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Saturday, November 27, 2010

MUSIC #76: SILSILA 1981 (HINDI OST)


A Yash Chopra classic starring superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Rekha, Jaya Bachchan nee Bhaduri and Shashi Kapoor in a guest appearance. Silsila (Chains) tells the story of lovers’ lost and found, family obligations before self, and the taboo subject of adultery. Rumours have it that the very subject that was addressed in the movie was being played out in real life between actors Amitabh Bachchan and his on screen lover/adulteress Rekha.


The music is by Shiv-Hari (Shiv Kumar Sharma and Hariprasad Chaurasia) with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, Rajinder Krishnan, Hassan Kamal and Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan (the father of actor Amitabh Bachchan).

Both movie and songs were the rage of the early 1980s and are still well remembered among the masses to date especially “Rang Barse”. The soundtrack also sees Amitabh Bachchan singing most of his own songs in the movie. My favourites include “Dekha Ek Khwab” (there is only one part of this song on the album – why it is listed as Part 1 eludes me), “Neela Aasman So Gaya” and “Rang Barse”. I am disappointed that the song “Neeche Paan Ki Dukkan” sung by Amitabh and Shashi Kapoor was not included in the album....I thought that was an awesome rendition by both the stars! If anyone has this, please do share it with me!

My verdict: 5 stars


NB: The Shiv-Hari collaboration has also been responsible for other great music albums of the 1980s and 1990s such as Chandni, Darr, Lamhe, Faasle, Vijay and Sahibaan.

Silsila 1981 : The Original Soundtrack

Side One

1. Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum – Lata Mangeshkar and Amitabh Bachchan

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

2. Dekha Ek Khwab Part 1 – Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Chorus

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

3. Neela Aasman So Gaya – Amitabh Bachchan

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

4. Tum Jo Todo Piya – Lata Mangeshkar

Meera Bhajan

Side Two

5. Sar Se Sarke – Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Chorus

Lyrics: Hassan Kamal

6. Rang Barse – Amitabh Bachchan and Chorus

Lyrics: Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan

7. Neela Aasman So Gaya – Lata Mangeshkar

Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

8. Ladki Hai Ya Shola – Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar

Lyrics: Rajinder Krishnan



5 comments:

  1. Good Album, but the 5-star-rating I feel is too generous. This I say on comparison of other movie-albums. I love the title track (DEKHA EK KHWAAB).

    Strangely, I hate some songs, such as RANG BARSE AND LADKI HAI just for their picturisation, especially the first one since it shows the cuckold of a husband in a poor light as against his bold and brazen wife who shares herself with the equally brazen paramour. The spouses just look on incredulously. That reel life is especially reinforced by the real life rumours of relationship about which you have already given a hint, and about which I have some story that was related to me by an eye-witness.

    This was Javed Akhtar's first time foray into the lyrics department after his breakup with Salim who had refused to be a co-partner in writing lyrics as well.

    Of course, Shiv-Hari's compositions sound good since they are not the run-of-the-mill type.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks veen. Lovely album. I respectfully disagree with Nasir Saab's take on your rating. It does deserve a 5-star rating. Kishore Kumar sounds great in both the songs he sings and Lata in all her songs. Fantastic score by Shiv-Hari and the debutant lyricist Javed Akhtar. Technically, it is one of the best recorded albums with spatial stereo effects (and to think this was in 1979). Even the latest recordings are not able to achieve this kind output. Simply out of this world. Thanks once again Veen.

    Regds / Babu

    PS: Silsila was also released as a double-LP album though with not much of value addition.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ok, now this is going to be a challenge on my diplomacy skills....LOL....let’s see how I fare!

    Nasir Saab, I accept and agree with your criticism based on previous albums of the 1960’s and 1970’s; nothing compares to their supremacy to date. However, in my opinion, with the herald of new form of music to take grips in the Indian movie scene of the late 1970’s and onwards, Silsila fares way beyond that of its counterparts of the same era.

    Therefore. I agree with Babu on this account – it is one of the best recorded albums, in terms of technique, and for the voices of Kishore and Lata.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Veen. Nice sounding album. I particularly like "Ladki Hai Ya Shola" with its strong percussive beat..it "makes me feel like dancing" :D. I also like "Dekha Ek Khwab Part 1" with its nice singing by Kishore and Lata. All the songs are really good. If not a 5 definitely a 4.9 :).

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you Mr Naidu. Dekha Ek Khwaab is a personal fav too. Another song that I memorised during my teenage years, giving the play/stop/rewind button on my casette player quite a hiding in trying to write down the lyrics!!!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments. I will respond to them shortly.

Veen