Doh Lafzon Ki Ek Kahani

Arup Chakravarty | 20th Jan 2024

नज़र का रखा क्या है,कब कहाँ दे जाये धोका 
मालूम नहीं क्या दिखे आगेहकीकत या ख्वाब अनोखा 
नज़राना बेमिसाल हो तो नज़र बदलते ना लगे देर 
रिश्ता बना और बिगड़ा कैसे बस नज़रों का हेर फेर 
नज़र में उठना , नज़रों से गिरना सब नज़रिये ने किया एहजाद
रिश्तों के तमाशयीयोने ही किया नज़र लफ्ज़ को बर्बाद
जानता हूँ अब तू भी देगी तेरी नज़र का वास्ता 
नज़र दिखा देगी तुझे मुझे जुड़ा होने का रास्ता 
मुझे मेरी सोच अजीज धोका नहीं मेरे प्यार में 
वो तक़्क़त तेरे इंकार में कहाँ जो ज़ोर है मेरे इकरार में 
माना तेरी नज़र में , तेरा प्यार हम नहीं
कैसे कहे के तेरे , तलबगार हम नहीं 

Thus wrote Arup who is an aspiring poet and has cultivated the art of writing poems which end with the mukhada of Hindi Film songs. The one above is what Arup read out on the show and is an example of this format with the highlighted portion being a song mukhada. 

Arup presented the third PMP (Premier Member Presentation) and what a delightful one it was. Given his poetic inclinations, it was expected that songs which showcase lyrical supremacy would be chosen and Arup did that, yet he left us unquenched for some reason which I will touch upon at the end of this review. He chose 10 songs with focus on nine words (two songs were on the same word). Through these songs Arup, combined with quotes from Shayari's and some his own, managed to keep the audience engaged.

Arup chose 9 words for the songs today and inspired from Arup, I have attempted to weave these words into a brief poem. The highlighted words are part of Arup's choices. 

किस्सा सुनाते हैं तुम्हारी निगहाओं का 
नज़रें जब मिलती है आमने सामने 
सोचते हैं पीछे राह देखें या आगे रहगुज़र 
या गौर करे उन दास्ताँ-इ-इश्क़ पर
जो दूरियों में भी ला रहें हैं हमे करीब

The Songs themselves 

Arup started and ended with two female singers with different capabilities as an artiste. Suraiya - a singer and actor par excellence who chose to live unmarried when her love didnt reach a desired conclusion while the other Meena Kumari , well what can one say of someone who want these words to be her epitaph. 

"She ended life with a broken fiddle, with a broken song, with a broken heart, but not a single regret"

• "Ye Kaisi Ajab Dastaan Ho Gayi Hai" (focus word Dastaan) from the film "Rustom Sohrab" was the first song - a Suraiya swan song from her last film after which she chose to retire never to be seen or heard again in Films. A sonorous ode to love which she died never accomplishing. 
• "Yun Teri Rehguzar Se Deewanawaar Guzre" (focus word Rehguzar) from the non film album "I write, I recite" was the last song and this was written & sung by Meena Kumari . The melody of the song was later recreated by Khayyam (who also tuned this song) as "Inn Ankhon Ki Masti Ke" from "Umrao Jaan" 

There were three songs from Beyond 1985 , which ideally moves into Muzicalli domain as Nostalgiaana R4 largely limits its choices to songs upto 1985.

1. "Kissa Hum Likhenge" (focus word Kissa) from the film "Doli Saja Ke Rakhna" brought out the glory of A R Rahman, whose early work till about 2000 is worth dying for.
2. "Ek Haseen Nigaah Ka" (focus word Nigah) from the film "Maya Memsaab" was a showpiece for the talented composer Hridaynath's modern orchestration. Kumar Sanu made mincemeat of the pronunciation of the word "Haseen" and I suppose the only reason why Gulzar (the lyricist) allowed this to pass is ... well he must have given up!!
3. "Tumko Jab Se Qarib Dekha Hai" from the film "Bahaar" was the surprise packet for the day. A lovely soft romantic melody in Ghazalana Andaz tuned by Manoj Gyan of whom very little is known hit us like a breath of cool mountain breeze on a hot summer day.

Three songs from the mid 60s and early 70s found their way into Arup's presentation.

1. "Shokhiyan Nazar Mein Hain" (focus word Nazar) from the film "Aasra" is a pristine early Laxmikant-Pyarelal work of the 60s with an orchestration that is very different from their work in the subsequent decades. Mohd Rafi is pretty much at home in the LP camp and delivers home a sixer. 
2. "Paas Baitho Tabiyat Behel Jaayegi" (focus word Kareeb) from the film "Punar Milan" was played jointly with the "Bahar" film song is an underrated beauty from an underrated composer - C Arjun.
3. "Raah Mein Kaliyan Khila Ke Yaar" (focus word Raah) from the film "Nafrat" is conventional yet less spoken of vibrant, energetic gem from R D Burman. Even many RD fans have missed this over the passage of time. Kishore in the RD camp in the 70s is magic of different level and this epitomizes it. 

I must mention about two songs that I found disappointing and left me wondering on their place in the show. 

1. "Aage Peechhe Daayen Baayen" from the film "Pick Pocket" is a "Bhangra" flavoured Rafi-Asha duet. Arguably these two singers excel in the Punjabi folk genre (in Films) and in this one too they put their stamp of excellence. However, in my opinion, the song lacked the fervour and josh that one comes to expect from the boisterous Punjabi songs.
2. "Saamne Baithke Jab Dil Ko Churaye Koi" from the film "Lal Pari" was a complete let down. The spark was missing and Shamshad Begum looked out of place in what could be a club kind of a song. One which was tailor made for a Geeta Dutt or even Asha Bhosle.

Overall, an impressive set of songs interwoven into a script which was warm and the attempted to connect with the audience. Could Arup have done with slightly easier to connect songs, even if not popular with respect to the showcased words. Well, the jury is still out on that one.

​And what was Do Lafzon ki Kahani ?? ... the Kahani seemed to have got left behind.