10 years today when Shammi Kapoor is no longer with us. But as long as we would continue to love one of more of these songs (my 10 personal favourites in no order), he would live on through the echoes of that music immortalized by the golden voice of Mohammad Rafi Saab…

1. Tumne mujhe dekha – Teesri Manzil
2. Deewana huya baadal – Kashmir ki Kali
3. Ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar – Junglee
4. Dil ke jharokhe me tujhko bithakar – Brahmachari
5. Raat ke humsafar – An Evening in Paris
6. Tum mujhe yun bhula na paoge – Pagla Kahin Ka
7. Hum aur tum aur yeh sama – Dil Deke Dekho
8. Jawaniyan yeh mast mast – Tumsa Nahin Dekha
9. Iss rang badalti duniya me – Rajkumar
10. Dil usse do jo jaan de de – Andaaz

Remembering Nazia Hassan, the peppy pop songwriter and singer from Pakistan on her 20th death anniversary today. She passed away at very young age of 35 due to lung cancer, but within her short life span and a singing career of just 15 years, she received immense popularity and was called as the “Queen of Pop” amongst the South East Asian music lovers. Her debut album, Disco Deewane (1981), charted in fourteen countries worldwide and became the best-selling Asian pop record up at the time. Boom Boom, Young Tarang and several other successful records followed, and together with brother Zoeb Hassan, she became a rage for a whole generation of youngsters growing up in the 80s.

What a talent! What a trailblazer!
Your music still haunts! You live on!

“Kya hai yeh jeena.. tere bin aye sanam…
Lekin mera dil.. mera dil ro raha hain…..”

“Meera… Kevin… This marriage is a beautiful thing. It is a most special friendship, friendship of two people who are equal. Life is a long journey, Meera, sometimes… you will feel you are less, Kevin sometimes, you will also feel that you are less than Meera. Try to help each other, to feel equal, it will be nice. Sometimes, married couple don’t even know how the other is feeling. So, how they will help the other? Does it mean marriage is over? No. That is the time you have to help yourself. Nobody can help you better than you, if you do that, you will return back feeling equal, your friendship will return back, your life will be beautiful.
Meera… Kevin… Maybe you all very busy, but, have family, son, daughter. In this big world, your small little world, it will make you feel so good. Family… family can never be… never be, umm.. never be judgmental, family will never put you down, will never make you feel… small. Family is the only one who will never laugh at your weaknesses, family is the only place, where you always get love and respect. That’s all Meera and Kevin, I wish you all the best. Thank you.”

• Shashi Godbole, English Vinglish

A masterclass performance by Sridevi in a brilliantly conceptualized scene!
A rare moment on Indian screen where true power, elegance and empathy came out winners together!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SRI! WE MISS YOU… EVERYDAY!

The world of Hindi Cinema has got a lot of its simplistic and heart felt beauty courtesy the warm and endearing cinema of Basu Chatterjee. Along side Hrishikesh Mukherjee, he made those evergreen everyday commoner stories that we could all relate to, revolving around protagonists who were so very you and me. A Chhoti si Baat, Baaton Baaton Me, Khatta Meetha or a Rajanigandha hence become any time watches for many. As we watched and rewatched, we fell more and more in love with the films, and with life. At the same time, there is the brilliantly adapted Ek ruka huya faisla, or Swami, or Apne Paraye in his filmography as well which have their own emotional and cinematic appeal, all attacking very different topics. With Kamla ki Maut, a story and a style was chosen much ahead of the times. That is the versatile talent of the man, as much as we try to box him within a sugary sweet zone.

Happy 90th birthday Basu’da! The treasure chest of Hindi cinema looks far more richer for the gems you added to it.

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