#58 Lagan: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: Rai Chand Boral

Lyrics: Arzoo Lakhnavi

Label: New Theatre/Megaphone Records

Director: Nitin Bose

Rai Chand Boral is widely considered the father of Hindi film music. Boral, along with Pankaj Mullick, dominated the 30s music scene and set the ball rolling on a lot of aspects that ended up defining film music for years to come. Boral was not able to maintain his prolific form from the 30s in the subsequent decade, but he did still produce the occasional fab soundtrack. And Lagan (1941) stood out among the lot, thanks in part to the superlative singing from the movie's lead actors K L Saigal and Kanan Devi.

Best Song Of Lagan: Like K L Saigal, Kanan Devi too owed her growth as a star in large part to Boral. The composer's tunes were instrumental in establishing the singer as the melody queen of her era. In the beautiful Hamari Laaj Nibhaao Swami, you can hear Kanan Devi's prowess with melodies shine through. Equally alluring is the song's arrangement where you can make out the orchestral use of strings, one of the things the composer is said to have pioneered in Hindi music.

1. Kaahe Ko Raad Machai (Singer: K L Saigal)
2. Koi Samjhaye Ye Geet Sakhi Kya Hai (Singer: Kanan Devi)
3. Madbhari Madbhari Matwari (Singer: Kanan Devi)
4. Ye Kaisa Anyay Daata (Singer: K L Saigal)
5. Takat Hoon Tumri Ore Saajan (Singer: Kanan Devi)
6. Tum Bin Kal Na Aave Mohe (Singer: Kanan Devi)
7. Hat Gayi Lo Kaari Ghata (Singer: K L Saigal)
8. Hamari Laaj Nibhao Swami (Singer: Kanan Devi)
9. Main Sote Bhaag Jaga Doonga (Singer: K L Saigal)
10. Koi Manushya Kitna Hi Bura Kyun Na Ho (Singer: K L Saigal)

Listen to the song Koi Samjaye Ye Geet Sakhi Kya Hai here:

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

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