Music is the backbone of Hindi movies and OTT series, whether by way of songs and dances, or in the form of the background variety. However, there are very few offerings dished out by our Dream Merchants which are devoted to the subject of music itself, where the life of most of the characters revolves around the practice of music. Such human emotions as love, hatred, animosity, jealousy, pride, prejudices are all there, but music forms the central theme. The key characters get success after a great deal of practice. In the interim, they often taste heart-breaking failures. But spurred on by their immense talent, ardent passion, and sometimes by either a teacher or a muse, they persevere in their efforts and eventually achieve the recognition they deserve.
The idea here is not to recall and list movies which may be termed as musicals. Nor would I like to mention the ones which have provided uplifting music. In the list that follows, you will not find the ones where either music merely serves the purpose of entertainment or even where the main characters may be music teachers.
Thus, movies such as Dholak (1951), Phagun (1958), Jahan Ara and Chitralekha (1964), Heer Ranjha (1970), Pakeezah (1972), and Umrao Jaan (1981), do not appear here.
I have instead tried to focus here on the movies where music forms a core part of the script. Many of these depict the trials and tribulations of an artist who is enthusiastic about this form of fine arts. Many others capture the gravitational force exerted by music in making a relationship either blossom or wither.
Consider the following movies which are music-based offerings from our dream merchants.
Street Singer
(1938)
Direction: Phani Majumdar
Music: R. C. Boral
Baiju Bawra
(1952)
Direction: Vijay Bhatt
Music: Naushad
Mirza Ghalib
(1954)
Direction: Sohrab Modi
Music: Ghulam Mohammed
Shabab
(1954)
Direction: M. Sadiq
Music: Naushad
Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje
(1955)
Direction: V. Shantaram
Music: Vasant Desai
Basant Bahar
(1956)
Direction: Raja Nawathe
Music: Shankar–Jaikishan
Phagun
(1958)
Direction: Bibhuti Mitra
Music: O. P. Nayyar
Navrang
(1959)
Direction: V. Shantaram
Music: C. Ramachandra
Barsaat ki Raat
(1960)
Direction: P. L. Santoshi
Music: Roshan
Sangeet Samrat Tansen
(1962)
Direction and Music: S. N. Tripathi
Meri Surat Teri Ankhen
(1963)
Direction: R. K. Rakhan
Music: S. D. Burman
Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne
(1964)
Director: V. Shantaram
Music: Ramlal
Geet
(1970)
Direction: Ramanand Sagar
Music: Kalyanji–Anandji
Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli
(1971)
Direction: V. Shantaram
Music: Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Abhimaan
(1973)
Direction: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Music: S. D. Burman
Geet Gata Chal
(1975)
Direction: Hiren Nag
Music: Ravindra Jain
Alaap
(1977)
Direction: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Music: Jaidev
Sargam
(1979)
Direction: K. Viswanath
Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
Kalaakaar
(1983)
Direction: P. Sambasiva Rao
Music: Kalyanji–Anandji
Sur Sangam
(1985)
Direction: K. Viswanath
Music: Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Naache Mayuri
(1986)
Direction: N. T. Rama Rao
Music: Laxmikant–Pyarelal
Noopur
(1990 TV series on Doordarshan)
Direction: Hema Malini
Sangeet
(1992)
Direction: K. Vishwanath
Music: Anand Milind
Sardari Begum
(1996)
Direction: Shyam Benegal
Music: Vanraj Bhatia
Taal
(1997)
Direction: Subhash Ghai
Music: A. R. Rahman
Dil To Pagal Hai
(1997)
Direction: Yash Chopra
Music: Uttam Singh
Saaz
(1998)
Direction: Sai Paranjpye
Music: Yashwant Deo, Bhupen Hazarika, Zakir Hussain, Raj Kamal
Sur – The Melody of Life
(2002)
Direction: Tanuja Chandra
Music: M. M. Keeravani
Aaja Nachle
(2007)
Direction: Anil Mehta
Music: Salim–Sulaiman
Rock on!
(2008)
Direction: Abhishek Kapoor
Music: Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy
Rockstar
(2011)
Direction: Imtiaz Ali
Music: A. R. Rahman
Aashiqui 2
(2013)
Direction: Mohit Suri
Songs: Jeet Gannguli, Mithoon, Ankit Tiwari
Music Teacher
(2019)
Direction: Sarthak Dasgupta
Music Original Composition: R.D. Burman
Music Re-created by: Rochak Kohli
Gully Boy
(2019)
Direction: Zoya Akhtar
Music: The 18-song soundtrack, involving an estimated 54 contributors, was supervised by Ankur Tiwari
Bandish Bandits
(2020; Amazon Prime Video)
Direction: Anand Tiwari
Music: Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy,
Qala
(2022)
Direction: Anvita Dutt
Music: Amit Trivedi
I am reasonably certain that there are many more which I might have missed out here. However, as the listing shows, over time, as Hindi cinema has moved away to modern settings, India’s rich cultural heritage is perhaps no longer getting the attention it deserves. That is how, a series like Bandish Bandits and a movie like Qala come like a whiff of fresh air in our turbulent times.
The price one pays for success
Some of these movies, like Saaz and Qala, depict the kind of competitive spirit which prevails in the field of music. A character even ends up jeopardizing the career of another, resulting in overpowering guilt. Such movies also capture the kind of cunning, guile and nerves of chilled steel needed to achieve success in a highly competitive world. Perhaps many of the famous artists we know of might have passed through quite a few such phases in their careers.
Like any other profession, the world of music is also replete with rivalry. It would be naïve to assume that success comes cheap. Often, the price it extracts from an artist’s inner being, especially in terms of a compromise on one’s ethics, beliefs, and values, is heavy.
For us, the audience, music is indeed an enriching food for the soul. However, the soul of an artist may carry a few scars, not known to us. But ignorance is bliss, as they say!
Note:
Inputs from Purva Agarwala, Dileep Raina, Madhulika Liddle, Avantika Nirupama, Sunil Jain, and a few others are gratefully acknowledged.
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