#18 Aradhana: Top 100 Bollywood Albums

Music: S D Burman

Lyrics: Anand Bakshi

Label: Saregama HMV

Director: Shakti Samanta

Aradhana. The album that ushered in the Rajesh Khanna-Kishore Kumar era. SD Burman's soundtrack did of course have a couple of fine Rafi songs (Gunguna Rahe Hai in particular, is a gem) – the three songs by Kishore (whose inclusion in the movie reportedly happened on the insistence of R D Burman, who was assisting his father in the movie owing to the latter's illness) became the soundtrack's greatest hits. However, despite Kishore and Rafi, and Lata and Asha, the National award for playback singing that year went to Dada Burman himself, for his earnest rendition of the minimal folk-flavoured beauty Saphal Hogi Teri Aradhana.

Best Song Of Aradhana: This would be the masterpiece called Roop Tera Mastana. The song, one of those rare songs which had a single-take video, oozed sensuality every which way – Burman's arrangement that featured spectacular work from Manohari Singh (saxophone) & Kersi Lord (accordion), Kishore Kumar's controlled rendition of Anand Bakshi's passionate lines, and of the course the fabulously shot video featuring the lead pair. 

1. Roop Tera Mastana (Singer: Kishore Kumar)
2. Baghon Mein Bahar Hai (Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar)
3. Chanda Hai Tu Mera Suraj Hai Tu (Singer: Lata Mangeshkar)
4. Mere Sapno Ki Rani (Singer: Kishore Kumar)
5. Gun Guna Rahe Hai Bhanvare (Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle)
6. Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Man Mera (Singers: Kishore K

Listen to the entire album of Aradhana here: 

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

#19 ANAND: TOP 100 BOLLYWOOD ALBUMS