Shammi Kapoor

Swarapriya,

Char Dil Char rahen is a nice album. I like its songs very much.

The missing song 'saanj ki laali' is none other than 'Intezar Aur Abhi'. Apparently, there are some audio of this song without the first antara; therefore the confusion.
I saw a note on 'Stella O Stella' song that it was reused in Superman Ki Wapas (1960).
Finally, the 'Saathi Re' song has four singers (Mukesh, Manna Dey, Mahendra Kapoor, Meena Kapoor).

Exon

Superman Ki Wapas (1960)

Never heard of the film but its from 1960 so there a good chance of sum Rafi Nos in there. Are there any?

Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957)

Finally here is the movie where real Shammi arrived. It was a long way coming but came he did and with such a thud that it made waves all over the Hindi film world. After this movie, for Shammi, for his fans, and his movies were never going to be the same again.

Under the guidance of his wife Geeta Bali, Shammi went through a complete metamorphis for this movie to give one last gasp try to save his professional carrier. With so many critics panning him to be another Raj Kapoor look-alike, he shaved his upper lip. He studied carefully why Elvis Presley and James Dean were so popular with youth all over the world. He groomed his hair Jimmy Dean style. He took a guitar and added twists and turns to his acting a la Elvis even though he could not play it.

When "Tumsa Nahin Dekha" was released, people immediately embraced this new incarnation of Shammi. He was an overnight boxoffice sensation. Things in Bomaby film world were never going to be the same anymore.

This movie had a first-time director, Nasir Hussain. He was a popular writer for Filmistan Studios. One of his most popular story was Dev Anand-starrer "Munimji". Hussain also wrote the story and the screenplay for the movie. Its heroine, Ameeta was a protege of the head of the Filmistan Studio. He was relaunching her with this movie. All the camera work, lighting, exposure, and publicity were carefully centered around her. But when the movie was released, people flocked theatres to watch mostly Shammi and listen to OP's magical music.

The movie's huge success was eminently aided by one of the best scores OP provided in his career until that time. Every song was a huge hit. Every song left a deep impression on its listeners. To aid him were superb singing by Rafi Saab and Ashaji. Majrooh Saab wrote all of the lyrics except the title song. The title song was written by Sahir Saab. Originally Sahir Saab was signed to write the lyrics for the movie. He was coming off from a crowning achievement of penning lyrics for Guru Dutt's human saga "Pyaasa". He was in mood to write similar lyrics and was not ready for the type of lyrics this movie demanded. So Nasir Hussain quietly replaced Sahir Saab with Majrooh Saab. Majrorh Saab did not disappoint. He was magnificent.

The title song sung by Ashaji that I am including here was not in the movie. I am also including an extended version of the song "Sar Par Topi". This is a DVD rip. Now for the details of the songs and the songs themselves ...

While it is by now well-known to all as to what a knowledgeable member and what a great contributor you are, your recent forays into high-funda Telugu musical issues here and elsewhere have really surprised me!!!

Venkat

Dil Deke Dekho (1959)

This movie is worth remembering not for the introduction of Asha Parekh as a full fledged heroine (she acted as a child artiste before) and not what a big boxoffice smash it was, but for one and only one thing. Usha Khanna. What a stunning debut as a music director by Khanna ji. Anyone can be proud of such a smashing debut. Especially in the male dominated field. How many female music directors can we count? I don't know anyone in recent times. I don't know anyone. Period. This may be because of my ignorance. But I know at least there was one instance. P. Bhanumati, a great singer, writer, humorist, actress, producer, director, did also compose music for one movie in Telugu. I believe it was "Chandirani". There may be other instances which I am not aware of.

According to Wikipedia, apparently Usha Khanna didn't even have musical training. Her father was a singer as well as a song writer. It was O.P. Nayyar who introduced Usha Khanna to S. Mukherjee of Filmalaya Studios. It was for her singing. In this audition she sang a song that she composed music herself. Impressed Mukherjee asked Ms. Khanna to compose two songs per day for one year. But before the year was over he signed her to compose music for "Dil Deke Dekho". Eventhough the music for this movie was Nayyarish, it was nonetheless magnificent. Every song was a huge hit. The melodies she created still linger in music lovers' hearts.

It is a tribute to perseverence and creative skills of Usha Khannaji that she survived in this industry for nearly 50 years. No small achievement in this type of movie business.

There are nine songs in this movie. All of them were sung by Rafi Saab. Five of them are duets with Ashaji. My one of personal alltime favorites of Rafi Saab is the song "Hum Aur Tum Aur Yeh Sama". This song was also picturized by Nasir Hussain, the director, so sensually that makes an indelible and deep impression on your heart.

Interstingly, "Megha Re Bole/Bade Hain Dil Ke Kale" is one composite song in the album. In the movie also it was picturized back to back without interruption. In my opinion these are two separate songs. Therefore I am not only uploading the original version, but I am uploading these two songs separately. You may or may not want to download these songs separately.

Now for the details of the songs and the songs themselves ...

Usha Khanna is a truly (and probably the only) full-fledged female Music Director with a large number of successful Films, under her belt. P.Bhanumati had composed for just one movie in Telugu called "Chakrapani", and not "Chandirani". The MDs for Film:Chandirani in Telugu, Tamil as well as Hindi were C.Subbaraman and M.S.Viswanadhan.

Film:Chakrapani, for which Bhanumati was the MD, had some memorable compositions such as the Lori, "Mella Mellaga Challa Challga Raave Nidura Haayiga", the Tyagaraja Keertan, "Pakkala Nilabadi" and another Lori "Uyyala Jampala Lugaravaya".

Venkat