Smriti Jeno Jonaki - Sagarika - Amit Kumar

Song: Smriti Jeno Jonaki

Album: Sagarika

Singer: Amit Kumar

Composer: Debjit (Kolkata)

Amit Starts whispering with his velvet voice "Smriti Jeno Jonaki" with immense expressions which are just absolute treat to ears! Debjit composed some superbly melodious tracks in this album "Sagarika" and this track particulary remains one of my most favorite! And what a beautiful arrangement! Every instrument is so well blended and doesn't overshadow each other's frequency! Right from Guitar solos to Saxophone pieces and Flutes pieces so well blended!

I remember once wandering in the streets of my hometown Guwahati when this was released during 90s and specially the time when Kumar Sanu used to keep yelling all around with his nose (He had stopped using his vocals long time back by that time!) in a prolific stage, this album came to my notice as a surprise in a small music shop. The moment I picked it up the shop-owner confirmed saying it had brilliant scores! And he wasn't wrong! The songs are still so fresh and melodious! I was just wondering then how come such a lovely voice wasn't singing those days!

Again back to the song...the phrase "Smriti Jeno Jonaki" is repeated few times in the song and everytime Amit assured He is not sounding boring and monotonous to your ear. The antara where he starts "Harano dingulo fire to pabona" as expected the question in His voice makes us live to the lyrics that indeed Time once passed are never returned back except pain still we wander in the same lanes... and Amit returns back to the line with lot of emotion and husky tone "Ki ashate sei ateete mayate bhoole thaki"... Beautifully sung!

And when he croons over the second antara "Shonali swapno ke mayabi lagno ke bolo ke bhalobase na, keno ghum asena, kon sukhe je ajo duchokhe sediner e chhobi aanki" the words are hit straight to the soul just exactly the way He hits those notes straight keeping the emotion of the song so intact! Perhaps that's why whenever I listen to the song again n again I get into pensive, philosophical mood. Hats off to Amit Kumar and Debjit!

The entire album can be downloaded from here:

http://valobasi-bangla.blogspot.com/2009/04/sagarika-by-amit-kumar.html

Tip Tip Baarish Shuru Ho Gayee - Afsana Pyaar Kya - Amit Kumar

Film: Afsana Pyaar Ka

Year: 1991

Cast: Aamir Khan, Neelam...

Music: Bappi Lahiri

Vocals: Amit Kumar & Asha Bhonsle

Initially when I first heard the song during my school days, (may be I was then in class VII) from my neighbor's tape recorder, I just loved it! So fresh! So romantic! and above all so Youngish! (my way of depicting the feel of youth) and after decades when I go back and try to remember what really appealed me instantly, I remember it was the lead male singer's vocal; not really knowing then who it was! My Bollywood-music-encyclopedia then naturally was very limited. Off-late I hear it again and again and feel the song sounds so contemporary, fresh and rich in melody. For years, I used to think this is by Anand-Milinid and not by Copy (ooops Bapi) Lahiri. May be because during early 90s Anand-Milind has given us such beautiful gems with Amit Kumar.

Now coming on to the song... it starts with a Bold yet Pleasant vocal of Amit... "Main tera hoon... tu meri hain".

The moment He starts with "Tip tip tip baarish shuru ho gayee" He sounds absolutely Romantic and Young yet Melodious... something which reminds me of none other than legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar, Amit's Father! During the Mukhra or Sthayee... He retains the same charm throughout. And once the first antara starts He is just full-blown magic in His voice. The tone is full of "ghamak" and yet very melodious! You can clearly hear and understand each word pronounced which is of course an attribute of every good singer and which is again so not-prevalent in singers of 200x in Bollywood. These days the articulation of words have reached into such heights that you hardly can understand the meaning of the lyrics. Coming back to the song... the moment He whispers "Main tera hoon tu meri hain" gives goosebumps...

Although in late 80s and early 90s, Udit was used for Aamir's voice, by Anand-Milind in QSQT, but somehow Amit's voice quite suited Aamir and specially when the vocal expressions were mattered. Interestingly although Anand-Milind's favorite singer was Amit Kumar, they went with Udit for Aamir in QSQT, may be the entire project required a new and not-so-popular voice. However Bapi Lahiri had chosen Amit for Aamir in not only this film also in Dev Anand's production "Awal Number" which features another beautiful number "Poochho Na Kaisa Maza Aa Raha Hain" by Amit Kumar (more about that in another post). This Amit-Asha duet complemented each other very beautifully. Amit's voice all through the song remains as a treat to ear something which I really miss these days...!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a official blog by Amit Kumar (Ganguly) but my humble tribute to the Amazing and Unmatched Playback Singer, Composer, Performer... Amit Kumar.