Raj Kapoor, The Master Showman Options

[swarapriya]

I have heard the Sharda version in the past. It is somewhat slower than the Mukesh version. HFGK too shows it as a separate song sung by Sharda.

Pradeep

Okay. Now I see what you are saying. I thought you were referring to this song as a duet. I'm sorry I don't have the Sharda version you're referring to. May be someone can help.

Thanks,
S

[desai2rn]

I have heard the Sharda version in the past. It is somewhat slower than the Mukesh version. HFGK too shows it as a separate song sung by Sharda.

Pradeep

Okay. Now I see what you are saying. I thought you were referring to this song as a duet. I'm sorry I don't have the Sharda version you're referring to. May be someone can help.

Thanks,
S

I have seen the movie a couple of times but don't recall it in the movie.?

May be the song was deleted from the movie but released with music (LP).

[swarapriya]

Mera Naam Joker (1970)

Here is the magnum opus from Raj Kapoor that was described as his labor of love. It started in 1963 and took seven years to complete. When it was released, "Joker" was over five long hours. Later it was trimmed down considerably. The DVD that is available in the marketplace today, runs over four hours.

"Joker" had several stars including a Russian ballerina named Kseniya Ryabinkina who was one of Raj's love interest in the movie. It also had Padmini (who looked very chubby like Raj himself). It introduced Rishi Kapoor (as young Raj). Rishi actually appeared briefly in the song "Pyaar Hua" in Raj's earlier masterpiece "Shree 420." Its screenplay and dialogues were written by the great K.A. Abbas who penned so many memborable films for Raj. It boasted one of the magnificent music ever created for celluloid. Almost all songs composed by Shankar & Jaikishan were spectacular.

Incidentally the Russian actress Kseniya who starred in this movie will be acting in a new Hindi movie that is also to star Rishi Kapoor. The name of the movie is "Chintu Ji". By the way, in real life, Rishi's nick name is Chintu.

The movie won five Filmfare awards. These included awards for the best cinematography (for Radhu Karmakar), the best music (for Shankar & Jaikishan), the best direction (for Raj himself who directed the movie), the best singer (Manna Dey for "Aye Bhai"; probably this was the only time Manna won a Filmfare award), and the best sound recording (for A.K. Qureshi). Shankar & Jaikishan, who still hold record for bagging the most Filmfare awards for music, this was the only Raj Kapoor movie for which they bagged the award for. This movie has no songs by Lata Mangeshkar who was such a staple for the music duo's so many hit songs over their spectacular and unmatched career. All female playbalck singing for "Joker" was done by Asha Bhosle. Incidentally this is the last Raj Kapoor home production for whcih Shankar & Jaikishan provided music for.

Raj Kapoor spared no money in making this technicolor movie. It was pompous and flashy in its brilliance but was marred by heavy doses of egotism. The movie apparently was based on Raj's own life. It was a commercial flop when the movie was released and it was said that Raj nearly went broke and was ready to sell his studios to pay off debts. Fortunately for him, the Soviet Union purchased the movie salvaging Raj's problems.

Because of the number of songs, I will upload them in three separate back-to-back postings. Here is the first batch of songs ...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Apr 9 2009, 01:45 AM

[swarapriya]

Songs Of "Mera Naam Joker (1970)" Continued ...

Here is the second set of songs from "Mera Naam Joker". Englsih songs came from the Forum member contributions.

Rafi Saab makes a brief appearance with a beautiful number only he could sing. The song "Sadke" takes me back to "Baiju Bawra" days. What a great and majestic voice!

I am repeating "Ang Lag Jaa" song here. This one came from the "Legends" series. The only difference in this song is that it is preceded by a couple of words from the music director Shankar of Shankar & Jaikishan. Otherwise the song is the same.

Here are the songs ...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Apr 9 2009, 09:36 PM

[swarapriya]

Extended Songs Of "Mera Naam Joker (1970)"

Here is the last set of songs from the album "Mara Naam Joker". All these are extended versions at 160 Kb/S bit rate. These came from a DVD and the Forum membership.

Several of these songs are very long compared to the CD versions and yet they are long because they are either preceded or followed by lots and lots of music. "Ang Lag Jaa" song has 2 min 10 secs of music preceding the song. "Aye Bhai" song ends with one minute of music. "Jaane Kahaan" starts with 2 min 30 secs of music. "Kaate Na" song starts with 3 min 50 secs of music and ends with 1 min 10 secs of music. Finally, "Kehta Hai" starts with 1 min 20 secs of music and ends with 23 secs of music.

Now for the songs themselves ...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Apr 9 2009, 01:48 AM

[jigri1]

Thanks swarapriya !!! It surely was a magnum opus... It was quite ahead of its times though

[hildebrand]

Thanks SP for the uploads esp the extended versions.
It is said Sharda sang 3 songs for it which got deleted later. Were they ever released?

[Sukesh Hoogan]

Songs Of "Mera Naam Joker (1970)" Continued ...

Here is the second set of songs from "Mera Naam Joker". Englsih songs came from the Forum member contributions.

Rafi Saab makes a brief appearance with a beautiful number only he could sing. The song "Sadke" takes me back to "Baiju Bawra" days. What a great and majestic voice!

I am repeating "Ang Lag Jaa" song here. This one came from the "Legends" series. The only difference in this song is that it is preceded by a couple of words from the music director Shankar of Shankar & Jaikishan. Otherwise the song is the same.

Here are the songs ...

The correct credits for lyricists (not Indeevar)

1) Wish me luck as you wave good bye - Harry Parr Davies.

2) I come from Alabama with the banjo on my knees - Stephen Foster.

Regards
Sukesh

[swarapriya]

Thanks swarapriya !!! It surely was a magnum opus... It was quite ahead of its times though

Thanks for the observation, Jigri.

[swarapriya]

Thanks SP for the uploads esp the extended versions.
It is said Sharda sang 3 songs for it which got deleted later. Were they ever released?

Not sure. If my information is right, Sharda, a native and resident of Hyderabad, still lives there. May be someone from that city can contact her for help with these songs. I am sure she will be accommodating.

Cheers,
S

[swarapriya]

The correct credits for lyricists (not Indeevar)

1) Wish me luck as you wave good bye - Harry Parr Davies.

2) I come from Alabama with the banjo on my knees - Stephen Foster.

Regards
Sukesh

Thanks Sukesh for your input. I made the corrections you have suggested. Cheers. -S

[surhall]

Extended Songs Of "Mera Naam Joker (1970)"

Here is the last set of songs from the album "Mara Naam Joker". All these are extended versions at 160 Kb/S bit rate. These came from a DVD and the Forum membership.

Several of these songs are very long compared to the CD versions and yet they are long because they are either preceded or followed by lots and lots of music. "Ang Lag Jaa" song has 2 min 10 secs of music preceding the song. "Aye Bhai" song ends with one minute of music. "Jaane Kahaan" starts with 2 min 30 secs of music. "Kaate Na" song starts with 3 min 50 secs of music and ends with 1 min 10 secs of music. Finally, "Kehta Hai" starts with 1 min 20 secs of music and ends with 23 secs of music.

Now for the songs themselves ...

very very good this songs and 2nd part of this movie not made but songs was rec, mukesh ji, m kapoor others.pleas have this song???
dhall

[swarapriya]

very very good this songs and 2nd part of this movie not made but songs was rec, mukesh ji, m kapoor others.pleas have this song???
dhall

Dhall ji, I don't have the song or songs you're referring to. May be someone can come forward and help share.

S

[swarapriya]

Teesri Kasam (1966)

Here is one of the great movies of Indian cinema. Everything in this movie comes together as a tranquil distilled morning of a beautifully silent village. The acting, the story telling, the direction, the lyrics, the songs, and the whole gamit makes this one an outstanding achievement.

Shailendra bought rights to make this movie from a short story "Maare Gaye Gulfaam" by Phanishwar Nath Renu. He was fascinated with the two principle characters in the story and was willing to spend whatever he has to see the movie made. Shailendra originally had Meena Kumari and Mehmood in the roles that were eventually played by Waheeda and Raj respectively. He took an unknown Basu Bhattacharya, who was an assistant to the great Bimal Roy, to direct the movie. The simplicity and the lyrical nature of the movie has the imprint of a Bimalda movie all over.

Raj was a close and good friend of Shailendra. He had this inkling that this movie was not going to fly. He advised Shailendra against making the movie. But Shailendra was obsessed to see this movie through. It was said that Raj didn't want to take any renumeration for the movie. However, at Shailendra's insistence, he took one Rupee as a token for his efforts.

Raj apparently was not too happy with the choice of Basu Bhattacharya as the director. Basu was new and Raj wasn't too happy with the way things were going. In the end, this movie proved to be the greatest achievement of Basu.

The movie was originally scheduled to be shot in Bihar where the actual story takes place. But because of the dacoit problems after considering other sites, Igatpuri was selected. This is the same place where Bimalda's lyrical poem on celluloid, "Madhumati", was shot.

Both Waheeda and Raj gave wonderful performances. The performance of Waheeda reminds one of the heights she scaled in "Pyaasa" and "Guide". Shankar and Jaikishan provide some of the best music of their lives to some magnificent lyrics written by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Their music captured the simplicity, rustic nature, sweetness, and charm of rural areas.

This labor of love of Shailendra, "Teesri Kasam", when released won unanimous critical acclaim. But it was a financial disaster. Shailendra lost everything he owned. A broken man, Shailendra passed away on December 14, 1966. Ironically, December 14 also happens to be Raj's birthday.

"Teesri Kasam" won the President's Gold Medal for that year. It was also nominated for the Grand Prix award at the 1967 Moscow International Film Festival.

There are several songs in this album, and all are absolutely beautiful. I may have gotten one or two of the songs from the Forum. I will be posting these songs in two separate posts one following the other. Here are the details of the first posting ...

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Apr 19 2009, 04:48 AM

[swarapriya]

Songs Of "Teesri Kasam (1966)" Continued...

Here are the rest of the songs from this beautiful album ...