Hi folks,
here's an article on the combo my friend Srijit and yours truly wrote last week.

Will be thankful if you kindly peruse

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050715/asp/...ory_4980498.asp


Regards
Anirudha

Dear Anirudh,

My heartiest congratulations to you (and your friend) on a very nice article on MM - Lata duo. Excellent analysis and good presentation. Was pleased to know some of the facts pointed out in the article.

Many thanks and all the best for future works.

Vivek

Thanks Vivek. The article had to be cut from 2500 words to around 800 to fit the page, so lot of info had to be edited.. and the Veer Zara part was forced upon to attract the present generation of readers

Oh ! Thats kinda sad. Given the constraints, let me congratulate you once again.

If you dont mind, would it be possible to post the original article at the relevant forum or site after consulting the admin.. ?

Vivek

The master document has been submitted to telegraph, hence, it would be difficult to retrieve the same as this may lead to copyright issues. Nevertheless, I shall ask the editors if they mind returning the original.

Else, someday, we might try and reconstruct . Thanks for your appreciation

Also wanted to convey my congratulations on a very well written piece. Considering it has taken me almost fifteen minutes to write these two lines, I envy your lucidity. I am sure this is not the first time you have written.....hope to read more.
Shaibaal.

Thanks Shaibaal.
Yes, I have written before. Used to freelance at one point of time for some newspapers. Suerly I'll update hamaraforums if any relevant material is published.
Regards
Anirudha

Anirudha ji, I remember some very well informed and very well written articles on music in the weekend magazine of the Statesman several years ago... written by a two-man team. Don't recall the byeline of the two writers, was wondering if you were one of them...

Yes, u have got it right. Amitava Chatterjee and myself. BTW, are you from Cal? Or else, where did u find those articles?

Oh, you were one of them! Good. I have several of those articles filed up in my hometown.
No, I'm not from Cal... Statesman used to, and still does, reach far. Then there's a Delhi edition too, of course. So not difficult to get the paper in north India.

Hi Anirudha Ji
The article is really great and I would like to congratulate you on the same.
Can I ask for your insight on.. why Veer Zaara does not seem to be the work of MM ? It somehow lacks the soul.
I have not heard lot of Madan Mohan, but all of his compositions are.. alive and grab you. Whereas Veer Zaara seems to be "good music" .
Its my humble opinion and in no way an offense to anyone.

Just as u have said, it lacks the soul.. & Lata is past her peak.
I would say that it was more of a publicity stunt than concern for MM or his music.

Shivani,

Madan Mohan used to be very careful in his choice of musical instruments in his creations. Listen to "Betaab Dil Ki" or "Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho". He believed in letting the dhun and the charisma of the singer's voice define the song.

In Veer Zaara, except for a couple of songs, the choice of instruments (in my opinion), very greatly detracted from the overall effect of the dhun itself. Then, of course, as Ani mentions above, Lata's voice strains noticeably in many a place in these songs.

I think the tunes by themselves were quite exquisite.

Hits

Well, forget Veer Zaara, how many other films have music that is soulful and touching? Hardly any! This is mainly due to the tremendous use of electronic instruments today rather than the use of original instruments as was the case in the golden era. The sound that a Sitar or a Jal Tarang or for that matter a Tabla can produce can hardly be matched by electronic synthesizers and that is why their is no soul in today's music. Music today might sound good to the ears but can it ever take you to divine levels or can it create a heavenly experience for the listener? I really don't think so!