#71 Parineeta: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: Shantanu Moitra

Lyrics: Swanand Kirkire

Label: Tips

Director: Pradeep Sarkar 

It is perhaps an affinity born of his Bengali roots, but I often feel that composer Shantanu Moitra is most consistent with his music when there is a Bengali connection to the work. The latest data point to this theory was the grossly underrated 2016 album called Gulzar in Conversation with Tagore where Moitra collaborated with the veteran lyricist, and singers Shreya Ghoshal and Shaan in paying a tribute to Tagore. 

As the adaptation of a 1914 Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel set in Calcutta, Parineeta was as Bengali as a Bollywood film could get. And though Moitra had already created some good songs for Leela and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (not to mention indipop songs like Ab Ke Sawan with Shubha Mudgal), it was Parineeta's beautifully melodic soundtrack that truly heralded Moitra's arrival into the scene. Swanand Kirkire, whose words were a major contributor to the album's success, went on to form a successful partnership with the composer (he also wrote for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi earlier that year).

Best Song Of Parineeta: Though the album has a lovely song by my favourite female singer (K S Chithra – Raat Hamaari Toh), the old world charm of Piyu Bole makes it an irresistible composition even after so many years, courtesy also Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal's superlative singing. 

1. Piyu Bole (Singers: Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal)
2. Kasto Mazza (Singers: Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal)
3. Soona Man Ka Aangan (Singers: Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal)
4. Kaisi Paheli Zindagani (Singer: Sunidhi Chauhan)
5. Raat Tamari Toh (Singers: Chitra, Swanand Kirkire)
6. Dhinak Dhinak Dha (Singer: Rita Ganguly)
7. Hui Main Parineeta (Singers: Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal)

Listen to Piyu Bole from Parineeta: 

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

#72 1947: EARTH – TOP 100 BOLLYWOOD ALBUMS