Cinema: The Magic Lantern!!

Lataji at the cusp of 90 Elevating the tunes to soaring musical heights, evoking a gamut of emotions and encompassing practically every genre of Indian music, Lata Mangeshkar has captivated the listeners from all walks of life and became the most glittering star of Hindi film music. Her voice, like Mahatma Gandhi's loin cloth and Rabindranath Tagore's beard, has become a part of India's collective unconscious. She has elevated playback singing from its surrogate status to that of a highly valued component of the country's burgeoning entertainment industry. The sweetness, tenderness and melodiousness of her singing have remained unmatched. She has had an uncanny knack for conveying very succinctly the feel behind the lyrics of a song. Restraint in externalization of emotions is the beauty of Lata's singing. She is no Goddess but her prime era voice was plain divine. She is not flesh and bone but a personification of music. She has become an integral part...

Shaam-e-gham ki qasam, aaj ghamgin hain hum… Remember the musicals Footpath, Phir Subah Hogi, Shagun, Shola Aur Shabnam, Noorie , Shankar Hussain , Kabhi Kabhie, Bazaar , Umrao Jaan and Razia Sultan... and name of Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi flashes to our mind like the smell of green grass in spring. He facilitated a melodious unfolding of the verses in their truest meaning and sentiments, composing music that connected to the relevant milieu. He was famous for creation of out-of-the-box mellow tunes that chimes the strings of heart like fresh air. He belonged to a generation of musicians who composed haunting melodies that were excellent in expressions and formed integral part of the film's story. His music was light on the orchestration, imbued with romance and emotion. The essence of Khayyam's music was yearning which was most succinctly brought out in his compositions.  Khayyam was born as Sa’aadat Hussain in Rahon village of Nawanshahr distri...