#48 Waqt: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: Ravi

Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi

Label: Saregama HMV

Director: Yash Chopra

BR Chopra and brother Yash Chopra had a long and very fruitful association with Sahir Ludhianvi – almost their entire portfolio (well, all of the directorial portfolio, in Yash Chopra's case) had songs written by the lyricist, until his passing in 1980. And it was BR Chopra's insistence on having Ludhianvi that apparently led Shankar-Jaikishan to decline composing for Waqt and landed the project in Ravi's lap. Ravi, of course, made the most of this windfall by giving the Chopras some of his career-best songs, prominently featuring singers Asha Bhonsle and Mahendra Kapoor.

Best Song of Waqt: While the soundtrack tends to be most remembered for Manna Dey's evergreen wedding song Ae Meri Zohrajabeen and Asha's Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu, the best song to me is the incredibly soothing romantic duet Maine Ek Khwaab. The lyrics and melody are absolutely on point here, and Mahendra Kapoor sounds his silken best singing with Asha. I knew Ravi for his Malayalam songs long before I came around to the Hindi portfolio, and though he produced a lot of lovely songs, the man tended to get repetitive with his arrangement. I can sense the makings of one of those Malayalam arrangement templates in this song. 

1. Aye Meri Zohra Jabeen (Singer: Manna Dey)
2. Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu (Singer: Asha Bhosle)
3. Chehre Pe Khushi (Singer: Asha Bhosle)
4. Din Hai Bahaar Ke (Singers: Mahendra Kapoor, Asha Bhosle)
5. Waqt Se Din Aur Raat (Singer: Mohammed Rafi)
6. Kaun Aaya Ki Nigaho Mein (Singer: Asha Bhosle)
7. Hum Jab Simat Ke Aapki (Singers: Asha Bhosle, Mahendra Kapoor)
8. Maine Ek Khwab Sa Dekha (Singers: Mahendra Kapoor, Asha Bhosle)

Listen to the entire album of Waqt here:

#49 DASTAK: TOP 100 BOLLYWOOD ALBUMS