Sanjeev Rambhadran's first claim to fame was when he became the winner of the famous Saregama competition on Zee TV in the mid-90s. The program then was hosted by a young Sonu Nigam and the judge for the finals was none other than the doyen of Hindi film music- Anil Biswas.
Born and brought up in the US, Sanjee is now an acclaimed and much sought-after singer in the US program circuit. He is also a multi-instrumentalist. In this special series to commemorate Mohammed Rafi's 40th death anniversary, Sanjeev brings out various facets of Rafi's gaayaki through his songs with 40 different music directors. He also brilliantly pens his thoughts on these musical gems. Here is the fifth one from the series.Over to Sanjeev Rambhadran for a musical treat!
Composer Jamaal Sen was a multifaceted talent with a keen acuity for music, dance, and poetry. Lata Mangeshkar’s “Supna Ban Saajan Aaye” from Shokhiyaan (1951) is a stunning creation of his which alone bears strong testimony to his superior creative gifts. In an oft-repeated pattern, his creative genius went largely for naught in Hindi Films given his uncompromising nature and inability (or unwillingness) to navigate the relationships that made kings of lesser talents than his.
Very briefly, Jamaal Sen’s star shined brightly with films like the aforementioned Shokhiyaan and Daaera (1953). The latter featured a Mohd. Rafi duet with Mubarak Begum, “Devta Tum Ho Mera Sahaara” which was all the rage on its release. Musical trends changed starkly in the 1960s, but Jamaal Sen did manage to team up with Mohd. Rafi outside films for geets and gazals like this one, a poem of Hakim Taqi Meer. The evening raga Shyaam Kalyaan is by no means rare in the classical arena, but popular compositions influenced by it are relatively few and far between. The conspicuous Shyaam Kalyaan element here is perhaps a mark of the composer’s highbrow persuasion - Mohd. Rafi, of course, is in usual form, so I was taken by this unusual melody on the very first hearing.
Kesariya Balam
