Hey Prakash,

You know how it is with Pancham - once you get started - you're
hooked. Learned my lesson from the corny line on the LP cover of
SHALIMAAR - Turn on this LP - the music will turn you on.

There are quite some movies that Pancham was priveleged to compose
for - which really do justice to his vision for his compositions.
This makes discussing the music and its shot execution an easy
affair.

However please do not expect me to speak with enthusiasm on a movie
like BE-LAGAAM........

....but then what the heck...maybe I can:

Imagine an over-the-hill Rakesh Roshan with his ill-fitting wig
cavorting around as a college student. Imagine a tired, haggard,
hardly-in-touch-with-Bollywood Moon Moon Sen as the college
student's love interest.

Now throw in some chappie-wannabe-hero - whose-father-is-stinking-
rich, hence produces this movie. He forcibly (in script too) poses
as the 3rd angle to the triangle.

Besides Pancham's music, the next best interesting thing about the
movie I found was the movie title logo - interlaced with runnng wild
horses - BE-LAGAAM indeed.

But what about Pancham's music. Here's my take:

Pancham must've closed his eyes to the storyline, the cast and
imagined that he was composing for a refreshing love story directed
by Ravi Tandon.

1. Hence...'Phoolon Ki Daali' - one of the supreme love songs
relegated to anonymity thanks to T-Series marketing of Pancham
music. Suresh Wadkar for a change, maintains good company to Asha -
reminding us of the SUNNY days. An obvious rehash of an older tune,
Pancham reminds listeners of the 90s of the tunes they/got ignored
in the 70s. JAWANI-style keyboards, the familiar tabla beats
following the antara's - tell-tale marks of Pancham's expertise.

2. Then there is the 'dosti' number..(Yeh Zindagi Zinda Hai Pyar Se -
Shailendra-Aziz)...which actually grows on you with oft-repeat-
listening. Although Mohd. Aziz too-sincere rendering tends to put
you off in many places. Pancham once again displays the ease with
which he can incorporate electronic music, simple keyboards, etc. in
his music.

As observed by many, Pancham's use of the keyboard to substitute a
large orchrestra - especially in cheaper productions (like ANYAY HI
ANYAY, DIL TERA HUA) - leaves a lot to be desired - especially for
solid Panchamites - so used to extended interludes, experimentation
in the usage of instruments, etc.

Somehow the 2nd part of this 'dosti' number's mukhada reminds me of
the line 'Zindagi Dard Hai...Pyar Dard Ki Dawaa' from the DACAIT
song 'Maine Kaha Tumne Suna'.

And to add to my theory of Pancham closing his eyes to the movie's
production values and starcast, he uses the voice of Shailendra
Singh for Rakesh Roshan. Not that Pancham has consistently
associated a certain singer's voice with Rakesh Roshan - given most
his songs were composed by brother RR.

Word of caution: Imagine the picturisation - the hero in a dhak-chik
80s sleeveless vinyl jacket, Rakesh Roshan in dhik-chak college-boy
jacket - both dancing around, riding bikes and general dosti-dosti
hugs!

3. The next song - 'O Bewafaa O Bewafaa' - dunno where and how to
slot this as a Pancham song. As the title suggests it has Mohd Aziz
(singing for the other hero) accusing Kavita Krishnamurhty (playback
for Moon Moon) of infidelity. But on listening to the antara's
instantly reminds you of the forgotten Pancham. More like
BENAAM's 'Yaara O Yaara Ishq Ne Maara'.

So this song of the 90s should put to rest any speculation out there
that 'Yaara O Yaara' was composed by Narendra Chanchal. Pancham can
compose too - thank you. (Tantamount to saying that the BOBBY
song 'Beshaq Mandir Masjid Todo' was composed by Chanchal - phew!)

Kavita Krishnamurthy - Pancham's increasing femal vocal of the 90s
does more than justice to her part in this song - even when Pancham
throws her bit and parts - she delivers with relish. And I found her
voice a very good suit for Moon Moon Sen.

4. The last song of the movie 'Dil Mein Lagi Hai' - once again a
fantastic number - but also dangerously alarming - because Pancham
decides to experiment with Mohd. Aziz's voice for a song of joyful
abandon. Aziz struggles yet manages to deliver.

This is another song - which as said in Hindi - almost - Gayi Bhains
Paani Mein. The other song being 'Aankhon Hi Aankon Mein' from SHIVA
KA INSAAF. Usage of Munna Aziz's vocals is strange indeed - and
would turn anyone one but a hardcore Panchamite off. BTW, 'Aankon Hi
Aankhon Mein' must rate in the league with 'Roz Roz' - what with its
incredible guitar piece in prelude, Asha's echoing voice. Dadoo
Sippy first practised the picturisation of a soft romantic number
with 'Aankhon Hi' progressing to 'Roz Roz'.

Coming back to 'Dil Mein Lagi Hai' - this song has Kavita forming
the duet. And this number is a classy example of what Pancham had in
mind and how he was failed in its much-lacking execution.

Imagine the same racy number in KK and Asha's voice and you have
another 'Tumhein Chodh Ke Ab Jeene Ko Jee To Nahin'. But in the 90s
we have to make do with Munna Aziz, Kavita and TSeries...and oh I
forgot - that strange hero, Moon Moon and Rakesh Roshan cavorting as
college kids.

For the real serious hardcore Panchamites - the climax of this movie
is worth it. I hand around till the end - since my ears thirst for
every drop of the background score...and the desire to read
Pancham's name again in the credits. Suffice to say - the hero does
a 80s style Bachchan - dying in the arms of a dis-interested Rakesh
Roshan and an incredulously distracted Moon Moon Sen.

Loin

--- In pancham@yahoogroups.com, "Prakash Jain" <rdbfanforlife@h...>
wrote:
> shashi,
>
> when i said "shashi is on an editorial diet" - doesn't mean you
rebel and go
> an editing binge :-)
>
> good to hear from you though...did you have all this in your head,
and typed
> it up impromptu? Boss, if you did, I am totally and thoroughly
impressed N
> times over.
>
> prj
>
> ************************************
> Prakash Jain
> ** Rahul Dev Burman Fan, For Life **
>
>
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: "shashirao <pancham@c...>" <pancham@c...>
> Reply-To: pancham@yahoogroups.com
> To: pancham@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Pancham] Re: Vinay...some folks are missing - changed to
LAVA
> Date: Tue, 07 Jan 2003 16:49:06 -0000
>
> Prakash/Vinay,
>
> Unfortunately there are hardly any threads worth discussing -
mostly
> personal notifications and oft-repeated topics.
>
> ... < deleted > ...
>
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