Rajesh Khanna..some favorite songs

A phenomenon called Rajesh Khanna passed into history the day before. He was a short-lived phenomenon- an euphoria that lasted less than five years from1969. But he managed to sway the generation to such an extent that some small ripples of those times exist even today. I am not a great fan of Rajesh Khanna but on one aspect, I do admire him immensely. Even at the height of his popularity, he appeared to be willing to take on off-beat themes, non-romantic roles, roles that were more second fiddle to the leading lady.. he did not stay away from them. While he obviously had a huge star image, he managed to have a solid body of work that are worth being remembered as fine pieces of cinema. Anand, Ittefaaq, Amar prem, Aavishkaar and Baawarchi are a few such films.

Not too long ago, we lost two of the other greatest stars of Indian cinema- Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor. A common chain that runs through all three is that almost all coverage and reiminisces of the stars revolved around the music and songs of their films. There was more S.D.Burman and Jaidev than Dev Anand, more O.P.Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan than Shammi Kapoor  - and more R.D.Burman and Kishore Kumar than Rajesh Khanna. Thats how Indian cinema is. There are but few perhaps who would eventually be remembered as actors.

In that spirit, I am thinking of the songs I love best that had Rajesh Khanna singing them on screen. Here they are..

1. aur kuchh der Thahar (Aakhri Khat / Mohd Rafi / Khayyam) : A sheer charmer of a song rendered so beautifully by Rafi. The compositionally is typically Khayyam. Filled with romance, there is that tinge of melonchaloy there.. beautiful !!

2. vo shaam kuchh ajiib thii (Khaamoshi / Kishore Kumar / Hemant Kumar) :  Aradhana was sweeping across the country when this simple, poignant film came out. Kishore is at his best here in this masterly Hemantda composition. The choral effects are spell-binding.

 

3. zi.ndagii kaisii hai pahelii (Anand / Manna Dey / Salil Chowdhury)
4. kahii.n duur jab din Dhal jaaye (Anand / Mukesh / Salil Chowdhury)
Anand is a landmark of Hindi cinema, and remains the one film that I think that will remain Rajesh Khanna's claim to fame as an actor. A tragic subject was handled brilliantly by Hrishikesh Mukherji and Rajesh Khanna gave a terrific performance in the title role. Salilda's music matched the spirit. The melancholic mood of Anand is superlatively captured in the words and composition of kahii.n duur ab din while the philosophic elan of zi.ndagii kaisii hai pahelii is captured to perfection by Mannada.

 

5. ye kyaa huaa kaise huaa (Amar prem / Kishore Kumar / R.D.Burman) : Another fine film of Raesh Khanna's career. I enjoyed his performance in this film as well immensely. But the film is more a Sharmila Tagore film and it is to Rajesh Khanna's credit that he played a second fiddle and non-romantic role at the height of his popularity. The songs of the film are well remembered and this is my pick from this track. A well nuanced rendition from Kishore.

6. o mere dil ke chain (Mere jeevan saathi / Kishore Kumar / R.D.Burman)
7. diivaanaa leke aayaa hai (Mere jeevan saathi / Kishore Kumar / R.D.Burman)
Mere jeevan saathi is to my mind the vevery best of R.D.Burman-Kishore Kumar-Rajesh Khanna combination. One brilliant composition follows another in this film. I have to pick two from this track !

8. jiivan se bharii terii aa.Nkhe.n (Safar / Kishore Kumar/ Kalyanji Anandji): This was another tragedy affair but while the film enjoyed huge success, it is nowhere in the leagure of Anand. But again, the film had a bunch of fine songs. This is a persona favorite.

9. zi.ndagii ke safar me guzar jaate hai.n (Aap ki qasam / Kishore Kumar / R.D.Burman): Another memorable creation from the R.D.Burman music room. Kishore Kumar ke kyaa kehne.. beautiful rendition. A mood song..

10. hazaar raahe.n mud ke dekhii.n (Thodi si bewafaai / Kishore Kumar & Lata Mangeshkar / Khayyam): The list started with a Khayyam song and ends with another masterpiece from the same composer. How is that for symmetry?! Rajesh Khanna's halycon days were past when this film came out but Khayyam, some three decades after his entry to Bombay, was starting out on a glorious second inings that wouldinclude his best remembdered creations in Umraao Jaan and Kabhi kabhi. I also am surprised to note that this is the first duet in the list. Just shows thatat his prime, it was all Rajesh Khanna.