“Acting” with the voice
A review of “ye parbaton ke daayere…” by Gan Sharma
Gan Sharma is an ardent fan of Rafi saab and lives in Toronto, Canada. He has written other reviews for mohdrafi.com.
Mohd Rafi with Lata Mangeshkar
The usage of atmosphere in Hindi film music was not unique; many songs refer to the weather, the environment and the seasons as metaphors for the protagonist’s state of mind. Indeed, this technique allowed writers to express in poetry and song what mere conversation could never convey.
This is probably also why Indian films used so much music; a five-minute song, when well done, could replace hours of dialogue. So, while it is a habit amongst the intelligentsia to talk mockingly of the “time-wasting” tactics of moviemakers of “putting in” a large number of songs, it must be remembered that the song was a very efficient way of conveying feelings in an aesthetic way.
The films of the 50’s and 60’s were therefore replete with beautiful poetry set to wonderful music. Today, conversation is more direct; more “to the point”, and feelings are expressed without restraint. So the songs are actually fillers (for the most part; there is still some great music produced today.) In the golden age of the decades bygone, though, it was considered crass to be direct; “adab” and “nazaakat” were important; “I love you” was said hesitantly, with a little bit of “sharmana”. Songs said it better, more enjoyably, and more poignantly.
Rafi saab could easily be considered the master of romantic singing. He “acted” with his voice – he said what the actors on screen couldn’t speak, and the result was this beautiful feeling he left you with. One such song was “Ye parbaton ke daayere, ye shyaam ka dhuan”. Made for the movie “Vaasna” (1968), the beautiful poetry of Sahir Ludhianvi was set to music by the maestro Chitragupt.
Video of Yeh Parbaton Ke Daayere from Vaasna. Courtesy: sakibali786 @ Youtube
I’m sure that there are many who are fans of Biswajeet, although I’m not too sure about Kumud Chuggani, the female actor on whom this song is picturized. I mean no disrespect to either of them, but you could argue that they weren’t the best ones to emote onscreen; at the very least you’d have to acknowledge that they weren’t Dilip Kumar and Waheeda Rehman. Had it not been for this song, their love could not have been so well screened! Rafi saab (and Lata Mangeshkar) did their acting for them. After the song, you were left a little breathless, suffused with a very warm feeling; you had a smile on your face.
The song had extremely powerful raw material, the lyrics of the one with panache – Sahir Ludhianvi. Known for his soulful poetry, his richness of phrase, and mastery of meter, his words in this song were mesmerizing in themselves, even before Rafi saab and Lata ji gave it soul.
zara si zulf khol do; fiza mein itr ghol do
nazar jo baat kah chuki vo baat munh se bol do
ki jhoom uthe nigaah mein bahaar ka samaa(n)
Mohd Rafi with Lata Mangeshkar
When Rafi saab sang a woman’s praise, he made gentle love with his voice; not as in lovemaking, but as in a gentle, protective love. A love that said “you’re the only one”, “without you, there’s no me”. The way he sang was sure to make a woman feel protected without the condescension that usually accompanies that promise. It was the verbal equivalent of taking off a jacket and putting it around a woman’s shoulders because it just got a tad chilly.
Here, in this verse, he asks her for verbalizing what he knows she feels, but without the petulance, or without being demanding. “The world would become even more beautiful if you were to cease being restrained”, he says. Wah, what beautiful sentiment. How well expressed!
“Oh, don’t mistake my silence for contentment”, she replies. Her very silence is a question. Nothing is more important to her than this thought – this hope that nothing comes between her and her beloved.
Lata Mangeshkar matched Rafi saab line by line in conveying the poignancy of the moment; she lent as much life and soul to the song as did her male counterpart. She had to! How else could you do justice to Sahir saab’s powerful poetry?
ye chup bhi ek savaal hai; ajeeb dil ka haal hai
har ik kayaal kho gaya; bas ab yahi kayaal hai
ki faasala na kuch rahe hamaare darmiyaan
If the theme of this essay is that Rafi saab and Lata ji ‘acted” out the feelings in this song with their voice, and sang what could not be said within the limits of propriety, the way Rafi saab sang the last verse is proof!! Consider the words:
ye roop rang ye phaban; chamakte chaand sa badan
bura na maano tum agar to choom loon kiran kiran
ki aaj hausalon mein hai bala ki garmiyaan
How could anyone translate this verse into dialogue without saying it badly?! And who else but Rafi saab could sing it in a manner that left you feeling good, instead of leaving a bad taste in the mouth – he is attracted to her, wants physical contact with her, expects to cross boundaries, and yet it is graceful, gentle, beautiful and yes, safe.
Chitragupt’s music is a perfect complement to the verses of the song. Set to the waltz, it reflects the gentleness of the king of all ballroom dances – although he has increased the tempo of the beat to give it a quality of breathlessness; of the excitement of being in love, of throwing caution to the winds. Intelligently using the violin, he raises the temperature of the song, while never sacrificing the melody.
A great piece of teamwork indeed. Sahir, Chitragupt, Rafi saab and Lata ji combined to produce a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. Even today, forty-one years after it was made, it still makes Rafi saab’s fans have their hair stand on their ends, and leaves them humming it for entire weeks after they listen to it, for the umpteenth time.
dear narayan saab
i dont know if i am qualified to write as well as gan sharma saab on the subject but one brilliant number that sahir wrote and rafi saab sang was “jo baat tujhme hai teri tasveer mein nahin”. i grew up listening to that song from the film Taj Mahal. i would always wonder how rafi saab managed all those nuances so incredibly well. the tune changes completely between the first and the second stanzas. “rangon mein tera..” is so different from “bejaan husn mein kahan raftaar ki ada”. of course roshan contributed his own brilliance too to make this a great song. again, the third stanza touches a different note in “duniya mein koi cheez nahin hai teri tarah”
in the stanza “bejaan husn mein kahaan” rafi saab’s voice mellows, clearly indicating a respectful deference to raftaar, inkaar and iqraar. marvellous mastery of the words leading to a perfect number that has stood the test of time. “kya aur ik jhalak meri taqdeer mein nahin” almost has rafi saab asking whether at all another look at the beauty would be in his destiny !!
phenomenal song. vintage rafi !!
regards
achal rangaswamy
achal.rangaswamy@gmail.com
Anmol saab:
Kya karen, Rafi saab’s singing tears your heart open anyway.
Am very glad that you enjoyed the review: thank you so much for your kind words.
Gan
Gan Sharma ji,
Aisa Lagtaa Hai Ki aap ne apanaa dil khol ke rekh diya hai.
As I was reading your article, the song “Ye Parbton Ke Daayary” was going on in my mind.
Great writing 🙂
Dear Rajiv,
Many thanks for your kind words!!
achal bhai, thanks for the clarification; shall most certainly visit your blog!
Gan
dear gan sharma saab
please do not apologise !! the confusion with the name has happened due to my long stay in gujarat…!!! actually my family name is achal (the same way as it is sharma in your case). rangaswamy happens to be my first name. but over the years people have found it easy to call me achal (in hindi it means unmoveable, i hope i am right..or unshakeable..) since rangaswamy turned out to be a mouthful of a name for the guys !!!
so much so that now in gujarat most people call me achal bhai !!!
i am taking the liberty of mentioning the details of my blog so that our friends here too can have a look at the kind of tributes paid by me to rafi saab and also have a look at my other interests.
i give below my mail id and my blog id as well
thanks and regards
achal.rangaswamy@gmail.com
http://www.achalrangaswamy.blogspot.com
Dear Imran Rustam saab, thanks very much for your very kind words!
Achal, (Mr. / Ms. ? can’t figure out, apologies!!), you’re so right: “jaata hoon main…” is another very relevant example of Rafi saab’s “acting”!!
Pradeep saab, thanks for the kind words, and for the information on Chitragupt; didn’t know!
Salim saab, you are 100% right – there were very few actors who remained unsullied by the industry itself – they were there to do a job, do it to perfection, do it to help others. And Rafi saab couldn’t be crass if he tried!! Such was his nature, that he could nmake an average song brilliant; a great song immortal, a poor actor acceptable!!
Narayan saab: apka hukm sar aankhon par sir! Bilkul ek aur Sahir saab ka gaana koshish karenge!
Adaab Rafi Mohan Bhai,
What an excellent review! Enjoyed it very much. Rafi saab and Lataji sang this song so very well, acting with their voice, as you have so beautifully described. And your review has made this song even more special. Now whenever I hear this song, I will be reminded of your excellent review. Thank you very much.
Thanks also to people who have commented on this song and the review before me. Those comments are not only educational and informative but they also make the song even more valuable. Thanks a lot.
Rajiv
Adaab Rafi ! Mohan pyare…
Lovely article taking us to the sweet memories of evergreen hits of the 60s..Sahir saab with the help of Chitraguptji who was underrated on box-office terms brought the best of Rafi sahab and Lataji..
Both the legends literally acted in this song like they have done in many lilting melodies..
great work.. expecting another Sahir based writeup and his great association with our icon Rafi sahab..
Narayan
Very nice article Gan Sharmaji,
You touched a few points that I seldom found expressed. One that the songs of those years were often much greater than the films. With the combination of great song writers, sensitve music composers and great singers who rehearsed and delved into the meaning of each word, it was a golden period – which I am glad I was born into.
Another point which I have felt but have found it expressed by another for the first time, is that the romance in Rafi Saab’s voice was uplifting and not crass. It is only he could sing such verses (and many others) without even a hint of crudity. Unfortunately, it was the sensual ‘Roop Tera Mastaana’ (rather than ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’) which opened the Pandora’s box and it was all downhill thereafter.
Rafi Saab on the other hand could never be so crass in my opinion. When I heard his ‘Kaan mein jhumka’ I couldn’t but wince – without then knowing the politics that can mire such professions, I just knew this was not a song that Rafiji should be singing – I did not want him to match Kishore in this score (who could excel in such type of songs). The few good songs of Rafi Saab we heard in this period used to be like coming across an oasis in a desert (Mujhe Choo Rahi, Mohabat Rang Layegi Ahista Ahista – incidentally the last by Anu Malik!).
We are now more and more lost in crass sensuiality – which had started well before his demise and Rafi Saab perhaps lost out to it. But this is no discredit to him. I and, I am sure other Rafians, too would not have liked him to degrade himself with the kind of songs that became more the norm and which now rule the waves.
A very written article by Gan Sharma on one of the best duets sung by Rafi Saab and Lata Mangeshkar. Besides the master poetry of Sahir and tuning by MD Chitragupta, the orchestration of this song is impeccable. Absolutely glorious amalgamation of Indian and Western instruments coming together with the great soothing voices of Rafi and Lata. It is said that MD Chitragupta had a very uncanny knack of putting his singers to ease and removing all tensions before the commencement of any of his recordings. It reflects in many of his great songs sung by Lata, Rafi, Mukesh, Asha, Kishore, Suman Kalyanpoor and many others (solos and duets – the list is endless). He used to invite them over for lunch and cook the dishes they enjoyed the most before the final recording. Chitragupta even helped many other musicians craft and polish-up their songs. A gem of a Music Director, never properly given his due by the Hindi Film Music Industry.
Very nice article gan sharma ji,
Article title means a lot and very true. Rafi Sb could do justice to any situation and truly express the feelings of hero indirectly.
Thanks a lot gan sharma ji for writing such a thought provoking article.
Regards,
-Imran-
RAFI & LATA ARE THE “BEST” IN THE FIELD OF PLAYBACK SINGING. THEIR SONGS ARE A TREASURE FOR THE MUSICAL SOUL. BUT, but, the lata-rafi spat has robbed many a song and good songs – away – from out lives due to the royalty issue. lata’s insistence on a cut from the ten percent royalty gained by the composer was not agreed upon by rafi and lata decided “not” to sing with rafi any more.
the composers then began to desert her and new singers came, sang with rafi and made a great combo of “hit” songs. this unnerved lata and she made truce with rafi through her time tested friends like jaikishan and may be r.d.burman.
it may be noted that in her life and career lata lost out only to mohd rafi . it must be mentioned that in her long career she had running feuds with many many composers (almost all of them), with many singers, journos and even with simple musicians.
now again after so many years lata and asha have started the royalty issue afresh and has roped in mr.shahid rafi, the only surviving son of mohd rafi.
i request mr.shahid to keep away from these ladies so that mohd rafi’s principles of life is not jettisoned or questioned. more, both these singers have enough wealth to last many generations. (its reported that they used to charge usd 15000 each for their stage shows some three decades back at various world capitals) their hunger for more wealth is “never” justifiable .
shahid ji, let the soul of mohd rafi never be disturbed…
Dear Anwar saab,
Thank you for your very kind words, and for your comments!!
Gan
dear gan sharma ji
you are so very right in highlighting the fact that rafi saab made mere mortals appear so large on the screen (not literally !!). in terms of elevating them to popularity by just emoting with his voice he would have added a few more weeks of run at so many theatres for some of these easily forgettable films.
and the song chosen by you is such a perfect example. i remember, ages back, hearing this song, and wanting to see the movie just because of this so very romantic number. the lyrics were bewitching, the music extremely catchy but what made the difference truly were the voices.
i particulary liked the way rafi saab says “chhed den” ..in “aise mein kyun na chhed den dilon ki daastan”, literally teasing the lines.
another song in rafi saab does the same kind of emoting with his voice in “jaata hoon main mujhe ab na bulaana”…where he says “mera hai kya meri manzil na koi thikana”…just listen to how he says “mera”- full of self pity and abject surrender.
this is singing at levels unreachable for most others.
great write up sir !!!
regards
achal rangaswamy
achal.rangaswamy@gmail.com
Dear Gan Sharma ji,
Once again excellent article from your side. What a song and what an article! You have beautifully picked up the main and most apparent aspect of song “Acting with voice” and your article rotates around this theme. Hats off to you Sir!
This song is indeed one of the best romantic songs ever. Both Rafi Sahab and lata ji are exceptionally melodious in this song and once again prooved that they both are simply unmatchable by any other singer.
Thanks and best regards.
Anwar-ul-Haque
anwarhq25@yahoo.com
Dear Shiva saab, excellent example of rafi saab “acting” with his voice. Thanks for sharing….you hit the nail on the head!
Vinod Mehru saab, you’re right, and thanks for sharing!
Javed Sayyed saab, thank you very much for your very kind words. You are extremely encouraging, and I’ll do my best to write more.
Very warm regards,
Gan
Dear Gan Sharmaji,
What a well written piece, with so precise & right words, flow of emotions, subtlety, sentiments & candour. A masterpiece of an article. The Article itself deserves to be counted in the finest ones written on Indian Film Misic!!! Seems like you must have mulled over every aspect for eternity to write this well!! And to write on such a duet song which transcends all borders in so delicate a verve! Real pleasure. Hearty Congrats! Pl use your talent often & let all rafians regale into it.
Regards & Best Wishes.
Do Well.
dear gan sharma ji,
Adakari aur awaz ke mixture ka ek hi naam hai woh hai rafi saheb ka, radio yaa audio par sun kar hi banda yeh pata laga leta ki actor kaun hoga, jani walker saheb ke upar picturise kiye hue gaane, (kal yaani 21st october ko shammi saheb ka birthday hai aur is din i would like to listen the output create by rafi saheb and performed by shammi saheb who aclaimed in many of his conversation agar rafi saheb naa hote to asha bhonsle ji unke liye playback karti). yahan par ek film amar akbar anthony ka naam mention karna chahta hoon uske ek gaane mein lata ji ne rafi saheb, kishor da aur mukesh ji ke saath ek gaana kiya tha 3 heroins ko apni awaz di thi aur all the places different styles mein, shhayed rafii saheb se seekha hoga lata ji ne ki alag alag kalakar ko awaz kaise match karte hai. meri nazar i prefer only asha ji is verstile singer.
Jahan tak mujhe yaad aata hai kai aise bhi kalakaar hue hai ki jinka rafi saheb ki awaz hi suite karti thi aur apni jagah bachane ke liye kishor da se playback udhar liya aur survive nahin kar sake,
Rafi saheb us bad phase se bahar aa kar Rishi kapoor aur jeetendra ( Film Sargam aur Aasha both composed by Laxmi Pyare)ko playback de kar phir usi shaan shaukat se apne antim samay tak gaate rahe. Khiar mujhe to aapni 54 years ki zindgi mein ek hi chance mila tha 1967 aur woh composer Roshan saheb ka last Public live show tha aur usme rafi saheb ki live performance dekhi thi. uske baad mujhe dobaara show dekhne ka chance nahin mila.
vinod mehru 09768245368
Dear Gan Sharma,
Thanks for an excellent review. Just around a month back I had downloaded this song into my laptop and keep listening to this alongwith hundreds of other masterpieces from Rafi sahab.
Talking about “acting out a song” I would like to given an example which highlights the fact that this is a unique skill of Rafi sahab that makes his songs a cut above the rest.
If you listen to the way he sings the word “pareshan” in the song “Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam” and “Tere mere sapne ab ek rang hai” , you would understand the difference.
In the first song the word “pareshan” comes in the last stanza ” teri furkat ne pareshan kiya hai mujhko”, where there is a tinge of irritation when Rafi sahab “acts out” the word.
Now contrast that with the same pareshan word in “tere mere sapne” in the line “tum mujhse, main, dil se pareshan dono hai majboor. Here the pareshan is sung with a feeling of anxiety .I do not knwo whether I have been able to explain this clearly but if you listen to these two songs you can understand the difference. That is the greatness of Rafi sahab……
Hello Nasreen ji,
Your comments are spot-on; the song leaves you with mixed feelings, like you said – elation at the beauty of the song and regret that they don’t make them like that any more!!
Very glad you enjoyed the write-up, and that it enhanced your memory of the song….thanks for your very kind words.
Dear Utthara,
Many thanks!! Coming from an accomplished writer, this is somehting I’ll truly cherish!!!!
Mohamed Parvez saab, thanks for your comments. I’ll be sure to check out your website.
Dear Guru saab, thank you, and thanks for the little trivia on Biswajeet’s interview.
BINA!! That was extremely kind, and it was lavish praise indeed!!! Many, many, thanks!
MVK saab, many thanks! It is heartwarming to read of how actors like Shammi Kapoor acknowledged the “acting” role that Rafi saab played in their lives! Thanks for your kind words.
Ramesh Kurpad saab, many thanks!! Yes, I’ll try and write as often as I can; thanks for the encouragement.
Regards,
Mohan (Gan)
Dear Gan Sharma Ji
Salaams to all
Came to this site after a longish absence – and your article is the first I read. And immediately felt like I had come home.
What can I say, I have no words – I watched the Youtube link; and just like Padmanabhanji in Post 6 (fantastically written comment, Padmanabhanji!) I too heard the song after very long. And just like comments from almost all who have written here so far, mera bhi dil khush ho gaya. Itna khush hua, ke mai keh nahi sakti. Khush bhi ho gaya, aur ek dard bhi de gaya. Kyonke, aise khayal, yeh andaaz aajkal aur nahin milenge. Where is that world of restrained passion, of true romance. you have so rightly mentioned the names of Dilip and Waheeda. I cannot think of any other actors but these two as the most ideal choice for this song. Pity it was not. However,the song is greater than the scene. And it is still resonating in my heart – and always will. Rafi Saab (and Lata too) acted with his voice, as he always did. And helped the actors. He actually helps us become creators and artists too. Because, when we hear him, we close our eyes and imagine our own scene. Our own romance.
so as I said, the actors and the scenes may not have done justice to the song, but the song is so much greater. It will forever resonate in the hearts and minds of people who can feel the romance of the voice of the shehenshah of music. The never to be forgotte, eternal Rafi Sahab.
thanx gan sharmaji for this nice article about rafi saabs acting with his voice with out any formal training on acting rafi saab had gift from allah to sing any kind of song with out any formal training and he was very humble person i would like to inform about rafi saabs blog i have posted rare pictures and articles and videos total over 200 pages are there kindly click older posts you will find bottom of every page to go to next page kindly visit all the pages kindly visit this link thanx
http://rafifanblog.blogspot.com/
Dear Khaja saab, Nasir saab, ASM, NRP, Shrirang saab, Chandan,
Very many thanks for your very kind words. It was a great experience writing the review; glad you enjoyed it!!
Gan – also known as Mohan
Dear Mohanbhai, `acting with the voice’ is the best tribute one can give to rafi sahab. And you have done just that. Your article is like a gentle breeze, the first dew drops in the morning and as beautiful as a light drizzle in scorching summer. Like you, I too never considered songs were fillers. The songs of the fifties and sixties were musical gems which conveyed a lot.
It amazes me how you have brought in varied subjects and tuned them into a delightful melody __ the importance of nature, songs, the tender romance, and above all, the `acting voices’ of Rafi saab and Lataji.
This gentle duet is a fave of many. Your article has made me like the song even more.
Aliji, I too am from Hyderabad. It was lovely to see Naubat pahad.
Cheers
Utthara
gan ganapati mohan pyaare –
waah – kahaan chup gaye the itney din. entry with an emphatic bang.
its typical of you to be simply classy in your own style so unique, that, it leaves a pleasing feel in the readers mind.
you are spot on when you say that rafisahab and latajee actual enacted the song while actually only singing.
barring the top names like dilip, raj, sunil dutt, raaj kumar and some great names none could act or enact a song properly at all and neither had the looks of a hero, but, were mighty lucky because of the era the md, the and the then play back singers.
i full agree with nrpbhai of what he says about biswajeet and kumud chugganis brash acting.
mohan pyaare – you have truely written beautifully and leaves us speechless, summing it up by saying ” tussi great ho “.
please keep writing and enlightening us with such beauties.
thanx for this great write up.
melodiously yours,
ramesh narain kurpad.
rameshkurpad@gmail.com
Dear Mohan,
Yesterday I was watching a program Total Recall on Rafisaab. This is what Shammi Kapoorji had to say about Rafisaab-He sang the song so well, when I asked him how he managed those nakhras and jhalaks the way I wanted-Rafi saab replied he thought himself to be Shammiji and sang those words the way Shammiji would have done. There are umpeen examples of Rafisaab and it goes to prove only one thing, the versatality of Rafisaab.
Your review of this song is excellent and as Murtyji said, Laajawab, behetereen, khoobsoorat aur padne mein maza aa gaya.You have made me listen to this song again and enjoy these wonderful romantic lyrics of Sahir saab and excellent music by Chitragupt.Thank you for a lovely review.
m v krishnan
Hi Mohan:
Yeh parbaton ke daayre, yeh shaam ka gumaan…when you take a brilliant Chitragupt melody that revolves around the Rafi-Lata-Sahir and add a hint of two nondescript actors, even the youtube version is enjoyable…!! (Kumud was a limited actor but an excellent danseuse and Biswajeet’s popularity stemmed only from the fact that he had some of the best songs of Rafi Saab picturized on him!)
Mohan bhaisaab, you have rightly pointed out that some songs in HFM (especially those of the bygone days) can most forcefully and most beautifully, in 5 minutes, have the kind of impact that dialogues would never be able to have..and your review is a tribute to one the best duet pairs of all times..
I think Sahir was exceptionally precise and perfect in the last stanza though the visuals on the screen are rather earthy in comparison..reiterating once again that once you have listened to Rafi Saab’s tender rendtion and Lata’s divine voice, you would never want to look at the on-screen part of it…!! Sometimes you actually wonder if an actor can do enough justice to the emotion in Rafi Saab’s voice..
Mohan, thank you for a towering review of a song of taste…and can you hear the rousing Adaab from Bangalore and BBR for one whose pen can draw the softest of images of Rafi Saab’s voice..!
Bina
Mohanji,
Fantastic. Very true, that a poetry can convey so much in so few sentences which a prose or a dialogue would require hours. I am reminded of Biswajeet’s interview in which he opined that acting to Rafi songs was very easy as the actor was required to just stand there and lip sync as all the acting was taken care by Rafiji in his song.
gan sharma saheb, while watching the video of this lovely song, it is amazing that partly of this song was picturized in my hometown hyderabad on the location of “Naubat Pahad” and “Quli Qutub Shahi tombs. These are the land marks of Hyderabad. Great article, great song and great location.
With regards,
Dr. Khaja Aliuddin
Dear Mohan ( Gan ),
It is after a considerablly long tome that I am hearing this song. You are perfectly right when you say that Rafi saahab and Lata ji had also “lived” or acted for his song.
It is difficult not to to be enveloped with the theme of the song before you sing it. If one is unable to do that, the song may come out well but would lack that involvement. In the days of yore, while music had scaled greight heights, the cinematic aspects and acting left too much to be desired. I think that is the reason that in many a yesteryear movies most of us readily relish the song but do not recognize the protagonists who were required to emote the roles.
The singers therefore assumed a greater role. In Rafi saahab’s case it fitted him to the T. When he says ” Dhuaaaaan “, you can feel that mystiifying aura which is acting as a distance restraint. Compare that with the direct embrace of Biswajit/ Kumud Chhugani you understand how subtlety/gentleness has been sacrificed at the alters of brashness/ unrequired openness to go with the theme of the song. The “faasla” that he so cherishingly celebrates is no longer within the meaningful expressive powers of the actors.
No wonder he and Lataji filled in the great void in acting : not once or twice but repeatedly so much so that most of those songs are passionate hearing experiences. They act by walking through our sub-conscience, thanks to Rafi Saahab and his ilk.
An excellent review, Mohan. You have conclusively proved what you started as a premise only- whether the singers had also to act the actors role.
The answer is an emphatic, categoric and unequivocal yes. And if it is a Rafi Saahab song, the overwhelming ayes will reverberate through the universe.
Thanks for sharing a wonderful theme.
Padmanabhan NR
Hi Mohan
I cant tell you more than what you have so brilliantly described about this song. I hesitate to even say that this is one of my favourites, as many are in this category. Rafi Saab is just that. He is so soulful in his renditions with so much “aatma” embedded in his feel, delivery and modulations. Long live his renditions and in my opinion, he is the very “definition” of play back singing…
Regards
Chandan
Gan Sharmaji,
What a song, what a review…just superb…great going really…bas mazaa aa gyaa sab padhkar..bas aise hee reviews bhejte rahiye…..dil khush ho gayaa…
regards;
shrirang nawathe
adaabrafi mohan, fantastic cannot replace words like ‘lajawab’ for urdu is a much more powerful zuban than english. yet, you can convey your exact feelings through your writings even in english and your description of this lovely duet from ‘vaasna’ made very interesting reading. “zara si zulf khol do; fiza mein itr ghol do” cannot be matched perhaps in any other language although you have given its literal meaning in a manner that only you can. rafi sahab does not just sing a song – he enacts the role of the character so thoroughly well and the poet and the composer could not have asked for more. great writing as usual, keep it up.
Gan Sharma Saheb, An excellant reveiw of this romantic song. The gayeki of Rafi Sahab and lataji, then Sahir’s shayeri, then chitrgupta’s music, oh, bahut khoob aur Lajawab. This is one of my favourite duet. Sharma Saheb, aapne hamko khush kardiya. Thanks.
With regards,
Dr. Khaja Aliuddin
Gan Sharma ji,
Thanks for your excellent article “Acting With the Voice,” with Parbaton Ke
Daayre as the focal point. Very imaginatively done indeed!