Sure, we all know the most romantic duets of Lataji with Kishore Kumar. Or at least, we THINK we know….Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa(Aandhi), Tere mere milan ki yeh raina(Abhimaan), Achcha to hum chalte hain(Aan Milo Sajna), Kora kagaz ttha ye mann mera (Aradhana) …But there is a world of romantic songs outside the ones we are familiar with waiting to be explored. Try these:
1. Na soyege na soney denge(Mr Romeo): An absolute charmer where Lataji’s voice seduces Shashi Kapoor in Kishore Kumar’s voice. The song composed by the raja of romance Rahul Dev Burman is frothy and naughty , filled with masti and yet so warm and cuddlesome, you will fall in love with love again.
2. Dil tera hai main bhi teri hoon sanam(Bombay To Goa): This R D Burman beauty and a joy forever filmed on Amitabh Bachchan and Aruna Irani, got left behind . It was edited out of the film. And hence denied its rightful popularity. There are two versions of the song , one with a most annoying chorus intervention. Stay away from that one.
3. Mann Pukare(Tyag): This was one of Sachin Dev Burman’s last soundtracks. It contained two beautiful…TOO beautiful duets by Lata-Asha Hum tum tum hum hum tum and Mann pukare re.I choose the latter because it is a classic S D Burman creation, suffused with the poignancy and pathos borrowed from the musical heritage of the North east.
4. Chanda dekhe chanda(Jhoothi): Okay so Bappi Lahiri borrowed the basic structure of this Kishore-Lata duet from Sachin Dev Burman’s Tere mere Milan kye yeh raina(Abhi himaan). But that wasn’t like stealing or anything : both Jhoothi and Abhimaan were Hrishikesh Mukherjee films .They sound similar at the start.But then Bappi’s Chanda dekhe chanda acquires legs of its own. An enchanting duet as only a Lata-Kishore duet can be.
5. Kaise dekhun meri aanhkon ke bahot paas ho tum(Bharosa): Kishore, Lataji, RD and Gulzar….wondering why you’ve never heard this gem? The film never got made .Miraculously this recording has survived the ravages of time . It may not be in the same league as Lataji-Kishore-RD-Gulzar’s Tum aa gaye ho noor aa gaya hai or Iss mod se jaate hain. But it comes close.