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06 June 2013

My Favourites: Rain Songs-2

Courtesy: Madhyamam.com
One can sometimes have too much of the rain. Especially in Kerala, where, once the monsoons hit, you can go for days without seeing the sun. It's just a never-ending downpour. Our old house in Kerala begins to look dark and depressing, with its tall windows shuttered. The old, traditional black oxide floors begin to seep the damp after some time, making it very easy to slip if you don't watch where you keep your feet. The newly-tiled roof still leaks because nothing can really withstand the fury of the pelting rain. And so, we sometimes have a bucket sitting pretty in the middle of the dining room floor, providing background music to our meals.

Clothes do not dry, and when they do, the musty smell of damp does not seem to leave them; or perhaps that smell has permeated our nostrils so much that we smell that smell everywhere. Umbrellas are no protection at all, the rain and the wind whipping them from our hands, the modern folding umbrella sometimes folding in on itself making carrying an umbrella utterly useless. It can get pretty depressing, pretty fast, especially if you have to go somewhere.

If you don't, though, it is quite nice to be able to sit on the window sill and watch it rain; scoot under the covers with a good book, and watch it rain; get up, make some coffee, sit back, and watch it rain... I'm sure you get the picture.

I realise this post goes from the sublime to the ridiculous. But when I began writing about rain songs, I had had no intention of making two posts out of them. Only, I realised there were plenty of songs from new(-er,-ish) films that I liked. Sometimes it is for the actors, sometimes it is for the picturisation, sometimes for the music, and sometimes, it just is.

Having stated that as a disclaimer so I don't get pilloried for putting in 'modern' songs (especially some of them which require quite a stretch of imagination to describe them as 'songs'), and with due apologies to blog reader Subodh and fellow blogger SoY (who both thought my previous post was poetic), here are my choices - all of them from films I have seen, and all of them having the rains as a physical presence.

Yeh Dillagi (1994) 
Music: Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen
Lyrics: Sameer
Singers: Kumar Sanu, Lata Mangeshkar
Fellow blogger dustedoff posted this song in my previous post with the comment ...it has much wrong with it - Kajol is too plump and her look all wrong; the rain is too artificial, and the general set-up rather idiotic. True. All too true. But what can I say? I have a yen for Akshay Kumar. I have a bigger yen for Akshay Kumar in formal clothes. Plus, he can dance. Plus, he is reprising Bogey's role in Sabrina. Kajol is a good actress and a competent enough dancer, though you can see that she is labouring over steps that he is whizzing through as easy as you please. Lyrics? Please! Music? Umm, it's got a catchy rhythm, no? Did I mention I have a yen for Akshay Kumar?

Paheli (1977)
Music: Ravindra Jain
Lyrics: Ravindra Jain
Singers: Hemalata, Suresh Wadkar 
From a non-descript movie from the Rajshri stable comes this lovely little melody, with the chorus using a very common  onomatopœiac Bengali phrase that describes the rains - brishti pade tapur tupur... As was the Barjatya wont, the film starred newcomers Nameeta and Satyajeet, and like all Rajshri heroines before and after, Nameeta was also rather pretty - not glamorous, but pretty. Pleasant music, lovely picturisation - they look like they were enjoying themselves in the rain, splashing puddles, making paper boats... where has that innocence gone?

8. Barso re  
Guru (2007)
Music: AR Rehman
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singers: Shreyas Ghoshal-Keerthi
I liked the picturisation, which was as far from being 'choreographed' as it could be. Aiswarya is uninhibited enough in front of the camera, and wonderfully graceful, and quite manages to pull off the exuberance of a young girl in the throes of her first love. The landscape is beautiful (and too verdant to be Gujarat, but perhaps it is, after all?), and the song is perfect Rehman. What's not to like? (Perhaps the fact that there is not one single decent video of the song. The lip sync is completely off in the video I have linked to, and it is obvious that the clips are playing in a loop.)

7. Boondon se baatein (Thakshak/1999)
Music: AR Rehman
Lyrics: Mehboob 
Singer: Sujata Trivedi 
Govind Nihalani's first foray into the world of commercial cinema, Thakshak  had it all - a good plot, excellent acting (Rahul Bose was in his element), good music, lovely lyrics, and the film was eminently watchable - except that the songs, though excellent, were too many, largely irrelevant, and diluted the pace of the narrative. But as I said, the songs were excellent, and this one is picturised on my favourite actress, Tabu - so what is it that I do not like about it? Oh, only that Sujata, a very fine singer with an excellent voice, is afflicted with girlishness - that's torture of the most exquisite kind, when they make singers who have perfectly decent voices go all fluttery and ethereal and cute! It usually makes me want to kill someone.

However, it's a good song for all that.

6. Bheegi bheegi raaton mein Ajnabee (1974)
Music: RD Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar
There is something about thunder in Hindi films; it has perfect timing. It is to the hero's advantage actually, since it sounds just when the heroine has decided to go in, and she automatically turns and runs into his arms. This is a very sensuous number; I think it is safe to say that it was with the advent of Zeenat Aman (in Haay haay ye majboori from Roti Kapda aur Makan) that the directors suddenly woke up to the fact that the rain provided the perfect background for sexiness. This song, in my opinion, is a far better one (Kaka is droves better than Manoj Kumar, especially because he says 'Mujhe baarish mein bheegna bahut achcha lagta hai'), and RD's music springboards beautifully off Anand Bakshi's lyrics. (It is 'Bambai ki baarish', as Kaka says, so of course I'm going to like it!) It also proved that RD did not compose good songs only for Asha Bhosle; Lata Mangeshkar's rendition is flawless, and Kishore Kumar is in full form.

Namak Halal (1982) 
Music: Bappi Lahiri
Lyrics: Anjaan
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle 
If today's media frenzy had been there in the 80s, then this would have been a casting coup to crown all casting coups. One of the ruling quartet of 'art' and 'parallel' cinema, cast opposite the reigning Shahenshah of Masala. In a masala film to end all masala films. What is more, she did the jhatkas and  matkas  quite well. If you want proof (I said, 'If') that Smita Patil is a consummate actress, look no further. No one would say she was not enjoying herself doing this sequence. Reportedly, when she saw the rushes, she burst out crying. Obviously, she knew the gulf that lay between 'her' cinema and the commercial film that she had just signed. Nothing had prepared her however, for how shocking it actually was. Her colleague, Shabana, was actually more comfortable within the diktats of commercial cinema.

However, this was Bappida at his kitschiest best, Kishore and Asha were having a blast, Amitabh loosened up enough to look like he was enjoying himself, and they shot in the real rains, not studio showers; on the real Bombay streets, not studio sets. I remember liking this song a lot when I was a kid. So, are those enough reasons to include this in the list?

Dil Toh Paagal Hain (1997)
Music: Uttam Singh
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi 
Singers: Udit Narain, Lata Mangeshkar 
One of the best choreographed numbers from that era, courtesy Shiamak Dawar, it broke the mould of the same tired steps (and PT exercises) that we had been seeing for a time. Of course, once he came in, that became the norm, and for the next ten years, we had variations on a similar theme. But, in this movie, in this song, it was fresh, it was new, and it was 'different'.

It helped that the song was picturised on Madhuri Dixit, but the bunch of kids who begin the song were from Dawar's dance academy and did him proud. As Shahrukh Khan admitted in an interview after Yash Chopra's death, he obeyed Yashji blindly - or, why would he have even signed a movie where he was supposed to teach Madhuri and Karisma Kapoor to dance? A catchy tune, a beautifully choreographed dance, three beautiful people and a bunch of cute kids - you couldn't go too far wrong.

3. Megha re megha  
Lamhe (1991) 
Music: Shiv-Hari
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi 
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar
Sigh. I like Sridevi. I like the song. I like the picturisation. I even like the saawan ke jhoole (In Rajasthan, it is to welcome the rains; in Kerala, where there is no shortage of rain, bamboo swings are hung during the Dec-Jan festival of Thiruvathira to welcome Kaamdeva.), and, did I mention I like Sridevi?

As Pallavi, the only daughter of a Rajput Thakur, she did a wonderful job. As Pooja, the unfortunate daughter of a mother who dies in childbirth, and who, growing up, falls in love with the man who was in love with her mother, she was even better (despite the two braids and the overt girlishness). Nice songs, and a movie ahead of its time that deserved a better fate at the box-office. Watch Sri in this song, and in Morni baaga ma bole aadhi raat ma. She not only looked gorgeous, she danced so gracefully. She definitely didn't get her due in Hindi films.

Talking about Morni baaga ma bole aadhi raat ma, I'm absolutely going to plug this girl's version - she is AMAZING. There's no other word to describe not only her command over the sur - she does not miss a single note - but also the way she switches between the two very different voices with such ease.

2. Rhim jhim rhum jhum 
1942 A Love Story (1994) 
Music: RD Burman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singers: Kumar Sanu, Kavita Krishnamurthy
Manisha Koirala looked ravishing, and Kumar Sanu had never sounded so good before or since, justifying RD's faith in him. It was to be RD's comeback film, but it turned out to be the Boss' swansong. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had thrown out all his initial compositions claiming they were rubbish. RD slaved over the score again, wondering if he would ever be half as good as he knew he was. Unfortunately for him, he never lived to see that he was twice as good. Each song in this film is a keeper. Pushed to choose my favourites, I would pick the quiet Ye safar bahut kathin magar rendered beautifully by Sivaji Chattopadhyay and Kumar Sanu's Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga. But for the rains, it can only be this.

1. Rhim jhim gire sawan
Manzil (1979)
Music: RD Burman
Lyrics: Yogesh
Singer: Lata Mangeshkar
My favourite of the 'modern' rainsongs. Rendition-wise, I prefer Kishoreda's version, but in picturisation, Latadidi wins hands down! Why? Let me count the ways: 
1) It's got Amitabh. Long before I had a yen for Akshay Kumar, I adored AB. (I still do.)  And what do you know, he's wearing a suit too! (Ha! You thought I was going to come with some deep, philosophical reason for liking this song?)   
2) It shows Bombay, my Bombay, all clean and fresh-washed.  
3) In the rains. The 'real' rains. Remember Bambai ki baarish?   
4) It's my list. :)  
5) Umm yeah, Moushumi looks pretty. 

 What would your choices be? Remember, rains are a must this time around. 

65 comments:

  1. I came to your blog, saw 'Rain Songs', thought "Oh, she's changed the picture" and then realised - no, new post! :-) And, of course, seeing Dekho zara dekho barkha ki jhadi first on your list made me preen myself. I like Akshay Kumar now and then - and I really liked him in Yeh Dillagi (in fact, I rewatched the film just a couple of months back, and was thinking to myself: they should remake this, with the same cast. Kajol looks way better, and even if the men are looking their age, it doesn't really matter. Neither Bogey nor Ford were, in their respective roles, spring chickens. Plus fashions are generally more pleasing these days).

    And, a coincidence: after I'd drifted away from your blog yesterday, I remembered the song from 1942:A Love Story. Good to see it here - andBrishti pade tapur-tupur, and Rimjhim gire saawan and the one from Dil toh paagal hai. The 1991 Aamir Khan starrer Afsana pyar ka had a good rain song too, where he tap-dances in the rain; it's called Tip-tip-tip-tip baarish shuru ho gayi, but sadly, I haven't been able to find a video of it. :-(

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  2. You like Akshay Kumar too? Deep contented sigh. :) Sister, sister... Yes, Yeh Dillagi is a film that has aged well, and showed unexpected depths to young AK. And you are right that if they remade it, they should use the same cast - Akshay has aged well, Kajol looks gorgeous, and Saif looks better than he ever did (and has learnt to act!)...

    I had Tip tip tip tip baarish on my list and reluctantly vetoed it because I couldn't find a video - it was a very well-choreographed dance too. :(

    I am glad I didn't make you turn away in disgust with these 'maa-dehn' songs. [grin] I'm waiting to see the other reactions...

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  3. I recall a song from 70's ------ "Ab Ke Sawan Mein Jee Dare" from Jaise Ko Taisa
    sung by Lata & Kishore Kumar........................................

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc-r5PtqPz0

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  4. Oh yes. The monsoons and the leaky roofs, and musty smell. :-)
    I don't know many of the songs posted. I heartily approve of the No. 1 song. Amitabh Bachhan wearing a suit and singing in the rain is a verrry philosophical moment - in my opinion. [serious face]


    The Guru song is well picturised and Aishwaraya is graceful - BUT I find it quite lacking in tune and melody. In fact I think Jodha AKbar and Kandukondain Kandukondain had the only melodious songs he ever composed.


    I hope no one has posted this song.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6T2mVXFPT8

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  5. And this one. I'm afraid to post songs in the same comment in case it fails :-/

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol8fY8sExDI

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  6. I haven't seen the film, and I must confess that it was with great trepidation that I clicked on the link. :) I mean, Jeetendra movies are not known for great songs - but this one is okay. I suppose this is one of the films that pacifist mentioned earlier - one rainy night, one night of illicit passion, one very pregnant heroine... [grin]

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  7. I think you have broken the jinx, pacifist. :) Both your links have posted.

    You know what bothers me most about Bharat Kumar? The b---- hypocrisy of the man. He makes the utmost noise about 'traditional Indian values' and then promptly exploits the women in his films. I suppose Jaya Bhaduri was never seen as a glamorous heroine, so that is why he had other women to get drenched in mini-saris. The camera angles set my teeth on edge.

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  8. Amitabh Bachhan wearing a suit and singing in the rain is a verrry philosophical moment - in my opinion. [serious face]

    Laughing out loud at that. True. After all, how often did you see him be suave and shophishticated?

    Hey, Zeenie baby looks very sensuous. I mentioned this song in my post. :)

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  9. but you completely left out the MAIN reason why this song is so wonderful:

    Yves, I wrote at length about the music and melody of this song when I mentioned it before. I think I have listed both versions of this song multiple times on my blog. So I decided to have some fun with the copy. :)

    Grinning madly at your disagreement about Kajol. I'm sure many other (male) readers will agree with you, and disagree vehemently with me and Madhu. Vive la différence, as your compatriots would say. Suffice it that we all enjoy the song for different reasons. :) And yes, hurray for the rain.

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  10. Rhim Jim Rhum Jum is my favorite song from 1942, a love story, even though I know most people would go with Ek Ladki Ko Dhekha or Root Na Jaana instead. Morni Baaga ma Bole is also one of my personal favs- have you seen Shridevi in English Vinglish? It's a pretty good watch. Koi Ladki Hai <3 <3 I also noticed- most of the songs you listed have music either composed by Rehman or RD Burman, haha. Also, where would you draw the line between "old" songs and "modern" songs? I was thinking around 1975 ish...

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  11. Subodh Agrawal7 June 2013 at 03:12

    You have taken a long jump Anu! The newest song in your last post was from 1962, and the oldest in this one is from 1974. Surely there would be good rain songs in the intervening 12 years.


    Let me mention one of my all time favourites from the intervening period - 'Meri jaan mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan' from Anubhav. This song is perhaps the defining episode of the film, which is essentially about a jaded marriage being revived when someone from the lady's past walks into their comfortable but humdrum world. Tanuja sings this song after Sanjeev confronts her with a revelation made by Dinesh Thakur - that she is a very good singer. He didn't know that in spite of being married to her! One can see the chemistry between the two develop under the action of the potent reagent H2O. http://youtu.be/F6FkVPOMtvM

    Another song worthy of your second list would be 'Jhuti muti mitwa awan bole' from Rudaali. Dimple was at her sizzling peak at this time and it is almost a miracle that water does not turn to steam the moment it touches her: http://youtu.be/NbeCiUh7vdg

    What about very old songs? I am sure there are good rain songs from the forties. I guess the problem would be availability of videos.

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  12. No,this one is a remake(or rehash)of Ram and Shyam.And it has also an element of suspense in it(ghosts) etc.....

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  13. Subodh Agrawal7 June 2013 at 06:39

    Well, here is one male reader who prefers the new trimmed down Kajol to the old. I chanced upon this rain song featuring her in the comeback film Fanaa - 'yeh saazish hai boondon ki' http://youtu.be/X29G_tjgAZk

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  14. Yes, I have seen (and loved) Sri in English Vinglish. I would probably draw the line at 1970 as the defining line between 'old' and 'new'.

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  15. Surely there would be good rain songs in the intervening 12 years.

    I'm sure there were, Subodh. :) What happened was I came across the Akshay Kumar-Kajol song when I was looking up the links for my favourite 'old' rain songs. Basically, I worked my way backwards from there; hence the gap.

    Meri jaan na kaho... Now I'm kicking myself for forgetting this gem! For some reason, until I saw the video you linked to, I had also got its picturisation mixed up with Mera dil jo mera hota,/i> in my head. Thank you for reminding me of this song.

    I must confess to have completely overlooked Rudaali; it was a good movie, though a depressing one, and it is not one I revisit. But the songs, oh... they were beautiful.


    There may have been good rain songs from the 40s, but my memory is definitely drawing a blank here.

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  16. 'Rehash' would be apt, I'm thinking, from what I saw of the video. :) I'll stay away. The song was rather decent, though. I mean, one can listen to it without cringing. :))

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  17. Well, you can argue with Yves about which Kajol is better. (For what it is worth, Madhu and I agree with you. [grin]) I'd forgotten anything to do with Fanaa, the film was that bad. But you are right about Kajol in this song.

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  18. Except for the kajol-Akshay song, I think I like all the songs here.
    So is the only difference between the last list and this is the pre and post 70s criterium?

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  19. What is there not to like about Akshay Kumar?
    He is one of the good-looking actors out there. And his smile! hmmm

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  20. Hello,

    Yes, well, I find her just as gloriously shapely in this song as in Yeh Dillagi... Tell me which differences you consider her "trimming down" has made!

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  21. Yes, my dear Harvey. :) It is very rarely that I got beyond '70 for songs, even though I do review films beyond that period, but these were songs that appealed to me for various reasons (as mentioned above:) ) and I decided to do another post. That's all.

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  22. Well, you can argue with Yves about which Kajol is better. (For what it is worth, Madhu and I agree with you. [grin]) I'd forgotten anything to do with Fanaa, the film was that bad. But you are right about Kajol in this song.

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  23. Well, for one, she looks a darn sight better now. :) In the song in Yeh Dillagi, she spilled out of her clothes, and that particular costume was pretty much ill-advised. Your mileage may vary on that. [grin]

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  24. Hmm... is right! :) You will get no arguments from me about AK's likeability quotient.

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  25. To satisfy Mr.Agarwal...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPI6fdt2Dv0

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bz7rGKIwBQ

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  26. Subodh Agrawal7 June 2013 at 11:14

    Thank you SSW. Both songs are very good. The second one by Zohrabai is a classic. However, it fails Anu's test as it doesn't actually show rain. I guess in the forties it was a strict no no to show the heroine, or even her friend, in wet garments. But they could have done something similar to 'O sajna barkha baha aayi'. There are other very good songs without actually showing rain - 'Badariya baras gayi us paar' and 'Ghata ganghor ghor' both featuring Khursheed.

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  27. Yes I know no rain in the second one but I like it a lot so...I am partial to this one too , I love the sound of the pakhawaj...and Khursheed was wonderful..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tNT_qIV5UM

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  28. Dustedoff posted the Abhinetri song on my earlier post, though it was not from the period. I liked the song from Ratan and like Subodh with Zindagi bhar nahin bhoolegi, I was very disappointed that a song that had lyrics Rhum jhum barse badarwa had no rain in the picturisation. :( I had to sadly drop it from my list.

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  29. I guess it was taboo, as you say. Most of the rain songs I posted in my earlier post on rains did not have the actors getting drenched; they were all properly protected under umbrellas or they enjoyed the rains from safe within their house. I wonder when getting the actors (especially the heroines) drenched began...

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  30. Khursheed looks so beautiful - and it does rain in the end. :)

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  31. Yes I know and this one is one that is based on the same story and one of S N Tripathi's best .

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjwj0R7o5ZE

    but it was 1962 so it would not fit Mr.Agarwal's wish but it has the pakhawaj too.

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  32. did the ultimate modern rain song, making it a ermmm, wet dream, if

    you forgive the pun. And did it without making it cringeable.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FjuBvzF1E4

    On the other hand, she was pretty peppy n frothy, as much as the rain,

    in this showcase for her comedic skills esp the making of faces :)

    (And not half bad at shaking a leg, either)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2NFJOY6f-o

    But my own favourite Sridevi song predates all this. A rainy night, a

    cancelled performance, and a singer standing alone in the rain.

    Waiting for one member of that audience.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYcwhJ55TZs

    Amazing lyrics, amazing music, amazing song : )



    (disqus has developed a dislike to me, though I have given it every

    detail, even unto the history of my forebears from Middle Earth).

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  33. Ah, this one, I know! Lovely, lovely song. Thanks for the link. I haven't heard it in a long time.

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  34. Sigh; it's probably because you posted links in your comment. Pacifist had the same problem earlier.

    Why didn't I use Kaate nahin kat-the? Ah, I know why! The rain only starts mid-way. I had Na jaane kahan se aayi hai on my list; I'm trying to remember why I did not use it. :( I liked Sri's version of Seeta aur Geeta and Rajnikant was a hoot. In fact, it was Sunny Deol who got the short end of the stick in this film.

    Didn't we discuss Kaatril enthan geetham before? What a lovely song. Sri definitely had better roles down South. I wish she had continued to do them. Thanks for the links.

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  35. OK, I agree about the ill-advisedness. But this is only the way she was got up. I'm talking about the person.

    BTW I like the way you use the word "mileage" :-)

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  36. Subodh Agrawal7 June 2013 at 23:02

    Sorry for being a pest Anu, but your twin posts have given me an acute attack of commentitis. The theme is such - I wonder why you waited so long for it - and your writing does the rest.

    AKM has already linked 'Kate nahin kat te' - the ultimate wet saree song. I am sure Yves would approve, now that we know what he likes!


    I recall another very pleasing song set in rain whose words don't talk of rain. Unfortunately I don't like its picturization at all. I am sure Kareena must have been the inspiration behind Abhijit Mukherjee's immortal 'dented and painted' comment. The song itself is pretty high in my list of post 2000 favourites. I had assumed the composer was Rahman, but it turned out to be a less known Sandesh Shandilya: 'Bhaage re mann' from Chameli - http://youtu.be/l_Fakp6A2IM



    It is also a good occasion to recall the non-film video 'Ab ke sawan' by Shubha Mudgal. The singing is a little shrill but the video captures the mood of joy brought by the first showers quite well.


    As I have gained some notoriety regarding classical music, I may also recommend a recording in Miyan ki Malhar by Vilayat Khan and his brother Imrat Khan. Imrat plays surbahar, which is to sitar what a cello is to a violin. The deep rich tone of surbahar complements the sitar beautifully. Unfortunately I haven't found a working link on the net. Someone with more patience than me needs to search harder.

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  37. I think she has matured as an actress as well. She was always talented; her craft is more finely honed now.


    BTW I like the way you use the word "mileage" :-)
    [Grin]

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  38. Subodh, my readers who post comments are never pests. Especially one such as you who always add some interesting addendums.

    The theme - I wrote both these posts in mid-March, and then waited, oh so impatiently for the monsoons to hit Kerala. :) I don't think anyone waited so eagerly for the monsoons as I did.

    I'll let Yves react to your statement about Kaate nahin kat-the... [grin]. I must admit that I like that song, and its picturisation - a lot! Sri made it look so sensuous, and her sari didn't fly off her body, not once.

    I loved Bhaage re mann; thank you for the link. I looked for the Miyan ka Malhar jugalbandi but like you, I couldn't find the link. I should search a little more patiently, I think.

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  39. Butting in after this conversation has gone a long way... I think one reason I like the current Kajol more than the Yeh Dillagi one is a mix of there being a little less of her than there was back then (though, thank goodness, she isn't skinny!), and fashions being somewhat better now. And makeup - somehow, the clothes, hairstyles and makeup in the 1990s weren't my favourite. Now, looking at a Kajol in My Name is Khan, I thought how much lovelier she looked.

    Also, as Anu says, I think her acting's better. Not that she's bad in Yeh Dillagi, but I think everybody - directors, actors, etc - has moved on a bit since then. They really should remake this. :-D

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  40. Modern day rains are different (!)(?), but enjoyable, nonetheless, and as much.

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  41. Yves poem though completely different brought to mind an English lyric from the middle ages that is somewhat lusty but evokes the cold cold New England spring rains.

    Westron wynde , when wilt thou blow:
    The small raine, down can raine
    So the small rain down can rain.
    Cryst, if I my love were in my armes
    And I in my bedde again.

    The original tune was used as a basis for a mass.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westron_Wynde

    The sitar surbahar duet that Mr. Agrawal mentioned is available on Spotify.

    I'll see if I can link to it here.

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  42. See, the Kajol of old didn't care too much about grooming and make up. And that showed. My point is, you don't have to care about make-up, but if you are in a profession where looks and grooming are important, then please do take the trouble. And yes, as Madhu points out, the fashions, makeup and hairstyles were atrocious, and she really didn't have a good sense of dress. So, all in all, she looks much better, and is much more, well, put together, if you know what I mean.

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  43. I like the punctuations after 'different', Ashokji. :) I think you made your point very well.

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  44. Thanks for that link and the poem. Let me see if I can fix the link.

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  45. :) all my fav post 70s songs are in your list. What can I add?

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  46. or posted by somebody else...
    but there is one, which I like and I think it is not yet mentioned her
    chattri na khol from do jhoot
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8vh8P9EiZ0

    There is this another song with chattri na khol with shashi and hema I think, but don't like it much.

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  47. Kuch toh yaad hoga C'mon Harvey, try. [grin]

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  48. Both the links are of the same song, Harvey.

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  49. Subodh Agrawal8 June 2013 at 23:54

    Thanks SSW. This is a beautiful song. I had not heard it before.

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  50. I posted only one link, dear!

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  51. I like those 2 hindi songs, the one from 'Chaalbaaz' a bit more.I also
    fond of the film . Isn't 'Lagi aaj saawan ki phir wo jhadi hai' , a rain
    song?
    "Sri definitely had better roles down South."
    I wish
    someone from the blogosphere actually writes about these roles and
    movies, Any links? She was the no.1 actress in South then, it is said.
    But I barely know anything about her best work there, how she got that
    no.1 rank. (Also the early work of Rajnikant, he did a damn job in those
    Amitabh remakes IMO, though I don't like the Don Remake)
    In
    hindi,It seems I can only find 'critical' reviews of her films with
    Jeetendra, even though she did lot of better films after Mr.India.

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  52. Good list.
    That song from 'Yeh Dillagi' might be the one song I didn't like in the film! Akshay's dancing was good though. Don't 'Aish' or her songs barring a few exceptions, I prefer 'Sush' ;)
    I like the rest.
    Some songs that I know
    from 'Taraana'
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS7sAJUTEg8

    from 'Maha Sangram' - a hit song of Madhuri Dixit
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-8E5QmPM8o

    This famous scene
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxnUHB64NcU

    Salman Khan song
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Z4PXNxUhk

    and this famous one (its little hot!, Akki has few other songs too)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSPy3X7t-b4

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  53. Ah! *smacking head for overlooking the obvious*. I think I did some jumping into conclusion land because you said there was another song with Hema and Shashi with similar lyrics, and I *assumed* the video was of that song. :(

    Many thousand apologies, my dear Harvey.

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  54. Chris, she was definitely the No.1 actress down south when she made the transition to Hindi films, having done a mix of the usual glamour girl roles along with some very powerful ones. Off the top of my head, Moondram Pirai, Pathinaru Vayathinale, Abhinandanam, Johnny, Varumayin Niram Sigappu, Meendum Kokila... these are from Tamil and Malayalam. I'm sure her Telugu fans will be able to direct you to her best roles in that language.

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  55. The scene you posted is one of my favourites from that era. That exemplified a very sensuous romance. Thanks for linking that.

    Yes, Akshay had a few of these types of songs. I'd completely forgotten about Tip tip barsa paani. The one song I remember from that film was Tu cheez badi hai mast mast, which, to me, was synonymous with Raveena's graceless dance, made all the more so by Akshay's effortless grace.


    For such a good dancer, Madhuri's turn in Maha Sangram was quite bad, wasn't it? I blame the choreography for it.

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  56. Subodh Agrawal12 June 2013 at 08:08

    Did all of us miss this one from Aashirwad (1968)? There is some rain in this song, and the 'Sanwariya', when he makes an appearance at the end, is thoroughly drenched: http://youtu.be/--jROL3bMAw

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  57. Caught up as I was with my various activities and also my Benazir post I missed this post, for me my favourite from your list is, like you said which shows your Bombay and I can also join you and say our Bombay is, yes indeed it is rimjhim gire saawan

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  58. "Our Bombay" - yes! :) I'm glad someone else loves the city as I do.

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  59. A song that doesn't get too many mentions but I kind of like it and comes to my mind when it rains. Pretty short a song; should have been a couple of mins more to register in our mind more. Referring to 'Badal Ghumad Badh Aaye' from Saaz where the girls' father sings in the rain...

    Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQqVtUEMK3E

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  60. Lovely song! I had completely forgotten about it because the film didn't really resonate with me even then.

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  61. Anu, I am watching Priyatama today, and came across this song, which seemed to fit in here perfectly. :-)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBH9fnYP7mc

    Sorry for the atrocious print.

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  62. Heh. It does. :) And Neetu Singh is always a joy to watch!

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  63. Subodh Agrawal18 July 2013 at 01:57

    A good Samaritan has uploaded the Vilayat-Imrat Malhar on Youtube: http://youtu.be/dDlxE6nmlrA



    To enjoy it fully connect your computer to a proper sound system. The bass of Surbahar is magical.

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  64. Ha! Thank you! And thank the good samaritan. I have bookmarked the link and will hook up my computer to my sound system over the weekend to luxuriate in this.

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