(N)Itindeed boosted a slumbering career

It wouldn’t be (Nit)incorrect to say that So Gaya Yeh Jahan, from Tezaab, was Mukesh’s son’s redemption song.

He was nearing the end of the second decade of his career – which, by no stretch of the imagination, was remarkable – when the Laxmikant-Pyarelal composition came his way.   

Fortunately, Kumar, the other man who lent his voice to it, didn’t do too Shabb(ir)y a job. They were joined by Yagnik, who could be (Al)kalled Ms Dependable.

The six-minute, four-second-long track – which will P(and)e(renniall)y be associated with Chunky (on whom it was picturised) – was penned by Javed Akhtar.

(Am)It earned Paudwal a nomination

Let’s hark back to the days when the protagonist’s threat to his beloved was a treat for the listeners’ ears.

“Keh do ke tum ho meri warna jeena nahin, mujhe hai marna” (Say you’re mine, or else I don’t want to live; I’ll die) – which was seven minutes and 57 seconds long – was the longest song on the soundtrack of Tezaab.

Penned by Javed Akhtar, the track was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

(Am)It was rendered by Kumar and Anuradha Paudwal, who was nominated for a Filmfare Award in the Best Female Playback Singer category in 1989. 

That’s (Al)kalled an awesome ‘number’

To say that Alka Yagnik’s seven-minute, 37-second-long song from Tezaab (1988) became a chartbuster would be an understatement.

(Dix)It made the twinkle-toed Madhuri an overnight sensation and earned her a moniker – the Ek Do Teen girl.

Those who wanted to know the Hindi words for numbers (1-26) simply had to listen to this number, which was penned by Javed Akhtar and composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal (who were nominated for Filmfare Awards in the Best Lyricist and Music Director categories, respectively, in 1989).

Yagnik bagged the first of her seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.       

It (Bis)was Kishore’s posthumous hit

Scores of Kishore Kumar songs were picturised on Amitabh Bachchan, but most of them released when the duo was at the peak of their careers.

The latter essayed the titular character in Shahenshah (1988), which released a few months after the demise of the former, who sang its title track, Andheri Raaton Mein.

That, obviously, has nothing to do with the Mumbai suburb (which is brightly lit and perpetually buzzing, while its name, ironically, means dark).

It (Bis)was penned by Bakshi (An)and composed by ace arranger Amar Haldipur and Utpal (veteran music director Anil’s son).

Real-life papa Udit woN(aray)an award

Aditya Narayan’s birthday falls on August 6. There’s no better way to celebrate (Ud)it than with a post about Papa Kehte Hain, the Anand-Milind composition from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak that fetched his father his maiden Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer in 1989.

It was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

At least Aamir Khan waited for his last day at college to say, “Koi engineer ka kaam karega.”

That was a random line, unlike “Mera beta engineer banega”, the famous one Parikshit Sahni’s character mouthed in 3 Idiots (2009) when his son was born.

(D)Indeed, Alka (Gaz)absolutely rocked (Ud)it!

Just four minutes and 26 seconds long, Gazab Ka Hai Din was the shortest song on the soundtrack of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. But by no means did the track fall short of popularity.

(Mil)Indeed, it should be said that gazab ki thi tuning between Majrooh Sultanpuri, who penned the track, (An)and the Shrivastav brothers, who composed it.

The latter were unpolished Diamonds then, but mercifully, the song – inspired by Neil’s 1972 hit – didn’t have to scream, “Play Me”.  

Of course, cre(U)dit must be given to Narayan and Alka Yagnik, the duo who rendered it.

Ms Yagnik’s rendition was beaU(di)tiful

Mr Narayan and Alka Yagnik have lent their mellifluous voices to many a duet so far, but (Ud)it would certainly be unfair if Aye Mere Humsafar from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak weren’t up there with the best of them.

The belief of a generation of youngsters in the (Sultan)purity of love was restored, thanks to Majrooh’s lyrics. Believe it or not, the man was in the seventh decade of his life at that point!

The track, which was five minutes and 58 seconds long, continues to give the listeners a great deal of Anand, (Mil)indeed!    

(Ud)It (Al)kan never be forgotten

Maybe Akele Hain Toh Kya Gham Hai – the song from Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), which was penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri and sung by Udit (Naray)and Alka Yagnik – should’ve been rechristened Lamba hai toh kya gham hai (at five minutes and 59 seconds, it was the longest track in the film).

With this song (inspired by The Shadows’ instrumental piece Return to the Alamo), Anand-Milind emerged to carry forward the legacy of their father Chitragupta, a low-profile composer in the Golden Era.

The soundtrack fetched them the Filmfare (Shrivast)avard for Best Music Director in 1989.  

Sadhana was certainly on fire

Critics haven’t always been ‘Chari(o)t’able when they’ve written about the fire in Rajesh Roshan’s belly.

Nevertheless, the younger son of yesteryears’ composer Roshan has plodded on and shone, as was evident from the fact that he was nominated for the Filmfare Best Music Director Award for Khoon Bhari Maang in 1989.

The Sadhana Sargam solo from the film, Main Teri Hoon Jaanam – penned by Indeevar and inspired by the theme song of the British film Chariots of Fire (1981) – fetched her a nomination in the Best Female Playback Singer category at the 1989 Filmfare Awards.

Nitin did his father’S(adha)naam Roshan

Here’s an attempt at juvenile humour: Why do road construction workers laugh while working on dividers?

The answer, which wouldn’t elicit even a chuckle is, “Hanste hanste kat jaaye raste”.

But on a serious note, that would bring Bollywood music aficionados to the duet from Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), penned by Indeevar (Rosh)and composed by Rajesh.

Since it was a hit, there was obviously no looking back for Mukesh’s son. But it wouldn’t be (Nit)incorrect to say that he could only look forward to short-lived success.

His co-singer was Sadhana Sargam, whose surname is musical.

To this, (M)aliking was (Kavi)taken

Malik cut his musical teeth at the beginning of the 1980s, when Anumber of biggies were ruling the roost.

When he was finding his feet in the industry, one of the films he scored the music of was Jeete Hain Shaan Se, which released in 1988.

He and Kavita Krishnamurthy rendered its most popular track, Julie Julie, Johnny ka dil tumpe aaya Julie.

Thanks to a line in the corny but catchy song, there’s a horde that probably grew up harbouring the misconception that Indian Christian women are In(dee)variably named Sandra, and hail from Bandra.   

This duet was Jolly good

Chaahe Meri Jaan Tu Le Le – the song from Dayavan – was sung by a pair who shared a surname.

While Mr Mukherjee’s name gave Hindi film music aficionados ample indication of his disposition [and, of course, the mood of the track, which is, in fact, punctuated by a woman’s laugh and several repetitions of Haiya Ho, a Jo(ll)yous cry], what Ms Mukherjee was living at that point was nothing short of a Sapna.

It’s Indee(var)d mandatory that everyone associated with a song R(a)ises to the occasion, as did Shyamalal Babu, who penned this Laxmikant-Pyarelal composition.  

This track was (Udh)asaving grace

Before Dayavan (1988) released, the excitement prior to the release of the soundtrack of a film produced and directed by Feroz Khan would be palpable.

And with good reason – many a track from his previous ventures (Ud)has gone on to become a chartbuster.

The same was expected of Aaj Phir Tumpe Pyaar Aaya Hai, sung by Pankaj and Anuradha. (Paudw)Alas, that wasn’t to be.

So while India’s Clint Eastwood didn’t become lal in the face, the fans wished he’d realised that Kalyanji-Anandji kan’t be replaced.

However, the Laxmi-Pyare composition, penned by Aziz Qaisi, wasn’t bad.