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The 87 most popular/ significant Hindi-Urdu songs of 1961

Dev Anand and Sadhana see their reflections in a pool in Hum Dono Rangeen, the colourised 2010 version of Hum Dono (1961)

Sadhana in Hum Dono Rangeen, the colourised 2010 version of Hum Dono (1961)

Raj Kapoor without Mukesh

It is incorrectly believed that only Mukesh (and Manna Dey) have sung for Raj Kapoor. Mohammed Rafi sang a number of songs that Raj Kapoor lip-synced on the screen. Among them was Baazi kisi ne pyaar ki jeeti yaan haar di for the film Nazrana. Ravi scored the music and Rajinder Krishan wrote the lyrics.

Sachin Dev Burman without Lata

In 1957 a rift developed between Sachin Dev Burman and Lata Mangeshkar, which got resolved only in 1963. In those more-than-six years Lata did not sing for Sachin Dev Burman at all.

The first steps towards a patch up took place in 1960-61 when SD's son Rahul Dev Burman was asked (by comedian-filmmaker Mehmood) to compose music for a film, Chhote Nawab, independent of his father, whose assistant he then was (and continued to be till at least 1969, in Aradhana, well after establishing himself in the top rung in 1966).

Pancham [lit. the fifth note, G/ sol/ pâ], as RDB was also called, composed a song rooted in Indian classical music. Chhote Nawab was RD’s first film as music director. So, he sang the tune out to his father. When SD heard the song he immediately picked up the phone, called Lata and said, ‘Our Pancham is going to become [an independent] music director. Will you sing a song for him? Zuroor ga (You definitely should.) I am telling you so.’ Lata agreed and the song, ‘Ghar aaja’ was critically appreciated. It had the kind of music and lyrics that characterised the RDB-Gulzar songs of the late 1970s and 1980s. Though Chhote Nawab was not an A list film, RDB made it to no.5 on the annual charts on his independent debut.

Sachin Dev Burman and Lata Mangeshkar patched up and started working together again in 1963 with Bandini, with ‘Mora gora rang,’ the song that launched Sampooran Singh Gulzar’s career (all other songs in the film were penned by Shailendra).

When were these films released?

Incidentally, Geet Kosh tells us that Chhote Nawab was released in 1961, not 1960 as stated by Geetmala ki Chhaon Mein. The film’s censor certificate is of no help, because it only tells us that it was renewed in 1983. The evidence points towards 1961. (Obviously, this film did not have much re-release value and lay in the cans for a years before the certificate was renewed.)

And when was Maya released? Ameen Sayani’s commentary on vol.17 puts it in 1961. The GCM jacket says 1960. Geet Kosh supports Mr Sayani. The film’s censor certificate was renewed in 1971. Hence Indpaedia has opted for 1961.

‘Songs in the shade’ (chhaoñ songs)

The Geetmala ki Chhaon Mein CDs list 21 songs that were ‘in the shade’ (chhaoñ songs) this year. Prof Bhargava has compiled a list of 13 runners-up. The two lists have 5 songs in common. Thus, between the two, there are 29 unique songs in the ‘next rung.’

GC: Geetmala ki Chhaon Mein is a set of 50 CDs issued by Saregama in instalments that continued into 2014. The set concentrated on songs that had ‘remained in the shadow’ (chhaoñ) of the main annual list of Binaca and its successor Geet Malas. These, thus, were the ‘next rung’ of songs, which were popular but did not make it to the main annual list.

AB: Bhargava, Anil, Binaca Geetmala ka Sureela Safar (Hindi; 2007; Rs.1,200), Vangmaya Prakashan, Jaipur-302015. vangmaya_jpr@yahoo.com)

Volumes 16 to 20 of Geetmala ki Chhaon Mein contain songs from the years 1960 to 1963. However, the songs have not been organised according to the year or any other comprehensible criteria. That Indpaedia had to rearrange them yearwise is not the issue. That the years printed on the jacket sometimes did not match the commentary on the disc, or was otherwise incorrect, added to our workload.

‘Sureela Safar’ has placed some songs released in one year in the next year’s Runners Up list. Perfectly understandable. Songs don’t lose their popularity at the stroke of midnight on December 31.

The issue is that in some cases GCM has listed a song in the year of its release but ‘Sureela Safar’ has placed the same song in the subsequent year. In such cases Indpaedia has listed the song under the earlier year, the one mentioned by GCM. However, if a song has been mentioned on ‘Sureela Safar’s’ Runners Up list alone Indpaedia has respected ‘Sureela Safar’s’ judgement about that song continuing to be popular in the next year as well.

Raags in songs

Few film songs that have a root in Indian classical music remain faithful to a raag throughout their length. Indpaedia volunteers have sometimes mentioned raags even when there is merely a hint of that raag in a song. (‘Raag’ is frequently spelt ‘raga,’ while ‘taal’ is also spelt ‘tal.’)

Wherever a taal has been mentioned, it is the one verified by ChandraKantha.com, and sometimes the raags, too.

The songs were suggested, inter alia, by songsofyore

Binaca Geetmala’s 32 top songs of 1961

Binaca Geet Mala 1961: greatest hits

Contents

The 87 most popular/ significant Hindi-Urdu songs of 1961

Raj Kapoor without Mukesh

Sachin Dev Burman without Lata

When were these films released?

‘Songs in the shade’ (chhaoñ songs)

Raags in songs

Binaca Geetmala’s 32 top songs of 1961

See also

For lists of popular songs

For lists of popular Hindi-Urdu films

For raags and taals

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