The Bachchan magic was waning

Between the ages of 45 and 55, Amitabh Bachchan played the lead in a string of indifferent films, one of which was Jaadugar (1989). It was his seventh (and last) collaboration with producer-director Prakash Mehra, and the duo's only flop.

Hindi film music aficionados can’t – and mustn’t – forget Kalyanji-Anandji’s contribution to the success of the first four Mehra-Bachchan films.

Keen to repeat it, the foursome teamed up for Padosan Apni Murgi from the aforementioned film.

Javed Akhtar penned the track, rendered by the actor in his distinctive baritone.

Sadly, it was nothing to crow about.

       

(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.       

Kishore couldn’t be reeten off

August 4, 2017 is the 88^th birth anniversary of Kishore, and there can be no better song to (Ku)mark the occasion than Zindagi ki yehi reet hai, haar ke baad hi jeet hai (This is the way of life; there’s victory only after defeat) from Mr India.

A line of the track, penned by Javed Akhtar, went, “Thode aansoo hain, thodi hansi”, but the last two words did no justice to the aforementioned maverick, with whom a substantial dose of laughter left the building.

The solo, which had a sad version, was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.   

This title track was K(ic)K(as)s

Karte hain hum pyaar Mr India se – the title track of the superhero film – depicted the female lead professing her love for the invisible alter ego of the protagonist, a lovable loser.

Of the handful of songs on the soundtrack, that ranged from the unabashedly saucy to the philosophical, this one certainly stood out, because it was possibly the most pleasing to the ear.

It was penned by Javed Akhtar, composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, and gave Kavita Krishnamurthy an opportunity to showcase her versatility. Kishore Kumar shared singing credits, and of course his initials, with her.

They (Alis)had a (Ku)marvellous time

Fifty-eight was no age to die, but Kishore Kumar bade the world adieu in 1987, leaving a treasure trove of melodies and memories behind.

One of them was Kaate Nahin Katte Yeh Din Yeh Raat from Mr India, which released five months before the legendary all-rounder’s passing.

To say that the Laxmikant-Pyarelal composition oozed sensuality would be an understatement.

Also billed as I Love You, it was penned by Javed Akhtar. Alisha was the co-singer. It wouldn’t be surprising if this song were picked as the top song to listen to on a rain-soaked (Chi)n(a)ight.        

  

This was certainly (K)avital track

Such was the gusto with which Kavita Krishnamurthy rendered Hawa Hawai from Mr India (1987) that even a goof-up by her was okayed. One of the lines went, “Jeenu jo tumne baat chhupayi” (it should have been, “Jaanu jo tumne baat chhupayi”).

The film was Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar’s last collaboration. The famed screenwriting duo, known as Salim-Javed, split five years before its release.

Akhtar, who continues to be active as a Hindi film lyricist, penned this Laxmikant-Pyarelal composition, which starts with a string of random nouns like Honolulu and Mombasa, interspersed with gibberish.