6 big movie albums of all time

Exploring a musical legacy without which the legend of Bollywood is almost unthinkable

Technology rules. Consequently, die-hard collectors of Bollywood music soundtracks are in a fix. That thrill of rushing to the closest store to add an album to your collection is long gone. Vinyl gave way to cassettes, then to compact discs, and now it's pen drives, iPods, YouTube and what-gizmos-you-have which keep you connected to your favourite songs from the current movies.
If I sound as ancient as Jurassic, so be it. In any case, as everyone from stalwarts like poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar to the moms-and-dads-next-door will tell you, the overall standard of music has deteriorated drastically. And that's putting it mildly. Sure, a movie's soundtrack still yields an unforgettable track or two, but an entire score packed with enduring songs has become a thing of the distant past.
Allow me to rewind to the glory years of movie music during the 1950s and the '60s. Those were the days when long-playing records (LPs), radio hit parades (how nostalgia-philes pine for Binaca Geetmala), and specialty stores (efforts are on to revive Mumbai's late Rhythm House as a hangout spot for music lovers) were robustly alive and kicking.
On tracking statistics about movie album sales, it can be asserted that the top six vintage bestselling LP records were remarkable for dulcet melodies, lyrics of a refined quality and innovative compositions with either elaborate or minimalist orchestration. Those were the days, too, of playback singers whose voices, pronunciation and emotional depth were as essential as oxygen is to life.
Here, then, are the Big 6 movie albums of all-time, in terms of their unit sales. Be warned, many imperishable LPs - our favourites - do not make it to the micro-check list. For instance, the LPs of O.P. Nayyar's Aar-Paar (1954) and Phagun (1958), Salil Chowdhury's Madhumati (1958), Laxmikant-Pyarelal's Dosti (1964) and Bobby (1973), S.D. Burman's Pyaasa (1957) and Abhimaan (1973), R.D. Burman's Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), Amar Prem (1972) and Sholay (1975), Khayyam's Kabhi Kabhie (1976) and Umrao Jaan (1981) go missing here.
In the event, let's just say that movies would have been infinitely the poorer without these timeless six LPs:
BARSAAT (1949)
Music: Shankar-Jaikishan
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri, Shailendra, Ramesh Shastri, Jalal Mahilabadi
Showman Raj Kapoor's ear for music was legendary, evidenced in every film in which he acted, produced and directed. The bitter-sweet romantic classic stands out also for bringing Lata Mangeskhar to the forefront with the evocative renditions of as many as seven solo numbers: Hawa mein udta jaaye, Jiya beqaraar hai, Barsaat mein humse milen tum, Bichhde hue pardesi, Mujhe kisise pyaar ho gaya, Meri aankhon mein bas gaya and Ab mera kaun sahara. Shankar-Jaikishan, who became key components of the RK oeuvre for decades, were in their element in their debut-making film itself.
AWAARA (1951)
Music: Shankar-Jaikishan
Lyrics: Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri
The film, which established Raj Kapoor's image of the lovable tramp in the mode of Charlie Chaplin, studied the conflict between a law court judge and his estranged son who takes to crime. Famously, the song Awaara hoon, rendered by Mukesh, became anthemic, not only at home but also in the Soviet Union as well as the Middle East. All the 10 tracks composed by Shankar-Jaikishan have duly survived the test of time, including the playful Ek do teen sung by Shamshad Begum, the dreamy Ghar aaya mera pardesi by Lata Mangeshkar and the melancholic Hum tujhse mohabbat karke by Mukesh who eventually came to be known as the voice of Raj Kapoor.
MUGHAL-E-AZAM (1960)
Music: Naushad
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
An apocryphal story goes that director K. Asif offered a briefcase-full of money to Naushad to compose "great" music for the Salim-Anarkali love story. Offended, the composer threw the money back, but was convinced by his wife to accept the assignment after Asif apologised. All the 10 tracks - be it the qawwalis, the classical Shubh din aayo by Bade Ghulam Ali Khan or Pyaar kiya toh darna kya which defines rebellion with a cause - are jewels in Naushad's crown.
GUIDE (1965)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Shailendra
Given director Vijay Anand's forte at song picturisation, the bold love story of a tourist guide and a married woman is still a delight to watch - and hear. It's tough to single out any one of the 10 tracks; yet, if there's any composition which conveys the zest for life, it's Lata Mangeshkar's Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai, enacted ever so endearingly on screen by Waheeda Rehman. Both Kishore Kumar (Gaata rahe mera dil) and Mohammed Rafi (Din dhal jaaye, Kya se kya ho gaya and Tere mere sapne) served as the voices of Dev Anand. In addition, the devotional tracks by Manna Dey (Hey Ram hamare Ramchandra) and by S.D. Burman himself (Megh de paani de) were as soul-stirring as they can get.
ARADHANA (1969)
Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Towards the latter half of the '60s, the sales of long-playing albums and 45rpm singles were witnessing a boom. Moreover, at the end of the decade, unprecedented superstardom was achieved by Rajesh Khanna with the release of this double role drama directed by Shakti Samanta. Kishore Kumar returned in absolute top form after a dull hiatus with the recording of the solo songs Mere sapno ki rani and Roop tera mastana, and the duet Kora kaagaz tha yeh mann mera with Lata Mangeshkar. As for the ever-hummable ditty Baaghon mein bahaar hain, it was recorded by Lata with Mohammed Rafi. By this time, the stalwart S.D. Burman was being assisted by his son R.D. Burman - who, it is lored, added that youthful edge to the soundtrack which continues to maintain a cross-generational appeal.
PAKEEZAH (1972)
Music: Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi, Kaif Bhopali, Kamal Amrohi
Muslim social dramas, that hinged around the respectable courtesan, are not the rich material that today's movies are made of. Long-delayed in the completion because of differences between Meena Kumari and her real-life husband producer-director Kamal Amrohi, this musical with tragic overtones is a showcase for a set of Lata Mangeshkar's impeccable renditions: Thare rahiyo, Inhi logon ne, Chalte chalte yunhi koi and Mausam hai aashiqana. The album is also notable for the classical track Bandhan bandho by Shobha Gurtu.
As the 1970s ended, the LPs exited. In the immediate era of cassettes and and compact discs, the highest sellers proved to be Raam Laxman's Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989) and Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Nadeem-Shravan's Aashiqui (1990), and A.R. Rahman's Roja (1992), Rangeela (1995), Dil Se (1998) and Taal (1999), and Jatin-Lalit's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).
Now you might want to ask where have all the vintage movie albums on vinyl gone? They can be located, if at all, at auction sales and antique shops, and with private collectors. Like the music, those LPs, with elaborate jacket sleeves, are priceless.
mUGHA