Disclaimer:
*This review is dedicated to music maestro Khayyam and is not on the album itself.
If there is one song in the history of hindi film music, that epitomises the semblance of possessive love, which song would it be?
If nature plays the orchestra and the valleys echo the feelings, which song would you pick up as your favourite?
Imagine yourself immersed in rich lyrical poetry, close your eyes to hear the ustads and divas and tawaifs sing solely for you. The interludes played on harmonium and sarangi. The tabla at one time soft , at other highly rhythmic...
Kabhi Kabhie, Noorie, Umrao Jaan, Bazaar, Thodi si Bewafaii, Shagoon, Razia Sultan, Dil-e-Naadaan, Mohabbat isko kehte hain, Footpath, Aakhri Khat....
Someone who gave music for just 30 odd films in 50 odd years, has to be either highly choosy or highly unfortunate.
Choosy because he could never compromise on the quality of music he wanted to work on. And unfortunate because not many were able to provide him this opportunity. His association with Saahir Ludhiyanvi and Gulzar brought out the best in him.
But the man has no regrets. He maynot have hogged the limelights in high profile film awards functions but he surely deserved the the Lata mangeshkar Lifetime acheivement Award 2007 he was recently conferred with.
My earliest memories of listening to Khayyam's music dates back to 80s when Doordarshan used to telecast some old gems of the black and white era.
Watch Waheeda Rehman smile coyly as her real life husband croons in 'Shagoon':
"Parvataon ke deron per, shaam ka basera hai"
Or Shashi Kapoor and Nanda singing the oh so romantic duet:
Shashi: "Theheriye hosh mein aa loon to chale jayiyega?!"
Nanda: "ummm hmmuh"
Shashi: "Aap ko dil mein basaa loon to chale jayiyega?!"
Nanda: "ummm hmmuh"
I also remember Dilip Kumar singing the painful and melancholic:
"Shaam-e-gham ki kasam" in Footpath
I was zapped when I first saw the title song of 'Phir Subah Hogi' in Chitrahaar.
As I watched Raj Kapoor and Mala Sinha on screen, I could not marvel at the sheer feelings brought about in the complex https://lyrics.
With 'Bazaar' and 'Umrao Jaan', I started looking forward to his music. Talat Aziz was a young and raw talent given exposure in these two movies.
"Phir chhidi raat, baat phoolon ki" in Bazaar
and,
"Zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein" in Umrao Jaan.
And lets not discuss Asha Bhosle's metamorphosis from singing playful cabarets to the Ghazal diva in the class of Beghum Akhtar.
Its said that Khayyam had to face Asha's legendary temper during the entire recording sessions. But if that was required to get the kind of milestones set in the music of 'Umraao Jaan', I am glad Khayyam pursued and she relented!
There was a forgettable Rajesh Khanna and Jayapradha starrer : 'Dil-e-Naadan'
The song: "Chaandni raat mein ek baar tujhe dekha hai"
Just hear this song if you haven't. I should compliment the choreographer of the song too. Specially where the part "pyaar chhalkaate huye" comes. The idea of rose petals bouncing off from Jayapradha's anjali(palms put together - I am sorry I dont have an English word here! Please help!)
Wonderful!
And the unique song from Razia Sultan:
"Aye dil-e-naadaan"
Specially when Lata sings 'Ye zameen chup hai' and the camera zooms on the desert sands and everything goes silent(main chup!) and then 'aasmaan chup hai' and the camera zooms upwards towards the sky!
One of my many favourites!
As I thought Khayyam was only good in putting melody to rich poetry, I was mistaken. In 'Trishul', the "gapuchi gapuchi gam gam" song brought about the puupy love of Sachin and Poonam Dhillon very well.
Also, he had the ability to be different. He didn't follow the regular pattern of putting each stanza to same tune.
Example: 'tera phoolon jaisa rang' from Kabhi kabhie.
I can just go an on about Khayyam's music. I can listen to "Aap yun faaslon se" from Shankar Hussain a hundred times and never get bored. Or I can just walk miles in the woods and sing "Baharaon mera jeevan bhi savaaro" (Aakhri Khat).
Khayyam needs no trophies. He doesn't need any felicitations. He is in a class of his own. I dare to put him on the same platform as Madan Mohan. He remains the most 'unique' music director I have ever heard!
Khayyam saab, I take a bow!
PS: I have already some songs randomly. This review has come straight from my heart as a tribute to the maestro. Please overlook the mistakes and take your time to discuss your favourite Khayyam numbers in the comments section. Thanks!
