Best duets of Talat Mahmood and Asha Bhosle
When I wrote on Talat Mahmood’s peppy duets last year, it left many readers naturally unsatiated. He, of the velvety voice, is known more for his heart-touching, soft and romantic duets. The readers very generously gave a big list of his duets with various female singers, which they said, ought to be covered. I had to clarify that that post was about his atypical duets, which are very special as they reveal a lesser known side of Talat’s singing, and that I was planning to cover his soulful and soft duets later. One should think that this has to start with his duets with Lata Mangeshkar. The interesting point is that his duets with Asha Bhosle happen to be some of the most melodious and charming. I am also helped by the reader Amit Mandape, who provided a list of his duets with her. I pay my tribute to one of my most favourite singers by presenting what I consider his best duets with Asha Bhosle, on his birth anniversary February 24 (he was born on Feb 24, 1924).
Another significant point about Talat’s duets with Asha Bhosle is that some of these came at a time when Talat was at the top of his career, but Asha Bhosle was still in the shadows of her big sister. If at all, she would be seen as a potential successor to Geeta Dutt tradition. With all this handicap, the fact that these are among some of the best duets ever is not only due to Talat, but also to a great deal due to the unique voice of Asha Bhosle.
1. Pyas kuchh aur bhi bhadka di jhalak dikhala ke from Lala Rukh(1958), lyrics Kaifi Azmi, music Khayyam
A song which is so mesmerizing has to have a lot of things special about it. The poetry has to be by someone who has come from high literature. What lyrical words:
प्यास कुछ और भी भड़का दी झलक दिखला के
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा.
इतनी गुस्ताख़ न हो इश्क़ की अवारा नज़र
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा.
इतनी गुस्ताख़ न हो इश्क़ की अवारा नज़र
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
चाँद तारों को मयस्सर है नज़ारा तेरा
मेरी बेताब निगाहों से ये पर्दा क्यूं है
चाँद आईना मेरा तारे मेरा नक़्शे क़दम
ग़ैर को आँख मिलाने की तमन्ना क्यूं है
मेरी बेताब निगाहों से ये पर्दा क्यूं है
चाँद आईना मेरा तारे मेरा नक़्शे क़दम
ग़ैर को आँख मिलाने की तमन्ना क्यूं है
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
तुझको देखा तुझे चाहा तुझे पूजा मैंने
बस यही इस के सिवा मेरी खता क्या होगी
मैंने अच्छा किया घबरा के जो मुंह फेर लिया
इस से कम दिल के तड़पने की सज़ा क्या होगी
बस यही इस के सिवा मेरी खता क्या होगी
मैंने अच्छा किया घबरा के जो मुंह फेर लिया
इस से कम दिल के तड़पने की सज़ा क्या होगी
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
प्यास कुछ और भी भड़का दी झलक दिखला के
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा
इतनी गुस्ताख़ न हो इश्क़ की अवारा नज़र
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
प्यास कुछ और भी भड़का दी झलक दिखला के
तुझको पर्दा रुख-ए-रोशन से हटाना होगा
इतनी गुस्ताख़ न हो इश्क़ की अवारा नज़र
हुस्न का पास निगाहों को सिखाना होगा
And my English translation:
(M) You have whetted my desire even more by giving just an alluring glimpse
Now you will have to remove the veil from your lovely face
(F) Don’t be so audacious you wayward eyes of lust
The eyes must learn to respect the dignity of beauty
Now you will have to remove the veil from your lovely face
(F) Don’t be so audacious you wayward eyes of lust
The eyes must learn to respect the dignity of beauty
(M) The moon and stars have the privilege of seeing your grandeur
Then why this veil from my yearning eyes
(F) The moon is my mirror and stars my footsteps
Why should a stranger seek to savour my beauty
Then why this veil from my yearning eyes
(F) The moon is my mirror and stars my footsteps
Why should a stranger seek to savour my beauty
(M) I saw you, I fell for you and I revered you
What else was my fault except just this
(F) It was just right that I turned my face away out of nervousness
This was the least that had to happen to a yearning heart
What else was my fault except just this
(F) It was just right that I turned my face away out of nervousness
This was the least that had to happen to a yearning heart
And the picturisation. Talat Mahmood’s foray into acting was not a great success. But, handsome he was! Singing to the gorgeous Shyama, to the music by uniquely talented Khayyam, this is my top Talat-Asha duet by far, and one of the best ever duets of all.
2. Baharon ki duniya pukare tu aa ja from Laila Majnu (1953), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Ghulam Mohammad
Ghulam Mohammad is one music director whom I hugely admire. He was senior to Naushad in the industry and more successful in their early careers, but, ironically, later he became Naushad’s assistant in many films. I am told by insiders that he was behind some of the most well known compositions of Naushad. It does not seem too far-fetched. He gave some of the greatest songs of Talat. And when I see some great Talat songs on early Shammi Kapoor, I at times wish that he had not become ‘junglee’.
3. Chahe kitna mujhe tum bulaoge.. bol na bol aye janewale fromArmaan (1953), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music SD Burman
Asha Bhosle starts with Chahe kitna mujhe tum bulaoge, nahi bolungi nahi bolungi. And then Talat Mahmood comes in with Bol na bol aye janewale in an entirely different tune. The effect is magical. The song proceeds more like a Talat solo, with Asha Bhosle just repeating her first line at every stanza. Around this time, if anyone stood up to the onslaught of Lata Mangeshkar, it was Geeta Dutt, who had special tuning with SD Burman. That would explain almost conscious imitation of her style by Asha Bhosle. Sahir Ludhiyanvi’s foray in film music was with SD Burman a couple of years back, with stunning success. This magical duet is another combination of great poetry, great voice and great music. Incidentally this song also had a solo Asha Bholse version with a faster tempo. This would put this song in some category of Mr Ashok Vaishnav’s multiple version songs.
4. Chali kaun se desh gujariya from Boot Polish (1953), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar Jaikishan
An atypical film from RK Films, which was not a romance between Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Therefore, you have this duet by singers who are not RK regulars. Talat lip-synched by an unknown actor, and Asha Bhosle by Baby Naaz is a remarkably poignant duet with beautiful lyrics by Shailendra and music by RK regular Shankar Jaikishan. (My friend Arvind has mentioned in one of his comments that in this song the person playing banjo is Shailendra).
5. Dil ki mahfil sajane from Mast Qalandar (1955), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Hansraj Bahal
This film had two Talat-Asha Bholse duets. This one is peppy and fast, the other one Dil-e-nadan zamane mein mohabbat ek dhokha hai is slow and melancholic.Dil ki mehfil sajane should actually belong to my earlier post on his peppy duets, but its tune is so pleasant, I am including it here. Asha Bhosle still seems to have Geeta Dutt imprint in her voice.
6. Kahta hai dil tum hai mere liye from Mem Sahib (1956), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Madan Mohan
A year from hence Shammi Kapoor would change forever. Oh, why did he have to do that? This is a stunning romantic duet between him and the lovely Meena Kumari, looked on with some jealousy by Kishore Kumar. The grand piano comes in as a handy prop for Meena Kumari to recline, resting her elbows on it, and looking lovingly into the eyes of Shammi Kapoor.
7. Do dil dhadak rahe hain aur awaaz ek hai from Insaaf (1956), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Chitragupta
We have seen Asad Bhopali’s poetry earlier. Here is another romantic song from his pen. It must have been picturised on Ajit and Nalini Jaiwant. Chitragupta, who created great magic with Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar, shows his talent with Talat and Asha Bhosle too.
8. Pyar par bas to nahi hai mera lekin phir bhi from Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanvi, music OP Nayyar
Again great poetry by Sahir – who else could write, ‘I have no control on my emotions, nevertheless please tell me whether I should love you or not’. OP Nayyar by this time had established a reputation as the King of Rhythm – of fast peppy tunes, of bhangra songs, or pejoratively, ghoda gadi songs. In many ways, his muse, Asha Bhosle was at the centre of this reputation. And how he transforms himself to present Asha Bhosle in a different light, to go with the velvety voice of Talat in this extremely melodious romantic duet, picturised on Talat Mahmood and Nutan.
9. Mast ankhen hai paimane do from Naqli Nawab (1962), music Babul
I came across this duet picturised on Manoj Kumar and Shakeela while searching for this post. They look a lovely pair, and the setting is so romantic. Some unknown composers also gave great music in the Golden Era.
10. Nazar utha ke ye rangeen samaa rahe na rahe from Ek Saal Pahle (1965), lyrics Jaan Nisar Akhtar, music C Arjun
I mentioned how a song becomes special when it comes out of the pen of a literary poet. Here is beautiful poetry by the renowned Urdu poet, Jaan Nisar Akhtar, whose partnership with the unheralded composer, C Arjun gave some absolutely outstanding songs. The song must have been picturised on the lead pair Sujit Kumar and Sayeeda Khan, but the uploader of the video lets his imagination soar, and has included a photo slide of the iconic romantic pair Raj Kapoor and Nargis. By this time the industry had given up Talat Mahmood, but Asha Bhosle had established her own identity. Talat proves that given a chance in his niche, i.e.elegant ghazal, he could still create magic.