Remember that breezy performance by Kareena Kapoor as Geet in "Jab we met"? Heartrending is the scene when that bubbly girl literally comes face to face with the reality of the love she innocently believed in. What makes her entire shell-shocked retreat in to loneliness absolutely convincing is the song that plays in the background.
"Aaoge tum jab O Sajna" in that unique voice, classically well-trained and yet capturing evocatively her sense of loss as her illusions come crashing down, belonged to the great Rashid Khan who, unfortunately, is no more as he succumbed to cancer.
Yes, great classical maestros have certainly sung for films. It could be Bhimsen Joshiji's "Ketki gulab juhi" or Kishori Amonkarji's "Geet gaya patthore ne'', not to forget Latadi's umpteen renditions in three minutes of any number of classical (in all senses of the term) "cheez" in Raag-based songs. Of course, my topmost personal favourite as far as classical greats singing for films is "Prem jogan ban" by THE Bade Gulam Ali Khan in "Mughal-e-Azam".
Yet these ultimate melodies, master pieces of mood music, perfectly capture the feel. "Prem jogan", for instance, is the ideal, in fact, the only possible background for the ultimate romance that is doomed. Given the story, one feels Tansen possibly could have sung just this very "Sohini" Raag as the background to the real, eh, royal, tragedy unfolding then.
That is not the case with "Aaoge Tum". The bandish is in dire contrast to Geet's disillusionment. Yet Rashidji's rendition captures the haunting hues of her innocent illusion. May be, that is why it is very touching. I am, of course, a nobody to comment on so great a singer. Yet my tribute to his memory would be that he alone could have done perfect justice to the complex emotions. Hence the title of this blog which refers to, plays with, the words of another melody he rendered eternal. So this last, the final bow! RIP, Rashidji!
Pratima@ "Music, when great voices die/lingers forever in the memory"! I am sure Shelley would not have minded my minor changes to his great lines!
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