Forgotten Composers

Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies: Bipin-Babul/Babul

Bipin-Babul August 17, 2021

Who does not remember the songs Baithe hain rahguzar par dil ka diya jalaaye, Naseeb hoga mera meherbaan kabhi na kabhi, Zulfon ki ghata lekar saawan ki pari ayi, Ye phoolon ka gazra ye solah singaar ho, and Humein haal-e-dil tumse kahna hai kahiye? And do we know who composed the music of these songs. […]

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Remembering Ninu Mazumdar – the composer and the singer

Ninu Mazumdar March 3, 2021

Guest article by Ashok M Vaishnav paying a tribute to Ninu Mazumdar on his 21st death anniversary (9 September 1915 – 3 March 2000) (Ninu Mazumdar is a big name in Gujarati music. Hence we have Ashok M Vaishnav paying a tribute to him with this guest article. He has brought us closer to other […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies: S Mohinder

S Mohinder September 8, 2017

Wishing S Mohinder (b. 8 September 1925?) a very happy 92nd birth anniversary (and wishing Asha Bhosle a very happy 84th birth anniversary) Guzra hua zamana aata nahi dubara, hafiz khuda tumhara. This one song is enough to make S Mohinder immortal. But he also composed many more memorable and extremely sweet as well as […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (11): Dilip Dholakia

Dilip Dholakia January 10, 2017

Dilip Dholakia? D. Dilip? Dilip Rai? – A Singer or A Music Director or A Music Arranger? A tribute to Dilip Dholakia on his 6th death anniversary (15 October 1921 – 2 January 2011) by guest author Ashok M Vaishnav (Hindi film music attracted talents from different regional languages and musical traditions.  Some, especially from […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies: Iqbal Qureshi

Iqbal Qureshi May 10, 2016

Anil Biswas, Naushad, C Ramchandra. Shankar-Jaikishan, SD Burman, OP Nayyar – the doyens of the Golden Era of film music. We know all about their music. We know all about them: their oppressive family, their supportive family; their happy marriage, their troubled marriage, their extra-marital affairs, their heartbreaks; their animosities, their break-ups and patch-ups; the […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (9): Lachhiram

Music Director Lachhiram March 30, 2014

Who is not aware of Tu shokh kali main mast pawan, tu shamm-e-wafa main parwana or Dhalti jaye raat kah de dil ki baat? The songs are among all time greats of Rafi. But many lovers of old film music may not be aware or might have forgotten the name of Lachhiram. A very awkward […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (8): Avinash Vyas

Aviash Vyas August 20, 2013

Guest article by Ashok M Vaishnav (Many talented music personalities from regional films/languages enriched Hindi film music. Some achieved great name and fame in Hindi films, especially those from Bengal, such as SD Burman, Hemant Kumar and Salil Chaudhary, or in the Vintage Era, RC Boral and Pankaj Mullick; or from Marathi, such as C […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (7): Jamal Sen

Jamal Sen July 1, 2013

There are some people whose reputation precedes their arrival.  Jamal Sen has come in for some great praise on at least three occasions on this blog. In Subodh’s piece on Yaman, Jamal Sen’s composition Sapna ban sajan aye was mentioned in comments as one of the best examples of Yaman, and several readers mentioned him […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (6): Pardesi

Thumbnail image for Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (6): Pardesi May 22, 2012

Since I started this series, readers have been suggesting names of various composers. Some have been covered; others would follow in due course. But no one has mentioned the name of Pardesi so far. I am not surprised; no one fits the theme Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies better than Pardesi. Pardesi who? I do not […]

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Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (5): Sardar Malik

Thumbnail image for Forgotten Composers Unforgettable Melodies (5): Sardar Malik March 21, 2012

Sardar Malik was not counted among the top five composers, which place was occupied by Naushad, Shankar Jaikishan, C Ramchandra, OP Nayyar and SD Burman. He would not be counted among the top dozen, some people might have difficulty in including his name even in the top twenty music directors of the Golden Era. Google […]

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