O P Nayyar : Hit Sings without Lata Mangeshkar

O. P. Nayyar : Hit Songs without Lata Mangeshkar

By MOHAN SAHAY


O. P. Nayyar who died on Sunday January 28, 2007 in Mumbai will always live in the hearts of music lovers, particularly those who relish Hindi film songs. And he will be remembered not only for giving many a great hits but as a music director and composer who proved his critics and the Czars of film industry wrong by topping the popular charts without Lata Mangeshkar.

Nayyar was one music director who never gave chance to Lata when she was the reigning queen of playback singers.

Nayyar picked up Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle – the two other female voice of Hindi film music industry instead and showed it to the world that songs composed by him were as enchanting and in some cases more captivating than those rendered by Lata Mangeshkar.

In a way, what Asha Bhosle is today is mainly because of Nayyar who exploited her voice modulation talents in a much better way than any other composer. True, Asha who latter married Rahul Dev Burman is indebted to her late husband for making her sing some difficult composition, but it was Nayyar all and all who made Asha a great playback singer.

Contrary to popular belief that Nayyar gave only popular hits on simple musical composition and notes, the music director had to his credit some very good songs based on classical notes.

RAGINI was one such film released in 1956 in which Nayyar gave great hit songs including this one – “ Chhota sa balamaa.. ankhiyan nind churaye le gayo, ratiyan nind na aaye…chhota sa balamaa…” by Asha Bhosle.

In fact, during a one to one chat with this writer, Asha had this to say about this song. The conversation went like this in Hindi: -

“ Ashaji, aap Ragini film ke is gane mein--- mujho bbar baar yaad na aa…bewafaaa.. o.. bewafaaa… jisme aap hichki leti hain… kaise kya.. difficult song tha Kishore Kumar ke saath” ?

Asha Bhosle, “’’ ah..ah is tarah se…waise aapko yaad hoga usi film Ragini mein maine ek aur gana gaya tha jo classical composition that… chhota sa balamaa.. ankhiyan nind churaye le gayo…”.

In Ragini a duet by Kishore and Asha…. “ Main Bangali chhokara karun pyar ko naskaram…. Main Madrasi chhokri mujhe tum se pyaram..” was not only a great number but the song was adjudged as the top song of the year 1956 by Binaca Geet Mala. The song was picturised on Kishsore Kumar who played the male lead role in the film and Padmini the female lead actress.


In the same film there was another classical song byMohd Rafi: Man mora bawaraa.. nish din gayae geet Milan ke”.

Some his great musical scores were in film

HOWRAH BRIDGE: - Ayeeye meharban… bathiye jane jaan
Mera naam chin chin chun…raat chandni main aur tum hello mr how do you do.

C.I.D : - Leke pehla pehla pyar, then, Yeh dil hai muskil jina yehan… ye hai Bombay meri jaan, and Jaata kahan hai diwane soon..sub kutch yehan hai sanam..”.

TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA : - Tumsa nahin dekha.. the title song, then ‘ Aye hain door se..milne huzoor se..’ – duet by Rafi and Asha, All six songs of the films are haunting numbers even today.

NAYA DAUR: - Mang ke saath tumhara – duet by Rafi and Asha and Reshmi salwar kurta jail ka… duet by Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar

AAR PAAR: Babu ji dheere chalna pyar mein jara sambhalana…by Geeta Dutt who also gave this evergreen and everyoung song..” Hun abhi main jawaan aiye dil..

NAYA ANDAZ : Tu aja re ke dil hai bekarara…by Shashad Begum and Md Rafi

SONE KI CHIDIYA: Raat bhar ka hai mehman andhere kiske roke ruka hai savera.. by Rafi and Asha , Pyar par bas to nahin hai mera lekin phir pbi tu bata de ki tujhe pyar karoon ya na karoon..this song was rendered separately by Talat Mehmood and Asha Bhosle.

EK MUSAFIR EK HASINA : Main pyar ka rahi hoon…duet by Rafi and Asha

MERE SANAM: Pukarataa chala hun main.. by Rafi

BAAP RE BAAP : Pia piya mora jiya pukare..duet by Kishore and Asha

CHHOO MANTAR : Tumbi ne dard diya hai tumhi dawa dena duet by Rafi And Geeta Dutt

JALI NOTE: Rat sard sard hai….duet by Rafi and Asha

JOHNY WALKER: This film should find special mention since this was the only Hindi feature film produced and named after Johny Walker the great comedian . Johny Walker had played the lead role opposite Shyama. The songs composed by Nayyar were great hits. Just listen --- Munh se mat laga cheez hai buri…main pinahin maine pi nahi by Rafi. Jhuki jhuki pyar ki naxar… duet by Asha and geeta Dutt who also gave another duet.. Thandi thandi hawa poochhe unka pata..

There are some more great songs that are for ever.
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