Mughal-e-Azam (soundtrack) explained

Mughal-e-Azam
Type:soundtrack
Artist:Naushad
Cover:Mughal-e-Azam (soundtrack).jpg
Released:1960
Length:49:02
Label:EMI Records
Producer:Naushad
Prev Title:Kohinoor
Prev Year:1960
Next Title:Ganga Jamuna
Next Year:1961

Mughal-e-Azam is the soundtrack album for the 1960 film of the same name directed by K. Asif. The soundtrack was composed by music director Naushad, and the lyrics were written by Shakeel Badayuni.[1]

Background

As with most of Naushad's soundtracks, the songs of Mughal-e-Azam were heavily inspired by Indian classical music and folk music, particularly ragas such as Darbari, Durga, used in the composition of "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya",[2] and Kedar, used in "Bekas Pe Karam Keejeye".[3] He also made extensive use of symphony orchestras and choruses to add grandeur to the music. The soundtrack contained a total of 12 songs, which were rendered by playback singers and classical music artists. These songs account for nearly one third of the film's running time.

Production

A total of 20 songs were composed for the film, at an average cost of 3,000 (valued at about US$629 in 1960) per song, though many were left out of the final cut owing to the film's length.[4] Both Asif and Naushad approached Hindustani classical vocalist Bade Ghulam Ali Khan inviting him to participate in the film's soundtrack, but he refused, explaining that he disliked working in films. Asif, adamant about the presence of Khan, asked him to name his fee. Khan quoted a fee of 25,000 per song, at a time when Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar (the best paid playback singers of the time) charged 300–400 per song, thinking that Asif would send him away. Instead, Asif agreed, and even gave Khan a 50 per cent advance.[5] Surprised and left with no excuse to turn down the offer, he finally accepted.[6] Khan sang two songs, "Prem Jogan Ban Ke" and "Shubh Din Aayo"; both were included in the final version of the film and demonstrated the artist's vocal virtuosity.[7] [8]

Composition

The composition of "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" was especially time-consuming – on the day of the song's scheduled recording, Naushad rejected two sets of lyrics by Badayuni. Subsequently, a "brainstorming session" was held on Naushad's terrace, beginning in early evening and lasting until next day.[9] [10] Late in the night, Naushad remembered a folk song from eastern Uttar Pradesh with the lyrics "Prem kiya, kya chori kari hai..." ("I have loved, does it mean that I have stolen?"). The song was converted into a ghazal and subsequently recorded. At that time, since there was no technology to provide for the reverberation of sound heard in the song, Naushad had Mangeshkar sing the song in a studio bathroom. Some sources state that a chorus of a hundred singers supported singer Mohammed Rafi for the song "Ae Mohabbat Zindabad", though other sources place the number at a thousand.[11] The song "Mohe Panghat Pe" was objected to by veteran director Vijay Bhatt. Although he was not directly involved with the project, he thought that it would "ruin the film", since it showed the Mughal emperor celebrating the Hindu festival Janmashtami.[12] Though Naushad argued that the presence of Jodhabai made the situation logical, he met with the film's screenwriters and subsequently added dialogue that explained the sequence.

Reception

The soundtrack of Mughal-e-Azam received universal acclaim from critics in India. It is often cited as one of the best soundtracks in Hindi film history,[13] [14] and was one of the best-selling Hindi film albums of the 1960s.[15] Shahid Khan, writing for Planet Bollywood, gave the soundtrack ten out of ten stars and called the music the "soul of the film".[16] In 2004, Subhash K. Jha reviewed the re-mastered release of the soundtrack, praising the technical quality of the re-release and the original vocals of Lata Mangeshkar.[17] In 2013, Baldev S Chauhan of Sun Post called the songs "some of the greatest songs of Hindi cinema."[18]

Colourised version

When the film was colourised for re-release, the soundtrack was also reworked, with original composer Naushad receiving help from Uttam Singh. The score remained the same, but the sound was touched up and converted to Dolby Digital.[19] The orchestral part was re-recorded with live musicians, but the original solo vocals were retained. The cost was reported to be between and .

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: 2 June 2007. Music mogul. Hindustan Times. dead. 12 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105233417/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1282071441.html. 5 November 2013.
  2. News: 6 May 2006. The last Mughal of film music. Hindustan Times. dead. 25 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105225445/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1032836801.html. 5 November 2013. At the time of premiere of the coloured version of Mughal-e-Azam, he had stated that today's generation should be acquainted with the classical Indian music. In that epic film, he had used Raga Darbari and Raag Durga to compose various songs like the immortal Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya.
  3. News: 30 March 2007. The breath of God blows through music. Hindustan Times. dead. 25 April 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105225442/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1247687991.html. 5 November 2013. I managed a song in my beloved Raag Kedar, which is Hamir Kalyani in Carnatic music. It was Bekas pe karam kijiye, Sarkar-e-Madina from Mughal-e-Azam..
  4. News: 5 August 2010. Mughal-e-Azam turns 50. Hindustan Times. 12 June 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131024021711/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Mughal-e-Azam-turns-50/Article1-582583.aspx. 24 October 2013.
  5. Mughal-e-Azam documentary by Sterling Investment Corporation. From 10:52 to 12:45.
  6. Web site: Patsy N. 10 November 2004. The making of Mughal-e-Azam. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120125105208/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/nov/10seth.htm. 25 January 2012. 23 June 2012. Rediff.
  7. News: Saqaf, Syed Muthahar. 1 August 2013. Bollywood's best. The Hindu. live. 12 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130804135802/http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/bollywoods-best/article4977521.ece. 4 August 2013.
  8. Web site: Khan, Shahid. Mughal-e-Azam. https://web.archive.org/web/20131021155009/http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=042806015244. 21 October 2013. 24 June 2012. Planet Bollywood.
  9. Web site: Raheja, Dinesh. 15 February 2003. Mughal-e-Azam: A work of art. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121017123138/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/feb/15dinesh.htm. 17 October 2012. 10 June 2012. Rediff.com.
  10. News: Vijayakar, Rajiv. 6 August 2010. Celluloid Monument. The Indian Express. dead. 12 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130703045336/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/celluloid-monument/656505/0. 3 July 2013.
  11. News: Us Salam, Zia. 31 July 2009. Mughal-e-Azam (1960). The Hindu. dead. 12 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20090805045942/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/07/31/stories/2009073150240400.htm. 5 August 2009.
  12. Web site: Roshmila Mukherjee. 1994. Making of Mughal-e-Azam – Part I. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029205512/http://giitaayan.com/satish/art-284.htm. 29 October 2013. 16 August 2013. Filmfare. RMIM Article Archive.
  13. Web site: Lall, Randy. 100 greatest soundtracks ever. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120306100731/http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=s022608074151. 6 March 2012. 24 July 2008. Planet Bollywood.
  14. News: September 2005. Top 40 Soundtracks of All Time. BBC News. 19 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103134151/http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayArticle.php?id=s022608074151. 3 November 2016.
  15. Web site: Music Hits 1960–1969. https://web.archive.org/web/20080215081535/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=281&catName=MTk2MC0xOTY5&PHPSESSID=108b9056cd4ca14236f9c6119d34dcce. 15 February 2008. 2 September 2013. Box Office India.
  16. Web site: Khan, Shahid. Mughal-e-Azam. https://web.archive.org/web/20131021155009/http://www.planetbollywood.com/displayReview.php?id=042806015244. 21 October 2013. 24 June 2012. Planet Bollywood.
  17. News: K Jha, Subhash. 11 November 2004. Mughal-e-Azam music review. Filmfare. Indo-Asian News Service. dead. 24 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130825094628/http://www.filmfare.com/movie/203/bollywood.hindi/mughal-e-azam/1734/music.review.htm. 25 August 2013.
  18. Web site: Baldev S Chauhan. 6 February 2013. Mughal-e-Azam : the Kohinoor of world cinema : Review. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193220/http://www.sunpost.in/2013/02/06/mughal-e-azam-the-kohinoor-of-world-cinema/. 29 October 2013. 25 August 2013. Sun Post.
  19. News: Firdaus Ashraf, Syed. 29 October 2004. Coloring a classic. India Abroad. 26 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105225356/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-104816901.html. 5 November 2013.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mughal-e-Azam (soundtrack)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.