Year 2003: Best Music Director - Shankar Ehsaan and Loy for the movie Kal Ho Na Ho.(What a joke!)
Year 1996: Best Music Director - Nadeem-Shravan for the movie Raja Hindustani.(You must be kiddin’ me.)
Recording the best love songs of the 80s, 90s and the 2000s was kinda arduous’coz there were a very few to choose from. It was even hard to find a handful of those 18-carat love songs. I think grouping love songs from the 50s, 60s and the 70s is backbreaking, ’coz these decades are simply blessed with tons of 24-carats.
We are talking about the decades where the likes of SD Burman, Naushad, Salil Chowdhury, Shanker-Jaikishen and RD Burman ruled the music culture of India. These musical champions were blessed with lyrics writers such as Shailendra, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Aazmi and Gulzar. These blokes had the liberty to use singers such as Kishore, Rafi, Manna Dey, Talat, Lata and Asha. And who can forget the talented singer-composer Hemant Kumar and his illustrious ’Tum Pukar Lo’. Even a savvy music director like Madan Mohan couldn’t really sustain the competition during those times and he eventually found salvation in alcohol. Calling it The Golden Era of Indian Music is surely legitimized.
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The Legends of Amour
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Hemant Kumar: Salil Chowdhury once said’If God could sing he would have a voice like Hemant Kumar’. Its so true of this man who created wonders with his voice and music. He was awarded a filmfare for the best music director for’Nagin’ in the year 1955 but sadly couldn’t ever get his hands on the best playback singer award.
The Works
Tum Pukar Lo-Khamoshi: Written by Gulzar, sung and composed by Hemant Kumar, is a very nostalgic number which broods over reminiscent love.
Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeeb Thi-Khamoshi: I personally think this is one of the best ever by Kishore. Written by Gulzar and composed by Hemant, Woh Shaam rocks.
Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni Phir Kahan-Jaal: Composed by SD Burman, this song has two versions. The second version is a duet along with Lata. Hemant is adorable in both the versions. Love the line ’Lehron ke labon par hain khoye hue afsaane, gulzar umeedon ke, sab ho gaye veerane’.
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SD Burman: A brilliant composer, Sachin Dev Burman was born in the royal family of Tripura. His coalition with the likes of Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt and Dev Anand’s Navketan got out some of the best works of his life.
The Works
Waqt Ne Kiya-Kaagaz Ke Phool:’Creativity at its best’. Amazing lyrics by Kaifi Azmi and fantastic vocals by Geeta Dutt. This is one of those numbers which really gets my mind wandering into an infinite nostalgic space.
Jalte Hain Jiske Liye-Sujata: The highlight of this love song is Talat Mehmood’s virginal voice.very pure.
Kora Kaagaz Tha Yeh Mann Mera-Aradhna: Kishore and Lata render this romantic number. SD Burman won a filmfare for this movie who was also responsible for resurrecting Kishore’s singing career.
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Salil Chowdhury: The first thing that comes to my mind when talking about Salil Chowdhury is Bimal Roy’s ’Madhumati’. What amazing numbers this movie had. Lata’s Aaja Re Pardesi, the Mukesh-Lata duet Dil Tadap Tadap Ke Keh Raha Hai and Zulmi Sangh Aankh Ladi are some everlasting love songs penned by Shailendra. Another romantic number compoed by Salil Chowdhury that I adore is Jaaneman Jaaneman Tere Do Nayan from the movie Choti Si Baat.
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Naushad: Considered as one the greatest composers of Indian Cinema, Naushad is a genius when it comes to hindustani classical music.With the adeptness he incorporated classical music in indian cinema is awe worthy. Some beautiful love songs from his stables are Jab Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya and Mohabbat Ki Jhooti Kahani Pe Roye from Mughal-E-Azam, Tu Ganga Ki Mauj from Baiju Bawra and Chalo Dildar Chalo from Pakeezah. It seems he recorded the songs for Mughal-E-Azam in a carpet padded room to cut down the echo effect. His long lasting tie up with Dilip Kumar produced many awesome numbers.
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RD Burman: One of the most popular figures of the Indian music arena, Pancham achieved his legendry status after he died. He along with a few others ruled the Indian music scene in the 70s. His versatile compositions varied from classical music to fast paced disco numbers. There is a lot to be said about his magnitude as a composer which will actually eat up 2-3 reviews on Mouthshut.
The Works
Phir Wohi Raat Hai-Ghar: A very romantic number written by Gulzar and sung by Kishore. This song is one of my personal favourites. Catch Line: ’Kaanch ke khwaab hain, aankhon mein chubh jaayenge, palkon mein lena inhen, aankhon mein ruk jaayenge’.
Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai-Kati Patang: A beautiful Kishore number. I love the pictorialization, where drunk Rajesh Khanna preaches love as a stumbling block.
Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi-Aandhi: This is Pancham and Gulzar at their best. Melody and indepth poetry at their heights. I consider this song as Pancham’s all time best. I wonder how many people actually understand this song. It took me years to really understand what Gulzar wanted to depict. I loved it more when actually I understood the https://lyrics. Catch Line: ’Jee Mein Aata hai, tere daaman mein, sar chupa ke hum .rote rahein.tere bhi aankhon mein aansoon ki nami toh nahin?’
Tere Bina Jiya Jaaye Na-Ghar: Another Pancham-Gulzar romantic number sung by Lata. Love the way Pancham makes use of base guitars in thie number. Makes you fall in love all over again.
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Miscellaneous: I hate to add some artists under this title(only if mouthshut gave me an option exceeding the limit of 8000 words).
A few other love songs I would like to add on to my list are Aap Ki Nazron Ne Samjha Pyar Ke Kaabil Mujhe from Anpadh composed by Madan Mohan, Woh Haseen Dard De Do from Humsaaya and Bahut Shukriya Badi Merbaani from Ek Musafir Ek Haseena by OP Nayyar. Surely these two music directors deserve separate sections for their legendry compositions.
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PS: I really hope you enjoy this read. Would look forward to your ratings and com