A classical maestro deliberately sidelined. Review on Five Best Songs of Suresh Wadkar

Kudos to Amit for lauding this highly talented singer but alas he has been ignored as market forces do not cater to connoisseurs and the Yankee culture of time bound disposable satiation is the new mantra. Mediocrity is worshiped  and genius not understood by the masses.   Since Amit has already mentioned some brilliant compositions I can only add a few more due to space constraints.

Besides the music directors mentioned by Amit and the ones mentioned below Suresh also sung for famous ones like Naushad, Usha Khanna, Ravi, Aadesh Srivastava, Bhappi Lahiri, Dilip and Sameer Sen, Chitragupta, A R Rehman, Anu Malik, Sapan Jagmohan, S N Tripathi, Iqbal Qureshi, Anand Millind, Sonik Omi, Avinash Vyas, Raam laxman, Rajesh Roshan and Vishal Bhardwaj. Thus he was not sidelined by the older composers who used his classical base to their advantage. Suresh started with Gaman though Paheli  by Ravinder Jain was released earlier in 1977, and this year he  has sung a somniferous lorie in Omkara. He had also given music for the movie "Dil Churaya Aapne " released in 2000  which was a letdown compared to his vocal poweress. My choice has been focused on the early eighties which was the peak period of his  ghazal boom.

1. Chakra(Hydinath Mangeshkar) (Madhosh Bilgrani) 80 - Raat andheri dhoom machi hai seenon

mein angaar lagi hai- this hurls you into the cesspool of slums filled with seething rage,

apathy and disillusionment  .  One of the hardest hitting songs in recent times which

exposes the underbelly of filth and squalour in our megacities, simmering to ignite.

2.Maan Abhiman(Ravinder Jain)(R Jain) 80 - Inhi mulaquaton mein koi mulaquat - a melodious

ghazal ranging from courtship to the blossoming of love.

1. Dil Aakhir Dil Hai(Khayyam)( Naqsh Lyallpuri) 82 - Nighah e yaar ne kuch aisa jadu, gulon ka

rang meri zindagi mein bhar diya  - a lively ghazal rejoicing the pleasures of love

through the bewitchment of  the eyes.

1. Zakhmi Sher( Laxmikant Pyrelal)( Santosh Anand) 84 - yeh janana janam bhoomi maa se

bhi mahaan hai -  a stirring  ballad espousing the virtues of patriotism which are greater

than the debt to motherhood.

5. Kalakaar( Kalyanji Anandji)( Manoj Kumar) 83 - Main door chala jayunja jahan se sab  apne

paraye royenge -  a poignant lament at being unjustly accused and yearning for the truth

to be revealed.

1. Prem Geet( Jagjit Singh)( Indivar) 81 - Khawbon ko such main karlun ek raat aise de do

   
   




2. an enchanting ghazal imploring his beloved for a nights gift of unparalled rapture.

   
   




3. Shaukeen( R D Burman)( Yogesh) 82 - wahin chal mere dil khushi jisne di hai, tujhe pyar ki

   
   

zindagi jisne di hai - a captivating romantic melody portraying exuberance at the

anticipation of meeting your sweetheart.

1. Maine Jeena Seekh Liya( Nadeem Shravan)(Anwar Sagar) 81 - chehra kanwal hai aapka

aankhon mein hai sharab, sare jahan mein aapka koi nahin jawab  a soft romantic

ghazal by NS in  their debut film, extolling the  beauty of his beloved.

1. Girl From India( Vedpal Verma)(Thakur Chhabra) 82 - mujhe maaf kar ae dilruba main shikar

hoon halat ka - a soulfully sung meloncholic  ghazal  exhuding repentence  and

resignation .

1. Pyar ke Do Char Din( G S Mangat)( G S Mangat) 82 - Dushman uthe ke pathar bhi maare,

hooti nahin ispe rusvai  - a philosophical ghazal about  love gone adrift  without

specific reasons.