She is still my favorite singer, my favorite singing star, and the one star from classic Bollywood and Lollywood whom I look for more than anyone else. To me, her voice is absolutely heavenly, as it is to many other people as well…
I guess I wrote my ultimate Noor Jehan birthday post last year. I hope that people have been able to view some of the tons of information in the links that I provided there. This time around, since the time caught up with me a bit quickly, I am not going to “top that.” Additionally, this is another birthday celebration that is going to take more than one day. In fact, I might make it Noor Jehan week!
For now, I would just like to add a few delights that I have found recently – somewhat closer to the sort of birthday post that I wrote for Madam in 2009. Enjoy!
First, one of the many great songs from the 1958 Pakistani version of Anarkali… Every once in a while, another song from this film simply dazzles me and then remains in my mind for a long time. “Kahaan Tak Suno Ge” did that recently…
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This is a delightful classical mujra from the 1968 Pakistani film Aik Hi Rasta. Noor Jehan is singing for Rani here.
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And here, a very nice Hindu devotional song and dance, with Noor Jehan singing playback for Shamim Ara, from the 1967 Pakistani movie Lakhon Mein Aik.
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I love Noor Jehan’s singing in the 1958 film Choo Mantar. This song is particularly good, and Noor Jehan looks great in this, too.
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I have mainly focused on Pakistani films this time, probably because I have already posted from her pre-Partition films so much. But here’s a real favorite from the pre-Partition era that I wanted to show in a new version that replaces the usual film clip with a Golden Age Bollywood slide show that I enjoyed very much.
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And the next post will be somewhat related to that, because I wanted to focus it on one of my favorite female pairings in the history of Hindi films. (Well, definitely, it is my favorite female pairing that didn’t involve sisters, and it might just be my favorite of all.)
Dances on the Footpath 
Enjoyed the Pakistani songs. I was surprised to see the hindu worship and also the song with the word ‘bindiya’.
Awaaz de kahan hai gave a ‘tees’ in my heart. My mother loved this song, and I always associate it with her, especially the tune with the words ‘a raat ja rahi hai yoon jaise chandini ki baraat ja rahi hai’.
I also learnt that ‘falak’ meant sky/heaven.
Looking forward to some discoveries this coming week. :)
pacifist: I have been listening to a lot of classical music these past few weeks: raags and thumris, and of course, a lot of the vocalists happen to be from Pakistan. A lot of them are singing their own compositions and a vast majority of these compositions for raags and thumris seem to be Hindi-or Sanskrit? based, rather than in Urdu, perhaps reflecting that Indian classical music is older than all these latter-day differentiations. I think before all the political correctness came-in, many such compositions were there in films.
Richard: listening to an interview of someone in self-exile from Pakistan, I came across this forgotten number from the “other” Suraiya. As it has subtitles, I could not resist!
Happy belated birthday wishes to Noorjehan.
thanks richard for introducing me to so many songs sung by her. I knew only the pre-partition songs from her!
Pacifist, thank you for sending nice words, as you often do. :) It is always so interesting to me to see how a song like “Awaz De Kahan Hai” stirs people’s memories, reminds them of a parent, etc. Sometimes, I feel envious of all of you people who got a chance to grow up with this great old film music and didn’t have to first start discovering it several decades into your lives. :)
A few people at YouTube commented that it is sort of exceptional, at least from the present perspective, to see a Hindu worship video in a Pakistani film, but others pointed out that this was not so uncommon in the old days. From what I know, Bawa describes the situation well.
Bawa, thanks for the film clip. I don’t think I know about “the other Suraiya.” The subtitles are fun, especially during some places in the song where there are no lyrics and we get to see descriptions like “(crazy vocal solo).”
As far as I’m concerned, there’s no need to make some big distinction between Indian and Pakistani culture, music, and films. That is always the approach I’ve taken here. Of course, I focus most on “Bollywood,” but if I’m going to branch out into Tamil or Malayalam movies or music, it makes just as much sense – more so, actually – to get into Pakistani music and films. (Indian/Pakistani is not some ancient cultural division; it’s a relatively recent, artificially created political one.)
But, then, I have different experiences, and a different perspective, from people who come from India or Pakistan and were brought up to be very aware of this division all their lives.
And Harvey, you are welcome… It is great to see that I have actually introduced you to Noor Jehan’s post-partition songs!
Thank you Bawa for the explanation. I agree about the latter day differentiations colouring ones ideas leading to the astonishment that I felt.
@Richard
You promised a longer celebration :)