Remembering a legend: Vijay Anand (Part II)

Well, I've spoken about Vijay Anand as a great director, writer and actor in my last post; however the one talent about Goldie Sir which is always talked about by critics and his fans today is definitely his song picturization skills. There's no doubt he put in a lot of effort to make his songs look extra-special; something that took creativity to another level altogether!

Here, I am not going to list some of his songs in my ranking in terms of picturization; they are all brilliant in their own rights and cannot be compared. So I'm just going to go about writing about some excellent song picturizations of his chronologically.

1957: Film - Nau Do Gyarah.I had already spoken the song Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke in the previous post. Not going to speak much about it; but you can't help admire the picturisation when you see it. All it has is Dev Anand driving a truck, with a cigarette in his mouth, whistling and singing. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, simple is beautiful!
And who can forget his other gem from the movie (mind you, they're all one better than the other!) - Aankhon Mein Kya Ji - nobody can guess this is Vijay Anand's first ever film! Such wonderful romance depicted between Dev Anand and Kalpana Karthik (Dev's real life wife)besides a well, and then on a haystack ... what a concept ... and what amazing chemistry ... the song just about a right mixture of naughtiness, freshness of first love and of course very VERY romantic! So realistic that you can totally imagine yourself to be one of the actors and fall in love with the other instantly! Songs like these and Kali Ke Roop Mein, Kya Hai Phir Jo Din and O Soja Nindiya Ki Bela Hai from this fresh, debut film of his showed signs that this was a director who is a genius in the making.

1960: Film - Kala Bazaar. Vijay Anand was just about getting into the genius level when it comes to shooting songs from this film. Henceforth, almost all the songs in all the films from his prime period (until 1973) are worthy of talking about, but I'm only going to talk of a few of them. Well, back to Kala Bazaar, the style in which Upar Wala Jaan Kar Anjaan Hai was shot was simply extraordinary. This was a case of very intelligent song-writing and film-making, where Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman are sitting in the lower and upper berths in a train, and Dev is obviously flirting with Waheeda, but Waheeda's mother, who's sitting right opposite Dev, thinks Dev is singing songs for 'Uperwala' (God) and appears to be very happy with him for doing so. One of the songs you just HAVE to check out!
With great difficulty, I'm only choosing one more song from this film to write about. Khoya Khoya Chand, simply because this is the song that gave Dev his unique walking and running style. Shot very beautifully, amidst a foggy hill, this song just has Dev trying to impress Waheeda through his song. Of course, the walking and running was only because he was so much in love, and couldn't help but 'break free'!

1963: Film - Tere Ghar Ke Saamne. What else but the much talked about title song. Very ahead for it's times technically, this song has Dev Anand drinking and imagining Nutan in the bottom of his glass. A must-watch song again; and watch out for the scene where he puts a few ice cubes in the glass and imagines Nutan shivering in cold with the ice falling on her.
The other great picturized song from this film is obviously Dil Ka Bhanwar. First of all, this is THE only song ever picturized inside the Qutub Minar. No one is actually to shoot inside the Qutub Minar (now I hear we're not even allowed to go inside, but I'm not too sure), but the Government could easily make an exception for Dev saab! This song just has Dev romancing Nutan while climbing down the stairs of the Qutub Minar. Keep a look-out for a 'Hitchcock-ly' appearance from the great director himself in this song!

1965: Film - Guide. What do I talk about the songs of this film? Whether it's the evergreen Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, with Dev and Waheeda romancing with some excellently shot scenes of landscapes in the background, or the two of them in Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hai, with Dev promising Waheeda how much he loves her and will continue to do so. Or do I talk about Din Dhal Jaye, which has Dev Anand pouring his heart out in sorrow at night after a few drinks, when their relationship begins to turn sour, and he has only his servant for company; until of course Waheeda wakes up when she listens to Dev singing this song and watches him from the top of the stairs with both of them being so near yet so far, physically. There is of course the extraordinary two-song part in the film, with Saiyaan Be-imaan immediately being followed by Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya, which takes you into the mind of Dev Anand's character, with utmost care taken to ensure the lyrics match the situation perfectly! Who can also forget the song which appears along with the credits, Wahaan Kaun Hai Tera, the lyrics of which determine the state of Dev's character's thoughts, as he wonders whether to go home or make a new way for himself. A song which will definitely leave goosebumps on every audience member!
It's real tough to talk about those two songs without revealing the twists in the story, so I won't.
The two songs I will talk about are Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai and Piya Tose Naina Laga Re. Aaj Phir which depicts Waheeda's character shedding her inhibitions, freeing herself from her husband and breaking free, and the breaking of the pot was so metaphorical! Hats off to Goldie Sir's creativity yet again. Piya Tose is brilliant because it is used to carry the story forward several months in fast forward instead of subjecting the audience to an extra half-an-hour of movie time. In that very song of approximately 6 minutes duration, Waheeda starts dancing in front of audiences for the first time, they start converting small amounts into large sums thereby becoming rich and she becomes a nation-wide sensation towards the middle and end. Terrific thought process by Vijay Anand!

Okay, I realize this post is running long, so I'll try to cut it short here on.

1966: Film - Teesri Manzil. This film had amazing songs, with Vijay Anand doing full justice to each and every one of them. While it Main Inpe Marta Hoon picturized on a giantwheel (!!!) and O Mere Sona Re shot in the hills with Asha Parekh trying to lighten up a sulking Shammi Kapoor (delightful picturization), a lovely romantic song Tumne Mujhe Dekha (shot after Geeta Bali, Shammi's real-life wife's death), a mischevious Deewana Mujhse Nahin, a pep and extremely energetic Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera, the one song that really stands out is O Haseena Zulfonwali. The use of the 'eye set' works wonders, and also the slide that Helen makes her appearance in. The dance was perfectly in accordance with not only the lyrics, but also the interlude music! Watch for Shammi's antics in all the interludes to realize that.

1967: Film - Jewel Thief. I think this film had the most real picturizations, yet we can imagine these to be the toughest songs to have shot. A song only showing Vyanjthimala rowing a boat and Dev Anand following her on another, Rula Ke Gaya Sapna Mera, can surely not be easy. Nor can Ye Dil Na Hota Bechara which has Dev Anand trying to 'play a bit' with Tanuja and her friends or Aasman Ke Neeche, which starts off with Dev Anand and Vyjanthimala lazing on a garden and Dev teasing the heroine. Same goes for Dil Pukare in which Dev and Vyjanthimala are only walking around the hills of Gangtok, which has never looked more beautiful ever! Raat Akeli Hai is perhaps the best seductive song ever seen on cinema, and yet the picturization is so naughty, yet real and clean. But where Vijay Anand goes an extra step is Hothon Pe Aisi Baat, a lovely song with a fantastic dance, but it's the way the lyrics and scenes carry the story forward that is extremely remarkable!

1970: Film - Johny Mera Naam. Vijay Anand made another double-meaning song, O Mere Raja (where Dev is confronting Hema about a diamond heist she did, while the police surrounding them think they are two lovers arguing), and another classic seduction song, Husn Ke Laakhon Rang, but somehow we got the feeling that Vijay Anand might not surpass his previous work in this film. Well, we only had to wait a little longer. No one apart from Vijay Anand could have converted a bhajan to a thriller, and Govind Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo is exactly that. But the song that is most remembered is, without a shadow of a doubt, Pal Bhar Ke Liye. This song is shot inside a house with Hema Malini inside and Dev Anand just mischeviously trying to get inside through all the doors and (numerous) windows that the house had and Hema's trying her best not to let Dev in. This song is something that just needs to be watched to be believed!

1971: Film - Tere Mere Sapne. Vijay Anand made simple look sweet yet again, with Hai Maine Kasam Li, where Dev Anand just takes Mumtaz around village fields on his cycle. Beautiful!

1973: Film - Chuppa Rustam. Not exactly a song, but you know you're in for a treat right from the credits appear, with a very engaging background score, along a rail-track! Can't really say much about this, except for PLEASE WATCH IT!

1973: Film - Blackmail. Raakhee reading Dharmendra's love-letters, and a breeze carries one of them outside to a plant, where it sticks on in perfect reading condition; Raakhee dreaming of Dharmendra throughout; Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas is a classic admired by even today's generation. And this is all actually happening in Dharmendra's dreams!
But I'll tell you what was the stand-out song from this film, in terms of picturization in my opinion - Mile Mile Do Badan. While the married Dharmendra and Raakhee had reached an agreement wherein they would never indulge in uh, marital acts, at the climax, while in hiding from Shatrughan and his henchmen and sniffer dogs in a jungle, covered by a few logs, the couple is clinging on to each other and gradually, they realize their love for each other and finally do it. This is simply Vijay Anand at his best!

No wonder then, that Vijay Anand is till-date remembered as a very intelligent film-maker, who always knew exactly what he wanted. And of course, someone who is always looked upon as the greatest director when it came to picturizing songs! The Hitchcock of Indian Cinema went beyond creating great thrills and suspense in scenes, and how!