A PANCHAM EVENING

It is common knowledge that music maestro R D Burman recieved persistent flak from the purists of Bollywood film industry during the mid and late 60s for being stereotypically "western" in his compositions, and predictably so. But we, the "Pancham-Maniacs" - a generation born in the late 60s and early 70s - saw them being proved wrong. We derived special satisfaction, one that comes from sweet old revenge taken over time with vintage subtlety, as Pancham blew the critics and cynics away into extinction in his own audacious way, the same way he put his rebel mind and soul into his music.

Perhaps it was a desi Woodstock rebellion that Pancham came with. The beat of Bollywood changed and the songs now thrilled with audacious chord progressions, and never-before-used combination of musical instruments gave out a New Sound that dramatized movie sequences. The songs saw the Sitar and the electric bass come into jazzy communion in recording studios and new age pop was created with eukelele and pickle-flute, harmonica and maracas. The music was as flashy and fearless as the Flower generation which threw Jive out of the dance floors and tapped its ankle-boots in Rumba rhythm. The bass drum had the triple bongo now while the tenor saxophone courted the violin.

All this while, songs of Bahaaron Ke Sapne and Amar Prem, Chhote Nawaab and Zurmana to name a few from an unending list, continued to lay siege over the hearts and minds of music n movie buffs all over the country. Cynics pointed fingers at "O Haseena Zulfwali" but ingored "Tumne Mujhe Dekha", at "Dum Maro Dum" but missed "Raina Beet Jaye", at "Duniya Mein Logo Ko" but looked through "Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Du". At the end critics run out of breath, retiring for good.

While we all lived through the best decade of our lives, tapping feet with "Aao Twist Kare", "Piya Tu Ab To Aa Ja", "Lekar Hum Diwaana Dil", "Chala Jata Hoon", "Wada Karo Nahin Chhorogi Tum", "Ek Main Aur Ek Tu",
dusky evenings and primitive transistors made magic for us in the dream decade, as we listened to "Kuch To Log Kahenge", "O Majhi Re", "Main Shayar Badnaam", "Beeti Na Beetayi Raina", "Phir Wohi Raat Hain", "Sawaan Ke Jhoole Pade"...

The 70s had arrived. We had arrived too.

Today evening as I was watching R D Burman songs being played out on television, I identified for one more time, Catalan Folk chords that progressed in thrilling meters with "Jaane Jaan Dhundta Phir Raha". The movie was Jawaani Deewani. It reminded me of "Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani" to which I used to throw my legs under the shower when I was 7. It was Magic then.

I discovered the source of that Magic 10 years later when I practised the chords of Blue Grass Jazz in my acoustic guitar in the rooms of Calcutta School of Music. The realization was a new Magic for me too. I knew I'd fallen in love with Pancham. I was a happy boy whom Pancham would keep waiting and hungry with his endless enthusiasm. And Times of ever fresh melodies would follow that stopped to take a breath as "Rim Jhim Rim Jhim" entralled us. 

Need I say more? Or anything at all? Nope. He said "Kuchh Na Kaho" while leaving. 
He lives on in our hearts.

PYAASA - PATRIOTISM

Days back, during a casual online hit chat, I and my recently introduced lady friend came to the extremely relevant to our contemporary times, now oft-trodden pasture of Patriotism. I am an Indian and live in Mumbai,(my dear friend resides in a foreign land) and so it wasn't long before Bollywood movies were invited into the virtual dialogue.I'm still feeling bad because I guess I startled her big time by replying, "Pyaasa", when she asked what were my favourite movies on Patriotism.

During any interaction of mine about country, pride, patriotism, idealism. (etc..you know the drill) elements of loud (and empty) rhetoric and jingoism frequently rush in fast which soon make it center-stage, pushing the actual topic off it. I'm trying hard and am hopeful that soon I'll fully realize the futility, the futility of playing host to vices like these,) and grandstanding should follow Content, and not precede it.

I'm disappointed that I couldn't succeed at least this time as the nonsuspectingly poor lady showed strong expressions, of shock and disbelief. Since then I am trying hard and since morning I've been doing that only. It's a tedious job - making a refreshed list which should contain national flags, wars and sacrifices and soldiers and firepower and bazookas and car pert-bombings..
Certainly not "Pyaasa'.

Old habits die hard. I am a bit disconcerted, so here I am once again having a problem in problematic times, searching an answer. Pleading for Help as always. This problem compels me to go back in time so that I remember a few things.

I was 9 years old. Our recently purchased television was in a wooden cabinet, which had a wooden double-door entry. Movies shown on Door Darshan on Saturday afternoon, had a crowd of curious audience, overawed and revelling in the magic monochrome melody that came out pof it..

One Saturday afternoon, it was 'Pyaasa'. Ma was visibly excited and happy, ready to watch an old favourite, and songs that perhaps used to make her reminisce of her emotions during her teen years...(she was frank about that trait with me in privacy). I didn't feel very deep though. But yes, what classics used to be composed in Hindi movies! The gems were immortalized - as we see around us today. Sometime during the movie, I went out to answer nature's loud call. On my way back, nature silenced for now, I was still outside the room when I heard a song coming out of the TV.   
It was Mohammed Raft's voice, lipped by Guru Dutt, his soulful eyes and his thin yet prominent and deep furrows that looked over frowned brows, eyes that were fatigued and sad, trying to hide an intense fire that raged on till his death. still don't know. At that age I could understand Hindi to an extent that could cover day to day demands of survival. I hadn't  understood many sequences in the movie, particularly why sad expressions persisted even after the saddening causes were taken care of (I was completely ignorant about complexities of the human mind, of  things fine and nuanced, if unchecked would  result in complications.) 

" KAHA HAIN,
JISSE NAAZ HAIN HIND PAR,
WOH KAHA HAIN,
KAHA HAIN
KAHA HAIN.......?....."

I still have goosebumps. It was an overwhelming wave of previously unthinkable courage, of Hope  that told me that there are many things of interest outside the world of books, paint brushes, cricket and school. It told me that one day I have to think deeply which shall direct the script of every day of the life I'll live.

Patriotism is not meant to be instilled in times of war and bloodshed. It is already there during Creation, it is there when a child is born, so that it can identify it as an intended suggestion already put so that no war and bloodshed take place.