When ragas reigned supreme
RANJANI GOVIND
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A charity show recaptured the melodies of the era of the Burmans.
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CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL: The singers who brought the golden moments alive. PHOTO: M. Srinath.
Even as the charitable organisation, Divine Mother Society (DMS), announced its intentions of recapturing the golden moments of S. D. Burman and R. D. Burman in ``Gaatha Rahe Mera Dil," live at Kamaraj Arangam, Chennai, this past weekend, through some great voices across the country, one could imagine the stupendous research work associated with it. ``But such programmes are in great demand," asserted a representative of DMS, one of the city's voluntary service organisations.
``Not just songs, interesting facts related to this ever-popular father-and-son era were by itself a reason to draw a packed hall. Such was their genius, versatility and ingenuity," said the programme anchor, offering something interesting on every number.
If R. D. Burman used spoons, glass tumblers and water-filled vessels for rhythm and chose raag Peelu for the naughty voice of Asha Bhonsle in ``Churaliya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko," in ``Yaadon Ki Baarat," he preferred a classical touch by Parveen Sultana for ``Hame Tumse Pyaar Kitna" in Kudrat.
Panchamda's obsession for raag Keeravani saw him give some subtle touches of the scale in ``Meri Bheegi Bheegi" in ``Anamika." R.D., three times Filmfare awardee, introduced the electric organ in ``Teesri Manzil" with a shrill western touch that starts the song ``Tumne Mujhe Dekha." That, incidentally, heralded the association of Shammi Kapoor with junior Burman.
In the family
Music ran in the family after all. Father Sachin Dev Burman's lilting birds and bees in ``Gun Guna Rahe Hain" in ``Aradhana" catapulted Rajesh Khanna to stardom. The composer brought in Geeta Dutt to sing Sahir Ludhianvi's ghazal in a seductive style in ``Takdeer Se" in ``Baazi" with the Spanish guitar adding to its romantic appeal.
Majrooh Sultanpuri's lyrics sailed across in tranquillity, as the stillness of the night in ``Jewel Thief," captured in a boat ride, had the slow-paced ``Rulake Gaya Sapna Mera" in 1967.
Dada Burman was known to be a perfectionist, taskmaster and was keen on repeated rehearsals. This was the man who insisted on Samta Prasad from Benaras to play the tabla for ``Nache Man Mora" in ``Meri Surat Teri Aankhen," which drew attention to the importance to new rhythmic explorations.
``See how serious raags were thought of during the 1970s," said the anchor, quoting ``Raina Beeti Jaay" in Lalith (``Amar Prem"), and ``Is Modse Jaate Hai," in Yaman (Aandhi). But if there is one song with swar melting into the song just as the lyrics would, it is ``Deewana Mastana," to which the evergreen hero Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen sync in perfection as they start ``Pa Ma Ga," in ``Bambai Ka Babu."
Effervescent were the singers — Vinod Seshadri, Anil Bajpai, Krishnan, Sangeetha, Vijayalakshmi and Anita — who brought out amazingly true versions of the original voices.
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Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
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Thiruvananthapuram
