Panchamrit 2 - Pancham peaks... (Part-A)

Fellow Pancham Premees,

Pesh hai Panchamrit 2.

First Panchamrit was about RD's earlier works, or to classify it more precisely, his works during 1961-1974. This quiz covers part of his second phase which spanned between 1975-84. The work done by Pancham in this period was astounding. He did about 137 movies in these 10 years. However, my amazement is not for the total number of movies that he did. It is the sheer variety and diversity of his compositions as well as the quantity of masterpieces that he delivered in this era which makes one wonder. This was the era when he teamed up with Gulzar to produce some of the very best hindi songs ever. That work alone can put Pancham amongst the very best composers of India or for that matter the entire world. But Pancham was a man of many colours. He bestowed upon us a plethora of moods & flavours during this period. Apart from Gulzar, he worked with lyricists like Majrooh, Sahir, Gulshan Bawra, Anand Bakhshi, Yogesh, Nida Fazli & so many others to provide his ever-demanding fans a feast of melodious, rhythmic & soulful compositions. He kept coming up with brilliant scores one after the other, while even his critics got amazed at his sheer genius.

This quiz covers only the first half of that platinum period - the later half of 70s. All songs in the quiz are from movies released between 1975 and 1980 (both included). And again, like Panchamrit 1, the clues may not be necessarily in chronological order.

Panchamrit 1 was considered tough by many. Though, as a matter of fact, there was not a single clue which had not been answered by at least one participant. Still an easier one this, hopefully. Amongst my favourites, I have chosen only the very popular ones. Remember, however, that the idea is to discover Pancham's music while deciphering the clues. I have tried that the songs are not identified at least just in the first look to most of the participants. 'Cause that would defy the very logic of having a quiz. So be prepared to explore your own collection, Nerurkar's 'Pancham', my site and any other resources available, for searching your answers. Even if you find it tough at first sight, do try to solve it.

No wonder I spent a lot of time to decide which ones to leave out. May be you find me guilty of not putting your most favourite song in the quiz. But remember, those songs can very well be lying restlessly in the last-minute-left-outs list. Please check with me before deciding to boycott the quiz just for the reason :)

I had quite a few requests to add some clippings in audio form as clues. Well, folks sorry this time. I have it in mind but due to lack of time, i could not manage it in this quiz. May be in the next version you would see some clues in audio forms on experimental basis.

Now back to Panchamrit 2. Most of you already know what you are expected to do. For the first timers, however, it is like this. Each clue contains stanzas or part of stanzas from songs. In some of the clues the loop line (last line of stanza which rhymes with the mukhra) has been skipped, so to make things a little less obvious. All you have to do is to guess the song and the movie name for each clue. Each right answer will get 2 marks. One for the song and one for the movie. But answering only movie name without telling the song will not earn any points. The maximum points that one can get is 30. Here's an example of a typical clue:

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Example :

pyaar meiN bheege bheege aakaash ke tale
jaane ham jal jaana lagkar yaar ke seene se
choor thakan se hoke jab saaNs na chale
hamko jeevan mil jaata hai zahar ke peene se
jeete haiN pyaar se, marte haiN pyaar se

Lovely lyrics by Majrooh mingled with excellent composition by Pancham. Two of them stealing your heart once again.

Answer:
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Song: yaari ho gayee yaar se
Film: Do Chor (1968)

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The last date of sending your answers to me is 10th July, 2000. Send your answers, comments, disappointments and disapprovals only to [email protected] and Do NOT post them on the Net.

Also those who want to conduct future Panchamrits may send their theme and preferred month to me (the moderator) as well.

Remember....

* For the duration of the quiz, please refrain from "knowingly(!)" discussing any of the songs featured in the quiz, in any other thread on the Pancham Egroup. If you have comments on the songs or on any of my remarks, please send them to me, preferably along with an entry! I shall include the comments in the answers/results posts.

* Do NOT post your answers on the Net. Send it by email to me @ [email protected]

Straightaway to the quiz now...

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Clue 1

kaale kaale piyaa saawan ke baadal chune
baadal chun ke aankhoN meiN kaajal ghule
huee baawaree, bhai saaNwaree....

Panchamrit 1 started with a masterpiece by Lata. This one starts with an Asha gem. Simply beautiful.

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Clue 2

He:
ik door se aatee hai
paas aa ke palaTatee hai
ik raah akelee see
ruktee hai na chaltee hai

She:
ye soch ke baiThee hooN
ik raah to wo hogee
tum tak jo pahuNchatee hai
............

"I gave him the words from one of my poems. He composed the tune instantly." And this is no ordinary composition. But then Gulzar continues,"he never took time. Spontaneity was his specialty. If he struggled over a song, he would prefer to abandon it."

This song from one of the most well-known movies by the Gulzar-Pancham combo is a typical showcase of Pancham's capability to convert complex lyrics into great songs.

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Clue 3

mahkee mahkee ye raat hai
bahkee bahkee har baat hai
laajo marooN, jhoome jiya
kaise maiN ye kahooN, aaja saajnaa

The sound of this song is out of the world. The natural echo of Lata's voice has been used to advantage by Pancham for creating this mesmerizing solo. This 1981 (1979/80 as per HMV) movie had another superb solo by Kishore, very different in mood, yet as captivating. A less regular writer-poet does the word-wizardry for this song.

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Clue 4

kisi din aisa bhee to ho
raat ki subah hi na ho
raat ke baad bhi raat ho.. aap hoN

This one, like numerous others, portrays what Asha under Pancham's music was capable of. Absolutely Magical voice.
Sitar, flute, violin & Asha...all goes in tandem to make this excellent composition a jewel.

Lyrics: Gulzar
Year: 1979

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Clue 5

ho sakta hai dekho na
samjho miTTi ko sona
pal bhar ka haNsna
ho jaaye jeevan bhar ka rona

This movie was a showcase for Pancham's variety. And perhaps can be placed at the top for the number of hits in one single album. A truly musical joy ride. Proved once again that he was second to none. For a change, Rafi sharing the vocals with Kishore equally.

It was difficult choosing any particular song from the movie for the quiz as all of them are very popular. So this was anyway going to be an easy one. Still I could not suppress my urge to include one from this movie and the choice rested on this enchanting romantic duet put to paper by the master of dialogue in songs - Majrooh.

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Clue 6

sone chaaNdi ka wo dil kya
jo na dil ke kaam aaye
yahaaN to teree qasam
pyaar waaloN meiN sanam
apna pahla naam aaye

Listen to the stanzas of this song and you know where did Jatin-Lalit take their inspiration from for stanzas of Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar's 'shahar ki pariyoN ke peechhe'. And why Pancham was incomparable when it came to compose stanzas.

Typical Pancham. It's difficult to live without your music, Pancham da.

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Clue 7

kaise haiN ye andhere Dhalte naheeN
meeloN talak ujaale milte naheeN
hamaare tumhaare, jeevan meiN kaise aayee ye andhiyaari raat

Another gem from Pancham-Kishore. Whether it be fun-filled songs or sad solos like this title song from a 1979 movie, the team did wonders. Kishore remained an integral part of a Pancham album until death took over him. This MD-Singer duo was simply one of the all-time great combinations of Hindi film music.
Lyrics: Yogesh

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Clue 8

pahle bhee yooN to barse the baadal
pahle bhee yooN to bheega tha aaNchal
abke baras kyooN sajan
sulag sulag jaaye man

The last line should make this one a sitter. If still you are not able to make it, listen to the pouring rain and you will get to your destination...

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Clue 9

apne aaNsoo meiN khud pighalna hai
aag meiN apnee aap jalna hai
aakhir dhuaaN ho jaana hai
aahoN meiN Dhalte Dhalte

Hauntingly melodious.

The movie name reminds of an older movie (non-RD) which had one of Lata's favourite haunting song.

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Clue 10

Doobee Doobee aaNkhoN meiN
sapnoN ke saaye
raat bhar apne haiN
din meiN paraaye

kaise nainoN meiN nindiya samaaye

Beautifully composed. With as beautiful thoughts spread on the wings of it. The composition originally was done for a Bangla song, which was sung by RDB himself. I prefer this Lata version. It has its own unique Gulzarish fragrance.

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Clue 11

Males:
likkha tha aasmaaN par
yooN hi ye khel hona

Females:
pahle nazar ulajhana
phir dil ka mel hona

All:
chhoD.o ye gile, jaise bhi mile
mil to gaye haiN

Two male singers. Two female singers. males singing together, females together. Word by word, note by note. The experiment is rarely found elsewhere. And the effect that it creates with superb rendering by four great singers is mind-boggling. But the composition tops everything. Goosebumpy.

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Clue 12

Dhoondh thakee sab dwaar galee
raat yooN hi phir beet chalee
aaye piya ajhooN na......

The Double track mastery of Pancham da is in evidence here again. And like each of his double track numbers, this too is very different in terms of the effect created. The thing to wonder over, however, is that in his efforts to make the song sound perfectly, he never lost his way with the melody of the song. Wishful thinking these days.

The movie is named after one of my favourite Gulzar-Pancham songs from 'Ghar'. That song was excluded at the eleventh hour because of its distinctly identifiable antaras.

Penned by Majrooh. Rendered by Lata.

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Clue 13

panghaT jagee, gaaoN kee har galee jaagee
goree kaheeN aur kaheeN saaNwalee jaagee
aaNchal ki chhaiyaaN apne saiyaaN ko bulaaye

Despite my wishes to disagree with the fact that Lata was given more melodious songs than Asha by Pancham, songs like these make me believe otherwise. But on second thoughts, I have rearely found myself in disagreement with Pancham's selection of Lata & Asha for his songs. Was it the amazing foresight of his or the natural sound-scientist inside him which made him select the best suitable voice between the two. Always.

It is from a lesser-known Pancham movie of 1980s, which had some real good fun songs by Asha & Kishore. This song however is a very sweet melody, sung by Lata. Check the main clue for a give-away hint.

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Clue 14

zahreelee tere bina raat lage
chhaala paD.e, aag jaise chaaNd pe jo haath lage

When it comes to write nonsensical lines, there is no other lyricist who can do it more sensibly than Gulzar. The lines above are by no means nonsensical. The song in question, however, is.

The movie also had another remarkably original, nonsensical & 'child-like' children song. Simple, easy, effective. How Pancham da turned his studio into a classroom to make the song what it became, is another story.

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Clue 15

apni tanhaai ka auron se na shiqawaa karna
tum akele hi naheeN ho sabhee akele haiN

Philosophy was given the right clothes to wear and roam around by Pancham. From one of his very best music scores. Classical, semi-classical, free-verse, an out-of-the-world duet, a solo by Lata and this one by Kishore - all of this in one single movie. Ask for more? Well.. yes. One could have asked the sky from Pancham and would have got it. Let's pay our humble tribute to the master on his 61st birth anniversary on 27th June. ... gar yaad rahe.

Enjoy, have fun. Happy solving!

LAST DATE: 10th July 2000

And remember, DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS ON THE NET.

Mail your answers to Vinay <[email protected]>