The ode to moon in Indian films
Enkayaar, Bollywood Trade News Network
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When the world is celebrating the appearance of biggest moon all over the world today, it would indeed be an opportune time to trace the association of moon with the Hindi films. From the times that Hindi films have made their debut, moon has played a very integral role in the Hindi films, and the role of moon has been in the form of expression of love, or as a conduit to express the sense of loss and despair. Incidentally, there would hardly be a film in which moon has been used as a prop in the song, that has not hit the bulls eye. The latest song of SAAWARIYA that has been released, Chand Aaya Chand Aaya... may turn out to be the surprise package of the film. This is owing to the fact that it is a quawalli and has been done in the Sufi style of rendition, which has its own melody, flow and rhythm.
Was one to see it from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's perspective Moon or the Chand has been an instrumental figure and a song revolving around moon has been one of the melodious hits in his movies? Who can forget, Chand Chupa Badal mein... from HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, which was a surprise pack in the film. One of the biggest Moon or the Chand songs has been Dum Bhar Jo Udhar Muh phere from Raj Kapoor and Nargis Starrer AWAARA. Moon was invariably an integral part of the Hindi film songs, till the time the dazzle of the neon lights, and the razzmatazz of the halogen lamps pushed it into a temporary exile and it was resurrected in the films where the background had somewhat a rural ambience or a rather common man variety one. Though the dazzle may have been dimmed, one common streak running through all the songs eulogizing moon whenever they are played they bring an air of tranquility and peace.
Mukesh was one singer who was rather blessed one as he sang quite a lot of songs in his illustrious career which was an ode to the beauty of the moon. From AWAARA to MUKTI and from Chand Aahe Bharega to, Chand ko kya Maaloom use chahta koi chakor, to Suhaani Chandni Raatein all the songs that Mukesh sang were the songs which became hit in their own enigmatic manner. Romance in moonlight may have given place to the romance at lavish locales, but the simplicity of the romance at moonlight is still incomparable. Can the romance between Raj Kumar and Meena Kumari in PAKEEZA be compared with any other situation in the modern times, when they were singing Chalo Dildaar Chalo Chand ke paar Chalo... Among the current crop of actors Salman Khan has had an association with moon which has been a profitable proposition for him, as it did for him in the beginning of his career in BAAGHI with the song, Chandni Raat hai tu mere saath hai...
Even the genre of horror films, which became a specialty in different phases of cinema, had moon as the backdrop to create the situations of horror. May be, the reference of moon in the Hindi songs is on a decelerating trend owing to the fact the lyricists who are penning the songs today have not seen the moon in its beauty and have not expressed the pangs of separation to the moon. As Javed Akhtar had said in his work, TARKASH, probably the high rises have hidden the sun and the moon and the lack of their visibility could be the reason that moon especially is being pushed to the margins of the existence. May be, when the quawalli of SAAWARIYA becomes a raging hit, then moon in Hindi film songs would also get a shot in the arm.
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