Musicologist Kl Pandey explains how five prominent ragas have been used in Hindi cinema, starting from the first sound film Alam Ara, which featured seven songs. By Utpal K Banerjee
A raga, literally implying “hue” and “beauty”, is the primary melodic staple of Indian classical music since the earliest times and is totally absent in the West. Raga is viewed as the colouring of the mind, mood and emotions — metaphorically covering any feeling or passion — especially love, affection, sympathy, desire, interest, motivation, joy or delight. In practice, raga uses a series of five or more standard musical notes upon which a melody is constructed. How the notes are approached and rendered in musical phrases and how they convey the mood, are more important in identifying a raga than the notes themselves. Defined by connoisseurs as “tonal framework for composition and improvisation,” ragas are separated from each other by scale, lines of ascent and descent, emphasised and subdued notes, intonation and melodic ornaments.
Full potential of classical ragas was realised in the highly developed Marathi drama — as natya sangeet — in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Interleaving the spoken dialogue, natya sangeet took the dramatic action forward through lyrics and ragas. No wonder, when the talkie cinema appeared from the Mumbai studios, it borrowed whole-heartedly the idiom of natya sangeet. Right from the first sound film, Alam Ara (1931) by Ardeshir Irani which featured seven songs. The practice was closely followed by Shirin Farhad (1931) by Jamshedji Framji Madan, which had as many as 42 song sequences strung together in the manner of an opera, and later, by Indra Sabha — ascribed to Nawab Wajed Ali of Oudh — which had as many as 69 song sequences. However, the practice subsided and subsequent films usually featured between six to 10 songs in each production but — barring parallel cinema — lyrics, piggybacking visibly or not so visibly on ragas, have continued unabated.
Raag On!-Bridging the Gap, presented recently by Sarvam, featured the eminent musicologist Kl Pandey on stage, aided by gifted young musicians, to illustrate how five prominent ragas added their colours to the world of Hindi cinema. Ranita De of Kasoor-Patiala gharana set it off with a lilting chhota khayal in raga Yaman, followed by a dazzling array of video-excerpts of film song in that raga: Chandan Sa Badan… (Saraswatichandra), Chhupalo Yun Dil… (Mamta), Aapke Anurodh Se… (Anurodh), Savera Ka Suraj…(Ekbar Mooskura Do), Naa Woh Kalpana… (Mrigtrishna), Man Re Tu Kaahe… (Chitralekha), Ehsaan Tera… (Junglee), Huzoor Is Kadar… (Masoom) and Jaadu Bhari Aankho Wali Suno… (Dastak).
The relatively-rare pentatonic raga Durga followed with gaandhar and nishaad absent, most prevalent in countries of south-east Asia. After a delightful interlude by Raja Prasanna on flute from the Benaras gharana, the videos included: Aaja Hume Vandevan… (Amar Jyoti), Jadunath, Dwarkanath… and Naache Man Mora… (Veer Arjun) and Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne... (Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne). Then came raga Desh, a great favourite of the rains, begun very well by Suhail Yusuf Khan on sarangi from Moradabad-Rampur and Seniya gharana of Miyan Tansen. The video clippings showed: Dukh Ke Ab Din… sung by Kl Saigal (Devdas), Dil Ka Kya Rang… (Mirza Ghalib), Gori Tore Nain… (Main Suhagan hun) and Aji Rooth Kar Ab… (Aarzoo).
The penultimate raga Vageshwari was a plaintive one, reminiscent of suffering and separation. After a splendid chhota khayal by Ujwal Nagar, son of Kathak exponent Urmila Nagar and groomed by her, video vignettes included: Jaag Dard Ishq Jaag… (Anarkali), Naa bole, Naa Bole, Naa bole Re… (Amod), Dagara Chalata Chhanke Bichhua… (Anuradha), Jao Jao Nandalala… (Rangolee) and Chhanke Payal Mitua... (Maya Machhinder). The finale was with the midnight’s pentatonic raga Malkaunsh, signed off with an ensemble interlude of the vocal-duo, sarangi and flute, and the film-excerpts came streaming in: Chale Raghuvira… (Ramrajya), Man Tadapata Hari Darshan Ko Aaj… (Baiju Bawra), Raghupati Karuna Nidhaan (Tulsidas), Ankhiya Sathey Akhiya lagey… (Bade Aadmi), Aadha Hai Chandrama… (Navrang), Rangrasia Krata Soutan Ke Saath... (Khwaish), Sur Ke Panchhi Aaye… (Sur Sagar) and Payal Khul Khul Jaye… (Grihasti).
Informed Pandey, “Statistically speaking, 4,840 ragas are feasible, although about 500 ragas are in vogue. Out of them, the Hindi screen has used around 169 ragas in about 8,000 songs. Out of the lot, raga Kafi was a favourite of the 50s; Pahadi became popular in the late 50s; and
Nata Bhairavi has many songs in the latest Aashiqui 2. Individually, Piloo was very dear to Naushad”. On his own penchant, Pandey modestly said, “My passion for music has led me to seriously research into ‘raga elements in Hindi film music’ and I’ll be releasing shortly seven volumes: almost an encyclopedia: with seven PhD candidates working with my material. I have my own collection of 1.50 lakh of film songs: starting from 1932 when recording began, right up to 2014”.