RMIM Archive Article "92".


From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian

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# RMIM Archives..
# Subject: Anil Biswas and "CHHOTI  CHHOTI  BAATEIN"
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# Posted by: vishk@cup.hp.com (Vish Krishnan)
# Author: Vish Krishnan
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The more interesting film for me is CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN, Motilal's last as well as Anil Da's last movie. With this, the grand composer left Bombay for good, and now lives in South Ex- tension New Delhi with his wife and one of my favourite singers of all time - Meena Kapoor). Of course, once Anil Biswas moved to Delhi, he focussed his attention on documentaries, Indian Films Division productions (he was the main music director there for a few years), and at least one DOORDARSHAN serial (HUM LOG, was it?). CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN is actually quite a nice movie. Depress- ing? Yes. But the music does bring out the best elements of Anil Biswas' work. In addition to the Mukesh-Lata duet ("Zindagi Ka Ajab Fasaana Hai") that borders on Nand Kalyan, there are 3 other songs. The Lata solo "Meri Baali Re Umariya, Ab Kaise Beete Ram" brings back fond memories of older Lata-Anil Biswas classics. Mukesh sings the farewell song "Zindagi Khwaab Hai", an apt hom- age to Motilal Rajvansh. The veteran actor died around this time, I think. I believe the JAAGTE RAHO original was written by Shailendra, as is this song. My favourite CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN song is by Meena Kapoor. The husband-wife partnership is reminiscent of the eternal Khaiyyaam-Jagjit Kaur pair. Meena Kapoor of course started her career a bit earlier than Jagjit Kaur. Further, she has sung movie songs for quite a few other music directors (SD, CR, Roshan, Madan Mohan to name few) unlike Jagjit Kaur, who, to the best of my knowledge, has sung for Ghulam Mohammed and perhaps Madan Mohan - that is all. The Meena Kapoor song I refer to is Kuch Aur Zamaana Kehta Hai, Kuch Aur Hai Zid Mere Dil Ki Main Baat Zamaane Ki Maanoon, Ya Baat Sunoon Apne Dil Ki In its own way, the song is a nostalgic trip. While the composi- tion has a strong Gaud Saarang structure, it is delivered with utmost simplicity. There are strong Gaud Sarang precedents in Anil Da's earlier work. The HAMDARD ragamala "Ritu Aaye Ritu Jaaye" starts with a Gaud Sarang piece. Also, the Indo-Russian venture PARDESI (Balraj Sahni, Nargis) gives us the gem of a taraana by Lata ("Naadira Deem, Tanna Dere Naa"). That genre of music has disappeared from the face of the earth. Only the recordings and the memories remain. Anil Biswas, the tiger of Barisal (Bengal), freedom fighter, super composer, and mentor to a generation of music directors we know and love, turned 80 in July 1994. The Lata Mangeshkar award institute presented him with the 1994 Lata award for remarkable achievement in music! vish ==
From the RMIM Article Archive maintained by Satish Subramanian