Ravi: Doli (1969)

Another Ravi score, from two years later, and this one is even better. His pop sensibilities are on display on 'Doli': the enchanting 'Aaj Main Dekhoon' reminds me of the delicious confections that appeared on my (up til now) favourite soundtrack of his, 1975's 'Vandana', and 'Pahle Jhuk Kar' is kind of like an easy-going, bucolic take on Shankar Jaikishan's rock 'n' roll, if that makes any sense. The sumptuous 'Sajna Saath Nibhana' sends tingles down my spine, and 'Aaj Pila De Saqi' has a dreamy 1950s vibe.

Ravi wasn't only about sweet easy listening though; 'Dance Music' combines raunchy guitars, manic percussion and powerhouse horns on an elaborately arranged instrumental that RD Burman would have been proud of, 'Danton Tale' is loud and lively pop, perhaps with a French twist (blame the accordion), and 'Doli Chadh Ke', the one song without a distinct Western influence, is infectiously incessant.

Track listing:
1. Mahendra Kapoor: Doli Chadh Ke
2. Asha Bhosle: Aaj Main Dekhoon
3. Asha Bhosle: Pahle Jhuk Kar
4. Dance Music
5. Mohd. Rafi: Danton Tale
6. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Sajna Saath Nibhana
7. Mahendra Kapoor & Asha Bhosle: Aaj Pila De Saqi

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Ravi: Hamraaz (1967)

Despite 'Hamraaz' being a fairly recent acquisition, I've known about the soundtrack for years due to being struck by its artwork. The smart simplicity of it, the look of the cover stars and the typography really appealed to me, yet Ravi was an MD who initially didn't interest me much, therefore I kept passing on it. His music has grown on me a lot since then though (two of his scores were included in the MFT3F book), so it was only a matter of time before I succumbed.

Do I like it? Yes, quite a bit. It might not feature among my favourites but it does contain a couple of really nice songs. The gently swaying 'Neele Gagan Ke Tale' is a highlight, along with the elegantly rousing 'Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Vada Karo'. Both have lovely melodies, both are distinctly hummable. 'Kisi Pathar Ki Murat Se' is rather good too; stylish and understated (I love the short piano interludes). And there's a compelling 'Title Music' with an exotic, almost mysterious feel; very becoming what I think is a suspense movie.

Track listing:
1. Mahendra Kapoor: Neele Gagan Ke Tale
2. Mahendra Kapoor: Na Moonh Chhupa Ke Jeeyo
3. Mahendra Kapoor: Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Vada Karo
4. Mahendra Kapoor: Kisi Pathar Ki Murat Se
5. Asha Bhosle & Mahendra Kapoor: Tu Husn Hai Main Ishq Hoon
6. Title Music

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Anand Milind: Peechha Karro (1985)

Brothers Anand and Milind Shrivastav will be familiar to longtime followers of MFT3F for 1990's slightly over-the-top but very entertaining 'Jungle Love'. The sons of veteran music director Chitragupta, they've scored as many as 200 films, of which 'Peechha Karro' is one of the earliest.

Its title track is what brought my attention to this soundtrack, via a tip on Twitter from film director Atul Sabharwal. Sung by Sharon Prabhakar, it's a gloriously catchy new wave-reggae funk-pop tune that immediately got stuck in my head. Almost as good and equally infectious is the boisterous disco stomper 'Rama Rama'; combined these two are enough to make it a worthwhile album. The remaining songs are more conventional and fail to interest me as much: 'Tumhe Murga Banaake Khilaoongi' contains a pleasant enough melody and 'Mujhpe Goli Na Chala' has an electro intro and some funky bits in-between. And for some reason half the tracks have alternate titles in the YouTube clips.

The pressing could have been better...

Track listing:
1. Sharon Prabhakar & Chorus: Peechha Karro
2. Asha Bhosle: Tumhe Murga Banaake Khilaoongi
3. Kishore Kumar: Mujhpe Goli Na Chala
4. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Ikde Aa
5. Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle & Chorus: Rama Rama

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Raamlaxman: Tumhaare Bina (1982)

OK, this one's an acquired taste. To be fair, ten years ago I probably wouldn't have liked 'Tumhaare Bina' much, but a gradual growing appreciation of at least some 1980s Bollywood Disco has made me more receptive to stuff like this. Taking cues from Bappi Lahiri's "anything goes" brand of music direction, Raamlaxman's score is at once cheesy, silly, and infectiously playful.

'Sweety Seventeen' is its big hit: bubbly and brash disco pop with plenty of hooks. 'Hanste Hi Hanste' (especially the happy version) contains touches of soft country psych, and the lovely 'Lab Tak Aai Hai' is enhanced by whistling synth lines and a silky Spanish guitar. Child singer Gurpreet Kaur features prominently; she has a voice that many in all likelihood will find annoying, but her quirky, sound effect-laden take on nursery rhyme 'Humpty Dumpty' certainly makes me grin. Rounding things off is a ridiculous (in a good way) instrumental that combines Hawaiian guitar licks, synth effects and a lounge orchestra. Fun stuff.

Raamlaxman's real name is Vijay Patil. He was once the latter half of duo Raam-Laxman and retained his partner's name in tribute when Raam died in the late 1970's.

Track listing:
1. Behroze Chatterjee & Chorus: Sweety Seventeen
2. Bhupinder & Gurpreet Kaur: Hanste Hi Hanste (Happy)
3. Bhupinder & Behroze Chatterjee: Lab Tak Aai Hai
4. Gurpreet Kaur & Chorus: Humpty Dumpty
5. Bhupinder: Hanste Hi Hanste (Sad)
6. Manhar, Behroze Chatterjee & Gurpreet Kaur: Bol Munne Bol
7. Title Music

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Sonik Omi: Do Chehere (1976)

'Is Raat Ke Sannate Men' is a fantastic track, slightly reminiscent of the psychedelic marvels heard on Madan Mohan's superb 'Hanste Zakhm' from 1973. Rousing and hypnotic; it features an otherworldly melody, ominous horror effects, dramatic percussion and forceful guitar breaks – mesmerizing!

It is however pretty much the only song that impresses me on 'Do Chehere'. I confess a soft spot for Sonik Omi; they weren't the most original of duos yet I've many times found their often RD Burman-inspired soundtracks to contain plenty of worthwhile music. Occasionally forgoing the master's influence might have been a good idea, but what's left here is merely average. It's not that 'Mera Chhail Bhanwar Anguri Piye' and 'Chali Thi Thumka Deke Thaske' are actually bad songs, they're just a bit nondescript.

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle: Ek Buddhu Se Pyar Kar Baithi
2. Usha Mangeshkar: Mera Chhail Bhanwar Anguri Piye
3. Asha Bhosle & Minoo Purshottam: Chali Thi Thumka Deke Thaske
4. Mohd. Rafi, Manna Dey & Minoo Purshottam: Aaj Ki Raat Peene De Saqi
5. Asha Bhosle: Is Raat Ke Sannate Men

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O.P. Nayyar: C.I.D. 909 (1967) / Sapan Jagmohan: Do Raha (1971)

More music for India's Crime Investigation Department. I don't think  'C.I.D. 909' [review] is a sequel to 1956's 'C.I.D' (see previous post), but once again O.P. Nayyar was in charge of the soundtrack. Bollywood film music had changed a lot in the decade separating the two scores, and to be honest I prefer this one. I'd love to get hold of the full length LP version; unfortunately it's proving incredibly difficult to find. So this EP will have to suffice, for now.

All four songs are really good, beginning with the summery, Hawaiian-tinged 'Nadi Ka Kinara Ho'. Seductive cabaret number 'Yaar Badshah Yaar Dilruba' (featuring a gorgeous looking Helen on screen) is up next, followed by 'Chaho To Jaan Lelo'; sweet and romantic pop. The catchy 'Dhadka To Hoga Dil Zarur' ends the record on a sing-a-long high.

As is often the case with EPs the sound is a bit scratchy.



Sapan Jagmohan were responsible for one of my favourite 1970s soundtracks, the very cool, very sexy 'Call Girl'. Music of a similar quality can be heard on a couple of EP-only releases of theirs from the same period that I'm aware of; 'Do Raha' is one of them. (Others are high up on my want list.)

And there's only good stuff here as well. 'Tumhi Rahnuma Ho' is a great drunk-song with an infectious groove, catchy melody and cool instrumental breaks. Equally wonderful is 'Meri Bagiya Ki Kali', a beautifully hypnotic ballad with an exquisite arrangement. The more traditional sounding 'Dole Jhumka Mora' didn't interest me as much at first, but its incessant beat has been growing on me of late.

A funny thing: Track 2, which on both cover and label is entitled 'Tera Na Ho Mere Jaisa Haal', doesn't appear to actually exist. From what I've gathered, no song with that name featured in the film, and what is heard on the record is in fact 'Meri Bagiya Ki Kali' again. I can just about understand them including that twice, if only to fill the EP format (and both are included in the download), but I'm clueless as to where the other title came from. (Perversely, the iTunes version of the soundtrack adds a Talat Mahmood song from another film called Do Raha – from 1952.)

Track listing, 'C.I.D. 909':
1. Asha Bhosle: Nadi Ka Kinara Ho
2. Asha Bhosle: Yaar Badshah Yaar Dilruba
3. Asha Bhosle: Chaho To Jaan Lelo
4. Asha Bhosle, Mahendra Kapoor & Kamal Barot: Dhadka To Hoga Dil Zarur

Track listing, 'Do Raha'
1. Asha Bhosle: Tumhi Rahnuma Ho
2. Asha Bhosle: Tera Na Ho Mere Jaisa Haal
3. Asha Bhosle: Dole Jhumka Mora
4. Asha Bhosle: Meri Bagiya Ki Kali

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O.P. Nayyar: C.I.D. (1956)

Despite its title, and despite the film being labelled a thriller, the soundtrack to Guru Dutt's "C.I.D." sounds nothing like what I generally associate with crime film music. While I wasn't necessarily expecting a gritty, urban jazz Henry Mancini or Lalo Schifrin type score, it was surprising to find songs as easy-going as on this O.P. Nayyar effort.

It's rather nice all the way through, although I'm unable to really pick out highlights; the music sort of floats pleasantly along without any particular tracks nor bits of them sticking out. All were apparently hits. Opener 'Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan' is sweet and curiously rustic sounding, and at the opposite end 'Ankhon Hi Ankhon Men' is similarly bright and cheery. 'Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana' and 'Leke Pahla Pahla Pyar' have more of an exotic feel. My favourite is probably the Latin-tinged 'Jata Kahan Hai Diwane', sung by the producer's wife.

Track listing:
1. Mohd. Rafi & Geeta Dutt: Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan
2. Shamshad Begum: Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re
3. Shamshad Begum: Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Pe Nishana
4. Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum & Mohd. Rafi: Leke Pahla Pahla Pyar
5. Geeta Dutt: Jata Kahan Hai Diwane
6. Geeta Dutt & Mohd. Rafi: Ankhon Hi Ankhon Men

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Mahesh Naresh / Shakila Bano Bhopali / Chris Perry: Maze Le Lo (1975)

'Maze Le Lo' is a strange one. There's aren't many mentions of the film online*, and its soundtrack – curiously also released in France – was made by people that are all unknown to me.

Half of it is composed and performed by Mahesh Naresh, a duo comprising Gujarati brothers Mahesh Kumar Kanodia and Naresh Kumar Kanodia. 'Baankelal Ne Apne Ghar' and 'Aksar Koi Kadka' are both bizarre mashups of all sorts of musical styles combined with dialogue and snippets of other, more famous Bollywood songs. I have no idea what's going on in either but the YouTube clip labels the latter (which I prefer) a parody song. 'Mere Aangana Men' is more coherent; very percussive but interspersed with some cool organ bits. Mahesh Naresh seemed to be under the influence of RD Burman, just not as good.

Shakila Bano Bhopali is credited with composing the more traditional sounding 'Too Na Samjhe' and 'Aaj Ki Taza Khabar', as well as supplying vocals. From what I gather she used to be a famous singer of qawwalis.

Most surprising of all is 'Love Me Love Me Tonight', written by Goan jazz musician Chris Perry and performed by a singer named Fernando. It's a fuzzed-out garage-punk track that wouldn't have sounded out of place in a 1960s biker movie.

*A rather sleazy looking film with the same title is available in its entirety on YouTube, but I think that's a different one.

Track listing:
1. Mahesh Kumar: Baankelal Ne Apne Ghar
2. Shakila Bano Bhopali: Too Na Samjhe
3. Fernando: Love Me Love Me Tonight
4. Mahesh Kumar: Aksar Koi Kadka
5. Shakila Bano Bhopali: Aaj Ki Taza Khabar
6. Naresh Kumar: Mere Aangana Men

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Rahul Dev Burman: Manzil Manzil (1984)

Sticking with mid-80s Rahul Dev Burman, here's one more containing a few decent if not entirely convincing tracks.

'Manzil Manzil' is quite varied; opener 'He Baba' is an energetic disco tune with some appeal, whereas the final 'O Meri Jaan' has a soft, soothing, almost dreamy sound. They might be the soundtrack's best know tracks. In-between we get a couple of cabaret (or cabaret-type) numbers. 'Mitwa' is OK but I prefer 'Yeh Naina Yaad Hai' for its odd droney quality and inclusion of a short harmonica bit nicked from Ennio Morricone's 'Man with a Harmonica' from 'Once Upon a Time in the West', hardly a bad thing.

There are interesting details in the arrangements and instrumentation throughout (I also like the countrified ending to 'Lut Gaye Ham To Rahon Men'), but that's not enough to make a really great score. Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal in their book 'R.D. Burman - The Man, The Myth' describes it as "more technique than feeling". I'll go along with that.

Track listing:
1. Asha Bhosle: He Baba
2. Shailendra Singh: Jhalak Dikhake
3. Asha Bhosle & Shailendra Singh: Lut Gaye Ham To Rahon Men
4. Asha Bhosle & Shailendra Singh: O Meri Jaan
5. Asha Bhosle & Shailendra Singh: Yeh Naina Yaad Hai
6. Asha Bhosle: Mitwa
7. Chandrashekar Gadgil & Chorus: Man Re Pyar Hari Ke
8. Shailendra Singh: O Meri Jaan

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Rahul Dev Burman: Zameen Aasman (1983)

'Zameen Aasman' might be one primarily for RD Burman completists. And to be honest I don't have a lot to say about it. Its songs are OK but none can be described as classics or essential. 'Mano-Mano Ya Na Mano' is kind of catchy, comes with a pleasant Caribbean flavour and a surprising country rock intro. 'Pyar Nagma Hai' (both versions identical I think) contains some nice synth bits and has an energetic, new-wavy feel to it, and the breezy 'Maine Dil Diya' rolls pleasantly along to a light ska rhythm. The loungy, rather elegant sounding 'Aisa Sama Na Hota' is the score's best track, the one I'm most likely to come back to.

Track listing:
1. Kishore Kumar: Mano-Mano Ya Na Mano
2. Lata Mangeshkar: Zameen Aasman Nahin Milte
3. Asha Bhosle & R.D. Burman: Pyar Nagma Hai
4. Lata Mangeshkar & Kishore Kumar: Maine Dil Diya
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Aisa Sama Na Hota
6. Asha Bhosle & R.D. Burman: Pyar Nagma Hai

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Bappi Lahiri: Maut Ka Saya (1982)

It is said about film-makers The Ramsay Brothers that they were Bollywood's prime exponents of low-grade, sleazy 1980s horror cinema. Similarly, Bappi Lahiri's music is often described as the epitome of tacky Bollywood disco. It makes sense then, that they would work together regularly. To Bappi’s credit, his scores were often far more sophisticated sounding than the pairing might suggest. And unlike its appealingly schizophrenic cover, there's not much musically on the soundtrack to 'Maut Ka Saya' that actually suggests horror.

Predictably, the out-and-out dancefloor tracks take centre stage. 'Aafat' is a rousing anthem performed by Bappi regular Annette Pinto and the composer himself, and 'Dance Music' is a percussive jazz dance number enhanced by teasing giggles and sighs. Both are great, but I'm actually even more fond of two of the album's non-disco tracks. 'Yeh Samundar' fuses flamenco with electro and again features Annette in addition to a series of wonderfully exotic solos, while 'Zulfon Tale' is mellow Caribbean flavoured lounge pop, accordion-led with sensuous vibraphone interludes. Shailendra Singh does the honours on this one.

Unusually, there doesn't seem to be a single song clip from this film on YouTube.

Track listing:
1. Bappi Lahiri & Annette: Aafat
2. Amit Kumar, Sachin & Chorus: Tum Phans Gaye
3. Dance Music
4. Annette: Yeh Samandur
5. Shailendra Singh: Zulfon Tale

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C. Ramchandra: Albela (1951)

I like C. Ramchandra. His name isn't one that gets dropped very often in my (admittedly largely 70s-centric) circles but having scored more than 100 movies he can hardly be described as an unknown. The previous soundtracks by him posted here have both been very good (one even included in the 100 Bollywood Soundtracks book) and the same can be said for 1951's 'Albela'.

It's all cheerful and sweet and sort of innocent sounding, full of tuneful songs, mostly performed by Lata Mangeshkar and Chitalkar, the latter being the composer in his playback singer guise. I could name any number of highlights; the dainty 'Dil Dhadke Nazar Sharmae', the carnivalesque 'Diwana Parwana', the children's song 'Dhire Se Aaja Ri Akhiyan Men' (Lata's version of which has actually been featured before), the addictive 'Bholi Soorat Dil Ke Khote'... your best bet though is to simply play the soundtrack from the beginning, close your eyes, relax, and let its wonderful old-world music envelop you.

Track listing:
1. Lata Mangeshkar, Chitalkar & Chorus: Shola Jo Bhadke
2. Lata Mangeshkar: Dil Dhadke Nazar Sharmae
3. Lata Mangeshkar, Chitalkar & Chorus: Diwana Parwana
4. Chitalkar: Qismat Ki Hawa Kabhi Naram
5. Lata Mangeshkar & Chitalkar: Teri Yaad Ne Mara
6. Lata Mangeshkar & Chitalkar: Dhire Se Aaja Ri Akhiyan Men
7. Lata Mangeshkar: Dhire Se Aaja Ri Akhiyan Men
8. Lata Mangeshkar: Balma Bada Nadan
9. Mohd. Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar: Diwana Aagaya
10. Lata Mangeshkar & Chitalkar: Sham Dhale Khidki Tale
11. Chitalkar & Chorus: Haseenon Se Mohabbat Ka
12. Lata Mangeshkar, Chitalkar & Chorus: Bholi Soorat Dil Ke Khote

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Ramlal: Sehra (1963)

Ramlal Choudhary's 'Geet Gaya Patharonne' from 1964 was one of last year's most pleasing discoveries, subsequently featured in the book '100 Bollywood Soundtracks Every Music Ought To Hear'. His previous score 'Sehra' is almost as good.

I'm not sure if it's his use of the steel guitar (or is it an Indian equivalent?) that gives songs like 'Taqdir Ka Fasana' and 'Hum Hain Nashe Men Tum Ho Nashe Men' a curious country & western tinge; regardless they are both superb. (On Mohd. Rafi's version of 'Taqdir Ka Fasana' the steel guitar is replaced by a snake charmer's pungi.) 'Ja Ja Jare Tujhe Hum Jan Gaye' and 'Tum To Pyar Ho' are perhaps more conventional, yet still great. And best of all, Lata Mangeshkar's 'Punkh Hote To Ud Aati', featuring both weird and wonderful instrumental details, is a song of hypnotic beauty.

There's not a lot of information on Ramlal to be found on the Internet. I think he worked in the industry as a flute player; could it be these were the only two films he scored himself?

Track listing:
1. Hemant Kumar: Na Ghar Mera Na Ghar Tera
2. Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd. Rafi: Ja Ja Jare Tujhe Hum Jan Gaye
3. Mohd. Rafi: Lagi Must Nazar Ki Katar
4. Lata Mangeshkar: Taqdir Ka Fasana
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Punkh Hote To Ud Aati
6. Asha Bhosle: Hum Hain Nashe Men Tum Ho Nashe Men
7. Lata Mangeshkar & Mohd. Rafi: Tum To Pyar Ho
8. Mohd. Rafi: Taqdir Ka Fasana

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S.D. Burman: Chhupa Rustam (1973)

1973 appears to have been a good year for SD Burman. I posted his excellent 'Jugnu' a little while ago; 'Chhupa Rustam' [review] [2] is of a similar vein. 'Jo Main Hota' is its first highlight, fresh and joyous, followed by the groovy 'Bolo Kya Ham Ko Doge'. Things are subsequently toned down a bit; Kishore's evocative 'Dheere Se Jana' and Lata's haunting 'Suno Suno Suno' are both lovely. My personal favourite though is Asha's sexy 'Jaloon Main Jale Mera Dil'; it was featured on a compilation of cabaret numbers but it doesn't actually look like one. Regardless, it's fantastic. And rounding off, 'Main Hoon Chhui Mui' has a cool and laidback jazzy vibe.

Unfortunately my copy of this album is somewhat trashed; I've cleaned as much as I can but you'll hear a bit of background noise on tracks 4-7. I'll be looking for an upgrade and will certainly post that should I find one.

Track listing:
1. Manna Dey & Chorus: Chhupa Rustam Hain
2. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Jo Main Hota
3. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Bolo Kya Ham Ko Doge
4. Kishore Kumar: Dheere Se Jana
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Suno Suno Suno
6. Asha Bhosle: Jaloon Main Jale Mera Dil
7. Asha Bhosle: Main Hoon Chhui Mui

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Laxmikant Pyarelal: Khilona (1970)

A hunch that it wan't the most interesting of soundtracks is the reason I've passed on several copies of Laxmikant Pyarelal's 'Khilona' over the years. Finding a real cheap one I finally succumbed, but I have to admit my suspicions were confirmed.

Ok, it has 'Roz Roz Roz' which to be fair is a pretty cool jazzy rock 'n' roll number and the track that made me consider the album at all. It sounds like something Shankar Jaikishan could have done; good, upbeat fun, though not as memorable as either composing duo's best stuff. Apart from that there isn't anything here I find noteworthy. 'Khilona Jan Kar' is pleasantly atmospheric and might be growing on me, the rest, while not necessarily bad, fails to really grab me.

Track listing:
1. Mohd. Rafi: Khilona Jan Kar
2. Mohd. Rafi & Asha Bhosle: Main Sharabi Nahin
3. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Roz Roz Roz
4. Mohd. Rafi: Khush Rahe Too Sada
5. Lata Mangeshkar: Sanam Too Bewafa
6. Manna Dey & Chorus: Yeh Natak Kavi

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