folk songs vs Mainstream cinema
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September 19th, 2007

An interesting post on PFC

Check out the comments.

There Are 16 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Qalandar on 19 September 2007:

    What a wonderful and passionate post! As an aside, while not strictly speaking folk I liked the whiff of a more traditional scent that was imparted to the song “Eye Gori” in Delhi Heights, and I have a great weakness for it…

  2. Comment by Qalandar on 19 September 2007:

    Though I think the author does not give enough credit to songs like “Namak Ishq Ka”, which in a sense have to “serve two masters”, i.e. not only the folk tradition but also the tradition of Hindi film music (which cannot be slighted)…

  3. Comment by Aarohi on 20 September 2007:

    Q: Did you catch Amir Khusro’s “Jihal-e-miskin” in the comments. Although I couldn’t understand most of it, it sounds so poetic.

    IIRC, Hairat-e-ashiqui from Guru is also inspired by some Amir Khusro song, right?

  4. Comment by Qalandar on 20 September 2007:

    I didn’t know about Hairat-e-Ashiqui, although the “Jhin Min Jhini” song from Maqbool certainly is (the “Aaj Rang Hai Ree Maa” poetry is from Khusrau; a Nusrat rendition of this is one of my alltime favorite Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan tracks).

    We had a thread on Zee haal miskeen on NG 1.0…

  5. Comment by Qalandar on 20 September 2007:

    Aarohi: btw, I don’t know if you know ths but there is a great website on Amir Khusro, and it features translations too. I paste the one for Zihal-e-Miskeen below:

    “Zehal-e miskin makun taghaful, duraye naina banaye batiyan;
    ki taab-e hijran nadaram ay jaan, na leho kaahe lagaye chhatiyan.
    Shaban-e hijran daraz chun zulf wa roz-e waslat cho umr kotah;
    Sakhi piya ko jo main na dekhun to kaise kaatun andheri ratiyan.
    Yakayak az dil do chashm-e jadoo basad farebam baburd taskin;
    Kise pari hai jo jaa sunaave piyare pi ko hamaari batiyan.
    Cho sham’a sozan cho zarra hairan hamesha giryan be ishq aan meh;
    Na neend naina na ang chaina na aap aaven na bhejen patiyan.
    Bahaqq-e roz-e wisal-e dilbar ki daad mara ghareeb Khusrau;
    Sapet man ke waraaye raakhun jo jaaye paaon piya ke khatiyan.

    Do not overlook my misery by blandishing your eyes,
    and weaving tales; My patience has over-brimmed,
    O sweetheart, why do you not take me to your bosom.
    Long like curls in the night of separation,
    short like life on the day of our union;
    My dear, how will I pass the dark dungeon night
    without your face before.
    Suddenly, using a thousand tricks, the enchanting eyes robbed me
    of my tranquil mind;
    Who would care to go and report this matter to my darling?
    Tossed and bewildered, like a flickering candle,
    I roam about in the fire of love;
    Sleepless eyes, restless body,
    neither comes she, nor any message.
    In honour of the day I meet my beloved
    who has lured me so long, O Khusro;
    I shall keep my heart suppressed,
    if ever I get a chance to get to her trick”

  6. Comment by Aarohi on 20 September 2007:

    Q: Thanks for the link. I wasn’t aware of this one.

    ARR said in an interview that he was fascinated by an Amir Khusro song/poem “Sharbat-e-aashiqui”. And, Hairat-e-aashiqui is an inspiration.

    Iam not sure about thenAmir Khusro part, but the original was Sharbat-e-aashiqui.

  7. Comment by Aarohi on 20 September 2007:

    Sorry Q, niw I know the name is Khusrau not Khusro.

  8. Comment by Qalandar on 20 September 2007:

    Aarohi: that’s just how they are spelling it, and maybe in Farsi that’s how it is pronounced, but in the sub-continent everyone always pronounces it khusrO, so I think you’re golden there!

  9. Comment by Qalandar on 20 September 2007:

    My other favorite Khusro poem (and another Nusrat favorite rendition) is “Chaap Tilak sab cheeni re mose naina milaike”…Kailash Kher has done a beautiful job on this too, changing the tune quite a bit from the one we usually hear, making for a mellower, less energetic but soulful version…

  10. Comment by Aarohi on 20 September 2007:

    I love Chaap Tilak from Kailasa Jhoomo Re.

    btw, Saathiya’s Naina Milaike is also inspired by Chaap Tilak.

  11. Comment by rks on 20 September 2007:

    I like Sharda Sinha’s songs but My favourite folk song in a film is “chalat musaafir moh liya re pinjhrewaali muniya” by Manna Dey in teesri Kasam.

    Q: Have you heard this song “Phulowri Bina Chutney Kaise Bani”.

  12. Comment by Qalandar on 20 September 2007:

    I haven’t heard it…

    The Manna Dey song is amazing, so wonderfully evocative even though I am not sure what it all means…

    In recent times, I liked the version of “Agle Janam Mohe Bitya Na Kijiyo” in UJ…

  13. Comment by Rocky on 20 September 2007:

    How about- Lambi Judai song of Hero !

  14. Comment by satyam on 20 September 2007:

    Great piece for sure. Thanks Aarohi..

  15. Comment by rks on 21 September 2007:

    Q: http://play.rhapsody.com/kanchan/kaisebani/kaisebani?didAutoplayBounce=true

    May have to download rhapsody player.

  16. Comment by rks on 21 September 2007:

    Btw I like the screen name “honhaar goonda” :)

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