My Favourites: Dev Anand songs

Think of Dev Anand's movies, especially the earlier Navketan ones from the black and white era and you immediately think of the songs. Both Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand, his brothers, who directed quite a few movies for Navketan had the 'eye' for song picturisations. So did Guru Dutt, his friend, who made some of his best movies for the Navketan banner. A well-recorded anecdote from those days notes that Guru Dutt and Dev Anand were both strugglers who had a pact that the one who made it would give the other a break. And when Dev Anand started Navketan, he asked Guru Dutt to make a movie for his banner. Thus was Baazi (1951) born. (Navketan's first offering Afsar, adapted from a play by Gogol, by Chetan Anand, starring Dev Anand and Suraiya flopped.)

Devsaab had a ear for music, and SD Burman was almost an in-house music director; most Navketan's movies' music was scored by Burman da. And while Dev Anand transitioned to Kishore Kumar as his 'voice', I personally think that both Mohammed Rafi and Talat Mahmood were better suited. It is interesting to note that Mukesh never sang for him; the one song that Mukesh did sing sang very few songs for him; a couple of those were picturised in the background.  

As with all lists, it is difficult to pin a selection down to just ten favourites out of the many. My only reference point was that I do not duplicate movies; so here, in no particular order, are my favourite Dev Anand numbers. 

1. Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya

Hum Dono (1961)

Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Music: Jaidev
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi  

 

Love, love, love Sahir's lyrics. Especially Jo mil gaya usi ko muqaddar samajh liya, jo kho gaya usi ko bhulata chala gaya... It is interesting that a song that, on the face of it, seems so don't care-ish, is actually quite a realistic take on life and living. Would that one only followed it! For a more hedonistic take on similar sentiments ....

2. Yeh raat, yeh chaandni, phir kahaan

Jaal (1952)

Singer: Hemant Kumar
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

This is picturised on one of my most favourite actresses. Ever. Geeta Bali. And it is interesting that even though the song is sung by Dev Anand, what the camera lingers on, is Geeta's reactions to the lyrics. One can actually see her being unwillingly drawn to a man she knows  is bad news. With the hero and the heroine in two separate buildings, it still manages to be one of the most sensual picturisations I have ever seen.

3. Tu kahan, yeh bataa

Tere Ghar ke Saamne (1963)

Singer: Mohammed Rafi
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

Worth watching just for the sheer exuberance and joie de vivre that Devsaab displays, and Nutan's million-watt smile. It is difficult to pick just one song from this movie - this was Burman da at his talented best. It is also interesting that Dev Anand was in his forties (he looked much younger), and Nutan was not only married but also a mother by the time this movie was made. Vijay Anand's song picturisations were brilliant. 

4. Hum bekhudi mein tumko

Kala Pani (1952)

Singer: Mohammed Rahi 
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Watch this just for the magic of Rafi's voice. It is amazing how voice, tune and melody are so completely in sync that you almost, but not quite, miss the accompanying instruments. It is almost as if Sachin da reserved his best compositions for Navketan.

5. Hum hain rahi pyar ke

Nau Do Gyarah (1957)

Singer: Kishore Kumar
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri

 

Finally, one song by the man whom Dev Anand considered his 'voice' much as Raj Kapoor considered Mukesh his soul. An old broken-down truck, Devsaab at his rakishly insouciant, and a call to every free spirit in the world. Watch the play of light and shadow. Both Vijay Anand  and Guru Dutt were masters at the art of capturing the light, though I think Vijay Anand had an edge when it came to picturising songs.

 6. Yeh aankhein, uff yumma

Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961)

Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar
Music: Shankar Jaikishen
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

While Jiya ho, jiya kuch bol do from the same movie, is a far more popular song, this one is my personal favourite. Because Rafi saab is at his playful best here. It is amazing how he could modulate his voice for each actor. And it makes me wonder why Dev Anand switched to Kishore Kumar instead.

7. Tujhe jeevan ki dor se baandh liya hai

Asli Naqli (1962)

Singers: Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar
Music: Shankar Jaikishen
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

Again I ask, why, oh why, did Kishore take over as Dev Anand's voice? An absolutely stunning Sadhana without her trademark fringe, Dev Anand in top form, Hrishikesh Mukhejee's quiet direction of a slice-of-life script, what's not to like?  Shankar-Jaikishen's music was just the icing on the cake.

8. Na tum humein jaano

Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962)

Singer: Hemant Kumar
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
This is another movie where a Rafi song is eclipsed by that of another male singer. The other example is from Bambai ka Babu where Mukesh's single contribution overtook every other song from the film, including this one on the popularity charts, even though it only played in the background during the climax.

The story of a lawyer who sets out to prove a client innocent, even though she believes she committed the crime, and who falls in love with her in the interim, the movie worked on many different levels, climaxing in a court scene that was quite underplayed for the time.

9. O nigahen mastana

Paying Guest (1957)

Singers: Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri 

Okay, I will confess that someone said my eyes reminded them of this song. :) But that is not the only reason for its inclusion in this list. For one, the movie was a rather decent one, and I have always liked the Dev Anand - Nutan pairing, and this was one of the earliest movies in which they paired. It is Kishore at his playful best, without the yodelling that became his trademark in many later 'fun' songs. And Asha Bhonsle is the perfect foil for the mischief that is brewing in Nutan's expressive eyes.

10. Saanjh dhali dil ki lagi

Kala Bazar (1960)

Singers: Manna Dey, Asha Bhonsle
Music: SD Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra  
This was probably one of the last movies in which Geeta Dutt 'sang' for Waheeda Rehman. All the other songs in Kala Bazar, including this one, were sung by Asha Bhonsle. In fact, early in her career, music directors had Asha imitate Geeta Dutt's singing style. This was one of the songs where I wished they had Mohammed Rafi singing instead of Manna Dey -  the song needed Rafi's special touch to bring out its playfulness.

And these are just the tip of the iceberg. The movies mentioned above had a musical score where it is difficult to pick just *one* favourite. And I have restricted myself to his black and white movies. And because I did so, I missed out on Guide and Hare Krishna Hare Ram. And there are some from his 'rangeen' avatar where I love the songs, but really cannot bear to see them!

Feel free to mail me your favourites.