Indian Classical music based songs in Hindi films: A snapshot: by Vijay Bhatt:

Indian Classical music based songs in Hindi films: A snapshot: by Vijay Bhatt:

Let us take an overview of pure classical raag based music and songs in Hindi films. From western audience point of view all Indian films are called ‘musicals’. Rarely, one will find a Hindi film without songs. Having said that, the era of classical music based songs and scores in Hindi films is thing of the past!

Since 1940s Hindi films and Hindi film music have become a part of daily cultural element and interwoven part of life of an average Indian, unlike many other cultures where their own local films are seldom referred in daily lives. Indian film celebrities have much more spell over the populous, up to a point that they become role models and revered with awe.

Great Hindustani classical music maestros and legends who have performed, played, sang, or even given music in the India film music include Ustad Abdul Halim Zafar khan(many classical Sitar pieces including the one in Madhuban Me) , Ustad Bismilla khan (played in Gunj Uthi Shahanai) , Pt Ravishankar (music director- Meera), Amir Khan ( singer Mogul-E-Azam), Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia( music director Silsila) , Pt Shiv kumar Sharma( music director Silsila), Ustad Rais Khan( singer Aao Ge jab tum), Begam Parvin Sultana( singer hame tumse pyar), Panna lal Ghosh ( flute in Basant and music director) , Kishori Amonakar( singer in Drishti and other films – later she regreted singing for films ) , Bade Ghulam Ali Khan(singer in Mughal-E-Azam), DV Paluskar( singer Shapmochan--Kaliyan Sang Karat) Begam Akhatar ( singer Ye na thi hamari kisamat), to name a few.

Up until as recently as two decades ago, having personal training and good knowledge of Hindustani Classical music was a prerequisite to be a music director for films. Not anymore.

As a pioneer of this genre, venturing classical music and raag based songs in Hindi film music, Naushad Ali’s name pops atop. He created all-time hits and master pieces for movies like Baiju Bawara, Kohinoor, Moghul-e-Azam, Saaz aur Awaz, Dil Diya Dard Liya, Mere Mahebub, Ganga Jamuna, Pakiza, and a long list! Every single of his compositions is a gem!

Some of Naushad’s pure raag based compositions are better Bandish than many authentic Gharana’s Bandish. He creatively used flavors of Thumari, Gazal, Tappa, Taan, and aalap in his music in such a way that a layman would appreciate pure classical music without even knowing it!

For Nauashad Saab's raag Malkuns based Mana Tarapata Hari, it is not an exaggeration to say that this song has given identity to raag Malkauns to masses and thousands other bhajans have adopted this tune. What more endorsement and validation an artist can ask for? All thirteen songs of film Baiju Bawara were based on variety of pure classical raag. His composition based on raag Lalit 'Ek Shahenshah..' film Leader, is one of very few good Lalit based songs. Songs of Kohinoor were par excellence! Many movies are successful at box office only because of Naushads songs. Salute to Naushad Saheb for giving Hindi film music ample jewels of raag based songs!

Other notable music directors creating raag based songs are, mainly SD Burman, Khayyam, Anil Biswas, Salil Choudhri, Shankar-Jaikishan, Kalyanji-Anandji, R. D. Burman. We may include LakshamiKant Payerlala with few others, though not as prominent ones. We will discuss them in detail someother time.

As far as singers are concerned, in that era, all were trained in classical music. Starting with the legend KL Segal, we had most singers have sung pure classical based songs. Lata Mangeshkar was trained in classical music by her father since her childhood. She has sung the most songs in most genres, including classical based. Other than Lata ji, the goddess of Indian vocal, and by default the best of the best in all genre, first name comes for classical raag based to my mind is Manna De. One may instantly argue, what about Rafi saab? Agree, Rafi has definitely sung much wider spectrum of songs of variety of genre and is definitely a higher caliber singer than Manna De. No dispute. Rafi was the first choice of voice for the hero due to many reasons including his unique ability to match his voice tone with the tone of the actor. Similarly, Manna was the first choice for classical songs because of his discipline in classical music and had found his own niche.

There is a long list of jewels of classical raag based songs by singers Rafi and Manna, (We will discuss Lata ji in an entirely separate post ). Songs which are memorable are like Manna De’s Laga Chunari me Daag and KL Segal’s Babul Mora based on Bhairavi. Manna’s Zanak Zanak Tori baaje and Rafi’s O duniya ke Rakhwale on Darbari. Manna’s Puchho naa Kaise maine on Ahir Bhairav, and Rafi’s Mana Tarapat based on Malkuns. Rafi’s Madhuban me Radhika is one of the very rare songs based on Hamir.

Most of these songs are more than fifty to seventy years old and will live forever due to the fact that raag based music has an intrinsic power to touch the right chords of hearts (pun intended!) and minds. That power is due the fact that Indian classical raag have evolved by making nectar out of scriptures of SAMVEDA, natural tribal folk tunes, and sounds of the nature. Indian classical music is an ocean of infinite pearls! We will appreciate more jewels in other posts next!
(Indian Classical music based songs in Hindi films: A snapshot: by Vijay Bhatt)