gaata rahe mera dil

chaahat ka labon pe naam aane de, yahi pyaar ka hai zamaana °˖✧◝◜✧˖° (mainly) b&w bollywood

[yeh-raat]

happy international women’s day

to all the amazing, brilliant and talented women of indian cinema! to every actress who exercised choice, was unabashedly herself and who carved a path for the future. 

some of you might have noticed that while all male actors have an ‘adaa’ (distinguishing style or mannerism), there was never any such phrase for actresses. they were also made to wear very monotonous clothes, makeup and hair when their male counterparts weren’t limited to this. have you realized that most actresses of the 60s are nearly indistinguishable because of how similarly they’re made up? as we enter an era of gangubai, thappad and other women-centric films, let’s take a minute - not to commend yesteryear actresses for their ‘strength’, but to condemn the industry for this hypocrisy.

whenever i listen to or watch old songs, i always keep in mind how this sector treats its women. so that is what i would like to extend to you all in today’s post - let’s remember our actresses for their adaa, too.

let’s remember that putting certain older films on a pedestal just for not treating women like second class citizens is not ‘progressive’. let’s remember that ‘leaving the past in the past’ is not a solution - we need to have these discussions to ensure these misrepresentations do not happen again. if we can’t change the people in power, we need to at least change their thinking.

happy women’s day to every woman reading this! i hope life fulfills your every wish and that you will always, always be proud of yourself. 

[yeh-raat]

i was watching hotel mumbai (2019) today, and later read about the russian invasion in ukraine, as well as protests in russia against said invasion - and it just makes me cry that so many of the wrong people are in power. if you watch street interviews in india and pakistan about either country, it's almost all love. woh mere behnon hai yaar! whether it's communism, democracy or a dictatorship, we, citizens, people, human beings, never have enough power to dictate how our country treats the rest of the world. every person here has a parent, a friend, a lover waiting for them to come home. and to watch representatives of your nation hurt and kill them, leave them waiting forever, snatching away last goodbyes, is heartbreaking. there is nothing more heartbreaking than watching people you will never know die.

[yeh-raat]

Honouring the amazing, unparalleled Lata Mangeshkar.

Despite the regressive themes in most of her songs, I do believe Lata to be a symbol of feminism and strength. She rose to the top in a largely male-dominated industry and commanded respect wherever she went. Without glorifying her struggles or sacrifices as a woman in a terribly sexist work setting, I’d like to commend her confidence and perseverance. 

Rest in peace. Thank you, Lata ji.

[yeh-raat]

Honouring Lata Mangeshkar on her 92nd birthday! Here are some stills from my favourite songs of hers. Can you identify them?

She had an amazing career spanning several decades and delivered some of the most beautiful Bollywood songs.

In my opinion, I believe Pakeezah (1972) was her best work.

I will add the movies and songs in the comments!

[yeh-raat]

Remembering Guru Dutt on his 96th birth anniversary:

The esteemed director, producer and actor put forth many films now considered cult classics such as Pyaasa (1957), Kaghaz ke Phool (1959) and Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam (1962).

Since I am more ept to talk about music, let me do so: the pairing of heroines with Guru Dutt and Geeta Roy's magical voice brought us timeless classics such as Mohabbat Kar Lo and Yeh Lo Main (Aar Paar), Hum Aap Ki Aankhon Mein, Jane Kya Tune and the later-cancelled Rut Phire Par Din (Pyaasa), and of course, Waqt Ne Kiya (Kaaghaz ke Phool). The producer-singer duo also gave us gems like Na Jao Saiyyan and Piya Aiso Jiya Mein (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam).

Chaudhvin ka Chand (1960) popularly called an ode to Waheeda Rehman's beauty boasts of having perhaps the most romantic song of Indian cinema by the same name. Here are some of the absolutely dazzling lyrics by Shakeel Badayuni, sung in Mohammed Rafi's dreamy voice:

Chaudhvin ka chand ho / Are you the full moon

Ya aftaab ho / Or the sun?

Jo bhi ho / Whatever you may be

Tum khuda ki qasam / I swear to God

Lajawab ho / You are beyond compare

Jaan-e-bahaar tum kisi shaair ka khwaab ho / My everyoung love, you are the dream of a poet

An interesting fact to note is that Guru Dutt participated in the picturization of his songs. The ingenuity of Waqt Ne Kiya’s haunting music video is largely credited to him.

Strangely enough, while his films had had more focus than ever before on female characters, he never extended that mindset to his own life. Something to wonder about.

[yeh-raat]

Yeh Raat, Yeh Chaandni (transl. This night, this moonlight) - Jaal (1952)

Starring Geeta Bali and Dev Anand: One of the best SD Burman-Sahir Ludhianvi collaborations— a haunting melody with equally bewitching lyrics.

Sung in the velvety voice of Hemant Kumar, this song etches itself into the memory of listeners for years on end.

Sahir Ludhianvi's admirable poetry saw its height at this time with Baazi and Jaal.

[yeh-raat]

O Nigahe Mastana  (transl. Oh, alluring gaze) – Paying Guest (1957)

Starring Nutan and Dev Anand: S.D Burman’s usual fantastic direction with the playful voices of Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar, and Majrooh Sultanpuri’s woven magic. Perhaps the most romantic picturization of a song I’ve ever seen.