One song at a time - 5. Bhool Jaa Ae Dil

"This is not a composition of Naushad miyan. You need to put in some effort." ("Yeh Naushad miyan ka gaana nahin hai, aap ko mehnat karni padegi."). When I read that a music director had directed these words towards a young Lata Mangeshkar, struggling with his composition, I was intrigued. For Naushad was a famous name and you don't expect a music director to dismiss him so casually. Naturally I had to find out more about the music director who made the statement.

Sajjad Hussain was his name and he was a temperamental man. I discovered that due to his temperament he never got along well with the film folks and ended up scoring for only 16 or 17 movies in his career. Knowing the name was not enough. I needed to know what he had scored. One of his first composition I heard was "yeh hawa yeh raat yeh chandni". Then I heard "dharthi se dook gore", "yeh kaisi ajab dastan". Enough to show that his style was quite different from that of Naushad. I personally feel his compositions were more complex than those of Naushad. His compositions sound very original. Infact Anil Biswas is supposed to have remarked that Sajjad Hussain was the most original of all composers!!! High praise indeed coming from Anilda, whom I hold as a very original composer.

To prove the point of originality and complexity, listen to this song today. This is sung by a very young Lata. Observe the rhythm of the song. Observe how the music director suddenly introduces melody into it when instead of ending the line sharply with the rhythm, Sajjad Hussain lets Lata to elongate the word. Observe how in the charanams the tune is not going as you expect it to go but is more free flowing. Observe the extremely modern treatment given that the song came out in 1950.

From the film 'Khel', ladies and gentlefolks, presenting you 'bhool jaa ae dil'.