Filmi
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Filmi (or Filmy) is a colloquial term which refers to anything relating to the Bollywood film industry.
Filmi music (Hindi: फ़िल्मी मोसीक़ी, Urdu: فلمی موسیقی filmi mosiqi) is Indian popular music as written and performed for Indian cinema. Music directors make up the main body of composers; the songs are performed by playback singers.
Filmi music tends to have appeal across India and overseas due to the constant inflow of music and the talent of the singers. Playback singers are usually more noted for their ability to sing rather than their charisma as a performer. Though these singers (such as Sonu Niigam and Asha Bhosle, among others) may release solo albums, their performances in film soundtracks tend to be more noticed due to the widespread appeal of movies.
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[edit] Origins
Filmi is often said to have begun in 1931, with the release of Ardeshir M. Irani's Alam Ara and its popular soundtrack.[citation needed] In the earliest years of Indian cinema, filmi was generally Indian (classical and folk) in inspiration, with some Western elements. Over the years, the Western elements have increased significantly.[citation needed] However, film soundtracks continue to be very diverse in their genres, sometimes fusing genres or reverting to entirely classical music. Examples of this can be found throughout filmi music history.
[edit] Music directors
R. C. Boral, Pankaj Mullick, Anil Biswas and Naushad were noteworthy music directors of the 1940s, with scores reminiscent of the elegance of Northern India's Moghul and Rajput courts. The 1950s and 1960s, considered the 'golden age' of the Hindi film music[citation needed], included music composers like Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, S. D. Burman, O. P. Nayyar, Madan Mohan, C. Ramchandra, Roshan , Vasant Desai, Kalyanji Anandji,Khaiyam and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. Laxmikant-Pyarelal are the only music directors who were active for more than 36 years. As Indian cinema segued into the go-go years of the 1960s and 1970s, pop artists like R.D. Burman and duos like Nadeem-Shravan and Jatin-Lalit gave filmi a stronger western flavor. Composers Ilaiyaraaja and Raveendran rose to fame during the 1980s and 1990s, known especially in southern India. Major musical forces in the 1990s and 2000s have included A. R. Rahman, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Vishal-Shekhar.
[edit] Playback singer
Full article: Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose song is pre-recorded for use in films. The singer records the song and the actors or actresses lip sync the song for the cameras. This is a form of singing that is most highly developed in the Indian sub-continent[citation needed]. The songs of a film and the quality of the music — its music director (composer), lyricist and singer have often determined the success of a film[citation needed]. Film soundtracks are sometimes released before the release of the film itself, resulting in a disparity between the soundtrack and the songs appearing in the film.
Some well-known playback singers include:
- Asha Bhosle
- Geeta Dutt
- Kavita Krishnamurthy
- Alka Yagnik
- Lata Mangeshkar
- Shreya Ghoshal
- Sunidhi Chauhan.
- Mohammed Rafi
- Hemant Kumar
- Talat Mehmood
- Mukesh
- Kishore Kumar
- Manna Dey
- Dr. K. J. Yesudas
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Udit Narayan
- Kumar Sanu
- Abhijeet
- M. G. Sreekumar
- Sonu Niigam
- Frede
- Hariharan
- Chinmayi
- Abhilasha
[edit] Lyricists
Full article: Bollywood songs
In the 1950s and 60s, lyricists like Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri, Sahir Ludhianvi, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Frede, Rajinder Krishan, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Bharat Vyas, Shakeel Badayuni, Qamar Jalalabadi, Jan Nissar Akhtar and S.H. Bihari wrote lyrics of many classic filmi songs. Lyrics tended towards the literary and drew heavily on contemporary Urdu and Hindi poetry.
[edit] Instrumentalists
Instruments played as background to the vocals include:
- Bansuri
- Daf
- Dholak
- Harmonium
- Jal Tarang
- Khol
- Manjira
- Rabab
- Santoor
- Sarangi
- Sarod
- Shehnai
- Sitar
- Tabla
- Tabla tarang
- Tanpura
- Violin
Instrumentalists in filmi music tend to be publicized less than the playback singers, lyricists and music directors[citation needed].
[edit] Popularity ratings
Binaca Geetmala was a very popular radio show presented by Ameen Sayani giving popularity ratings of Hindi film songs from Bollywood on a weekly basis, listened to by millions of Hindi music lovers (akin to Billboard Hot 100 list of songs). It ran in various incarnations from 1952 to 1993. Annual lists of the most popular songs were played at year end. The list was compiled on the basis sales of records in India.[1] It was the most popular radio program before Satellite television took over in India sometime in 1990s. Currently, Hindi filmi songs are sold on tape & CD compilations, played as promos and in programs on various cable & satellite television channels and radio stations, with different popularity ratings claiming different songs as being on the top.
[edit] Accusations of plagiarism
Because popular music directors score a great many films over the course of a year, accusations of plagiarizing abound. For example, one production number in Dil (1990) is based on Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes, sung with Hindi lyrics. Of late the Indian film industry has been gaining visibility outside India, and the legal risks of plagiarism have been gaining importance. Some producers have actually paid for the musical rights to popular Western songs, as in Kal Ho Naa Ho's song, Pretty Woman.
[edit] Wider success for filmi
Filmi is also making converts and exerting influence beyond the usual Desi audiences. Western music stores carry Bollywood compilations. Baz Luhrmann showcases the song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate in his 2002 movie Moulin Rouge!. A. R. Rahman, one of the most popular current music directors, now has a musical, Bombay Dreams, playing in London and New York.
