Indian film music has seen many generations, some experimenting with new creations while others recreating the originals. But it is the old melodies which have stood the test of time. Appreciated by the young and adults alike, old Bollywood songs have a charm of their own, far surpassing the much-hyped modern era music.
From Mohd Rafi to Kishore Kumar, Pancham da to Mukesh, and Geeta Dutt to Lata Mangeshkar, the golden era of Bollywood has produced some legendary playback singers still admired for their soulful voices. Lyricists and music composers like Gulzar, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Naushad have time and again added to the rich music legacy of yesteryears. What’s more, these classics have retained their charisma over the decades, unlike today when songs fail to make a lasting impact. “Old songs are still popular because they are hits of their time and have the potential to become hits with the new generation too, with a little repackaging. So I think music directors and filmmakers today are just cashing on their popularity,” says Shikha Nehra, a post-graduation student of Development Studies who has a rich collection of classic songs and particularly loves Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar.
Whether a dance or a romantic number, old songs fit perfectly in every mood and situation. “These classic songs have an aptness for situations and feeling, especially feeling of love and romance. Moreover they were poetic in style so the meanings were conveyed directly,” Shikha adds, humming to the tune of Rim jhim gire saawan to welcome the rains.
Absence of an emotional connect in most modern Bollywood songs is the main reason youngsters fall back on our prosperous music past. “I think today's music has a lot of focus on the 'music arrangement' as compared to the older songs where more stress was put on lyrics, tunes and the melody. Maybe because we used to have live recording for the songs back then as compared the mechanical mixing that happens these days,” opines Rahul Saini, an Indian author of contemporary fiction.
“A fulfilling and beautiful nostalgia comes with the songs from the past that is calm and soothing in its own way. That is what makes these songs work for the young generation. Also anything different from the general trend of any age is usually welcome. And in such a case, what would work better than the good old tested songs?” Rahul further adds.
Drawing strength from a sound musical base, the classics are complete in themselves. “Music then was rooted to a common man's life, hence everyone could relate to it. Music directors gave special attention to the ragas in their songs, bringing that Indian connect. Today you won’t find a single director doing that,” shares another admirer Ashish Misra, an engineer by profession. Ashish boasts of a wide collection consisting of Talat Mehmood, Kishore Kumar and Mukesh among others.
Little wonder then that such songs are still revered as evergreen classic compositions.