Guru Dutt’s greatness spawned many immortal songs, some of them among the best of Hindi cinema.
Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaye toh kya hai (Pyaasa): What is it about the songs of Pyaasa that makes it eligible to be the best Sachin Dev Burman soundtrack of all times (the only gaan-rival being Guide)? Each number in this soundtrack is history. This Sahir Ludhianvi-penned paean to the pain of desolation is arguably Mohammed Rafi’s most accomplished rendition ever.
Jinhe naaz hai Hind par woh kahan hain (Pyaasa): The disenchantment of the post-Nehruvian era encompassed in one song! Sahir’s writing is beyond spectacular. Rafi does full justice to the prophetic words. Poetry in melodic motion.
Dekhi zamanein ki yaari (Kagaz Ke Phool): There is no better song to epitomize the vagaries and temporality of show business. S. D. Burman, Kaifi Azmi, and Mohammed Rafi create a magical song that time cannot erase.
Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam (Kagaz Ke Phool): Guru Dutt’s bitter-half Geeta Dutt voiced what would be considered the most vivid audio portrayal of lost love of all times.
Mili khak mein mohabbat (Chaudhvin Ka Chand): By the time this film was made there were serious cracks in Guru Dutt’s equation with Waheeda Rehman. This song proves it.
Yeh raat yeh chandni phir kahan (Jaal): Dev Anand serenading Geeta Bali with the moon generating an eternal swoon. Hemant Kumar never sang or composed a better love ballad.
Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji (Mr & Mrs 55): The light, breezy romance between Guru Dutt and Madhubala was finely encompassed in this flirtatious Rafi–Geeta Dutt duet. O. P. Nayyar, who composed this song, considered it among his favourites.
Koi door se awaaz de chale aao (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam): The haunting melody describes what Guru Dutt called the solitude of the artiste. Meena Kumari, at that moment when she lip-synced to Geeta Dutt’s pain-lashed voice, became the physical representation of every isolated artiste. She became Guru Dutt.
Aankhon hi aankhon mein ishaara ho gaya (CID): The biggest chartbuster of this film was Yeh hai Bambai meri jaan, and that was filmed on Guru Dutt’s best friend Johnny Walker. Guru Dutt directed this noire comedy while Dev Anand had this ultra-velvety O. P. Nayyar love duet with Shakila.
Jaane woh kaise log (Pyaasa): To end where we began, Guru Dutt’s disenchantment was voiced by Hemant Kumar. Kaifi Azmi’s words followed Guru Dutt to his death. Hum ne toh jab kaliyan maangi, kaaton ka haar mila.
