I’m in the middle of a conversation and suddenly I find myself drifting away from it…thanks to the very soulful and melodious Abhi Mujhme Kahi from the film Agneepath. I’m just unable to concentrate on the conversation but I don’t want to look rude and so, I forcefully try to get back to it.
This happens to me all the time. I just love listening to songs and I get detatched from whatever I’m doing when I hear my favorite songs. I and my husband have our morning tea together with the F M or music system on. With the background of beautiful music and with hot tea cups in our hands we discuss everything under the sky in that one hour morning tea session. Many times it has so happened that in the middle of a serious discussion when I hear a melodious number, without realizing I just start humming along and no need to say how much it annoys my husband. He knows about my madness for music and both he and my daughter keep gifting me CD,s but at that moment he does get annoyed. I know it but somehow I just can’t resist good music.
As a teenager I was head over heels in love with Mohammed Rafi’s voice. I liked hundreds of songs sung by Kishore Kumar, but to me, Rafi was the best. The thing about him was that he sang the songs as though he was the hero of the film. In fact after listening to Rafi’s song on radio, watching the song video would be such a disappointment – such impassive actors singing Rafi’s lively songs, voice brimming with happiness. Only Dev Anand’s acting could match Rafi’s songs. I was so enticed by him that I knew all his songs by heart! It’s so difficult pick a certain song and say this is my favorite because ALL his songs are so good.
I heard Sonu Nigam for the first time when he recorded Rafi’s songs with Anuradha Paudwal. I was so much taken aback wondering as to who is this singer who sounds almost like Rafi and sings also so well. A little later he started hosting Saregama and he became a house hold name. I think people liked Sonu more than anything in the show for his young, boyish charm and of course his melodious voice. At least I was definitely watching it for him. He stayed in people’s minds even after he quit the show to get into play back singing.
His stint as the Indian Idol judge I think, gave him more popularity among the younger generation who were already fans of his film songs. He was the most humble and understanding judge on the show specially with that I, Me, Myself Anu Malik out to irritate everyone with his self boasting schemes.
Over all these years his charm has only increased even more. The way he tackles a high pitch or a difficult murkhi, just by one tilt of his head is really adorable. I read in magazines and newspapers that he has a huge fan following, specially girls. I remember watching him long ago on Movers and Shakers when he said that he receives hundreds of letters and most of them from aunties! Now that the equations have changed I hope he’s happier with his current fan following. But I would like to tell him that girls may form a major part of his fan club now, but aunties still continue to be his fans. 🙂
Nowadays Sonu Nigam is singing a lot of Kannada songs also. When I heard him singing songs like male nintu hoda mele, minchagi neenu baralu, anisutide yako indu etc. I almost fainted. For a first timer his diction was very good and singing, no need to say anything, just out of this world. Even music by Manomurthy is wonderful.
My favorites among his songs are :
1. Mujhe raat din —————— Sangharsh
2. Sathiya—————————-Sathiya
3. Dil deewana———————-Pardes
4. Mera rangade basanti———- The legend of Bhagat Singh
5. Soona soona mann ka angan—Parineeta
6. Tanhayee————————–Dil chahata hai
7. Tu hi tu satrangi re—————Dil se
8. Khamoshiyan gungunane——–One two ka four
9. Zindgi mout na banjaye———-Sarfarosh
10. Chup chupke chup chupke——-Bunty aur Babli
11. Tumko paaya hai to jaise——–Om shanti om
12. Panchi nadiya———————Refugee
13. Abhee mujhme kahee————Agneepath
14. Tu hawa hai fiza hai————–Fiza
It looks like the list is not going to end at all :). So, I better stop here though there hundreds of more songs that can be added to the list. But these ones are my real favorites specially abhee mujhme kahee. When I hear this song I must admit kutch kutch hota hai and I’m sure sirf mujhe hi nahi bahutonko kutch kutch hota hai 🙂.
May our dear Sonu live long and fill our hearts with his golden voice for ever and always.
mindlymusings 