Nitin Mangesh: Khanjar (1980)

'Khanjar' is the last of what would appear to be only four films scored by Nitin Mangesh (1972's 'Samaanta' being the first), and to be honest it might not be quite as good as the other two I've posted. There are things to commend it though; the pleasant 'Tum Meri Zindagi Ho' (Aarti Mukherjee has a nice voice by the way), the atmospheric 'Zinda Hoon Magar Zinda Hoon Nahin', and best of all the upbeat and kind of sexy 'Honolulu Se Aai Hoon Pretty Mera Naam'. So it would be unwise not to check the album out at all.

I'm not sure why the Nitin Mangesh partnership wasn't more prolific; perhaps the films they scored weren't sufficiently successful. Oddly, Mangesh turned up a few years later as co-writer of a single by minor UK pop star Jona Lewie.

Track listing:
1. Jaspal Singh & Aarti Mukherjee: Tum Meri Zindagi Ho
2. Usha Timothy: Honolulu Se Aai Hoon Pretty Mera Naam
3. Aarti Mukherjee: Tum Meri Zindagi Ho
4. Aziz Nazan & Chorus: Lo Ham Aa Gaye Hain
5. Aziz Nazan & Chorus: Teri Nigahen Khanjat Teri Bahen Khanjar
6. Aarti Mukherjee: Zinda Hoon Magar Zinda Hoon Nahin
7. Mahmood & Anjali: Dekho Mera Yeh Jantar Mantar

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Nitin Mangesh: Qaid (1975)

Nitin Mangesh is another music director team it's tempting to compare to RD Burman. His influence was apparent on the previous soundtrack I posted by them, and you can hear similarities a few places on 'Qaid' as well. Indebtedness to others is always treading a fine line; lack of originality, perceived or real, will obviously lend itself to criticism. I never really mind though, as long the resulting songs sound good, and I reckon 'Yeh To Zindagi Hai' and 'Yeh Dil De De De' do. A bit jazzy and a bit rockin' respectively, both are energetic, hook-laden and groovily arranged; very much products of that era. I like 'em.

Of the rest, the Pop Goes the Weasel-themed 'Kali Raat Aai' is the kind of song one finds either fun or annoying,  'Diwana Hoon Pyar Ke' has an infectious beat if not the most memorable of melodies, and the 'Title Music' has a few nice and cool and probably very sampleable breaks.

Most tracks are preceeded by a few minutes of dialogue.

Track listing:
1. Title Music
2. Lata Mangeshkar: Yahan Kaun Hai Asli
3. Kishore Kumar, Nitin & Chorus: Yeh To Zindagi Hai
4. Anjali Ram & Amit Kumar: Yeh Dil De De De
5. Anjali Ram & Chorus: Kali Raat Aai
6. Usha Mangeshkar & Mahmood: Karale Saaf Karale
7. Kishore Kumar: Diwana Hoon Pyar Ka
8. Asha Bhosle & Nitin: Beliya Alle Beliya

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Nitin Mangesh: Aafat (1976)

Both 'Aafat' and its musical directors Nitin Mangesh were unknown to me until a follower of MFT3F's Facebook page gave me a heads-up; I was intrigued and therefore pleased to find a copy of this not often seen soundtrack quite easily.

It's very much in the vein of what better known music directors were doing around the same time, with several tracks to commend it: A great title music; multi-faceted like a miniature suite and dramatic throughout, the action packed 'Koi Kahe Main Khanjar Hoon', the funky, druggy and decidedly Burmanesque 'Yeh Nasha Jaan Meri Hai', and finally the fabulous effect filled and fun sounding 'Rajni Hai Mera Naam'. I'm no expert on Bollywood movies, but I doubt there are that many song & dance numbers featuring disembodied singing heads. I approve.

Most of the songs are preceded by a good few minutes of dialogue, so the less patient may want to fast forward a bit.

Track listing:
1. Title Music
2. Anjali: Mere Paon Ke Ghunghroo Kahte Hain
3. Lata Mangeshkar & Chorus: Koi Kahe Main Khanjar Hoon
4. Lata Mangeshkar: Yeh Nasha Jaan Meri Hai
5. Kishore Kumar & Usha Mangeshkar: Hae Laila Hae Laila
6. Mahmood, Anjali & Chorus: Rajni Hai Mera Naam

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