Guys, let me now bring to you one of the funniest song ever in every sense, be it acting, singing, lyrics, music, choreography, this one has it all and in best way possible and its from a gem of comedy movies “Padosan”. The song is a singing competition between Dutt and Mehmood on screen and persons lending their voices off screen are Kishoreda (actually, even on screen) and Manna Dey. You must have known the song by now its “Ek Chatur Naar”. There are very few duet songs such energetic and full of fun as this one and I think the major credit must go to playback singing by apna Guru off course and Dey, and this Jodi has given us some real good gems in their time as both complimented each other well with their own unique singing talent and one song of this Jodi I remember of the top of my head is “Yeh Dosti” from Sholay another duet gem, though little credit must also go to Panchamda for challenging notes and handling these two towering artists and to lyricist for writing the lines. The singing by both the artist is sheer madness at its best and both achieving all together a different level of energy of performing madness in singing and of taking a song to total different level of their own and watch the video to see actors enacting prime madness to enjoy this song totally, 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
I must say as a Kishoreda fan this song is common for one, but Manna Dey too is at his absolute prime in this number (I like his “Tu Pyaar Ka Saagar”, “Kasme Waade Pyaar Wafa”, “Yaari Hain Imaan Mera”are some of my favorites of his songs other), now coming back to Kishoreda, I will admit the reason for bringing this duet here so soon was that I was reading some article about Manna Dey’s autobiography and I came across few of his own words about this song and Kishoreda in general, and rather than me wrting something same again let me quote MD here in his own words from "Memories Come Alive: An Autobiography" :
"I was especially cautious when asked to sing for Mehmood in Ek chatur naar with Kishore Kumar. The latter had a unique and unaffected style of singing which tended to eclipse the subtleties of classical music, and place his singing partner, in a duet, at a disadvantage. To be put in the shade by Kishore's flamboyant style of singing was a distinct possibility and, to counter the risk, I decided to work with Pancham, striving to build on my strengths and find a way of holding my own."
"On the day we were to record Ek chatur naar, the entire staff at the studio stood outside the glass-door to watch Kishore and me sing. For the two of us, the session had taken on the magnitude of a duel. It took us 12 hours - the recording started at 9 am and ended at 9 pm - to complete it, and I must admit, Kishore was in his element that day. Out of this tough battle to outshine one another, would emerge a new star in the world of music."
Such words from an artist like Manna Dey, a classically trained singer, genius in his own ways only shows the phenomenon called Kishore, how effective he was even without classical training and which many saw as disadvantage when he was starting his career back in 40’s and till late 60’s no one except very few took him seriously, but after all “Toofan ko kya koi rok paaya hain, and Kishoreda was that Toofan of Indian music industry that rocked the music industry in 70’s and mid 80’s”.
Enough of me now, enjoy the song and see the phenomenon called “Ek Chatur Naar” and praise the efforts of all the players involved with the song in making it what it is.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HwrMGpFaik
Adios,
