Manzilen Apni Jagah

Unarguably one of the best sad songs of Kishoreda-Amitabh combination. And also one of the finest composition of Bappi Lahiri. This song is from the Amitabh starrer 'Sharaabi' and in the movie comes at the time when Big B's co-star and his love interest in the movie gets away from him and so is naturally unhappy and he sings this soulful number in a party. This song for me is what it is because of Kishoreda-Amitabh amazing combination. One sings with his heart in it and other enacts the same with his heart in it. It feels as if the actor is actually singing, because Amitabh is that good. Remember another gem of a sad songs of this hit jodi.. "O Saathi Re" which is as beautiful as this one too. Listen to this one for the amazing vocals by apna Kishoreda at his very soulful best. He sings this with such expressions that you begin to feel if he himself has lost someone and is crying in his heart. and then when you watch Amitabh enacting it with those expressions and tear in his eyes and then one begin to feel if he himself has lost someone important in his life. Its not singing.. its not acting...Its two masters of their craft at their very best. So watch..listen.... and just..enjoy...
Click here to Watch the video

Aake Seedhe Laga Yeh Gaana Dil Pe Jaise Katariyaa O Saawariya Oye!!!!!!!!

To rephrase a famous dialogue from a classic movie “Casablanca”: Of all the male-female comedy songs, in all the music industry in all the world I like this the most”. This is a duet song and both the male and female voice is effectively rendered by our own Mad Genius Kishoreda, who else!!!! The story behind this song is an interesting one which Salil Chowdary (the music director) himself remembered in of his interviews and it goes, apparently the female version was to be done by Lata Mangeshkar but she had some problem on the day of recording and our Kishoreda suggested that he would sing her lines too in a female voice and which he did successfully and the rest is the history. The situation of the song is Kishoreda is running from the villain Pran and in his attempt he disguises himself as a woman and Pran recognizes him immediately and the song follows both acting as a lovers. So Pran’s voice is actual male Kishoreda and female Kishoreda is Kishoreda himself. This song to hear is delight but to watch is absolute eye treat and laugh riot like nothing else. Both Kishoreda, who unarguably is one of the finest comic actor ever and Pran too one of the finest actor Indian film industry ever had, gets into their respective get ups and delivers a knock out performances. I guess the reason this songs works so well especially when we watch in the movie is because of Kishoreda’s male and female voice, since the situation is funny it probably wouldn’t have been that fun had any female singer sung it and it would have turned into any other common duet song. Listen to the song to observe how beautifully Kishoreda changes his vocals from male and female and vice versa. Unquestionably he is a true rare genius.

Over the years I heard many singers trying to imitate this song but believe me no one comes even near to Kishoreda’s magical rendition.

By the by, this song is from the movie "Half Ticket". Watch it if you haven't already it is very funny movie, thanks to Kishoreda, Madhubala and Pran for their amazing chemistry and comic timings.

Watch it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB8YqexGz88

Funniest Duet

Guys, let me now bring to you one of the funniest song ever in every sense, be it acting, singing, lyrics, music, choreography, this one has it all and in best way possible and its from a gem of comedy movies “Padosan”. The song is a singing competition between Dutt and Mehmood on screen and persons lending their voices off screen are Kishoreda (actually, even on screen) and Manna Dey. You must have known the song by now its “Ek Chatur Naar”. There are very few duet songs such energetic and full of fun as this one and I think the major credit must go to playback singing by apna Guru off course and Dey, and this Jodi has given us some real good gems in their time as both complimented each other well with their own unique singing talent and one song of this Jodi I remember of the top of my head is “Yeh Dosti” from Sholay another duet gem, though little credit must also go to Panchamda for challenging notes and handling these two towering artists and to lyricist for writing the lines. The singing by both the artist is sheer madness at its best and both achieving all together a different level of energy of performing madness in singing and of taking a song to total different level of their own and watch the video to see actors enacting prime madness to enjoy this song totally, 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

I must say as a Kishoreda fan this song is common for one, but Manna Dey too is at his absolute prime in this number (I like his “Tu Pyaar Ka Saagar”, “Kasme Waade Pyaar Wafa”, “Yaari Hain Imaan Mera”are some of my favorites of his songs other), now coming back to Kishoreda, I will admit the reason for bringing this duet here so soon was that I was reading some article about Manna Dey’s autobiography and I came across few of his own words about this song and Kishoreda in general, and rather than me wrting something same again let me quote MD here in his own words from "Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography" :
"I was especially cautious when asked to sing for Mehmood in Ek chatur naar with Kishore Kumar. The latter had a unique and unaffected style of singing which tended to eclipse the subtleties of classical music, and place his singing partner, in a duet, at a disadvantage. To be put in the shade by Kishore's flamboyant style of singing was a distinct possibility and, to counter the risk, I decided to work with Pancham, striving to build on my strengths and find a way of holding my own."
"On the day we were to record Ek chatur naar, the entire staff at the studio stood outside the glass-door to watch Kishore and me sing. For the two of us, the session had taken on the magnitude of a duel. It took us 12 hours - the recording started at 9 am and ended at 9 pm - to complete it, and I must admit, Kishore was in his element that day. Out of this tough battle to outshine one another, would emerge a new star in the world of music."
Such words from an artist like Manna Dey, a classically trained singer, genius in his own ways only shows the phenomenon called Kishore, how effective he was even without classical training and which many saw as disadvantage when he was starting his career back in 40’s and till late 60’s no one except very few took him seriously, but after all “Toofan ko kya koi rok paaya hain, and Kishoreda was that Toofan of Indian music industry that rocked the music industry in 70’s and mid 80’s”.
Enough of me now, enjoy the song and see the phenomenon called “Ek Chatur Naar” and praise the efforts of all the players involved with the song in making it what it is.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HwrMGpFaik
Adios,