Main Hoon.. Main Hoon.. Main Hoon Don!
डॉन आज बहुत खुश है, क्यों कि आज वह पूरे चालीस बरस का हो गया. लेकिन उससे बैर मत मोल लेना. उसकी बंदूक का निशाना आज भी बरकरार है…होशियार!
Don Aaj Khush Hai, kyonki aaj vah poore chaalees baras kaa ho gayaa. Lekin usase bair mat mol lenaa. usakee bandook kaa nishaanaa aaj bhee barkaraar hai…hoshiyaar!
I woke up feeling I should be singing Kishoreda’s “Main Hoon Don” aloud on completing my 40th year this morning. Didn’t myself know the rationale behind this desire. Not to forget, rehearsing Kishoreda’s 11000 volt songs is not possible in my neighborhood anymore, which is more congested these days as compared to what it was 18 years ago, when we moved in. The next door apartments and windows that did not exist to stare at me then, and neither were those shops lining up next to my balcony, are firmly placed around my home today. Some of these came years later thanks to some under-hand-deals between the authorities and builders. Apart from housing blocks, the number of kids went skywards as well – some elders have taken a break from this world as well, but about that later – and those loitering around in those years have started taking up various roles in today’s life.
Gone are days when you could reenact Kishore, Rafi and Mukesh without ever being conscious of its ramification. Only a handful of buffaloes and stray dogs perished next to my home listening to it silently. Of course, the kids of my household enjoyed being part of my reenactments, but they have been compelled to go busy as well due to ageing. There is a new entrant, an eight year old niece of mine, who still finds it worthful to play innocent. But, most of the time I have to remind her how Kishoreda was different from his own copycats. She may still find Himesh Reshamiya’s “Ek Haseena Thee” more hummable though, as compared to Kishore Kumar’s, I strongly suspect!
Therefore, reciting KK’s original wasn’t my plan of ideas this morning, but blogging about the same was indeed, so here we go now: the mark of 40 can be unique in a man’s life. On one hand, you are not that much old that you should start to think about your retirement plans, but at the same time, you wouldn’t live as blindly either as you would have done a decade and half ago. Many notions that might have been part of your conscience then would either be gone today or be highly infeasible to carry on with. You would have fallen in tandem with the ways of life by this age, and adopted newer ideas to make it sound more complete. This enlightenment of yours may not be known to others though. They might still examin you from their own beliefs, nothing wrong with that either. But, they should also know – from someone who recently turned 40 and was more awakened – that they shouldn’t be messing around with him now, and also who the real boss was in their visinity and behave accordingly…the real Don resides here…lol…
I didn’t know turning 40 could bring DON-HOOD upon you, until I became one myself! Here is KK’s own DON bite to have a toast on this occasion!
Sory behaving out of context,,,,,but by a long I had been waiting to ask this question to someone,,,,,,whom do u concider greater sensation of 70s Amitabh Bachhan or Kishore Kumar———-n difference in what digree——– as both were associated with eachother in many hit songs n both had their career best in 70s….
But was amitabh Bachhan Movie was music oriented???
Difficult to answer this. However, KK would be equally popular with or without Bachchan. The same may not be spoken about Mr Bachchan and to some extent Kaka as well. Rafi’s voice would have suited Kaka’s romantic image, but not that of a fiery angry young man. Others like Shailendra Singh and Mehandra Kapoor wouldn’t have taken Bachchan anywhere either. Remember, there was a fall-out between Bachchan and KK (media says so) in the mid 80s. Though, Bachchan’s mega stardom continued to push his movies through at the box-office with the playback of Shabbir Kumar, it also coincided with his gradual descent from that summit.
At the same time, I’ve only found Bachchan among the actors worthy of being placed alongside KK in talent and spirit due to his remarkable screen presence. He did match KK in artistry and style inch by inch.
Interesetingly, Mr Bachchan does not speak a word about some remarkable people in his life these days. This includes Rekha, his younger brother and KK. I – and so many others – have asked about his past association with KK on his weblog, but he keeps complete silence about this issue. He never hesitates in showing his love for Rafi and Mukesh though, but not a single word about KK in the 500 (plus) blogs he has written so far! Hmm…does it say anything about his tilt towards Rafi Saab? Rafians can think so, and rejoice at this crucial victory…lol!
Btw, thanks for continuing to be part of this website. It inspires me to keep writing about Rafi Saab’s legacy in as much neutral and in-depth manner as it may be possible in my case.
No No,,Rafian don`t just think,,they know ,,,Amitabh Bachhan because of whose presence in 70s Rafi sahab didn`t get many chance to sing in greatest Superstar of Hindi cinema` s movie that was Mr bachhan himself as he had mainly Kishore da on his side for playback,,,,,but Its strange and ironical on other side,I thats ur side(of kishore fans),that Amitabh Bachhan`s fav singer was Rafi sahab,(even before Kishore- bachan differences),many statements(that of amitabh Bachhan) his gesture while he used to meet Rafi sahab and one immortal song( na fankar tujhsa tere baad aaya Mohd Rafi tu….) to prove his greatest Respect for Rafi sahab….
Whatever,but lets concentrate on Kishore da and Amitabh Bachhan,,,,one thing that Mr Bachhan even today wear as his fav ornament is modesty,,,so such a modest person like him,,can never keep MUM over Kishore da,,here is Amitabh Bachhan`s tribute to legend… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhMuQBJYixk
He praised Kishore kumar(da) but very intelligently rated his acting over playbacks.
(No offences should be meant by my words,with respect to everyone my statement may appear tilted toward Rafi sahab,naturally)
Natalie,
Amitabh Bachchan’s preference for Rafi over KK – if it is there – does not matter for the latter’s fan-following beyond a certain creative disagreement. It is his prerogative to like any singer or any music genre, and having grown up at a time Rafi and Dilip Kumar were ruling Bollywood, it would be but natural for him to highly regard both of them. However, what I’ve spoken above is, AB’s reluctance to speak about Kishore Kumar and Ajitabh Bachchan in his blog publicly, in the recent times. His not describing Rekha is fine, that is his personal issue. However, Ajitabh introduced him to Hindi cinema and played a key role in his money matters, it is said, and he would be highly crippled without KK’s playback as well. So, his continued silence over both of them at a time he kept blogging his heart out daily, is somewhat disappointing.
KK fans only desire he spoke of his professional relationship with the legendary singer, but in vain. It clearly shows his reservations about KK as a colleague and not as a singer.
PS – (In a lighter vein, of course) Couldn’t see the video, but would say stop relying on someone’s half sentences and your assumptions about what they said in between lines. This wouldn’t add to or take away from the virtuosities of KK and Rafi both. I do not carry along the KK vs Rafi arguments beyond these threads, and my appreciation for KK is spontaneous and complete. The same about Rafi and your good self, one assumes. So let us be happy about the collective appreciation we both have for them now.
well Mr Pankaj Mohan ji,the point that I placed and also that I like about u,,is that,,,when a person learns the art of Loving one,,,he/she learn the art of Loving all…something that is impt is to love,,,for me its Rafi sahab ,may be for u its KK,,, So, in spite of the fact that I don`t hold same place for KK ,that I have for Rafi sahab, It never matters with me,That u even being admin of this site rate on ur personal interest rate KK over rafi sahab, if don`t rate have a most special place for Kishore Kumar ji excluding the traditional context of looking at the music!
The footprint of many moved post r there that was moved to article Kishore vs Rafi(sahab).But I`m not here for this vs atall,,,,,,,so chose this article that partially dictates the sad fact that golden era music is now far behind the cloud,,,,and on my part I feel unfortunate is this that those who could cross the cloud to realm of this most beutiful phase of hindi music,,spend most of there time on dirty discussion,,,,,,but debate without critisizing others gives us more chance to explore this legend,,and in my part it would be unfare IF I talk about Kishore kum ,lata ji or asha Bhos. more than Rafi sahab whom I`ve undertood or rather felt more than anyone` else for singing n personality…..and perhaps my presence and person like me,,,on this site or some other that is not solely dedicated to Rafi sahab is an attempt to discover other gems of Golden era as well…
So, perhaps I should now continue with my debates,,,,not on comparitive basis but on discovering,,,,,,whatever side we r,,lets quote admin`s text….
“So let us be happy about the collective appreciation we both have for them now”.
I`m Amitabh Bachhan`s one of the greatest fan,,,,,I can get the hint from ur blogs that u also have highly esteemed place for BIG B here on ur blog,,,,,,,Being Rafian, a rafi sahab divotee, it hurts to search for rafi sahab`s voice plabacked on Amitabh Bachhan,,In Amar Akbar Anthony,,I couldn`t understand,,like most of the people why the hell was I enjoying Hrishi Kapoor(more) singing in front of Amitabh Bachhan.I know from in and out of my heart or even in sleep that Hrishi Kapoor is almost nothing compared to superstar of Millenium(no offence is meant)… In the song Anthony Gonjawlish,,both Kishore Kumar n Amitabh Bachhan were on careeer best n were at their best with their singing as well with best visual effect,,,,,but the Rafi sahab song “haaye hayei song,,Parda hai Parda, and shirdi waale sai baba became bigger than the Movie”,,that time I missed Rafi sahab`s voice on Amitabh bachhan more than ever ignoring unusually the story of movie…
Question to u,,Did Amitabh Bachhan really bothered about singer for his own playback,,,did he himself opted Kk for most of his song,,and he didn`t felt need of asking rafi sahab to sing for him before Amar akbar anthony,,??,
question 2-Did as a angry young Man,,did Amitabh bachhan really needed a playback singer???,Post rafi sahab(after 1980),as shabir Kumar whose no-talent is known to all,,,,,,, gave super hit song to Amitabh bachhan in some movies,,the song of shahensa jaane do jaane do, in perhaps shabir Kumar or Md Ajij voice was not in anyway less popular than Andheri raaton` me title track In Kishore Kumar voice,,,,and rang barse In Big b`s voice, song of Shilsila was bigger hit than Both KKda and Lataji`s number of the movie,,,,now more than 60 year old,,Amitabh bachhan output is much less,,,even though his all song in Baaghwan
in his own voice was mega hit,,,,,,,before that in late 50s of his age in late 1990s,,,ek rahen eer ek rahen beer,,,was a record hit….though his comeback movie mriyudata was flop but nana naa re song was super hit..same is with major saahb`s ek Punjaban…….
So, question 3),,,should we judge Amitabh bachhan on scale on his playbacks?I mean,,If playback is concerned rafian`s don`t like amitabh bachhan for absence of rafi sahab in bachhan`s movie,,and also Kis da side,,also feel not good for amitabh bachhan stating that kis da got playback as an accident and most of time he openly praise rafi sahab,,,in this way,,big B would have hate group from both the camp…..that of rafians n KK….
So shouldn`t we exclude Amitabh Bachhan from music part of 70s …….while discussing legends…
Amitabh Bachhan is the real don,i also enjoy him in the song n movie,,,Actor like him and impact that he had in his young age proved the importance of fine art to the world…he deserve most respectable place but is it possible when we mix music with anger of this angry young man……………..
Natalie, are you trying to suggest Bachchan was a better singer than KK and Rafi both? That Shabbir and Bachchan’s songs were bigger hits than KK’s?…lol…
You are trying to suggest that Bachchan did not need any singer only because you do not have a lot of Rafi hits on him to quote about? A lot of portion in your above statement is pure imagination, and it is typical of Rafians….that Rafi’s songs were bigger hits than the “AAA” movie itself, and this and that. I can smell of something burning here….You shouldn’t have started this debate IMHO. Let us go back to KK vs Rafi thread now…..from Osho to Don to back to KK vs Rafi…lol…..
Good night Natalie. I’ll read and answer your other comments tomorrow during the day time. Will need to move some of them to this one, as I do not wish the Osho thread to be crowded by our chatter.
No what i did is to talk from one side(that I already stated),,,,I never hold kishore da side of story as I`m ignorant there ,,,,and tried to be original on my part,perhaps I had to be artificial to state u that I`m not orthodox,,,,and also,,it was wrong timing to touch two article of different theme,,,,as I never knew that u would relate them,,,,,
I talked about rafi sahab song`s impact over Amitabh bachan,,but I left Kishore Kumar`(da) `s songs impact over amitabh Bachhan on ur part,,,but I never meant to prove anyone lower,,I rather started talking with senstation of 70s,,I only name Kishore kumar and amitabh Bachhan,,,I was enjoying truly Kis da here,,,,I enjoyed his interview morte than most of Kis da fans,,,,but,,,,U urself brought,,rafi sahab`s name in it,,,,,and all those that rafians think,,,and what amitabh bachhan do`nt admit,,,,,,,,,…………..
And also,,perhaps u can`t understand what is burning or what is not,,,,,but its true that something is burning ,,and what is burning is that,,,,,I had to be diplomatic……I learned this lesson from u….”You are trying to suggest that Bachchan did not need any singer only because you do not have a lot of Rafi hits on him to quote about?”,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,well,,,this statement of urs,,,,,u got it right,had ignited the flame,,,,,,not because of what u said but its beacuse,,is it u who said it?????
Didn`t i myself mentioned,,That rafi sahab contribution for any reason to Big B was less,,,so Big B is being hated by some rafians no one can deny(but I`m not among them),,,and also,,,inspite of Big b`s contribution with KK,,,Big B choose to praise rafi sahab and keep MUM over kishore da,,,so Big b is hated by Kishore da`s fan(I know u r not among them),,,,,but…u caught me wrong,,,,,I said on either way who is loosing is Big B,,,only because of music why not,,,bring love for him,,,by excluding music from him,,,,….
U can`t take it wrong,,sorry as i could n`ot place my words correctly perhaps….to u appeared I `m talking of hating but I was talking of love,,,yeah!!!!! u can rather delete my post from Osho page,,as i don`t deserve that,,,,.sory!
P.s….I would have been diplomatic,if I didn`t know that even being great fan of kishore kumar u also respect rafi sahab,so took it granted to talk on part of kk,,,but u took it with the spirit of envy n jelousy on my part…..