![]() There were more pleasant memories, too, as television soaps such as Hum Log, Buniyaad and Bharat Ek Khoj made their way to middle-class Indian homes. ![]() These were the years that still cast a shadow on India as the country perhaps faced its mid-life crisis: Kashmir and Punjab burnt, anti-Sikh riots scarred India, an Asiad turned Delhi around, Kapil’s devils won the cricket World Cup, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated, the country got its youngest prime minister who made a date with modernity and technology, eventually losing his sheen under allegations of corruption, which led to Mandir and Mandal. This was the disco decade, where the old-world music was giving way to a new, loud sound, lyrics were now devoid of all nuance and meaning, crass but popular. The poetry in real life was reflected in poetry in films as well. The Seventies: Fall and Rise of Democracy The year saw Sholay, Deewar and Jai Santoshi Maa, but this was still an era of melody and music. India won its last hockey gold medal in the Olympics in 1964. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre was set up and the green revolution took root this time as India started its journey towards self-sufficiency in food. The Congress’s hegemony started to crack as the first non-Congress governments were sworn in across the country in 1967. Other kinds of disenchantment took root, as hope raised in the ’50s was not always met. India saw deep economic distress, the rupee was devalued. With four prime ministers, the ’60s were truly swinging and not always India’s way. One - in 1962 - dealt a severe blow to India’s confidence another, with Pakistan on the western front just three years later, did not help matters. ![]() The music by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Kaifi Azmi gave expression to the nation’s anxiety and the pathos of its reality.įrom the relatively steady 1950s, this decade saw two wars in quick succession that rocked the boat. Sung by a bunch of soldiers, reminiscing about home and the motherland, it best spoke of the haqeeqat (reality) of these tumultuous 10 years. Hoke majboor mujhe…, sung with four male leads is unusual by any standards. The Sixties: Packed and Swinging The music by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Kaifi Azmi gave expression to the nation’s anxiety and the pathos of its reality.ġ964: Hoke Majboor Mujhe Usne Bhulaya Hogaĭil ne aise bhi kuch afsaane sunaaye hongeĪshq aankhon ne piye aur na bahaaye hongeĪ war film by Chetan Anand: about soldiers on the warfront but not just marching tunes. ![]() But Bimal Roy decided to give a chance to Chowdhury, who ended up signing 19 films after the release of Madhumati.ĪLSO READ | A Free Kick in a Dangerous Position Distributors who financed Madhumati did not want Salil Chowdhury as the music director because he was considered unlucky they were supported by the lead actor, Dilip Kumar, who wanted Naushad to compose the music. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was enacted (for Nagaland) then, but it is an Act that India finds hard to revoke even now. India gave the world the first elected Communist government in Kerala. India made its presence felt on the world map through the Bandung conference, daring to be non-aligned. The IITs, IIMs and other important blueprints were drawn up. India drew up its Constitution, and laid the foundation for industry, planning and education. For a country that had just thrown off the colonial yoke, this was a time of consolidation and laying foundations. Dilip Kumar’s abandon and joy in the song captured the decade’s confident start to building a nation. The India of the 1950s was a suhana safar (a pleasant journey), mostly. The Fifties: Of Hope and Start-ups For a country that had just thrown off the colonial yoke, this was a time of consolidation and laying foundations. Much like India’s story which got off to a spectacular start. Naushad was also new in the trade and was scoffed at initially. Sensing that she could carry a tune, he suggested playback.īadayuni, who became one of Bombay’s finest lyricists, had arrived in the city in 1946. Having lost her parents early, she had run away from home, landed at Naushad’s door and insisted he secure her a break as an actor. Uma Devi (later, better known as Tun Tun, perhaps the first comedienne of Hindi cinema) sang to the words of Shakeel Badayuni and the music of Naushad. The afsana (story) of India itself would begin to unfold now.
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