ASHA EK - RANG ANEK

Legendary Asha Bhosle is only the second top name in the world of bollywood film singers, just after her Bharart Ratna sister nightingale Lata Mangeshkar. Lata Didi’s innumerable classy collector albums have already been brought out by the then HMV and now Saregama from their huge archive collection of heritage music. Now younger sis Asha Bhosle’s this collector album is uniquely titled “Asha Ek Rang Anek” to prove her versatile singing style, capturing the entire gamut of myriad colours in various moods, hues and forms. This is aptly divided in four different sentimental segments and innovatively captioned “Asha Ki Ched Chhad”, “Asha KI Shokhiyan”, ‘Asha Ka Shairnana Andaz” and “Asha Ke Jazbaat” four CDs in one composite pack, aggregating to sixty gems, carefully picked from her thousands of popular film, non film songs and Gazals sung either solo or in duet.

This is indeed a collector item and will be loved by connoisseurs of melody pleasing all tastes and age groups. It does not require an expert to say that Asha gave her best under the batons of late maestro O P Nayyar and Rahul Deb Burman dishing out immortal melodies. However, in that golden era of film music between 60-90s; she also sang some soulful numbers with Maestros S D Burman, Shankar Jaikishen, Khayyam and Madan Mohan.

Can any one, including today’s young generation ever forget her ever peppy number “O Mere Sona Re Sona” under RDB baton? Other RDB popular numbers of Asha sung are plenty,but included in this set are “Piya Tu Ab To Aaja”, “Umeed Hogi Koi”; “Yeh Ladka Hai Allhah Kaisa Hi Diwana” “Sapna Mera Toot Gaya” (Little melancholy). O P Nayyar collection? Oh, U will certainly enjoy “Piya Piya Mora Jiya Pukare”, “ Aye Meharbaan”, “Yeh Hai Reshami Zulphon Ka Andhera “, “Haule Haule CHalo Mere Sajna” and the most magnificent of all “Main Shayad Tumhare Liye Ajnabi Hoon”. This particular numbr is out of this world to me as the best and meaningful lyric, rhythm and clarity of rendering in sonorous voice of Asha.

We also have other gems from Khayyam like “Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston”, ‘Justju Jiski Thi “; “ Ab Ki Baras Bhejo Bhaiyya” – a sentimental melody from SD Burman along with “Raat Akeli Hai”.

Can anyone forget that cute number filmed on Waheeda Rehman “Paan Khaye Saiyyan Hamaaro” tuned by inimitable Shankar Jaikishen and maestro Madan Mohan’s chirpy “Jhoomka Gira Re”; C Ramchandra’s “Eena Meena Deeka” (stated to be the first Disco –rock song in Hindi film), Hemant Kumar’s meaningful lilt “Bhanwara Bada Nadaan”; Usha Khanna’s emotional “Apne Dil Mein Jagah Dijiye”; Kalyanji Anandji’s “ O saathi Re” and above all Jaidev- Sahir’s masterpiece “ Jahan Mein Aisa Kaun Hai” . All these rare songs are there.

In Gazal collections, besides Khayyam’s “ Justju Jiski Thi”, there are four shairy pieces composed by Ghulam Ali and sung by Asha. They are ‘ Ruddade Mohabbat”, ” Dil Dhadakne Ka Sabab” “Chupke Chupke” and “Awargi”. Is it not then a real collector item ?

A few blemishes and omissions

Compiler is Najma Merchant. I know it is difficult task to just pick up 60 songs out of thousands. But she could have done a better job by selecting more popular and saleable songs of Asha from her huge legacy.

What about RDB great gems like “Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko”, “Duniya Mein Logo Ko Dhoka”, “Dum Maaro Dum” ? What about the National award winning Khayyam number “Dil Cheese Kya Hai” or O P Nayyar’s unforgettable “ Maang Ke Saath Tumhara” and chirpy “Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gayaji “ ?

List can be long, these are only a few examples. May be that to earn more, saregama has kept those in reserve for future “Asha’ editions. Best of luck to them and the music lovers.

Another glaring omission is the absence of credit for films and lyricist, which is an usual practice adding to the knowledge of listeners. Instead, singer Asha’s name is repeated for each song which was redundant for the simple reason that entire compilation is in her name.