"Bobby arrived in the same era as Sholay — two films much different" :::: One a dialogue-drenched masala epic, the other - a teenage rebellion wrapped in love :::: Remembering Rishi Kapoor

Bobby arrived in the same era as Sholay — two films that could not have been more different: one a teenage rebellion wrapped in love, the other a mythic, dialogue-drenched masala epic. Both defined a generation.  

Remembering Rishi Kapoor: Bobby, Karz, and a Career Reborn 

Nirendra Dev 

On April 30, 2020, as India sat locked down and the world grappled with a pandemic, Rishi Kapoor slipped away quietly — aged 67. 

Six years on, the anniversary is a good moment to sit with a career that was richer, stranger, and more layered than the romantic hero image ever quite captured.

Born into legacy, not comfort

Born on September 4, 1952, Rishi Kapoor was the son of Raj Kapoor — one of Hindi cinema’s most towering figures. It would have been easy to assume the path was paved. It was not, quite.

His first major screen appearance came in 1970’s Mera Naam Joker, Raj Kapoor’s most ambitious and personally consuming project, where a young Rishi played an adolescent version of his father. 

The film was a commercial disaster — one of the biggest of its era. But Rishi walked away from the wreckage with the 1971 National Film Award for Best Child Artist. The son had outshone the project.

Bobby was not a launch — it was a rescue

The film that made Rishi Kapoor a phenomenon —Bobby (1973) — is commonly remembered as his grand Bollywood debut. He corrected that myth himself, in a 2012 interview: “There was a misconception that the film Bobby was made to launch me as an actor. The film was actually made to pay the debts of Mera Naam Joker. Dad wanted to make a teenage love story and he did not have money to cast Rajesh Khanna.”

The film became one of the decade’s biggest hits. Dimple Kapadia, making her debut alongside him, became an icon overnight. 

And Bobby arrived in the same era as Sholay — two films that could not have been more different: one a teenage rebellion wrapped in love, the other a mythic, dialogue-drenched masala epic. Both defined a generation.

Dimple Kapadia offered perhaps the most enduring tribute years later: “I lost my heart some years back — during filming Bobby — and I’m yet to get it back.”

Karz, Saagar, and the music that outlived the era

Karz (1980), directed by Subhash Ghai, gave Rishi one of his most memorable outings — and one of Hindi cinema’s most durable songs. 

Kishore Kumar’s Ek Haseena Thi, Ek Diwana Tha has refused to age. 

It surfaced again in Haseen Dillruba (2021) and its sequel Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba (2024) — both available on Netflix — used to brilliant effect across a new generation of romantic thrillers starring Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey, and Sunny Kaushal.

Saagar (1985) brought Dimple back to screens after years away, and became India’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film that year. Kamal Haasan won the Filmfare Best Actor award for his performance — his only win in that category for a Hindi film — but the film’s emotional texture was a three-way creation.  

Later work revealed the range. In Namaste London, a grieving NRI father watching his daughter dismiss her roots. In Damini, a husband screaming into the void: “Aadmi jhoot kyon bolta hae” — why must a man depend on falsehood — while his wife fights for justice and his family looks away.

In Mulk, 

....he delivered one of the most politically charged lines of his career, playing a Muslim man defending his right to faith: “Agar aap meri daadhi aur Osama bin Laden ki daadhi mein fark nahin kar paate, to bhi mujhe haq hai apni sunnat nibhane ka.” 

If you cannot tell my beard from a terrorist’s, I still have the right to practice my faith.

And in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, a single dialogue carried the weight of a whole life: 

“Har ishq ka ek waqt hota hai… 

woh hamara waqt nahi tha… par iska yeh matlab nahi ki woh ishq nahi tha.” 

Every love has its time. That time was not ours. But that does not mean the love was not real.

It was, perhaps, the most Rishi Kapoor line ever written — and the truest epitaph for a career that asked to be felt, not just remembered.

courtesy - The Raisina Hills

ends 

Mission Modi of April 2026 :::: Achieve an era of Great Events and Great Men .... but also Greater Women :::: Her-story awaits coming Saturday

Never in the history of India, such important legislative business of Parliament with so much of far-reaching consequences has been taken up in a full-swing election season.

Important rounds of polling are to be held on April 23 and 29 in West Bengal and only April 23rd in Tamil Nadu. 

But Parliament session of three days from April 16th will be pathbreaking. 

The Modi government has decided to bring in at least two Bills - one on Women Quota and the other on setting up of Delimitation Commission. Left to it, the government would have preferred only one Bill. But that may not be possible technically.

It may not be entirely erroneous to suggest that we are living in an era of -- Great Events and Small Men. Winston Churchill referred to the times of Lord Roseberry as an 'age of Great Men and Small Events'. Narendra Modi wants to turn it all. 

He wants India to enter an era of Great Events and Great Men .... but also Greater Women. His preference of catchy phrases - Sabka Saath .... and 'Modi Hae Toh Mumkin Hae' has now scaled news heights. Increasing the number of state assembly seats and MPs in Lok Sabha will have far-reaching socio-political and perhaps also cultural and religious impact. Take this figure alone: 

If Lok Sabha numbers are to be 816 as many as 273 of them would be reserved for women.

Indian Parliament now has 13 per cent of women MPs while state assemblies make it up to 9 per cent in total.

By statistics; Himachal Pradesh has the lowest share of  representation - 1.47 percent while the Chhattisgarh has the highest with 21.11 per cent. 

In the north east, out of total 60 legislators; Nagaland has two women MLAs elected for the first time in 2023.

Mizoram has .... 

One draft law that is being worked out --- is to 'delink' Women Reservation from the Census. Here the idea is quite innovative but not entirely a new one. The moot point is increase the number of women lawmakers but without disturbing the present equilibrium.

No quota will eat into anyone's share. In fact, the argument goes the same yardstick was applied when 10 per cent quota for 'economically weaker sections' was brought in.  

 

  

The opposition parties say the Modi government has come up with these moves to build up a feel-good factor as the Iran-US war has already left economy and people's personal and social lives affected.  

Now the talks in Islamabad failed and things may turn worse. The opposition leaders in TMC, Congress. Samajwadi Party and DMK say the move is to hoodwink the people, influence their choice in politically important two states of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and 'divert' the attention from the West Asia crisis or issues such as joblessness and gas shortage. 

The government counters such interpretation. They cite how Prime Minister Modi had in 2021 famously used this in his Independence Day  speech to motivate the nation towards a "can-do" mindset.   However, as a political creature Modi is expected to play politics.  

Elections come and go, but the BJP gets into the next round of poll mode rather swiftly. With the ongoing polls to five states half concluded, the Team Modi is preparing for the elections to UP and four other states slated a year hence in February-March 2027.  There would be more polls in 2028 but the Mission Nari Shakti bills get parliament nod by April 18; entire drama related to 2027 elections will also alter. 

Blogger: Experimental outfit 

UP is supposed to get 120 Lok Sabha seats and also around 650-700 state legislators. 

Hence crucial rounds of politicking will be kicked off in Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and also Manipur.  

Moreover, Modi's politics has always followed a pattern. Projecting 'matri shakti', women's power, has been the Prime Minister's mission across India and also in the Northeast. 

In 2021, in the run-up to the Manipur polls, the BJP had appointed the first woman president of the state unit in A Sharda Devi. In the ultimate analysis, the saffron party believes the appointment worked in the party's favour. 

In 2025, in Delhi, he green signaled appointment of Rekha Gupta as the chief minister of Delhi.  

Likewise in Tripura, the BJP had projected woman lawmaker Pratima Bhaumik and made her Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment in the Modi government. She actually became the first Tripura resident and only the second woman from the Northeast to be a Union Minister. Ms Bhaumik was also involved in the Manipur polls of 2022. 

 

Mizoram : A Case Study::::  

In another tribal state Mizoram with high rate of education, the social opposition to women getting the upper hand is vocal. 

In 2011, the Congress-ruled Mizoram government, under veteran leader Lal Thanhawla, had opposed the food security bill of the Manmohan Singh government.

He even wrote a letter to Union Food Minister K V Thomas opposing the Bill, which had sought to make women the head of the family in ration cards.

Addressing a workshop of Mizoram legislators in 2009, the first female speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar, had underlined that it was high time for the state to have women MLAs. 

Mizoram had its first female state legislator in 1984 when it was still a Union Territory. K Thansiami was elected on a Mizoram People's Conference ticket. But not much progress has been made since then. 

ends 

PM targets Mamata--led TMC; .... "the country has a 'tukde-tukde' gang .... They wanted to separate the Northeast from the country"

“The country has a 'tukde-tukde' (balkanisation) gang, and it threatened to cut off the Siliguri Corridor," PM Narendra Modi alleged at an election rally in Siliguri.

He further said: "They wanted to separate the Northeast from the country. TMC, which indulges in appeasement politics, supports such people from the streets to Parliament. That is the real face of TMC". 

On the Roadshow in the town, he tweeted: 

"This roadshow in Siliguri was extremely memorable, spanning 15 kilometers in length. 

It proves just how much resonance the BJP's development agenda is generating across West Bengal. Apart from loot and intimidation, the Trinamool has nothing else to offer. And, all their games have now been exposed! 

On Saturday in another rally, Prime Minister referred to the popularity of football in Bengal and criticised the Trinamool government for the mismanagement at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata during the visit of iconic footballer Lionel Messi in December.

“People across the world witnessed the shameful incident that happened in Calcutta. The leaders and ministers of the TMC have even handed over football to syndicates,” said Modi.

The Siliguri Corridor, known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, connects mainland India to the Northeast. It is about 20–22 km wide at its narrowest point and sits close to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the China border.  

The attack on TMC is serious as politics in West Bengal are also linked to concerns around national security.  

Addressing the meeting at Kawakhali ground, Modi said the narrow stretch in north Bengal holds strategic importance for the country.  

Modi called it “the nation's corridor of defence as well as prosperity” and said the Centre is working on infrastructure projects in the region, including the Sevoke-Rangpo railway line that will link Sikkim with Siliguri.  

“The project will not only ensure rail connectivity between Bengal and Sikkim, but it will also strengthen trade and tourism in the region, whose direct benefit can be reaped by the youth of Darjeeling,” he said.

He asked voters to back a ‘double engine’ government, saying development would move faster if the BJP comes to power in the state. The Prime Minister also raised questions over state spending and governance.

“While the Mamata Banerjee government has allotted Rs 6,000 crore for Madrasa development in its state budget, its fund allotment for the entire north Bengal region is nowhere sufficient.”  

He added that central schemes had not been fully implemented in the state. “The TMC has destroyed the state during its 15-year tenure and halted implementation of central schemes like the one for providing piped drinking water to remote tribal areas, as a result of which less than 25 per cent of work could be completed.”

Calling the state government “nirmam”, he also spoke about difficulties in north Bengal’s tea garden belt.

He referred to illegal infiltration and said, “It will be too late if the infiltration menace is not stopped right away. 

'Kamal khilao, ghuspetia bhagao' (vote for lotus and drive infiltrators away).”

Modi also spoke about the response he received during his visit to the region. 

The Prime Minister was campaigning for BJP candidates in Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, where polling will be held in the first phase on April 23. 

“The excitement and energy I witnessed among the people in the last few days has convinced me that TMC's exit is fixed. My travel from the Badgodra airport to the hotel on Saturday turned out to be a 15-km road show as thousands of people, from children to senior citizens, had gathered. It blew my mind and humbled me with respect for you,” he said.

“As a return gift to the blessings you have showered on me, I promise to dedicate my life to you and will keep fighting for you till my last breath ..... The people of Bengal are now seeking answers from the TMC for every moment it spent in power over the last 15 years,” he said.

On Saturday PM Modi broached the Mamata Banerjee government’s alleged non-cooperation with President Droupadi Murmu during her recent visit to the Siliguri subdivision and accused the Trinamool Congress of demeaning the stature of the adivasi community.

“We are constantly trying for rapid development in the tribal areas. The tribal community was facing the problem of Maoist terrorism, and we have managed to free them from it. The (tribal) mothers are blessing us as their sons have returned home after years,” Modi said at Kushmandi in South Dinajpur.  

Referring to President Murmu’s visit to the Siliguri subdivision last month, Modi said: 

“The President was here to attend a conference of the Santhal Samaj (community). At that time, the TMC did not uphold the dignity of the Indian Constitution and demeaned the stature of the tribal community. 

It has, in fact, insulted the mothers and sisters and the tribal community.”

In March the President, who belongs to the Santhal community, had alleged that the Bengal government and the chief minister had resorted to non-cooperation to foil her visit. Mamata said Murmu should not push the BJP’s narrative.

In Bengal, 16 Assembly seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. In 2021, the BJP won seven of those seats while Trinamool bagged the remaining nine.

ends 

"Battle over who gets to define Electorate" ::::::::: Electoral deletions happen for multiple reasons .... Change of residence, Duplicate registrations etc etc ::: Just blaming SIR is a motivated pro-Bangladeshi campaign

 By NIRENDRA DEV

 — The numbers at the centre of this storm are stark. West Bengal’s electorate now stands at 6.75 crore voters — down sharply from 7.66 crore before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) began in October 2025, and even below the 7.34 crore who voted in the 2021 Assembly elections. Over 90 lakh names have been deleted through the SIR and adjudication process.

Analysts have broken down the deletions: approximately 63% of excluded voters are Hindus and 34% are Muslims. This figure has been seized upon by TMC and a section of the media to construct a narrative of deliberate disenfranchisement of Hindu voters — particularly Matuas — in BJP-targeted constituencies. But the full picture is considerably more complex.

Why Voters Get Deleted: The Facts First

Electoral deletions happen for multiple documented reasons. Change of residence — where a voter has permanently moved to another constituency but not updated their registration — is among the most common. 

Malda episode was 'bad in politics' play 

Duplicate registrations, deceased voters whose names remain on rolls due to slow updating, and “not found” cases where Booth Level Officers cannot locate a voter after repeated visits are all standard grounds for removal. None of these are ideologically driven.  

In West Bengal specifically, both the Left and the TMC have historically exploited these gaps — benefiting from names of people who moved or died remaining on rolls. The SIR was designed precisely to address this long-standing distortion.

The Muslim Deletion Angle: What’s Being Left Out

Muslims constitute 27% of West Bengal’s population. Their 34% deletion rate under SIR is being cited as evidence of Muslim targeting. But what this narrative conspicuously omits is the undeniable reality of illegal Bangladeshi immigration into West Bengal — a phenomenon that, by its very nature, would disproportionately affect Muslim demographics on electoral rolls. Sociologists and sections of the media appear either unable or unwilling to make this distinction.

The highest deletions under adjudication were recorded in Muslim-dominated districts. Murshidabad — the district with the highest Muslim population percentage in the state — recorded over 4.55 lakh exclusions out of 11.01 lakh names that went for judicial scrutiny. 

Significantly, Bhawanipore and Nandigram also saw more Muslim voter deletions than Hindu ones — a detail that makes the TMC leadership visibly nervous.

The Matua Question: Complexity the Headlines Miss

The Matuas are a powerful socio-religious community of Namasudra Scheduled Castes, founded by Harichand Thakur in the 19th century, who migrated from Bangladesh fleeing persecution. They influence over 40-45 Assembly seats in West Bengal and are central to BJP’s electoral arithmetic through the promise of citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Reports of high Hindu deletion rates in Matua-dominated border constituencies like Bagda — where 46,826 of 50,230 deleted voters are Hindu — and Bongaon Uttar — where 37,101 of 42,164 deleted voters are Hindu — are accurate. But critically absent from most coverage is a vital constitutional clarification: the deletion of a Hindu name from electoral rolls does not mean deportation. 

The Government of India has been unambiguous — illegal Muslim infiltrators will be identified and removed, while Hindus facing religious persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan, or Afghanistan will receive a sympathetic, constitutionally grounded approach under the CAA.

One community member, quoted anonymously in a Kolkata daily, expressed anxiety: “We have voter cards, Aadhaar cards and PAN cards. If we now declare that we were born in Bangladesh… all these identity documents will become invalid.” 

What the report did not add is that Aadhaar and PAN cards can always be verified by competent authorities — their existence does not confer immunity from scrutiny if underlying documents are found incorrect.

In Jangalmahal’s low-Muslim districts, the deletion pattern shifts entirely: Hindus account for 94% of exclusions in Jhargram, 

91% in Bankura, and 88% in Purulia — figures best explained by migration patterns and residence changes rather than any communal targeting.

Home Minister Amit Shah drew the sharpest line at a campaign rally: “BJP wants West Bengal to be free of infiltrators. Mamata Banerjee wants to protect them. We will trace each illegal immigrant and send them away.”Politics

BJP’s West Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya framed the election in sweeping terms: “This time the contest is between the public versus Mamata Banerjee.” He emphasised the party’s vision for all communities rather than dependence on specific caste or community blocs.

The TMC, meanwhile, raised multiple objections during the SIR process — at one point linking deaths of Booth Level Officers to SIR-related pressure — a claim that stretched credibility but gained media amplification. As April 23 approaches, the battle in West Bengal is not just between two parties. It is a battle over who gets to define the electorate itself — and whose version of that story the voters believe.

FAQ: 

Why were Hindu voters deleted in Matua-dominated constituencies in West Bengal?

High Hindu deletion rates in Matua-dominated constituencies like Bagda and Bongaon Uttar are largely attributed to migration patterns, residence changes, and documentation gaps among refugees from Bangladesh — not deliberate suppression. 

The Government of India has clarified that Hindu deletions do not mean deportation, with CAA providing a constitutional pathway for religiously persecuted Hindus from Bangladesh.

ends 

"Asha ji's voice will continue to echo across film screens and in the hearts of millions" - obit to celebrated singer from Sharmila Tagore

"The passing of Asha Bhosle fills my heart with a profound sense of loss. 

For more than seven decades, she enriched Indian cinema with her extraordinary voice, bringing depth, emotion, and joy to countless songs, including many that were filmed on me. 

Asha ji’s contribution to film music is immeasurable," pens noted actress Sharmila Tagore. 

Sharmila ji also wrote:

"She did not simply sing; she infused every note with such feeling that the songs became an inseparable part of the stories. 

She explored every facet of music from the classical depths to the bold experiments in rhythm and expression. Her compositions have been a constant companion in my life, and today I mourn not only a legendary artiste but a wonderful person and neighbour whose warmth I will always cherish.

"I first felt this warmth during the making of Kashmir Ki Kali in 1963. We were shooting on the pristine Dal Lake in Srinagar. 

The song ‘Deewana Hua Badal’ was being filmed. 

It was my first experience of lip-syncing in a Hindi film song, and I was both excited and a little nervous. 

After I completed the shot, Asha ji, who was present at the location, embraced me and warmly praised my performance. 

That spontaneous, generous gesture from a renowned senior artiste meant a great deal to a young actor still finding her place in the film industry. Her encouragement stayed with me throughout my career and remains a cherished memory even today.

In Bombay, we were neighbours for many years. 

I lived in a flat at Rashmi on Carmichael Road, while Asha ji lived in Prabha Kunj on Pedder Road. That proximity allowed us to share an affectionate, easy relationship beyond the glare of studios and recordings. We would exchange pleasantries, occasionally chat about the demands of our respective worlds, and draw comfort from knowing that the other was just around the corner.

Asha ji’s voice brought an unmatched range to cinema. 

She could move effortlessly from playful folk rhythms to sophisticated cabaret numbers, and from tender romantic duets to high-energy youthful tracks. 

In my film An Evening in Paris, the song ‘Raat Ke Humsafar’, her voice captured the gentle magic of moonlit companionship and quiet desire. 

Then there was ‘Zuby Zuby Jalembo’ from the same film. Even for its time, the track stood out distinctly with its lively beat and fresh, energetic spirit. 

It brought a modern, youthful exuberance that added a special sparkle to the narrative and captured the zeitgeist of that time with its distinctive rhythm and playful charm.

Asha ji had a generous heart. Whenever I received an award, a message or a call from her would arrive promptly, filled with sincere congratulations. 

She celebrated the successes of her colleagues with genuine warmth. One occasion that remains particularly special for me was the evening in Toronto in 2011, when we both received awards at the IIFA ceremony. Sharing that stage with her, being honoured side by side for our contributions to Indian cinema, was a fulfilling moment of our journey that had begun decades earlier on the waters of Dal Lake.

What always surprised and delighted me was Asha ji’s ability to remain relevant across generations. Even recently, she continued to perform with the same vitality. I was particularly thrilled when she released her first pop song, ‘Jaanam Samjha Karo’, in the 1990s. 

Listening to that pop hit rendered with such freshness and energy by an artiste of her age reminded me of her incredible ability to reinvent herself. Asha ji spoke to every generation with undiminished relevance.

Her curiosity could never be contained within the boundaries of Indian cinema alone. Asha ji’s international collaborations demonstrated her boundless creative spirit. She performed with global artists, explored new musical horizons, and brought Indian melodies to audiences far beyond our shores. These ventures reflected her openness to the world and her refusal to be limited by any single tradition.

With her departure, Indian cinema has lost one of its most luminous figures. Yet her voice will continue to echo across film screens and in the hearts of millions who grew up listening to her songs. 

I can only imagine that the heavens will receive her with beautiful melodies composed from the timeless tracks she gifted to the world. 

To me, she was a kind neighbour, the encouraging senior, the voice that made my films sing. 

Thank you, Asha ji, for the hug on Dal Lake, for always remembering to send encouraging texts, for the shared stage in Toronto, and for the unforgettable voice, which conveyed vulnerability, seduction, and pure longing. 

Asha Bhosle was a rare gift. 

Her songs will forever resonate in our hearts.

(Sharmila Tagore is famous actress. Her obit came in 'The Indian Express', April 12, 2026) 

ends 

Some essential readings :::: Men who discovered India came as amateurs, but returned as scholars ---- ::: "Two hundred years ago, India was seen as a place with little history"

"The nineteenth century was the age of enquiry. It was perhaps inevitable that India should have its Darwin, its Livingstone and Schliemann....

The men who discovered India came as amateurs, by profession they were soldiers and administrators. But they returned home as giants of scholarship."  

- This is from book 'India Discovered: The Recovery of a Lost Civilization' penned by John Keay. 

Every book has a history, nothing unusual about it!

Some more essential readings ... although 'reading' is now a 'vanishing art'. 

There is another example. 

"For all the excitement and the very considerable achievements, Indian history is still far from complete...

It is devoid of almost everything that traditionally makes history palatable for the general readers."

Well, the book is truly an absolute joy to read even as one may disagree at times. 

The author also paints a rather rosy picture about the British Empire and the book will fail those who expect the story of India’s plunder by the Britishers and the Muslim rulers.

Another book, I would recommend is 'The Sewing Circles of Herat: A Personal Voyage Through Afghanistan' written by Christina Lamb. 

A celebrated writer Lamb also has penned serious page turners like 'Farewell Kabul: From Afghanistan To A More Dangerous World'.

The book 'The Sewing Circles of Herat' throws light on the life and times of Talibs in a pretty interesting manner.

Refer to this example - "Oh my God, he is a Talib...and that meant he's sissy or he is available".

There is another oneliner - "The inevitable result is sodomy. It's the done thing in Pashtun society because of women being shut away in houses. A good looking boy would have dozens of attempts made on him".

There is also more! 

"....King Zahir Shah (of Afghanistan) gazed into the distance with the terrible sadness of a man who clearly bears the weight of his conscience of one million of his countrymen dead, another one and a half million disabled".

Christina Lamb has also authored 

'House of Stone: The True Story of a Family Divided in War-Torn Zimbabwe' and captures not just the source of a conflict, but also highlights her conviction that there is still hope for one of Africa’s most beautiful countries.

I would also recommend John Redwood's 'The Death of Britain?'

The book published way back in 1999 - much before the Brexit issues had rocked the country raises few vital questions: Can the United Kingdom survive devolution, European integration, reform of the Lords, slimming of the monarchy, proportional representation?

John was an Oxfordshire County Councillor and in the 1980s he was Chief Policy Advisor to Margaret Thatcher. 

It is said that he urged her to begin a great privatisation programme, and then took privatisation around the world as one of its first advocates!

The book also talks how Scotland could perhaps shatter the Union by demanding full independence.

Some excerpts would make you fall in love with the book. - 

There is nothing wrong with reversing the past. It may be politically correct now to bemoan those who do as fuddy-duddy or old-fashioned, yet that sense of continuity in British life is our greatest strength.

However, the author also says --- "The British people are slow to awaken to provocation" and one more --- The British people are not very keen on revolutions".

 

Every reading occasion should also have a history, the time set, the mindset of the readers etc etc !

'River Dog - A Journey Down the Brahmaputra is one such compendium! Penned by Mark Shand, a well known British travel writer.

RIVER DOG is a story encompassing sublime landscapes - in Assam where the River begins to broaden into its full majesty flows with mystery and legend. It goes without saying that river Brahmaputra is one of the world's great rivers.

Beginning as a tiny glacial stream in Western Tibet it flows through India and Bangladesh before gushing out into the Bay of Bengal.

Not only the book talks about the river, its glory and its history - there is a unique element as a 'Dog' also accompanies Shand and he adds to the mystique of animal lovers - animals always add a new "dimension to your travels, they take you away from yourself". I think that makes the stuff more readable!

For lovers of northeast, the author throws light on the history of Ahoms and Assam.

What does the word Assam mean?

"Establishing their capital at Sibsagar, the Ahoms named the region Assam which means undulating land" - says Shand.

Check out with Hindi experts - google says Undulating word in Hindi means 'Lahardar' !

ends 

On sisters-rivalry, Lata and Asha had "good laugh" ::::: It was a Vintage playback singing club - Rafi, Mukesh, Lata, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle .... all gone !! .... an era that will never return :: Did she wanted to flee to Dubai ??

Once a specialist for dance numbers; it became more a habit in Bollywood. Any major film with a song picturised on Helen, Asha Bhosle would be the voice behind it.

But adaptability, creativity, and innovation count.

They are imperative and she constantly evolved to avoid  risk of being left behind.  

Asha Bhosle expired on April 12, Sunday. 

Asha Bhosle sang the iconic song "Pyar Karne Waale Pyaar Karte Hain" in the 1980 movie Shaan. 

Composed by R.D. Burman with lyrics by Anand Bakshi, this energetic disco-style track features Parveen Babi and Amitabh Bachchan. She also sang other tracks in the film, including "Jaanu Meri Jaan". 

There came a time, she did well with Ghazals. No wonder she had been a two-time winner of the National Film Award- for magical 'Dil Cheez Kya Hai' from Umrao Jaan and 'Mera Kuch Saamaan' from Ijaazat. 

In 1984, she sang "Tu Rutha To Main Ro Doongi" for actress Neelam for the film 'Jawaani'. After a long time, a simple love story was making good in the industry. Everyone was concerned that Asha (born 1933) was then 51 and whether she could match the voice of a college going teenager. 

Neelam was born in 1969; hence Asha had to adjust to the voice of a 15-year-old damsel. And as records say that number was big hit.   

She recorded her first film song in 1943 and by the 50s, had carved a niche for herself.

Over the next three decades, she was among the most sought-after performers by most composers.

She did well with a number of regional language songs. 

In Bangla, 'Kiney de reshmi churi, noile jabo baaper baari' was a big hit from 1977 stable and it was much popular even till mid-1980s when we could understand the 'feelings' behind the number. 

In an interaction with 'Hindustan Times' in 2023, Asha spoke about the contemporary music landscape. 

“Main sach bolu toh main aaj ke gaane sunti hi nahi hoon. If I have to listen to songs, I hear (late vocalist) Bhimsen Joshi’s songs, classical songs and ghazals as I get to learn and simultaneously, polish and practice my songs better through that. Because of this, my capability of singing gets better".  

Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar gave a number of hit duets.

"छोड़ दो आंचल ज़माना क्या कहेगा" (Paying Guest)

"हाल कैसा है जनाब का" (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi)

"एक मैं और एक तू" (Khel Khel Mein)

"आज रपट जाऐं तो" (Namak Halaal)

"ओ साथी चल" (Seeta Aur Geeta)

With Kishore Kumar 

In fact, together with her sister Lata Mangeshkar and fellow legends Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi, and Kishore Kumar, Asha too dominated the Hindi music scene for over half a century. 

This was truly era that will never return. 

Peddar Road Flyover - has a story of its own

In 2002 during my days with PTI, Mumbai; we had to run a controversial story related to Asha Bhosle. It was a difficult proposition for two of us - me and colleague Jacinta D'souza (both Asha fans) to file our report. 

The legendary Asha Bhosle had voiced her protests over the Pedder Road flyover project and how it disturbed public and traffic.

She (despite being a Marathi) had threatened to move out of Mumbai to "some other country.... maybe Dubai".  

That's food for thought !!

But that's beauty about life and journalism. "Bitter pills have to be swallowed... that's my subtle message," Jacinta told me softly conscious what we whisper do not reach the never-failing ears of a late deputy editor.  

Asha With R.D 

Rahul Dev Burman was music director and singer, who is considered to be one of the greatest and most successful music directors of the Hindi film music industry. 

From the 1960s to the 1990s, Burman composed musical scores for 331 films, bringing a new level of music.

RD Burman (nicknamed Pancham) did his major work with legendary singers Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi. 

The RD-Asha husband-wife team also worked extensively with lyricists like Majrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi and Gulzar.

R D was the only son of the composer Sachin Dev Burman and his lyricist wife Meera Dev. 

As is well known 

-- Be it 'Piya Tu Ab To Aa Ja' from Caravan, 

'Ye Mera Dil' from Don, 

'Dum Maaro Dum' from Hare Rama Hare Krishna ... 

Asha owned the dance number genre in Bollywood for over two decades. 

Asha Bhosle sang the devotional song "Sancha Naam Tera" in the 1975 film Julie. This song was a duet with her sister Usha Mangeshkar, composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi. 

Asha got the surname Bhosle from her first first marriage to Ganpatrao Bhosle.  

Asha had once opened up about 'rumours' of a 'sibling rivalry' with her elder sister Lata Mangeshkar. 

She spoke about an incident over which the sisters had a 'good laugh'. 

"She’s my sister and my favourite singer. People did carry tales and try to create trouble, but blood is thicker than water. I remember, sometimes both of us would be at a function and some industry types would ignore me and interact only with her, as if to prove their loyalty. Later, didi and I would have a good laugh!” 

Asha Bhosle had started her singing career in 1943 four years before India attained independence. 

She gave over 12,000 songs across seven decades. She was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008. 

ends