They promoted interestional touriSM then

Back in the day, only the wealthy travelled.

And in 1967, when Around The World released, eight dollars (the sum referenced in the song) was about Rs 60 (a princely sum).

My collection contained just one song from the film – Duniya Ki Sair Kar Lo.

The song reference three US cities (Los Angeles, Washington, and New York) and five European ones (London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, and Venice).

Sharda Rajan Iyengar and Mukesh Chand Mathur lent it their voices.

Shailendra wrote the song, which was composed by Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal.

It completed Mukesh’s ‘Sajan’ duology

Teesri Kasam released in 1966.

My collection had five songs from the film, including the subject of this post.

If they were arranged in the alphabetical order, it would be the last.

And if they were arranged in the descending order of their durations, it would be the third – it was three minutes and 51 seconds long.

The film’s soundtrack had two songs that begun with Sajan.

And Sajanwa Bairi Ho Gayi Hamaar was the second of those.

Mukesh rendered it.

The song was written by Shailendra, also the film’s producer.

Shankar Jaikishan composed it.

It was Sharda’s signature song

Sharda Rajan Iyengar – mononymously credited as Sharda – was born in the Madras Presidency on October 25, 1933.

She died at the age of 89 on June 14, 2023.

Her signature song was Titli Udi.

It was the third song from the 1966 film Suraj (if they were arranged in the alphabetical order).

And if they were arranged in the ascending order of their durations, it would be the first – it was three minutes and 47 seconds.

The song was written by Shailendra.

It was composed by Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal.

Nobody could question theiR taLent

Earlier, my collection had just one song from Sasural, which released in 1961.

From an alphabetical point of view, the second song from the film in it was the first – it was titled Ek Sawaal Main Karoon.

But one certainly could not ask any sawaal (question) about the talent of the two people who lent their voices to it – Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi.

The song was written by Shailendra, and composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

By the way, I first read about this song in an article about Rajendra Kumar, on whom it was picturised.

Lata sang under Pancham’s baton

Chhote Nawab released in 1961.

My collection contained just one song from the film.

It was titled Ghar Aaja Ghir Aaye Badra Saawariya.

The lady who lent her voice to the track was the one and only Lata Mangeshkar.

The film was the maiden production of comedian Mehmood Ali, who also played his first lead role in it.

But it is notable for the musical first – the songs of the film were composed by a debutant named Rahul Dev Burman (also known as R D Burman, and fondly called Pancham Da).

Shailendra penned the track.

Lata’s solo contained a synonym

The last word in the title of the subject of the previous post was Deewana, which means crazy.

Pagal is a synonym of that word.

What were the odds of the last word in the title of the subject of this post being Pagal?

The track in question was O Basanti Pawan Pagal, and it was from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai.

The Lata Mangeshkar solo was the third song from the film in my collection – it was three minutes and 52 seconds long.

Shailendra penned the song, which was composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

A popuLar idioM was referenced

My collection contains five songs from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), including the subject of this post and the next one.

If they were arranged in the alphabetical order, Begaani Shaadi Mein Abdullah Deewana would be the first.

Shailendra referenced the Hindi proverb, which translated to, “A person who is more interested in poking his nose into others’ affairs than minding his own business”.

Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh lent their voices to it.

Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal composed the song, which was three minutes and 29 seconds long.

It was a reLatable lament

There is no two ways about the fact that most people who listened to the subject of this post were able to relate to its opening line, especially those who had seen better days in the past.

The song in question was Hai Re Woh Din Kyon Na Aaye.

And it happened to be the only song from the 1960 film Anuradha in my collection.

The lady who lent her voice to it was the one and only Lata Mangeshkar.

The track, which was written by Shailendra, was composed by sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Apparently, this song was ReMedial

In Ujala (1959), Raaj Kumar was the antagonist, and Shammi Kapoor was the protagonist.

Those were the days the baddies didn’t sing and dance in Hindi films.

But Kumar’s displeasure about not having any tracks picturised on him led the inclusion of Yaaron Surat Hamari Pe Mat Jao on the film’s soundtrack.

It was a friendship song, to which Mukesh and Mohammed Rafi lent their voices.

I sat down to write this post on December 14, 2023 (which happened to be the 57^th death anniversary of Shailendra, who wrote the song).

Shankar Jaikishan composed it.

Mr Ganguly (Kisho)rendered this song

Musafir released in 1957 (and had three episodes).

My collection contained just one song from the film.

It was titled Munna Bada Pyara.

The next three words of the song went, “Ammi Ka Dulara”.

Kishore Kumar happened to be one of the stars in the second episode in the film (which was titled Birth).

So, it was no surprise that he lent his voice to the song as well.

By the way, it was his only contribution to the soundtrack of the film.

The song, which was written by Shailendra, was composed by Salil Chowdhury.

This was Ms Mangeshkar’s hat-trick

Basant Bahar released in 1956.

As far as my collection was concerned, there is no two ways about the fact that the soundtrack of the film was ‘The Magnificent Seven’.

A couple of those were sung by Lata Mangeshkar, but they were duets.

And the third of her contributions to the soundtrack – the subject of this post – happened to be a solo.

It was titled Ja Ja Re Ja Balamwa.

The song happened to be the only female solo from the film in my collection.

Shailendra wrote the song, which was composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Mukesh didn’t just sing it

Aah released in 1953.

Spread across my playlists, there were four songs from the film in my collection.

If they were arranged in the alphabetical order, as well as in the ascending order of their durations, the subject of this post would be the second.

The track in question was Chhoti Si Yeh Zindagi, and it was three minutes and 53 seconds long.

It was not just sung by Mukesh Chand Mathur, but also picturised on him.

The song was written by Shailendra, and composed by Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal.

Shamshad Begum sang this ‘number’

Before I added the subject of this post to my collection, there were teen (three) tracks from the 1951 film Awaara in it.

Ek Do Teen was the fourth song.

If they were arranged in the alphabetical order, it would be the penultimate one.

As was the case with the other songs from the film in my collection, it was penned by the one and only Shailendra.

It happened to be the only contribution of Shamshad Begum to the soundtrack of the film.

Shankar Singh Ram Singh Raghuvanshi and Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal composed the song.