Yash Chopra’s “DAAG” 1973, FIRST Super Duper Musical Hit Film.

As a Director Yash Chopra has given many musical hits under the banner of B.R Films, owned by his brother B.R.Chopra. In 1973 Yash Chopra opted to come out of B R Chopra banner and form ”YASH RAJ FILMS”. Yash Chopra wanted to get the Top Stars and Top Names for his maiden film ”DAAG”, as a Producer and the Director. 

To start with YASH RAJ Films first ever film, producer and director Yash Chopra wanted to utilize the ‘best’ artists available then. 

Rajesh Khanna was in supreme form in early seventies, he along with Sharmila Taigore and Rakhi were the stars of the film. 

LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL, in top gears, form 1967,  got the honor of the first music director for ”YASH RAJ FILMS”. Yash choose his favorite lyricist Sahir Ludhiyanvi to penned the songs.

An outstanding/evergreen/ever-fresh music of ”Daag” is still popular. 

Let us review the songs..

The orchestra arrangements in “Preludes” and “Interludes” used to be the assets of the songs composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.  Listen to the songs, listed below, after reading the write up, explaining peculiarities, for each of the songs you will enjoy it.

Mere Dil Main Aaj Kya  Hai   Kishore Kumar

लाजवाब, सुमधुर, कर्णप्रिय एवं बेहद रोमांटिक गाना। Mesmerizing Orchestra arrangements..IRANI SANTOOR (played by Pt Shivkumar Sharma) & GUITAR (played by Gorakh Sharma)  are brilliantly executed in the entire orchestra of the song. 
The song starts with “zero” ‘Prelude”…First ‘Interlude’ starts with IRANI SANTOOR at 0.42…with brilliant overlapping sound effect and ends at 1,00. The second ‘Interlude’ starts at 1.46 and listen how mellifluously IRANI SANTOOR have been played till 1.58…The third ‘Interlude’ starts at 2.45 and how effectively GUITAR is played to give the perfection to the romance and great “pick up” through IRANI SANTOOR from 2.53 to 3.02..The song has beautiful DHOLAK as “rhythm” excepting in “Interludes”…SAHIR LUDHIYANVI’s elegiac lyrics and KISHORE KUMAR’s tender as well as romantic rendition and LAXMIKANT-PYARELAL’s wonderful composition with beautiful decoration of the orchestra has made this song as all time classics.

You just have to look at the way Rajesh Khanna croons, “Mera pyaar keh raha hai main tujhe khuda bana doon” and you will want to watch the song. Nobody could act out a love song better than Rajesh Khanna.

Also full credit to Kishore Kumar who was nominated by filmfare awards, the best male singer, for singing this romantic GEM. One of the finest song of KK under Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

Hum Aur Tum Tum Aur Hum  Kishore Kumar – Lata Mangeshkar

This Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar romantic song is completely woven around the rhythm based ACOUSTIC GUITAR. Another beauty of this song is it’s ‘interludes’.  Both the ‘interludes’ have different tunes. First ‘interlude’ full of ‘aalaps’ by Kishore & Lata with glimpses of VIOLINS. In second ‘interlude’  the VIOLINS are decorated in ‘Waltz’ style with beautiful “pauses”. Even Lataji and Kishorji have also rendered the ‘pauses’ in the songs. 

Ni Main Yaar Mana Ni  Lata Mangeshkar – Kishore Kumar

Typically Punjabi flavored and very famous female duet excellently sung by Lata Mangeshkar – Minoo Purushottam. . Powerful rhythm of the song consists of “DHOL”, “DHOLAK”, “TABLA” and “CLAPPING” is just mind-blowing. All the “interludes” are orchestrated with SHEHNAI and other Indian traditional instruments. “Postlude” is worth to listen to. 

Ab Chahe Maa Ruthe Ya Baba Lata Mangeshkar – Kishore Kumar

This song is composed in “BHANGADA” style of dance. Stylishly rendered by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar to justify the voice of college students. It has a typical LP style rhythm. One more hit song from the film. Both Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Taigore look good. 

Jab Bhi Chahe Nayi Duniya Kishore Kumar – Lata Mangeshkar

Sad song with magical lyrics words by Sahir Ludhiyanvi. In this “gazal” style song ‘interludes’ are beautifully decorated by VIOLINS in “symphony” style orchestra with beautiful overlapping sound effect. 

Hawa Chale Kaise  Lata Mangeshkar

Song starts with zero prelude, Lata rendering then VIOLINS (big ‘pause’) and SANTOOR. Melodious Lata singing on different type “rhythm” by using BONGO DRUMS in this song. 

Laxmikant-Pyarelal were nominated for the best music directors for “DAAG” along with Raj Kapoor’s “BOBBY” In 1973.. Sadly, none of these films got the best music director award, in spite of an outstanding music for both the films. 

After the thumping success of musical hit film ”DAAG”,Yash Chopra wanted Laxmikant-Pyarelal to score the music for his next film ”KABHI KABHI”.  But Laxmikant-Pyarelal were very busy with some other projects. 

It is an UNFORTUNATE….that Yash Chopra’s First Musical Hit Film “DAAG” became the FIRST and LAST film for Laxmikant-Pyarelal.

If you compare all Yash Raj Films Musical score, DAAG remains the BEST and top sellers. As on Today, 46 Years Old Songs are still popular.

Ajay Poundarik