Suman Kalyanpur: an unsung legend

While listening to Yaadein on Radio 4 FM, a programme on old hindi songs, tonight, I happened to know that Suman Kalyanpur has a strikingly similar voice to that of Lata mangeshkar's. The songs, which I ignorantly believed to have been sung by Lata are actually sung by Suman Kalyanpur. Many of her songs are sung in Lata's style: her intonations, her voice has such an uncanny resemblance to Lata's voice that the revelation was simply shocking.


Today, 28th january also happens to be her birthday and that being the prime resaon that a whole slot of 2 hours was dedicated to Suman Kalyanpur's songs and thankfully I became aware of this fact! Listen to this song, 'na tum hamein jaano' and let me know if you are not misled by the voice. I grew up listening to these songs yet was blissfully unaware of the singer. How injust is that to the singer. May be that was the time when every other singer was just overshadowed by the two sisters and if the voice happened to be like theirs then the chances of remaining in the shadow increased manifold.
 

Suman Kalyanpur mostly sang duets with Rafi and beautifully she sang!All of them were roaring hits. One song  worth mentioning here is 'baad muddat ke vo ghadi 'which was to be initially sung by Lata but subsequently was sung by Suman Kalyanpur. Listen to the melody and not once you'll miss Lata's voice. Her rendition is so perfect and well what do I say of Mohammad Rafi; he is capable of doing anything to you: he could make you laugh, cry, tug your heartstrings, make you shake your leg. Even after so many years of his death, his voice is as fresh and vibrant.

Now, that I've been listening to just Suman's songs for 2 hours, there are so many other songs; solos and duets which I would like to post here but that would be a bit extensive task for me. I'll keep that for some other time. Anyway, listen to this one, 'rahein na rahein hum'. It has both the versions; the first half is sung by Lata and the other half by Suman. Both are exceptionally wonderful. That was the era where everything; music, lyrics and voice were extraordinarily beautiful.

Another song without which my post about this true artist would be incomplete is 'na na karte pyar tumhe se kar baithe'. If I were to make a list of my all time favourites then this number would definitely be there.

Actually,I must thank Mr. Farrukh Viqar, RJ at 89.1 Radio 4 Fm for airing Suman kalyanpur's songs! Listeners like me got the chance to know about her, her similarity to Lata's voice that became a curse for her for she didn't get her due in the Hindi film industry. One song, not many of us know was sung by Suman and then it was sung by Lata Mangeshkar. 'Haal-e-dil unko sunana tha, sunaya na gaya'. This one number was first sung by Suman Kalyanpur in 1964and is from the film Fariyaad. Listen to Suman's voice, it's totally magical.
     

 Now, take a look at the song sung by Lata Mangeshkar. It's 'haal-e-dil yun unhe sunaya gaya'. It's strikingly similar, on the same tune and same style of singing. It is from the film Jahanara released in 1964.

The one sung by Suman kalyanpur came few months before the one sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Now does that ring a bell! Why Lata ji had to sing a similar kind of a song composed by Madan Mohan?
Was she trying to outdo Suman kalyanpur? Because rarely do we see such kind of similarities in songs.

Though Suman kalyanpur's voice was like Lata Mangeshkar's yet it had a distinct flavour of its own. My salute to this singer who remained and still remains to be an unsung legend.

  

Good morning!

After a stretch of grim and grey weather, dawned a bright and sunny morning

Oh, what a lovely day is today!
Golden sunshine coming our way.
Light that is poignant yet pleasant and strong,
bringing warmth and hope,

the sparkling, golden, glittering rays overbrim the soul with grace.
The tweeting, chirping and cooing birds soaring in the sky
with every flight reaching new height.
All are happy, all are gay indulged in the celebration of a new day.
Oh, what a beautiful morning of a grateful winter day.
 

Book Review: You had me at hello

It feels so bereft when a good book comes to an end. All of a sudden you are transported back to the real world. It's not that there's something vicious about the real world but then fantasy is always perfect or it's the perfection that makes it a fantasy. This is what exactly happened to me when I reached the last page of 'You had me at hello'.

Mhairi Mcfarlen is a wordsmith for she certainly knows how to play with words. The book deals with the past and present at such a swift speed that you hardly register it. It is humorous, story is good, I almost knew the end but still the end brought a smile on my face. How we love happy endings!

The two protagonists Rachel and ben are like the Bunty and bubbly. Ben ki Rachel and Rachel ka Ben and yet everything is so platonic between them or it appears so to the readers until the night before their graduation ball. And then things fall apart. They meet again after a decade but the equation is not that simple...Ben is married and Rachel not. What happens then is what the book is about. Mhairi has taken potshots at the people around, at the situations and has done it with a flair and wit. The book is a fiction and yet the characterisation is so real. Makes for an excellent light read.

Snow

Falling fiercely
only to melt away,
passing by the window sills, knocking on the doors,
longing to be inside, begging to be with us.
No door is welcoming, windows tight shut
she drops with a heavy heart on the portal.
The whitest of white, the lightest of all,
she vanishes quietly taking the white with her.

A rather long, snowy afternoon is to be blamed for these words..:)

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Am totally obsessed with this ghazal. Originally sung by Farida Khanum and need I say her singing is like an oasis in a desert, Shankar Tucker and Rohini Ravada have also done wonders to this classic. Kudos to Rohini for pulling off  the song so well. Enjoy!

Satyamev Jayate

Sunday, May 6, 2012 marks the beginning of Aamir Khan's show 'Satyamev Jayate' on the Indian television. It is said that this show is first of its kind where the actor himself is the anchor, performer and the producer. Though am not much of a television person, watch just a few selected things but the publicity of this show and the fact that it is being produced by someone who is considered an idealist, had me in front of the screen.

The prologue was quite serene and impressive with Aamir on the beach describing his feelings about the show. How actually he came up with the piece. One thing that struck a chord with me was what Aamir said:  "how we are affected by the malfunctions of the society? I am doing good. My life is in a good shape. So, how and why should it be affected by these social stigmas"? Actually, it is  affected because we are a part of this society and whatever happens in the boundaries of society does have an impact on our lives too.

I fail to understand why do we always need a star to remind us of the prevailing social stigmas. Weren't we aware of this female foeticide all along? Today it was the issue of Female foeticide, tomorrow will be of dowry system and next something else. Again several women will be shown battered and shattered with their heart wrecking stories.

It was so regressive to see that people who represent the educated India are indulged in such acts. I had my eyes all teary when they showed the women who went through the torture of an unwanted abortion not once or twice but five times. I salute them for their courage and never say die attitude towards life despite endless obstacles and troubles.

Will something be ever done to put a stop to this abominable crime or will it just end up as a status on social networking sites? All such intense shows sound all the more intense over a cup of tea but once the tea finishes, the intensity too finishes.

I'm not questioning people's sentiments here but if we are true to our conscience then let's give this social evil a real thought and try to wipe it out from our society lest we'll be heading towards disarray and thence disintegration.

Lastly, hats off to Aamir Khan for bringing up this show which happens to be a portrayal of the society of which we are a part. I would like to quote the lines from the show which I quite liked:


Sirf hangama khada karna mera maksad nahin
meri koshish hai ki kuch badalna chahiye
mere seene mein nahin toh tere seene main sahi
ho kahin bhi aag lekin aag jalni chahiye

Timeless Melodies: Music to my ears

It has been a long time since I was contemplating to make a list of my favorite hindi songs. Now if you are a fan of new one's then  chances are that you'll be disappointed nevertheless give it a look and who knows you might like it..:)). It's not that I do not enjoy new numbers, no, in fact some are quite good but this post is exclusively dedicated to those, sung by Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar. It was no piece of cake deciding on the songs as my favorites are far too many to count on fingers.

But I am often caught stumbling when asked about my favorite song. The thing is, as I said before, there isn't just one song that I love to hear but actually quite a few and it depends on the mood which one would I prefer. Having said that here comes the reason to bring forth this post.  Consider it as a tribute to that era, to those musicians, lyricists, and singers who came up with such beautiful renditions that even after decades they are still alive in our memory.

1. Jeewan se bhari teri aankhein  Safar, 1970: This is one song that tops my favorite playlist. The brilliant music and the charged voice of Kishore Kumar, who would not fall for this masterpiece. It just keeps me enthralled till the end. The lyrics by Indeevar and music by Kalyaan ji anandji makes it one evergreen composition.

2. Tere bina jiya jaaye na  Ghar, 1978:  Oh! how I remember Rekha whenever I listen to this piece. Normally the songs are known for the voice but here I think Rekha's subtle expressions have outshone everything else. So much want to go back to the time of big block printed saris and big bindis. Sung by the nightingale of India 'Lata Mangeshkar' and again our Kishore Kumar, this song displays sensuousness in it's most elegant form. Written by Gulzaar and music by R.D Burman, the song does put you in a trance.

3. Mere Mehboob tujhe meri  Mere Mehboob, 1963: The most romantic song ever, that takes you into a dream world. I don't know how much I'm in love with this song for it's not just the voice but outstanding display of emotions by Rajendra Kumar. It never fails to give me a lump in my throat, especially the last stanza. The longing, the desire to see, to meet the person who you love! Uff! itna chotta sa dil aur kambakht itne emotions. Mohammad Rafi's voice literally give me the chills be it high pitch or low pitch and equally incredible is the music which is composed by Naushad and the lyrics penned by Shakil Badayuni. All in all an exceptional song taking you on a trip to Aligarh Muslim University.

4. Aap yun faaslon se Shankar Hussain, 1975:  I was introduced to this song by my husband and had instantly fallen in love with it. Have no clue why I never knew about this song despite being a regular listener of Vividh Bharti. This song deserves a very special place because it has something mystic thing about it, ethereal, completely exquisite though when I finally got to see it, was a tad disappointed by it's picturisation. Lata mangeshkar has sung it in her most vivacious voice so the picturisation could have been better. Written by Jan Nissar Akhtar father of Javed Akhtar and the music rendered by Khayyam...bliss to heart and soul.

5. Rimjhim gire sawaan  Manzil, 1979: This song does wonders whenever I listen to it. It just uplifts my mood and I feel myself slipping into those wonderful teenage days. At that time several songs rocked my world but this one really held a special place may be Lata's bubbly voice had to do something with it. Now over the years, I do not remember many of them but this song still pulls my heartstrings and stirs the passion the way it did back then. The best rain song ever shot! Music by Pancham and lyrics by Yogesh, you really do want to get soaked in the rain. It has that effect!

6. Kahin ek masoom Shankar Husssain, 1975: The soft and sensuous voice of seasoned singer Mohammad Rafi that leaves you restless and evokes myriad of emotions, this song is that magical. Excellent words by Kamaal Amrohi and a music to die for by Khayyam. What else do we get out of the trio of Rafi-Khyaam-Amrohi! Pure magic. Love the following lines where Kanwaljeet dreams about his love's ecstasy, restlessness and dilemma!  

 चलो खत लिखें जी में आता तो होगा
मगऱ उगलियां कंपकपाती तो होंगी
कलम हाथ से छूट जाता तो होगा
ऊमंगे कलम फिर उठाती तो होगी
मेरा नाम अपनी किताबों में लिखकर
वो दांतो में उंगली दबाती तो होगी
These words too surreal, too hypnotic!

7. Pal bhar ke liye  Prem pujaari, 1970: My list would have been incomplete without this song for this is one number that is so playful, lively and so so entertaining. The ever handsome Devanand and the dream girl Hemamalini jodi is such  a treat to watch. Music by kalyanji anandji and lyrics by Indeevar, it makes me stop doing my chores and I just let the addictive voice of Kishore Kumar take over.

8. Ae mere pyare vatan Kabulivala, 1961: Now this song is one of those which gives me goosebumps literally. If there is any one patriotic song apart from 'ae mere vatan ke logon' that makes my eyes brim with tears, then this is the one. Well, Manoj Kumar's 'Hai preet jahan ki reet sada' also is one magnificent number that falls in this league. A song that describes the feelings and emotions of a man who is faraway from his homeland. Manna Dey's voice has taken this song to another level, such a soulful singing!. The various intonations that he has taken in this song are just awesome. The Music by Salil Chaudhry and words by Prem Dhawan. Read these lines and you'll get the feel!

छोड़ कर तेरी ज़मीं को दूर आ पहुंचे हैं हम

फिर भी है येही तमन्ना तेरे जर्रों की कसम

हम जहां पैदा हुये उस जगह ही निकले दम

तुझ पे दिल कुर्बान

9. Ehsaan tera hoga mujh par Junglee, 1961:  Mohammad Rafi and Shammi kapoor together have weaved a magic here. For once, I loved Shammi Kapoor's non hysterical acting. Look at his expressions, topped with Rafi's high pitched voice, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri's superb lyrics and Shankar Jaikishan's awesome music. The result: Pure magic! Love the place where he lip synch's 'udd udd ke kahegi khaak sanam, ye dard-e-mohabbat sahne do' and blinks his eyes and tilts his head. Hai! Only Shammi Kapoor could do this  Isn't it beautiful! I've always liked Mohammad Rafi and Shammi Kapoor's combination. It's lethal and intoxicating. Once you start listening to their number's there's no looking back. Also this was Saira's debut film which got her first Filmfare award!

10. Lag ja gale, Woh kaun thi, 1964: Ah! what a tough job it is to pick just 10 pearls from an ocean full of them. Which one to pick and which to leave? Little confused I was between 'Voh jab yaad aaye' and 'lag jaa gale' but then finally decided on Lata Mangeshkar. This is one killer song where Sadhana tries to allure Manoj kumar. Well, enough has been said about Lata's voice everywhere, I've nothing new to say but yes, I don't think that Lata's voice is replaceable by any female playback singer in any generation. It is timeless!