January 13, 2012 12:13:07 PM IST Enkayaar, Glamsham Editorial

India indeed is a unique country, uniqueness more so embedded amongst those who are associated with the business of entertainment as they do not wish to come out of the nostalgia from the past associated with the songs. The makers of films and cinema in the process of their growing up have had their sensibilities and the world view built around some songs, or a particular song, and to pay a tribute to the sensibility and the process of growing up the name and titles of the films as also those of the serials is being christened by the opening line of that particular song.

Interestingly enough this process of naming of films and serials from songs from the past has an interesting link, Pancham, aka R D Burman. Most of the so-called titles have been named after one hit song or the other composed by Pancham. It indeed is a monumental tribute to the genius of a man and also underlines the fact how important role, songs of Pancham have played in letting a generation grow up. For that generation in particular, apart from songs there was no other medium of entertainment so songs became channel vehicles for expression of emotions for the "romantic" generation. Indeed, the generation that grew in India in the seventies, eighties and the early nineties could be termed as the generation of romantics for the country, as this was also the time when Pancham was at his peak and was weaving the miasma of his musical oeuvre to create paraphernalia of romance.

The latest movie of Ranbir Kapoor YE JAWANI HAI DEWANI also starring Deepika Padukone is a live example or for that matter the latest advertisement campaign of Kit-Kat based on two of the most erotic songs picturised in Hindi cinema, one owing particularly to the oomph generated by Sri Devi, the song being from the film MR. INDIA- 'Kaate Nahi Katte Ye Din Ye Raat' (for a change though, it is a song composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal), and the second one 'Aao Na Gale Lagao Na', again a Pancham song which is all time favorites of Asha Bhosle. LP and Pancham, however, may not like the fact, but indeed it is a tribute to his genius though the props chosen to underline the sentiments-squirrels-may not be that palpable enough for LP though Pancham may not have an objection to a pair of birds crooning to his song.

Other noticeable Pancham influences in particular in the world of cinema and in the world of serials include, BACHNA AE HASEENO starring Ranbir Kapoor once again, and among the serials reference can be alluded to BADE ACHCHE LAGTE HAIN and NA BOLE TUM NA MAINE KUCH KAHA, KUCH TO LOG KAHENGE etc.

There could be two school of thought about this development, one carping that it is the lack of the ability to christen original titles which is pushing people to christen titles from old songs from the past, the other view which is rather more acceptable is that this new approach indeed is a tribute to a musical era gone by in the world of cinema. It is not just that the titles derived from songs are used per se, but the meaning of the title seems to be the binding spirit both in cinema and in the serials that derive their names from it. So, let the inspirations continue.