Quiz talk

Where's Usha Uthup in Dum maro dum?  

Comments, insights, trivia, barbs, repartees, jokes and all the fun that went into the skewed duets quiz set by Radha and Abhay

RJGK 62: 'SKEWETS' - Answers (with clues) & comments

Intro to the quiz
Questions

Note: The QuizMasters' (Radha & Abhay) comments are prefixed with "QM" throughout.

GENERAL COMMENTS:

Ashok Dhareshwar (AD)>   No entry to an RJGK is complete without challenging the inclusions and exclusions! I have made noise against a few inclusions in the comments on the songs. Herewith a few I would have liked to see in the quiz:

* raahee matavaale
Interestingly, the song could have been included twice in the quiz! The happy version has Suraiya just for the ride and Talat doing most of the singing, while in the sad version the roles change.

* meree sapano.n kee ranee
The singers involved (Saigal and Rafi) and decade; what more would you want?!

[QM> The song! We didn't have it with us to set a clue.]

*madhuban me.n raadhikaa naache re
Little-known factoid about a widely-known song.

[QM> "Little-known factoid"? Not on RMIM, surely!]

Vijay Kumar (VK)> ...And of course, there will always be some songs that one wished to see...:

tho.Daa saa dil lagaa ke dekh naino se muskuraa ke dekh - Shamshad, Rafi
daiyaa re daiyaa laaj mohe laage - Lata, Rafi
chaa.Nd sitaare karate ishaare - Talat, ???
chunarii sa.mbhaal gorii - Lata, Manna De
aa ab lauT chale.n - Mukesh, Lata
muhabbat chhume jinake haath - Rafi, Shamshad
kyaa jaanuu.N sajan hotii hai kyaa Gam kii shaam - Lata, Usha
kahii.n karatii hogii vo meraa i.ntazaar - Mukesh, Lata
raahii matavaale - Talat, Suraiya
ye desh hai viir javaano.n kaa - Rafi, Balbir

Swaraj Mishra (SM)> I was disappointed not to see this..."Tum muujhe bhuul bhi jaao to ye haq hai tuum ko" from Didi. Mukesh has only one antraa out of the three and Sudha Malhotra clearly dominates. Similarly I think Ghar se nikalte hi (Papa Kehte Hain) can also be a skewed duet as there is female humming tone in the background. Anyway, there are so many songs and you had to select 30 only. I find it a very balanced quiz.

Hemlata N Khemani (HNK)> I missed my favorite "skewet" - "mere jiivan me.n aaya hai kaun" by Talat and Asha.

Satish Kalra(SK)> ...the best skewed duet (IMO) is the Talat Asha duet "Mere jeevan mein aaya hai kaun" from Pyaase Nain. Absolutely haunting 'oooos' by Asha, throughout the song.

Vandana Vidwans & Surajit Bose (V&S)> We pheel the quijh has left out a very lovely song whose omission is most unfortunate: vidhi ne dekho birahaa milan kaa (Rafi, Lata; the song would be better if Lata had been the main singer and Rafi the OS) from ram rajya ... Vasant Desai...Very lovely raagmaalaa.

QM> We haven't heard it - will remedy that ASAP! (On second thoughts, though, if Rafi is the LS......)

VK>  On the quiz - the easy ones are sitting ducks. The rest are impossible. Would have liked some in between.

Tabassum Hijazi (TH)> I...think as per regular RJGK standard there was much less p-stats given.

QM> Do others agree with these two opinions?

Dr Chirag Parikh (CP)> [T]his is quite a good research you have done and now I am also listing out unequal duets.

QM> We hope you find enough to run another quiz!!

CLUES, ANSWERS, AND COMMENTS:

===============================

[Numbers in square brackets indicate number of entries that correctly identified the song.]

1. [22/22] muhabbat ke mo.D pe ham, mile sabako chho.D ke ham
dha.Dakate dilo.n kaa leke ye kaaravaa.n
chale aaj dono, jaane kahaa.N

A sitter to kick off the quiz, and one that should need no sub-clue. The OS (other singer!) is hardly heard here, but a tandem version (which both of us prefer) is surely compensation enough. To be sure you get this one, do it at night!

na tum hame.n jaano, na hum tumhe jaane
magar lagataa hai kuchh aisaa, meraa hamadam mil gayaa

OS: Suman Kalyanpur [16/22]
LS: Hemant Kumar
Film: Baat Ek Raat Ki
MD: S D Burman
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

SK goes "aa..aa..aa" along with HK when he repeats the mukhaDaa after the first stanza.

Ajit Rajwade (AR)> I agree with what you feel about the other version of this song - Suman has done a nice job. I heard her sing this song recently is a T-SERIES programme and her voice seemed quite okay.

QM> This reminds us of a great-aunt of Abhay's who, hearing an Asha Bhosale song on the radio, said, "koN gaataya? baraa aahe aawaaz." ("Who's singing? She has an okay voice!") Okay, okay - we know you meant that she sounds okay _even today_, but just couldn't resist that!

2. [21/22]
ko_ii dekhe nashiilii aa.Nkhe.n mal mal ke
dil kaise bane na diivaanaa
shammaa kare hai ishaare jab jal jal ke
kaho kyaa kare paravaanaa

Another sitting duck. If you DO need more help, be our guest - but pay for it! :-)

o nigaah-e-mastaanaa, dekh samaa hai suhaanaa
tiir dil pe chalaake, haa.n zaraa ruk jaanaa

OS: Asha Bhosale [18/22]
LS: Kishore Kumar
Film: Paying Guest
MD: S D Burman
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

AB hums along at the end of each line of the sthaayii.

Neha Desai (ND)> Saw ['Paying Guest'] only yesterday:), my god is Dev charming.

3. [14/22]
ye madahoshiyaa.N ye tanahaa_iiyaa.N
tasavvur me.n hai.n kisakii parachhaa_iiyaa.N
ye bhiigaa samaa uma.nge.n jawaa.N
mujhe ishq le jaa rahaa hai kahaa.N
kyu.N gum hai har dishaa
kyu.N hotaa hai nashaa
kyu.N aataa hai mazaa...

A question paper of a song -- and no one, it appears, knows the answers! Well, that's life for you. The song is reminiscent of a similar list-of-questions song from "Daag". The OS is hardly heard but is listed in the credits.

kyuu.N chalatii hai pavan
kyuu.N jhuume hai gagan
kyuu.N machalataa hai man
na tum jaano na ham

OS: Ramya [7/22]
LS: Lucky Ali
Film: Kaho Na Pyar Hai
MD: Rajesh Roshan
Lyricist: Vijay Akela

Ramya goes "aa" and "ooo" in bits and pieces throughout the song.

AD: Is there one other unspecified female OS or is it the same singer over-dubbed?

QM> We don't think there's another singer. Over-dubbing creates the same effect in # 5 (tum gaye sab gayaa) too, where - thanks to the dubbing - Sanjeev Abyankar seems to have a singing twin!

Ritu & Madhura (R&M)> Is the film called Sawaal ??? no idea just guessing

4. [16/22]
wahaa.N phirate the ham phulo.n me.n paDe
yahaa.N Dhuu.NDhate sab hame.n chhoTe baDe
ha.ns jaate the ham kaliyaa.N chunate

Nostalgic memories of childhood - well-phrased, well-tuned, well-sung. Part of a lovely soundtrack, this duet is always listed as a solo. But there ARE two singers here, with the on-screen characters sharing the song as they shared in the remembered childhood - one of them in the drawing room, the other hanging out the washing.

bachapan ke din bhii kyaa din the
uDate phirate titalii ban ke

OS: Asha Bhosale [15/22]
LS: Geeta Dutt
Film: Sujata
MD: S D Burman
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

AB hums and goes "aa..aa..aa" between the stanzas and with (and after) GD's penultimate repeat of the sthaayii.

V&S> Lovely, lovely song, one of my favorites. The only time it becomes obvious that there are two singers is at the very end, when Asha goes "aah--ahh--haa, hmm--hmm" at the same time that Geeta goes "bachapan ke din bhii ..."

AD> Asha is generally credited for this song...

QM> The tape version we have credits Geeta alright!

AD> ...The egregious error HMV persisted with for decades was to credit "tum jiyo" to Geeta and saathee, while it is obviously Asha and saathee... One issue about the 'Sujata' soundtrack that has not been put to bed is: Is Geeta Dutt an OS in "tum jiyo hazaaro.n saal"? Or is there a version where that happens [?]

5. [11/22] ko_ii aayaa thaa kuchh der pahale yahaa.N
leke miTTii se lepaa hu_aa aasamaa.N
kabr par Daal kar vo gayaa, kab gayaa

An import from the world of Hindustani classical music, the OS's contribution is as brief as his presence in film music. The tandem goes to a different singer. Unusual lyrics, by a poet who specialises in complex images. Though we quite like some of his work, there are many on RMIM who would gladly make a bonfire of his poems - all they need is a matchbox!

tum gaye sab gayaa
ko_ii apanii hi miTTii tale dab gayaa

OS: Sanjeev Abhyankar [7/22]
LS: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Maachis
MD: Vishal
Lyricist: Gulzar

SA does a small aalaapii before the first stanza.

Arunabha S Roy (ASR)> More recently, SA sang in "Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar".

6. [20/22]
mere Kvaabo.n ke jharokho.n ko sajaane vaalii
tere Kvaabo.n me.n kahii.n meraa guzar hai ke nahii.n
puuchh kar apanii nigaaho.n se bataa de mujhako
merii raato.n ke muqaddar me.n sahar hai ke nahii.n

Talk of "skewed" -- we are just 6 songs into the quiz, and the same OS is featuring for the third time! Though, this time around, there is the compensation of a tandem version. The movie has a golden bird in its title, but laid a tin egg at the box office!

pyaar par bas to nahii.n hai meraa lekin phir bhii
ye bataa de mai.n tujhe pyaar karuu.N yaa na karuu.N

OS: Asha Bhosale [18/22]
LS: Talat Mehmood
Film: Sone Ki Chidiya
MD: O P Nayyar
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi

AB hums after the slow first rendition of the sthaayii, and then goes "aa..aa...aa" after the first half of the first line of both stanzas.

CP> [T]alat is like stagnant waters in which their boat of life stands and Nutan (Asha) is like very light pushes of water giving song a little push [to[to] the boat.

AD> You should say "Talk of skewed selection" perhaps! It is an interesting thesis whether Asha is the OS much more often than other singers, but it needs a nearly exhaustive analysis to answer. You can do it relatively easily -- with the work you have already done and the Lopsided Duets, one of the few fruitful threads on RMIM. Percentage-wise it might very well be Usha Khanna as you say later!

QM> The statistics in the companion post to this one show that we actually we have Asha and Lata featuring as OS in 4 songs each! Hence, our comment was unwarranted in the context of the quiz.

SM> This is a song the RMIMers won't let go. may it be a quiz, discussion, whatever. I bet this is one of the most discussed songs.

7. [16/22]
dekho na baabuujii daaye.n baaye.n (oho ho)
paa.Nv kahii.n ulajh na jaae.n (aa haa haa)
chaahat ke raste me.n pher ba.De hai.n
giroge fisal ke chaalnaa sambhal ke...

A lively, lovely, agile rendition by the lead singer. So well sung that the OS seems to take her exhortations very seriously - he keeps playing hide-and-seek through the song! A film with some wonderful songs - but did it have the right address?

piichhe piichhe aakar chhuu lo hame.n paakar
chhup chhup jaanaa o ho

OS: Hemant Kumar [14/22]
LS: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: House No. 44
MD: S D Burman
Lyricist: Sahir Ludhianvi

HK does the "o ho...aa haa...o ho" bits in the sthaayii and the antaraa-s.

8. [22/22]
duniyaa ne hamako diyaa kyaa
duniyaa se hamane liya kyaa
ham sab kii paravaah kare.n kyu.N
sabane hamaraa kiyaa kyaa

Can one think of these lines without the OS's distinctive deep voice going "aa...aa...aa...aa"? We think not. A song that captures the angst of a rebellious, disenchanted generation that gave birth to hippiedom. A film that tries to do the same but loses its way somewhere. ISKCON devotees will identify with the title!

dam maaro dam, miT jaaye Gam
bolo subah shaam, hare kR^ishNa hare ram

OS: Usha Uthup (then Iyer) [14/22]
LS: Asha Bhosale
Film: Hare Rama Hare Krishna
MD: R D Burman
Lyricist: Anand Bakshi

UU goes "aa.aa.aa.aa" at the end of each stanza.

SM> This song was a Binaca Geet Mala topper in its year. However, I have never understood how could this become so popular!!!

HNK> Is there really an OS? Isn't "aa..aa.." done by Asha herself?

Shalini & Ketan (S&K)> There is no Other Singer in the song. Asha sings the aa aa part as well. It is not Usha Uthup.

QM> Our ears tell us it is Usha U, 14 participants say it's Usha U, the ISB entry says its Usha U - any definitive information that it is not she? The voice in the "aa.aa" bits sounds way too deep to be Asha's.

Vibhendu Tiwari (VT)> Incidentally saw Bombay to Goa on cable again and Usha makes a sp appearance so i think she was a celebrity even before a certain Amitabh Bachchan made any mark.

QM> Usha Uthup has been around for ages... We remember her "Bombay merii hai" from our school days in the late sixties/early seventies!

9. [21/22]
aise meraa jvaalaa saa tan laharaay
laT kahii.n jaae ghuu.NghaT kahii.n jaay
are ab jhumakaa TuuTe
ke merii bi.ndiyaa chhuuTe
ab to banake qayaamat letii huu.N a.nga.Daaii

A song that surely needs to sub-clue. One of the best-made crime movies in Hindi cinema, the film had several good songs including two other duets - both equal, but neither featuring the OS here.

ho.nTon me.n aisii baat mai.n dabaake chalii aayii
khul jaaye wahii baat to duhaa_ii hai duhaa_ii
haa.N ri haa.N baat jisame pyaar bhii hai zahar bhii hai haa_e

OS: Bhupinder [12/22]
LS: Lata Mangeshkar
Film: Jewel Thief
MD: S D Burman
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

Bhupinder goes "ho...o..o" at the beginning and "o shaaluu" just before each stanza.

SM> Yes, you are right. One of the best made crime movies. but you can also add that with a miserable sequel.
R&M> At this rate SDB or rather the Burmans seem to be heading towards being a masters at skewed duets :-)

ND> 4th dev movie:) cool:)
QM> Uh-oh! First the unintentional stress on the Burmans, now - it appears - a skew re. Dev Anand too!! :-(

AR> I...always felt 'twas rafi until somebody corrected me. Interestingly in the T-SERIES cover versions, Sonu Nigam has done the "oh shaloo" part. And he is supposed to be doing the Rafi-parts in all those duets.

10. [22/22]
pyaase pyaase in mere labo.n ke liye
tere hoTho.n ne hazaar vaade kiye
bhUlane vaale koii jiye to kaise jiye
are haa.n are haa.n are haa.n haa
laa laa la laa laa la laa laa la laa laa la laa aa aa

The interjection by the OS is perhaps more famous known than the words of the song itself! In this case, the MD is the OS - or should that be the other way around?

piyaa tuu ab to aajaa
sholaa saa man dahake aake bujhaa jaa
tan kii jwaalaa Tha.nDii ho jaa_e
aise gale lagaa jaa

OS: R D Burman [19/22]
LS: Asha Bhosale
Film: Caravan
MD: R D Burman
Lyricist: Majrooh Sultanpuri

RDB goes "Monica, o my darling" off an on through the song.

SM> Can we say the best cabaret song ever made? (open for discussion)

SK> Excellent use of heavy breathing as music.

V&S> I wonder which is more famous, RDB's "monica o my darrling" or Ajit's "mona darrling..." 8-)

AR> I have read a very cliched joke in many papers that this is one of Bill Clinton's favourite songs.

QM> Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!


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