Mera Kuchh Saamaan
Encyclopedia
Mera Kuch Samaan is a popular song from the acclaimed 1987 movie Ijaazat
, directed by Gulzar, who also wrote the song. The song was composed by R D Burman and sung by Asha Bhosle
. In the film, the song takes cue from the poem, Maya (Anuradha Patel
) leaves behind in letter, for her former lover Mahinder (Naseeruddin Shah
), asking him to return her things. As he read on, he finds they are not physical things she wants back, but memories of times spent together.
The song remains one of singer Asha Bhosle most popular , and her personal favourite, as in a 2005 interview to the The Fader
magazine, calling it autobiographical, she said, "Mera Kuch Samaan..This song is my life." In a 2010 tweet
singer, Asha Bhosle, noted, "Pancham (R D Burman) jokingly referred to song Mera Kuch Samaan as 'Luggage Song'. My band members still call it that when we are on concert tour".
, and for blurring the line between poem and lyric. The soft music composition chosen by RD Burman, kept the focus completely on the vocals and the words, it not only highlight the unusual lyrics, but also brought Asha versatility as a singer to the fore. It pitted Asha in "a league apart from her contemporaries" and made it one of her best songs. She won her second National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
for the song of 1988, the first one being for Dil Cheez Kya Hai from Umrao Jaan
(1981).
Ulhas Bapat, veteran santoor
player, who had collaborated with Burman since 1978 until his last film, 1942 A Love Story, played santoor in song's interludes
, especially innovative meend
pieces.
for her rendition of the song, and Gulzar won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics
and Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
for his lyrics.
, The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood
, released in 2003. The song was also part of the compliation album, "Precious Platinum" released on her 75th birthday in 2008, by Saregama India Ltd.
In May 2011, theatre festival of plays based on 10 short stories of Gulzar, titled Mera Kuch Samaan was organized in Delhi and Mumbai.
, a string quartet founded by David Harrington, as a tribute to Rahul Dev Burman. According to Harrington, .."the experience of a lifetime has tinged her voice with even more poignancy when she sings a song like Mera kuch samaan." The album was recorded over eight days at at San Francisco studios, and went to win a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album
. Later she said that her favourite number from the album was "Mera Kuchh samaan..which "is very close to my heart as it transports me back into time when I was with Pancham."
Ijaazat
Ijaazat is an acclaimed 1987 Indian Hindi film directed by Gulzar, based on a Bengali story, Jatugriha by Subodh Ghosh....
, directed by Gulzar, who also wrote the song. The song was composed by R D Burman and sung by Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...
. In the film, the song takes cue from the poem, Maya (Anuradha Patel
Anuradha Patel
-Early life:She was born in Mumbai. She is the maternal grand daughter of famous Hindi actor Ashok Kumar.-Personal life:She is married to actor Kanwaljit Singh. They have two sons Sidharth and Aaditya and a god-daughter, Mariam, who resides in the United States....
) leaves behind in letter, for her former lover Mahinder (Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
), asking him to return her things. As he read on, he finds they are not physical things she wants back, but memories of times spent together.
The song remains one of singer Asha Bhosle most popular , and her personal favourite, as in a 2005 interview to the The Fader
The Fader
The FADER, or FADER, is an United States-based music/culture/fashion magazine that covers hip-hop, reggae, independent rock, pop and dance music from around the world.-Overview:...
magazine, calling it autobiographical, she said, "Mera Kuch Samaan..This song is my life." In a 2010 tweet
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
singer, Asha Bhosle, noted, "Pancham (R D Burman) jokingly referred to song Mera Kuch Samaan as 'Luggage Song'. My band members still call it that when we are on concert tour".
About the song
Even at the time of its release the song was noted, and even "ahead of its times", for its unusual non-rhyming lyrics in free verseFree verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
, and for blurring the line between poem and lyric. The soft music composition chosen by RD Burman, kept the focus completely on the vocals and the words, it not only highlight the unusual lyrics, but also brought Asha versatility as a singer to the fore. It pitted Asha in "a league apart from her contemporaries" and made it one of her best songs. She won her second National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners are given below. Lata Mangeshkar is the oldest winner in this category, whereas Anjali Marathe is the youngest winner; while K. S. Chithra been awarded for the maximum number of times .-Superlatives:...
for the song of 1988, the first one being for Dil Cheez Kya Hai from Umrao Jaan
Umrao Jaan
Umrao Jaan is a 1981 Bollywood film, directed by Muzaffar Ali. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
(1981).
Ulhas Bapat, veteran santoor
Santoor
The santoor is an ancient stringed musical instrument, native to Kashmir and Iran. It is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy two strings. The special-shaped mallets are lightweight and are held between the index and middle fingers...
player, who had collaborated with Burman since 1978 until his last film, 1942 A Love Story, played santoor in song's interludes
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
, especially innovative meend
Meend
In Hindustani music, meend refers to a glide from one note to another. It is an essential performance practice, and is used often in vocal and instrumental music. On the veena, sitar, and other plucked stringed instruments, it is usually done by pushing the strings across the frets to vary their...
pieces.
Awards
Asha Bhosle won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback SingerNational Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer
The National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer winners are given below. Lata Mangeshkar is the oldest winner in this category, whereas Anjali Marathe is the youngest winner; while K. S. Chithra been awarded for the maximum number of times .-Superlatives:...
for her rendition of the song, and Gulzar won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics
National Film Award for Best Lyrics
The National Film Award for Best Lyrics winners:Vairamuthu won the award for maximum number of times . Javed Akhtar is the only lyricist to win the award for three consecutive years .-References:...
and Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
The Filmfare Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.The awards were first given in 1953, however the Award for the best lyricist was first given in 1958.-Superlatives:...
for his lyrics.
Legacy
Years later, "Mera Kuch Samaan" was the title of the greatest hits album of Gulzar's greatest hits as a lyricist, released in 2005 by Saregama Ltd. It was also part of the greatest hit compilation albumCompilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood
The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood
The Very Best of Asha Bhosle, The Queen of Bollywood, released in October 2003, is a compilation album of songs recorded by the Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle for albums and Bollywood films released during 1966-2003.-Disc One – Traditional :...
, released in 2003. The song was also part of the compliation album, "Precious Platinum" released on her 75th birthday in 2008, by Saregama India Ltd.
In May 2011, theatre festival of plays based on 10 short stories of Gulzar, titled Mera Kuch Samaan was organized in Delhi and Mumbai.
Version
Asha Bhosle reprised the song in the album, You've Stolen My Heart: Songs From R.D. Burman's Bollywood with Asha Bhosle, released in August 2005, recorded with Asha and Kronos QuartetKronos Quartet
Kronos Quartet is a string quartet founded by violinist David Harrington in 1973 in Seattle, Washington. Since 1978, the quartet has been based in San Francisco, California. The longest-running combination of performers had Harrington and John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola, and Joan...
, a string quartet founded by David Harrington, as a tribute to Rahul Dev Burman. According to Harrington, .."the experience of a lifetime has tinged her voice with even more poignancy when she sings a song like Mera kuch samaan." The album was recorded over eight days at at San Francisco studios, and went to win a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album was an honor presented to recording artists between 2004 and 2011 for quality contemporary world music albums...
. Later she said that her favourite number from the album was "Mera Kuchh samaan..which "is very close to my heart as it transports me back into time when I was with Pancham."
External links
- Mera Kuch Samaan at You tube
- Lyrics in Hindi