Bandish (Entanglement) ran for more than 80 weeks between 1980 and ’81. A co-production with Indonesia, Bandish starred the beautiful and talented Indonesian actress Diana Christina in a lead role opposite a bushy-haired Nadeem. The film was apparently a minor hit in Indonesia and back home, it further strengthened the credentials of Nazrul Islam as one of Pakistan’s more respected and successful directors.
The year 1980 was an interesting moment in Pakistani film. The country was reeling from the murder of former prime minister Zulfikar Bhutto, and the country’s military leaders were grappling with the challenge (and opportunity) that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan presented. These violent events seemed to be reflected in the movies. The golden era of the Urdu social film, a genre that presented a self-assured, upwardly mobile and stable society attached to a tolerant Islam, was fading fast. A cruder, more bloody genre of Punjabi action movie epitomised by the likes of Wehshi Jatt (1975) and Maula Jatt (1979) was attracting working class, urban migrant and male punters.
Though they had a stable of bankable stars, producers of Urdu movies were searching for something fresh. Bandish is a good example of a successful response. By shooting overseas they were able to keep the celluloid dream alive. Singapore gave the film glamour. And in Indonesia, film viewers discovered a tolerant, relaxed Muslim country that appeared to be upholding the very values many Pakistanis sensed were slipping away at home.
Robin Ghosh’s score is subtle and tasteful as always. He effectively creates a gentle East Asian sound throughout. In Hello Hello Sayanku (Hello Hello My Dear), sung by Nayyara Noor, he lifts a popular musical phrase from Indonesian/Malay dangdut music.
One of the great delights of Pakistani film music is the abundance of female playback singers. Unlike in India, where Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle virtually owned the business, Pakistani films are filled with a variety of voices and singing styles. Noor was born into a Punjabi family in Assam that migrated to Pakistan in the late ’50s. Though she sang for many years in countless films, Noor’s voice, which is characterised by a soft expression and suppleness, is excellently suited to ghazals and light numbers such as Sayangku.
For his part, A Nayyar was the male voice of the late ’70s and ’80s filling the shoes of the icon Ahmed Rushdie, who passed away in 1983. Unable to get the attention of Radio Pakistan, it was through TV that Nayyar came to the attention of music directors and landed his first opportunity in Bashist (1974), from which emerged the mega hit Yuhin Din Kat Jaye.
Sayangku is a tasty little confection that showcases Ghosh’s creative imagination beautifully. Built upon a folky strummed acoustic guitar with a mid-paced melody, Ghosh creates an imminently hummable tune that perfectly balances mood and sound. Accordion, melodica, shenai and flute all contribute specific textures that are wrapped up in lush strings (plucked and bowed) and spiced up with playful scatting by Nayyar and Noor. Taken together the sound is billowy and light just like the first love of Faisal and Juwita.
A version of this story appeared on the blog https://dailylollyblog.wordpress.com/ and has been reproduced here with permission.