64th Independence Day: Bollywood Songs

Indo-Asian News Service Mumbai, August 14, 2010First Published: 18:54 IST(14/8/2010)

Bollywood songs have always stirred patriotic sentiments among listeners. Come Sunday and India's 64th Independence Day, and one may soak in the national fervour with IANS's list of 20 evergreen patriotic songs from Bollywood.

Aao bachchon tumhe dikhaye: Composed in the year 1954 by Hemant Kumar, the song tries to inculcate patriotism among children. The fast-paced number was crooned by Pradeep in the film Jagriti.

Hum laayein hain toofan se: This track also belonged Jagriti and was equally popular. The slow-paced track was sung by legendary Mohammad Rafi.

Yeh desh hai veer jawanon ka: This energetic and upbeat song is one of the most popular patriotic songs, owing to its tempo and fervour. Composed by O.P. Nayyar and voiced by Rafi, the song was from the film Naya Daur that released in 1957. The Punjabi tone and the beats in the song lend a very rural setting.

Chhodo kal ki baatein: From the 1960 film Hum Hindustani, this track was composed by Usha Khanna. It depicted a feeling of patriotism, optimism and free thinking. It was sung by Mukesh.

Aye mere pyare watan: This track from the film Kabuliwala (1961) had all the ingredients of a legendary song. It was composed by Salil Choudhury, with Manna Dey behind the mike.

Nanha munna rahi hun: This song from the 1962 film Son Of India brings forth love for the country through a child. Crooned by Shanti Mathur, the simple and endearing composition was made by Naushad Ali.

Apni azadi ko hum: This song gave the message of toughness and a strong will. It brought forward the sentiments of people who were not ready to bow down under any circumstances. From the film Leader (1964), it had brilliant vocals by Lata Mangeshkar and Rafi.

Ab tumhare hawale watan saathiyon: This beautiful and soul-stirring track from 1964 film Haqeeqat, depicted the feelings of the soldiers of the country. The song, synonymous with patriotism in India, was sung by Rafi with Madan Mohan as the music director.

Jahan daal daal par: From the film Sikandar-e-Azam, this Rafi sung and Hans Raj Bahal composed song talks about the beauty of our country. It sings praises in honour of the country and makes the listener proud of India.

Mera rang de basanti chola: The song depicts the life of freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh. From the film Shaheed (1965), it was sung by Rafi and Mahendra Kapoor and was composed by Prem Dhawan.

Aye watan aye watan: The song, again from Shaheed, talks about the secularity of our nation and the patriotic feelings of the people towards our mother land. It instils a sense of pride among the countrymen. Like most patriotic songs of that period, this too has been crooned by Rafi while the composition is of Prem Dhawan.

Mere desh ki dharti: No Independence Day celebrations are complete without this iconic number. The song, from the film Upkar, featured Manoj Kumar. This melodious track talking about the fertility of the Indian land was composed by Kalyanji-Anandji and was sung by Mahendra Kapoor.

Dil diya hai: Music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Karma released in 1986 and belted out this melodious patriotic song. Sung by Kavitha Krishnamurthy, it was a big hit.

Bharat humko jaan se pyara hai: Composed by Oscar winning composer A.R Rahman, this song from the 1992 film Roja was sung by Hariharan. It advocates the feeling of brotherhood between people and its sudden change of tempo gives it an edge.

It happens only in India: This song was sung in a lighter vein by Anand Raj Anand for the film Pardesi Babu that released in 1998. It talks about the various traditions and cultures of the country.

Zindagi maut na ban jaaye: This is one of the new age patriotic songs. Featured in 1999 film Sarfarosh, this song that urges people to stand against terrorism and other issues was sung by Sonu Niigaam and Roop Kumar Rathod and composed by music director duo Jatin-Lalit. The song in the genre of a qawwalli is quite impressive.

Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani: This song from the film of the same name that released in 2002 is a fun song. It brings forth the positives and negatives of the country in an amusing manner. It has a hummable melody created by Jatin-Lalit and has been sung by Udit Narayan.

Desh mere desh mere: The Legend of Bhagat Singh, yet another film on Bhagat Singh, offered this song which was passionate yet hard-hitting. It brought forward the sentiments of people who were ready to do anything for the country. It was composed by A.R. Rahman and was voiced by Sukhwinder Singh and the composer himself.

Yeh jo desh hai tera: Swades, that released in the year 2004, boasted of this track that was meant for Indians who live away from their country. The song reminds them about their association with their homeland. It is sung and composed by A.R. Rahman.

Khandon se milte hain khande: From the Hrithik Roshan starrer Lakshya, the song brought forward the sentiments of our soldiers. It was composed by music director trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and was sung by a host of singers like Sonu Niigam, Shankar Mahadevan, and Hariharan.
64th Independence Day: Bollywood Songs

Amy Officer's daughter duped by money-for-roles cinema scam

The cash-rich Tamil cinema industry may have given the ticket to stardom to many but also has many untold stories of several aspiring stars falling prey to the con skills of unscrupulous elements.
In the latest incident of duping that became public, a 32 year-old director who lured aspirants by promising roles in his film for a price tag has landed in the police net after his con script took an ‘unexpected twist’!
Police last week swooped on the director, Aravind G Mehta, after a complaint from an Army officer whose daughter was tricked by him. Following his arrest, many more of his victims are flocking to the police commissionerate with similar complaints of cheating. Mehta, who was also running a film school, had allegedly duped the Army officer's daughter of Rs 4.5 lakh with the promise of making her the female lead in his Tamil film. But he could not keep his word and turned a villain in the eyes of the 'investor'.
Demanding money from the gullible, Mehta, a native of Tiruchirappalli and a product of the Taramani Film Institute in the city, managed to collect a few lakhs of Rupees for a film he had proposed to make. Four persons, including two women, have approached police, alleging that they had paid Mehta sums ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50000 for roles such as second female lead and other characters.
According to PTI, insiders say it is no new practice where aspiring men and women are charged by relatively little known producers and directors, all for the much-needed 'first step or break,' to cast them in their projects. While a few projects do take off, many remain on paper.
Aspiring actors duped by money-for-roles scam

Caution
Army officers and Veterans need to be ever vigilant as more and more civil conmen operate from military cantonments and also from AWHO housing colonies as civilains are permitted to become AWHO members just by merely paying for/ or buying a NOC.

Remembering Anand Bakshi ex Corps of Signals

Dear Brig Kamboj,
Most of us have heard the name of Milkha Singh. He is an athlete of considerable repute. Around the time when Milkha Singh joined the army, there was another 'man of substance' who joined the service, but not many of us seem to remember him. His name was Anand Bakshi.

A scene will appear on your screen and the song will say:
"Kuchh reet jagat ki aisi hai, har eik suboh ki shaam hui
Tu kaun hai tera naam hai kya Sita bhi yahaan badnaam hui
Phir kyon sansaar ki baaton se, bheeg gaye tere nainaa?"
These words have come from the pen of Anand Bakshi.

So far so good. And now, I have something to tell you. Anand was a soldier!!!
He joined the Corps of Signals soon after Independence, and was in the STC Jabbalpur, before getting posted to Bombay, where he got into the filmworld, as a playback singer. But soon turned a lyricist and wrote some of the finest songs of our age.

And now, permit me to seek the help of the RMS family. The Internet has his biodata, but there is an ambiguity in his date of birth. He was either born in 1920 or 1930 and the is a difference is of TEN whole years! I think some one from the Signals can throw light on this enormous anamoly.

The army has made much of Milkha Singh. He did indeed run around the athletics track, albeit with admirable elegance. But what Anand Bakshi did is also of great significance. He has given us songs which have very poignant meanings. At the end of the day, what will perhaps be left will be words and not those giant strides. In one song, Mukesh says:

"Ik din bik jaayega maati ke mol
Jag mein reh jaayenge pyare tere bol"

I, for one, salute both Milkha and Anand Bakshi. May the military be able to get more of them to come and don the uniform, and make us proud by their deeds and words. As for me, my prayer to the Lord is:

"O saare jag ke rakhwale
Nirbal ko bal dene wale
Balwaanon ko de de gyaan
Allah tero naam Ishwar tero naam"

This particular piece is to seek more information on Anand Bakshi of the Corps of Signals, which helps us in remaining 'connected' with each other during service and even after that through "Report My Signal".
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)

The Corps of Signals has been aware of Anand Bakshi and his achievents in Bollywood as a famous lyricist. He was contacted prior to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations by DCSO Bombay and he wrote the lyrics of the Corps song.

It is a good suggestion that the Corps should highlight that Anand Bakshi was a Signaller. It is also appropriate to remember his achievements during the Centenary celebrations. As far as I can remember, his son lives in Mumbai and DCSO Bombay should be knowing the address.

Harbhajan Singh
Lt Gen
Signal Officer-in-Chief and Senior Colonel Commandant 1988-91

Legendary tragedy queen of Bollywood

Dear Ganga,
I do not know how many times I have heard the hindi film song I am writing about, but for the first time, I noticed that it is NOT written by one of the lyricists I associated with its language. Let me see how many of my friends can tell!
The emotive couplets of the song are:
Yeh paap hai kya yeh punya hai kya, reetoN par dharm ki mohareN haiN
Har yug meN badalte dharmoN ko, kaise aadarsh banavoge?

Yeh bhog bhi ek tapasya hai, tum tyaag ke maaro kya jaano?
Apmaan rachiyata ka hoga, rachnaa ko jo tum thukraoge!

(Note: The capital N is silent. It merely adds a nasal sound)

I am sure no one has forgotten the unforgettable Meena Kumari film.
Love, and regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
PS
For those who do not understand Hindi, please revert to me. I was educated in Allahabad, with Sanskrit as a compulsory subject. And I loved it.


Meena Kumari, born Mahjabeen and the legendary tragedy queen of Indian cinema was one of the most beloved actresses of all times in Bollywood cinema and she continues to live deep into the hearts of people even today. She is invariably called the "Tragedy Queen" and her work is considered immortal.. Her classic contributions include Parineeta, Baiju Bawra, Saheb Biwi aur Ghulam and Pakeezah. She was also one of the great urdu poets of the land and has written beautiful sad poems in her lonely days! She also recorded an album of her own poetry in her own voice which was her dream project of life. She has significant contributions as an actress as well as a child actress baby Meena who started at the age of just six years. For the lovers and admirers of the beautiful, mesmerizing and legendary Meena Kumari, here she lives again in her films, her poetry, her life and her voice.

Indian Army reveals Curry Bomb latest recipe in War on Terror

India's weapons development experts have developed an eye-watering spice bomb, packed with a potent mix of red chilli and pepper which will be used to smoke out militants during counter-insurgency operations.

Experts from India's Defence Research and Development Organisation have already tested their new "grenade masala" in a series of "spice raids" close to the Line of Control which separates Indian and Pakistani forces in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region.

"The field trials have been completed with success in several areas along the Line of Control. The grenades would be successful in forcing out militants from their hideouts." Curry bomb! Indian Army reveals latest recipe in war on terror

Comment: The ideal weapon causes no physical injury but makes the terrorists weep for their sins. This technique should be used universally to combat terror.
In conjunction also read:
Once we smoke the terrorists out with our mirchi bombs and stench guns, we need to have a plan for their rehabilitation, a program where they will get a permanent amnesia of their evil plans, something that can totally screw their minds into thinking all is well with the world. For that, I recommend the Bollywood bomb, a proven screwer of minds and a dependable pulverizer of logic. Masala missiles and curry bombs