laughed and laughed and laughed at your take on, well, the Goddess of Big Words! You mimicked her little girl voice so well in print: ‘the Indian state is bad, the maoists are good.’
Stll giggling!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Thank you, Rupa! Believe me, that was not just from the heart, it was all the way from the marrow of my bones!!
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well…honestly speaking i dont remember the music directors name v clearly after I have heard the songs..but i know this much that whosoever composed Guide/Aradhana has to be..HAS to BE …nmy favourite! Those songs have such a great feel and there is not even once that u can get bored by them..esp Guide..Its my all time fave movie..I love Waheeda/Dev Anand in it..n Yes the one who played Marco too
I love the lyrics..the music..the picturisation of each n every song..
Again..Aradhana..i watched this movie in my late teens n that too coz its my dad’s fave movies..and i was absolutely mesmerised by those songs..esp gunguna rahe hain bhavre..i lovvee that song..!
AR Rehman is great too….but i somehow feel that in today’s generation of music..the musical intruments are in the foreground..the singers voice r in background..its like anybody cud have sung it! thats why..when v play antakshari..its soothing to sing those old songs..they have a v strong melody base in the vocals..(i hope u get what i mean)..whereas in today’s composers..the melody lies in the instruments..thats y i find humming AR rehman songs quite diffcult n boring..even thugh i do blv that on an overall scale..he is 1 guy who has pehnomenally changed indian music scene..and whenevr i listen to Dil Se..it does take my breath away even today…but offlate…his music isnt so inspiring…but yes after 70s..its only AR rehman ..who is truly the best…!!
SEL./pritam etc etc r all okie dokie for me..their music wont stay 20yrs down the line..thats 4 sure..!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
SO glad you love the Guide songs, Chinz!
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Some of the best songs and my favourites are by the music directors whose name does not figure in the list given above. ‘Jyoti Kalash Chhalke ‘ by Sudhir Phadke in ‘Bhabi Ki Chooriyan’, C Ramcharan’s Anarkali (yeh zindagi usiki hai’) classical type, to shola jo bhadke,and ‘eena meena diga’. Kishore Kumar in Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, to Hemant Kumar in Nagin and Sahib Bib aur Ghulam to Kalyanji Anandji. Whom can you leave. The question is not fare. You should have asked who is worst music director.
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Just one more point. Have you ever wondered that no music director’s award were given in 1987 and 1988 !!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Really? I had no idea. Why, though?
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Nitin Joshi Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 11:17 am
i read somewhere that it was due to security reasons and unavoidable circumstances..
but surprisingly..gulzar got best lyricist award in 1989 for a 1987 movie ijazat..so may be they decided to club the nominations for 87-88 together..
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Nutsure Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
The official version by filmfare committee, “No GOOD Music”. !987 however saw the release of Mr India with (Laxmikant Pyare Lal) Mai hoon Hawa Hawai number. ‘88 Shahenshah, was released. Between 86 and 88 there must have been some good numbers belted out by so many music directors. Off hand can’t remember any particular one. You must do some research on this !
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In the new breed of music directors.. vishal bhardwaj stands out.
All his movies as music director had amazing music till now.
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Actually, you are right. Along with Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Rahman, I should’ve mentioned Vishal.. he’s just outstanding. I LOVE Namak (Omkara)
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Jaya Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 10:35 am
In one of the Cofee with Karan episodes, javed akhtar and shabana azmi were invited. karan asked Javed, name one song, which you feel you should have written and javed and shabana both unnanimously said “beede jalaile” from Omkara!!!
This should conclude ur Javed /Gulzar debate!!!
This also highlights the beauty of Vishal’s music!
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For me a composer who despite having given timeless songs hasn’t got the recognition is Khaiyaam.
Every time I hear his songs, I am transported to a different world. Kabhi-Kabhi, the title song is the eternal romantic song. Ghazals of Umrao Jaan and Bazaar are timeless.
And Ae Dil e nadaan is my favorite song. He is simply superb.
Though, I like SD and RD too, I think in his case it was the quality not the quantity that mattered.
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Interesting post!
My vote goes to Illaiyaraja, Ravindra Jain and Hridaynath Mangeshkar…yeah, difficult to pick one
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Ravindra Jain????
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Nitin Joshi Reply:
October 28th, 2009 at 10:43 am
very unusual choices…illaiyaraja ..no doubt..but he is more active down south..so hindi film music..i dont think so..ravindra jain and mangeshkar…i dont think they have a large body of work in popular film music..
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i am the biggest fan of a r rahman but i consider SD and RD more talented than this guy, why… because rahman has techonolgy..SD and RD had tabla, harmonium, flute, paayal, ghungroo, sitar, saxophone and other instruments only.
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Poonam,
As you’ve mentioned,there are so many music composers that it would be truly inappropriate to mention only one.I’ve always admired Gulzar,Rehman,Jatin-Lalit(at a certain stage),Anu Malik,Bappi Lahiri etc.But yeah,my all time fav has always been RD.His compositions were so spontaneous n magical.He excelled in all kinds of music,just name it n he rendered it.Of course his father was the supreme force,but got to hear very little of him.
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I don’t listen to old music much but i feel that at times some lesser appreciated composers hve given timeless music to us like…… Aashiqui by Nadeem Shravan…& Deewana (Sonu Nigam’s private album) by Sajid-Wajid. Even Ismail darbar did a great job in Hum dil de chuke sanam…….
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For all you music lovers: A must watch is a documentary on RD called - “Pancham Unmixed”
It makes you appriciate his music all the more. May be Poonam would know how to get it. I would like to own a DVD myself.
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