Shankar Jaikishan: Bombay Talkie (1970)

I suppose technically 'Bombay Talkie' [review] [2] isn't a Bollywood film. A US production, made by the subsequently world-renowned duo of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, it nevertheless features several Indian star actors, deals with Bombay's film industry, and most importantly, is memorably scored by Shankar Jaikishan. Additionally, the soundtrack album was only released in India. So it definitely belongs on MFT3F.

Many of the tracks are variations on the film’s lovely title music, done in an assortment of styles. 'Now I Shall Call You Ma' (sitar based) and 'Picnic In The Cave' (flute and harpsichord) are particularly pleasing, as well as loungy vocal version 'Good Times, Bad Times', sung by the deliciously smoky-voiced Usha Iyer (aka Usha Uthup). She also performs the two versions of 'Hari Om Tat Sat', charming in a nostalgic sort of way. A bit of an earworm to be honest. With its eye-catching on-screen set, 'Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip' is the most famous song; an archetypal Shankar Jaikishan cabaret number.

Music from the film was later used to good effect by Wes Anderson for his 2007 film 'The Darjeeling Limited'.

Track listing:
1. Title and Theme: Bombay Talkie
2. Mohd. Rafi: Tum Mere Pyar Ki Duniyamen
3. Incidental Music
4. Devotion
5. Rajput Suite
6. Now I Shall Call You "Ma"
7. More Incidental Music
8. Usha Iyer: Hari Om Tat Sat (Disc version)
9. Usha Iyer: Hari Om Tat Sat (with Orchestra)
10. Picnic In The Cave
11. Birthday Party I
12. Kishore Kumar & Asha Bhosle: Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip
13. Meeting
14. Birthday Party II
15. Usha Iyer: Good Times, Bad Times


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