The Subcontinental, Episode 1: Bollywood
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
Series: The Subcontinental
Length: 53:48
On its maiden voyage, The Subcontinental heads straight for Mumbai for a look at the music of Bollywood movies.
Every Bollywood movie has songs - it's basically the pop music of India. And Bollywood wouldn't be Bollywood without all those songs.
The Bollywood tradition is relatively recent, but it comes from deep cultural roots: the song and dance that have permeated the culture of the Indian Subcontinent for hundreds of years.
And yet, Bollywood composers also shamelessly copy from all musical styles.
So it's kind of like a mix of music styles from around the world - the most global music there is.
And best of all, it's infectious, it's festive, and, well, it just makes the world a better, happier place.
This documentary takes you on a journey through the history of Bollywood music featuring classic songs and recent hits along with interviews with comedian Russell Peters, filmmaker Deepa Mehta (Water, Bollywood/Hollywood), Bollywood choreographer and dance sensation Shiamak Davar, and Ameen Merchant, author of The Silent Raga, among others.
Hosted by choreographer & broadcaster Raakhi Sinha.
Produced by award-winning producer & sound designer Paolo Pietropaolo.
More from Paolo Pietropaolo
The Subcontinental, Episode 2: Bhangra
(52:16)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
All aboard The Subcontinental, your South Asian music train! Second stop: Punjab, and the irresistible beats of Bhangra.
Signal to Noise
(13:31)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
This is the story of my tinnitus, which affects my ability to enjoy silence. Through the telling of the story, I've tried to create a kind of music that questions where ...
The Origins of Rhythm
(05:53)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
Without Shiva's dance of destruction and Parvati's dance of seduction, we might be living in a world without drums. A meditation on the origins of rhythm, through the voice ...
Music and Mental Illness
(11:17)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
The Romantic composer Robert Schumann struggled with mental illness for his entire life. This piece, part radio essay and part musical journey, examines the relationship ...
Antiques Violin Show
(08:36)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
Meet Jason Price - musical treasure hunter. He travels around North America appraising antique violins, cellos & bows. People line up for his sessions, carrying their old ...
Temporary Hearing Loss
(07:07)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
Is our society suffering from a sort of collective temporary hearing loss? Acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton of Port Angeles, WA, thinks so. He also believes that learning ...
The Sound and the Sea
(20:40)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
In Nov 2009, the United States Board of Geographic Names voted to endorse the name Salish Sea as an official geographic name for the inland waters of the Pacific Northwest. ...
Ode to the Salish Sea
(08:42)
From: Paolo Pietropaolo
In the state of Washington and in British Columbia, Canada, some people are using a new, collective name for the waters now known as the Strait of Georgia, Juan de Fuca ...
Related Pieces
Piece Description
On its maiden voyage, The Subcontinental heads straight for Mumbai for a look at the music of Bollywood movies.
Every Bollywood movie has songs - it's basically the pop music of India. And Bollywood wouldn't be Bollywood without all those songs.
The Bollywood tradition is relatively recent, but it comes from deep cultural roots: the song and dance that have permeated the culture of the Indian Subcontinent for hundreds of years.
And yet, Bollywood composers also shamelessly copy from all musical styles.
So it's kind of like a mix of music styles from around the world - the most global music there is.
And best of all, it's infectious, it's festive, and, well, it just makes the world a better, happier place.
This documentary takes you on a journey through the history of Bollywood music featuring classic songs and recent hits along with interviews with comedian Russell Peters, filmmaker Deepa Mehta (Water, Bollywood/Hollywood), Bollywood choreographer and dance sensation Shiamak Davar, and Ameen Merchant, author of The Silent Raga, among others.
Hosted by choreographer & broadcaster Raakhi Sinha.
Produced by award-winning producer & sound designer Paolo Pietropaolo.
3 Comments
|
From an average listenerI don't know Bollywood well, but, as an average American listener to numerous public radio programs, I found this program entertaining and insightful about a subject about which I know too little. |
|
Brilliant tour of Indian music and cultureThis piece is pretty much perfect. I don't know Bollywood well, but I know it enough to know that the producer has covered the major points, the lesser-known points, and then some. The host has a great voice and energy; the interviews are also energetic and wide-ranging. Best of all, there's lots of music. This is a top-quality production. |
Broadcast History
First broadcast on CBC Radio, August 23, 2009
Timing and Cues
Doc ends at 52:02; I've included optional music fill to 53:51. Please feel free to cut fill music off. Fill music is the full version of "Dil Cheez Kya Hai" by Asha Bhosle, also excerpted earlier in the doc.
Intro and Outro
INTRO:From the Western perspective it's maybe easy to make the mistake of lumping Indian music into one genre - but if you think about it, the Indian Subcontinent is a vast area spanning five countries, dozens of languages and well over a billion people.
It's also home to many styles of music, from traditional to classical to pop.
Over the next two weeks, we'll take a deeper look at two of those genres in a series called The Subcontinental.
Raakhi Sinha is a dancer and choreographer as well as a broadcaster on local Punjabi radio in Vancouver, Canada, and she'll be our guide.
Here’s part 1 of The Subcontinental: Bollywood.
N.B. PRONOUNCERS:
Raakhi Sinha -
RAH-key (rah like in Ravi Shankar - not like "Rocky" - more like Ravi with a K instead of a V)
SIN-huh (aspirate the first h)
(listen to the beginning of the show for an example of how she says it)
Mumbai -
mum-BYE
Punjab / Punjabi
pun-JAAB & pun-JAAB-ee
barely pronounce the "pun" - not "poon" or the word "pun" - use a schwa sound
OUTRO:You’ve been listening to Part 1 of The Subcontinental, a series about the music of the Indian Subcontinent.
It was presented by Raakhi Sinha - she's a dancer, choreographer and broadcaster in Vancouver, Canada.
Today's show was all about Bollywood music; tune in next week for Part 2, when The Subcontinental takes us to Punjab and the world of Bhangra.
The Subcontinental was produced by Paolo Pietropaolo in Vancouver.
N.B. PRONOUNCERS:
Paolo Pietropaolo
POW-low pee-EH-tro-POW-low
Bhangra -
hard B almost like a P
BUNG-rah
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan | Karsh Kale | Liberation. | Six Degrees | 2003 | 00:30 |
| Chand Mera Dil Chandni Ho Tum | Mohammed Rafi | Solid Gold: Treasure Trove of Masterpieces: Mohd. Rafi. | Saregama | 2005 | 02:00 |
| Yahoo! Chehe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahen | Mohammed Rafi | Solid Gold: A Treasure Trove of Masterpieces: Mohd. Rafi. | Saregama | 2005 | 02:00 |
| Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai | Lata Mangeshkar | Solid Gold: A Treasure Trove of Masterpieces: Lata Mangeshkar. | Saregama | 01:45 | |
| Dhoom Taana | Abhijeet & Shreya Ghoshal | Om Shanti Om. | T-Series | 2007 | 02:00 |
| Dil Cheez Kya Hai | Asha Bhosle | The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Asha Bhosle. | World Music Network | 02:15 | |
| Raga Darbari Kanarra | Nazakat & Salamat Ali Khan | World Network Vol. 20: Pakistan. | World Network | 02:15 | |
| Balam Aaye Baso More Man Men | K. L. Saigal | Raag Gao Raag, Vol 1 & 2. | Hindusthan/IODA | 01:00 | |
| Badnaam Mohabbat Koun Kare | Noor Jehan | EMI Pakistan. | EMI Pakistan | 00:30 | |
| Awara Hoon | Mukesh | Priceless Gems – Mukesh sings for Raj Kapoor, Vol. 1. | Saregama | 02:15 | |
| Aayega Aanewala | Lata Mangeshkar | The Very Best of Bollywood – 60 Classic Years 1948-2007. | Saregama | 01:15 | |
| Raat Ka Sama | Lata Mangeshkar | Ziddi. | Saregama | 00:35 | |
| Ina Meena Deeka | Asha Bhosle | The Rough Guide to Bollywood Legends: Asha Bhosle. | World Music Network | 01:00 | |
| Roop Tera Mastana | Kishore Kumar | The Golden Collection: Kishore Kumar, Vol. 2. | Saregama | 01:30 | |
| Mil Gaya Humko Saathi | Asha Bhosle | Hum Kisise Kum Nahin. | Saregama | 01:00 | |
| Hare Rama Hare Krishna | Asha Bhosle | Hare Rama Hare Krishna. | Saregama | 03:15 | |
| Badi Mushkil | Alka Yagnik | The Music of Bollywood. | Commercial Marketing | 01:15 | |
| Le Gayi | Asha Bhosle | Dil To Pagal Hai. | Yash Raj Music | 1997 | 03:10 |
| Yeh Ishq Hai | Shreya Ghoshal | Everybody on Dance Floor, Round 5. | T-Series | 01:00 | |
| Bhootni Ke (Remix) | Daler Mehndi | Singh is Kinng. | Junglee Music | 2008 | 00:45 |
| Salaam-E-Ishq | Sonu Nigam & Shreya Ghoshal | Salaam-E-Ishq. | T-Series | 2007 | 04:00 |
| Chaiyya Chaiyya | Sukhwinder Singh & Sapna Awasti | Dil Se. | Venus | 1998 | 02:00 |
| Jai Ho | Sukhwinder Singh & A.R. Rahman | Slumdog Millionaire. | N.E.E.T. | 2009 | 03:30 |
| El Harba Wine | Khaled | Kenza. | Universal | 1999 | 00:45 |
| Shanti/Ashtangi | Madonna | Ray of Light. | Maverick | 1998 | 00:30 |
| Addictive | Truth Hurts | Love's in Need of Love. | Aftermath | 2002 | 00:15 |
| Piya Tu Aab To Aaja (Lover, Come to Me Now) | Kronos Quartet & Asha Bhosle | You've Stolen My Heart. | Nonesuch | 2005 | 00:15 |
| Aayo Re Sakhi | Sukhwinder Singh & Sadhna Sargam | Water. | Sony BMG | 2005 | 01:30 |
| U-n-I (Mere Dil Vich Hum Tum) | Rishi Rich | Hum Tum. | Yash Raj Music | 2004 | 01:00 |
| Tenu Leke | Sonu Nigam & Mahalaxmi Iyer | Salaam-E-Ishq. | T-Series | 2007 | 04:30 |
Additional Credits
Host: Raakhi Sinha
Of 2 purchasers of this piece...
- 2 also bought:
Matching Outfits Not Included (10:24) - 2 also bought:
- 2 also bought:
Amanda's Diary: Girlfriend (21:30) - 2 also bought:
- 2 also bought:
H CE
Posted on December 02, 2009 at 05:19 PM | Permalink
Nicely presented but too many factual errors
As an Indian who grew up in Bombay, I do know Bollywood quite well and I was very disappointed with the number of factual errors in this otherwise well done program. Here are just a few errors.
1. According to the program, the "big four" of playback singing dominated post-independence Bollywood music for decades. That is not really true. We single these four about because of the length of time they were on the scene but, Lata Mangeshkar excepted, they all spent time in the wilderness. Kishore Kumar, for example was not a big force in playback singing until the late 60s. Asha Bhosle was not a major presence until the late 50s.
2. Kishore is described as someone who "loved his booze." Not true - he was a teetotaler. Rafi is described as having a "soft voice!" Huh? If you have listened to Rafi at all, the first thing you will notice is the sheer power of his voice. The only male playback singer who could be described as having a "soft voice" - is Talat Mehmood who was eclipsed by Rafi because of his sheer vocal power.
3. RD Burman is described as being the man who introduced western influences to Bollywood music. Sorry, that happened quite some time before he came on the scene. Burman's father - SD Burman - and OP Nayyar incorporated a lot of western influences in their music long before RD Burman came on the scene.
And this is just three errors - there were several others that I noticed.
- HCE