#10 Mughal-e-Azam: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: Naushad

Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni

Label: Saregama

Director: K. Asif

Seven years after Anarkali came this K Asif movie that dealt with the same love story on a much grander scale; grandness that reflected in the film's music as well. One of composer Naushad's biggest contributions to film music is the way he incorporated classical music in films; and Mughal-e-Azam's soundtrack stands as a majestic edifice testifying this fact. The songs here made beautiful employment of classical ragas like darbari (Mohabbat Ki Jhooti), gara (Mohe Panghat), kedaar (Beqas Pe Karam) etc. A major coup the composer pulled off was to get Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan to represent Tansen's voice, making this the only instance of the legendary singer recording for a film.

Best Song of Mughal-e-Azam: Like with Anarkali, in Mughal-e-Azam too it was Lata Mangeshkar who became Anarkali's singing voice throughout the film, and my biggest favourites from the album – Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, Beqas Pe Karam, Humein Kaash Tumse, Mohabbat Ki Jhooti – are all Lata's solo acts. To be picking one though, I will go with the most memorable one among the lot, the magnificently picturised Pyaar Kiya.. Shakeel Badayuni's lines conveying rebellious love had a perfectly haunting tune from the composer that he reportedly based on a folk song from UP. The song's opulent orchestration touches goosebump-inducing proportions towards its climactic finish, especially with the brilliant chorus kicking in.

On a related note: Sanjay Leela Bhansali said in interviews that his 2015 film Bajirao Mastani was meant as a tribute to Mughal-e-Azam; there are visibly incorporated nods to the latter in multiple song sequences from Bajirao.. – Deewani Mastani – Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, Mohe Rang Do Laal – Mohe Panghat Pe Nandlaal etc.

1. Mohe Panghat Pe (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
2. Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
3. Mohabbat Ki Jhooti (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
4. Humein Kash Tumse Mohabbat (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
5. Beqas Pe Karam (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
6. Teri Mehfil Mein (Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Shamshad Begum)
7. Ye Dil Ki Lagi (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
8. Ae Ishq Yeh Sab Duniyawale (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
9. Khuda Nigehbaan (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
10. Ae Mohabbat Zindabad (Singer: Mohammed Rafi)
11. Prem Jogan Ban Ke (Singer: Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan)
12. Shubh Din Aayo Raj Dulara (Singer: Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan)

Listen to the entire album of Mughal-e-Azam here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SpZEB_mIxQ

(With contributions by Praveen VR, co-founder of musicaloud.com)

#11 LAGAAN: TOP 100 BOLLYWOOD ALBUMS