Bengali Films of Salil Chowdhury

Paari (1966)
(Bengali)

Title Music

Lyrics: Salil except Song#PR3 which is a traditional Bengali song, not by Salil

Nr

Song

Singer

Other known variations

Hnd Mal Tam Tel Kan Bng Oth

PR1

Bondhu re Hemanta Mukherjee ML1 - - - - - -

PR2

Bokul boner katha Asha Bhonsle ML2 RG1 - - - - -
PR3 Toraa sundor saami paabi Sabita Chowdhury & Chorus ML3 - - - - - -

This film was based on a story by the famous Bengali writer "Jarasandha" and attracted two rather prominent Mumbai actors namely Dharmendra and Dilip Kumar. A hindi version "Anokha Milan" was later released in 1972. Dharmendra's handsome and well-built punjabi looks and brylcreamed coiffeur along with his "bengali accent" didn't quite fit the charactor of a bengali village young man he tried to portray. But the film somehow appeals to you with its tragic love story and some good acting by Dilip Kumar and Abhi Bhattyacharya. The title music is vintage Salil and Asha's "bokul boner katha" is just wonderful. Strangely enough the hindi version of this song "manwaa meri sakhaa" in "Anokha Milan" was sung by Sabita and not Asha ! Hemanta's "bondhu re" starts with beautiful and very 'salilish" flute and sitaar prelude backed by rich accoustic guitar chords. Wonderful melody and Hemanta's voice at its best.
The last song "tora sundor saami paabi" (you all will get handsome husbands) is in fact a bengali pre-marriage folk song and was given to Salil by Nirmalaendu Chowdhury, the famous bengali folk singer and a close friend. Salil changed a few words of the lyrics which were rather naughty.