Birthday Special: The 5 Classic Rajesh Roshan Songs You Don’t Know

You know Rajesh Roshan for Dil kaye kare and Bhool gayi sab kuch (Julie), Pardesia and Tauba tauba (Mr Natwarlal), Disco 82 (Khuddar), Choo kar mere man ko (Yarana), Jab koi baat bigad jaaye (Jurm), Kaho na pyar hai (title song) and Jaati hoon main (Karan Arjun). But Rajesh Roshan is more than these obvious cardbreakers. I really believe that his best pieces came before he became exclusive to his brother Rajesh Roshan’s cinema. Here are the ones you probably haven’t heard but should do right away.

1. Aa ri aa ja nindiya à le chal kahin (Kunwara Baap): It was actor-filmmaker Mehmood who offered Rajesh Roshan (RR) his first chance. Mehmood had an attentive ear for music. He had also given RD Burman his first break. In Kunwara, Baap RR offered an all-time great lullaby sung at full voices by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar. Mehmood loved this number so much that he sang it live on stage and cried every time.

2. Sancha naam tera (Julie): Julie is immortalized by the aptly celebrated titles Dil kya kare, Bhool gayi sab kuch and Yeh Raatein nayi purani. Lataji considers Yeh raatein among his best. But the one I recommend from this exceptional album is this Bhajan sung with great affection by Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar. Unlike other filmi Bhajans, this one doesn’t have an overly sweet tone.

3. Yaadon mein woh (Swami): Another breathtaking soundtrack from the uncompromising RR, this one featured the gems Pal bhar mein yeh kya ho gaya by Lata Mangeshkar and Aye na balam by Yesudas. But it was Yaadon mein woh, a composition so undulating in sound and so trendy and yet so traditional in tone, that you can come back to it anytime and anywhere to experience new facets of his arching art. .

4. Ae mast hawa yeh in batla (Tumhari Kasam): This obscure masterpiece is a defining moment for RR’s career. This is my favorite composition of Rajesh Roshan. Superbly written in the ink of pain by Anand Bakshi: Bedard zamanein ne dil mein yeh dard na chhod diya hota / Uss jyot bujhane wale ne Deepak bhi tod diya hota. And the singing was to die for. Rajesh Roshan wonders why this song did not have its due. What about the bad image? And cheesy marketing where they preferred to promote the dashing Hum donon milke kagaz pe dilke (Mukesh-Asha Bhosle) rather than this deeply moving melody.

5. Pehle pyar ka pehla gham (Papa Kehte Hain): Celebrated for Ghar se niklate hi kuch dur chalte hi of Udit Narayan…. Papa Kehta Hain presents another beautiful melody written by Javed Akhtar and performed by Kavita Krishamurthy who is able to get rid of some of her shrillness to reach the tender heart of the lyrics of the first break.Pehle pyar ka pehla gham is a pure beauty and a joy forever.