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Showing posts with the label music

JAWAAN (2023) : review

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And finally the much hyped, much awaited Jawaan saw light of the day ! Big stars, big budget( humongous budget actually), big music composer, everything super large. But does it meet the expectations of the average viewer? No it goes not. Read on.  A decorated jawan locks horns with a criminal called Kaali, this is in 1986 ( the year movies like Aakhri Raasta released, just for reference). Kaali gets him eliminated and send the pregnant wife to jail. The baby born in jail grows up to become the hero (look alike of the father) and decides to avenge the misdeeds done to his innocent patriotic parents. Well, isn’t it a masaaledaar full on Bollywood- Tollywood drama subject ?  And then the director Atlee also borrows ideas and references from various retro movies, some idea from Sholay (1975) as the hero assembled a gang of jailed Qaidis in order to form a team to nab the villain, then there’s an entire episode borrowed from Dhartiputra (1993), and the basic theme is copy pasted ...
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The Sunset Nightingale: Sulakshana

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‘I asked for the Mike, I was given the mirror’  ‘If I were a boy I would’ve married LATA MANGESHKAR’  Just two of the many quotes attributed to yesteryear’s star singer Sulakshana Pandit, a former star forgotten by film lovers and her own fraternity as well.  Sulakshana was born in 1954 in the illustrious Pandit household which boasted of renowned classical vocalists like Pandit Maniram, Pandit Pratap Narayan(her father), pandit Jasraj and many others. In the mid 60s she along with her father and older brother shifted to Bombay and started singing as a child star in movies like Taqdeer(1967).  Her rose complexion and golden tresses only added to the film makers and Co singers recommending her to take up acting as an alternate career. She struck gold with the suspense thriller Uljhan(1975) her debut as a lead star opposite Sanjeev Kumar. She alternated between a singer and an actress and struggled hard to establish herself as a singing star. She appeared in films like...
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FLASHBACK 1993: Censor, Choli & Chaos!!

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Circa 1993- the entire film industry was flabbergasted by the highly provocative song Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai from Subhash Ghai’s magnum opus Khalnayak(1993). The suggestive lyrics were labelled crass, vulgar and demeaning. The dance steps were adjudged below the belt and a universal ban was suggested strongly by some industry insiders, Mahila morchas and certain “progressive” parties of the time.  Subhash Ghai known as the showman of the film industry was already a veteran by 1993 and defended the song with points like; 1. The situation demanded a song like that where the heroine is seducing the villain.  2. The song begins with Choli Ke peeche kya hai but is answered with choli Mein dil hai Mera. So no vulgarity.  3. Lyricist like Anand Bakshi and music composers Laxmikant Pyarelal being veterans wouldn’t stoop low Ghai’s defence wasn’t accepted by the protestors who demanded the song being scrapped at any cost. While Ghai was adamant that the song was an integral part...
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MUSIC MOGUL GULSHAN KUMAR REVISITED

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Gulshan Kumar with Nadeem Shrawan  Every 90s grown up would remember the moon faced ever smiling Gulshan Kumar who would appear in devotional videos on music channels. He had what one could term an meteoric rise and eventual tragic end. Revisiting a man who defied all Bollywood norms and emerged as an undisputed music mogul notwithstanding the politics and crab mentality prevailing in the industry.  Gulshan with daughter Tulsi  Would you believe Gulshan was a small time obscure fruit seller in the DaryaGanj area of Delhi in his struggling years? His unbeatable devotion to music and the divine prompted him to move to Bombay and plan a meticulous strategy to build an music empire. A smooth operator, Gulshan started his music label Super cassette industries aka Tseries focusing on aggressive marketing. In fact his rise can well be an eminent case study for management students.  With HMV monopolising the music market in the 80s it was unthinkable to breakthrough but Gul...
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Gone with the wind ? Shailendra Singh

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GONE WITH THE WIND ? Shailendra Singh  ‘Main shayar to nahi magar aye haseen’ remember this soulful melody from Raj Kapoor’s teenage romantic blockbuster Bobby(1973)? Now we do remember Rishi Kapoor’s chocolatey image in this song but what’s about the distinctly unique vocals of the young singer Shailendra? Forgotten ?  Shailendra turned 68 on 4th October this year, an almost forgotten into oblivion playback singer from the yesteryear’s, one has to really try hard to recollect about him. Shailendra a strapping young aspirant in the early 70’s with dreams of becoming a Bollywood actor had a complete turn of fate when chosen to playback for debutant Rishi Kapoor in Bobby(1973). Getting the golden opportunity to sing for a RK banner was a never seen dream come true for someone who was aspiring to act in front of the camera rather than play ‘back’. In Bobby(1973) he sang hits like Main Shayar To Nahi, Na Maange Sona Chandi, Chaabi Kho Jaae, and others.  Thereafter Shailendra...
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MANGESHKAR MONOPOLY- Myth or reality ?

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It’s been debated for almost four decades now and there’s no final conclusion to the age old Mangeshkar monopoly in Bollywood. So did the talented songstress Lata Mangeshkar have a strong monopoly or is it just a myth to malign her squeaky clean image of the lady in white ?  Humble beginnings  Lata started singing actively in 1942-43 but achieved success only in 1949-50 with Barsaat and Mahal songs. So the period from 1942 till 1947 when she sang her first full fledged song was entirely a struggle phase. She didn’t have it easy, mid 40s to late 40s there were powerful singers like Noorjehan, Suraiyaa, Rajkumari, Amirbai Karnataki, Zohrabai Ambalewali, Shamshad Begum and others who ruled the playback field. Yet Lata scrapped all competition and made her way to the top by 1950-51 itself. How?  What worked in Lata’s favour?  She was criticised for a thin and shrill voice, the traits she used in her favour. Her voice as sweet as honey and immense command over the Sur ma...
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