Stray Thoughts & Opinions: A Song From Saaransh (1984)

andhiyaara... gehraaya...

A heart-rending scene of an elderly couple struggling to cope with the insurmountable tragedy of the loss of their son. While the grief-stricken mother sits bravely through the ritual (that must follow after any bereavement), the father refuses to reconcile to the situation & sits outside the ritual-room on a bench... a broken man. The gusts of wind & the movement of the dry leaves resonate with his tormented & turmoil-ridden mind.

Composer Ajit Varman uses the guitar, vibraphone & chorus tellingly to create a mood of sombre despair. The solemnity of the ritual is perhaps inadequate to pacify the anguish of the parents. He uses the notes of ni'-Sa-re (ni' & re, komal) to create an ambience of Vedic-chants. These three notes fit into raag Ahir Bhairav, a contemplative morning raag which reflects the mood of the lady, holding the container of her son's ashes & seeking emotional solace from the chants.

As the camera shifts out of the room into the yard outside, one can see the father, whose mental state reveals a darker shade of grey. Even the pleasant sight of a young couple walking up to the temple to seek blessings for their new-born, fails to soften his expression. At this pont, the chorus briefly touches the 'teevra madhyam' & 'shuddh madhyam' to create the mood of a dusk-raag, Poorvi, that has a bleak yet philosophical nature.

Bhupinder Singh's rendition of this song is ethereal. The way he enunciates every word (penned movingly by Vasant Deo), is brilliant. His facile transit across the low & high notes, reveals a crushing poignancy. His gentle but audible intakes of breath, portray intense despair & the deft waxing & waning of his vocal throw, elevates this song into the realms of greatness.

Rohini Hattangadi & Anupam Kher (his debut-assignment), with their muted expressions, add to the visual treat. Even the priest, whose stentorian expression softens at the end, executes his cameo-role to perfection.