#39 Arzoo: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: Shankar-Jaikishan

Lyrics: Hazrat Jaipuri

Label: Saregama HMV

Director: Ramanand Sagar

In the 60s while Shankar-Jaikishan were delivering big hits for Shammi Kapoor, they were displaying an equally productive streak with another actor, Rajendra Kumar. An association that began with the 1961 film Aas Ka Panchhi gained strength as the decade progressed, hitting its peak with Arzoo where every song from the composers (written by their frequent collaborator Hasrat Jaipuri) was a winner. The composers featured some fabulous use of horns (sax and clarinet) throughout the soundtrack.

Best Song of Arzoo: Rajendra Kumar was another actor for whom Rafi was the default singing voice, and Arzoo too featured a bunch of lovely songs from the man, best of which was the addictive Ae Phoolon Ki Rani. Shankar-Jaikishan's arrangement was replete with telltale cascading of violins et al, but standing out amidst all that was the beautiful santoor that was pretty much a second voice to Rafi in the song. 

1. Ae Nargise Mastana (Singer: Mohd Rafi)
2. Aji Rooth Kar (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
3. Aji Humse Bachkar (Singer: Mohd Rafi)
4. Ae Phoolon Ki Rani (Singer: Mohd Rafi)
5. Chhalke Teri Aankhon Se (Singer: Mohd Rafi)
6. Bedardi Baalma Tujhko (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
7. Jab Ishq Kahin Ho Jata Hai (Singer: Asha Bhosle, Mubarak Begum)

Listen to Ae Phoolon Ki Rani from Arzoo here:

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

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