Naushadji & Dilip Kumar, Simple & Sweet Options

[swarapriya]

Naushad Ali-Dilip Kumar Filmography

If simiplicity is charm, then we can describe Naushadji’s music as very charming. It seems like he has done so much with so few instruments. An exponent of Hindustani music, his compositions always tapped the huge reservoir of the traditional music resources. From his struggling days in Bombay to a major music maestro he maintained that simiplicity in approach to music all his life. He never deviated from this path.

In a span of 65 or so years in the film industry, he composed roughly 70 films. By any yardstick this is not a huge number. But each one of those films were a work of art and charm. In an interview circa 1982, Naushadji said, "In my 62 years in the film industry, I composed music for 66 films. These days, you come across people who have done the music 200 films in two years. What I'm saying is that, we used to agonise over every tune and phrase in music, spend sleepless nights over a song, and work on it until it was perfected. And I am still looking for perfection." That commitment to perfection, that devotion to creating a lasting melodious tune were Naushadji’s drivers in his professional career.

Naushadji was recognized with several awards during his lifetime. These include Padma Bhushan, Filmfare award for Baiju Bawra (1952), Dadasaheb Phalke award, and Sangeet Natya Academy award.

Naushadji had a special relationship with Dilip Kumar saab. Professionally he composed for 15 films in which Dilip Kumar starred. Most of them were blockbusters. All of them had that charming music that was hallmark of Naushadji.

I happen to have the CD collection of all these films with Naushadji as composer and Dilip Saab as the actor. As time permits, in the coming weeks, I will try to share this music with the Forum membership.

The filmography of Naushadji and Dilip Kumar Saab is given in the following table. I will try to upload albums in the chronological order as they appear in the table below.

[swarapriya]

Aadmi (1968)

Here is another movie based on a Tamil hit. It never ceases to amaze me that why we honor, including myself, this kind of crappy movies. It is baseless. Utter sham. No social value. Of course we all have our weaknesses. For example, in my case, the only reason to go and see this was Dilipji and Naushadji. Also, I am sucker for Waheed Rehman's performances. I guess they all are good reasons why these movies are made and people like me go to watch them.

The only redeeming feature of this movie is that music is not like their previous outing "Ram Aur Shyam". Still I won't consider this among Naushadji's finer achievements.

Now for details of songs and songs themselves ...