Anu Malik picks his fav albums

This is 'the' album that inspired me to become a music director. As a music director it's so difficult to come up with hit tunes but Shankar-Jaikishen did that again and again. Sangam is a classic example. The compositions, the lyrics and the rendering... everything is just perfect. Pick any song from Ye mera prem patra padh kar, Dost dost na raha, Mere man ki Ganga, Har dil jo pyar karega, Main ka karun Ram to Oh meri mehbooba, every song is a jewel.

The Yeh mera prem patra song is so beautifully written, I consider it the acme of romance. Every lover feels that his or her beloved is the best. And the song captures that essence. In Mere man ki Ganga... SJ used the bagpipe so beautifully that it remains in every music lover's mind even today. Dost dost na raha creates the sense of betrayal, especially touching is SJ's use of the piano througout. One has heard so many songs on betrayal, but none can touch this.
can't imagine anyone but Lataji singing this song. Whenever I hear it I'm awestruck by her versatility. Har dil jo pyar karega apart from Mohammed Rafi and Mukeshji's singing, the signature tune on the accordion is superb. The whole album is magical. I will never forget how Shankar-Jaikishen lost the Filmfare Award to Laxmikant-Pyarelal's Dosti that year.
Teesri Manzil (1966)
My all-time favourite album. With songs like O haseena zulfonwali, Deewana mujhsa nahin, Dekhiye sahibo, Oh mere sona re sona or Aaja aaja every song is a gem. Teesri Manzil is a hard-core romantic album that you want to keep listening to when you want to fall in love. I wanted to fall in love everytime I listen to it
Be it Majrooh (Sutanpuri) saab's lyrics, Deewana mujhsa nahin, Aage hai qatil mera aur main peeche peeche or Aaja aaja, main hoon pyar tera, Rafisaab's gayiki and R D Burman's compositions were just out of the world.
When I turned music director, I asked Shammiji (Kapoor) to tell me about the making of this music. He told me some very interesting anecdotes about this film. He informed me that it was Jaikishan of Shankar- Jaikishen fame who recommended RD for this film. Initially, Shammiji refused point blank to work with anyone other than Shankar-Jaikishen. After much insistence, he reluctantly agreed to a sitting. RD sang Deewana mujhsa nahin... and by the time he'd finished the first line, Shammiji completed the tune, telling him it's a Nepalese tune. And the camaraderie was born. He sang some more songs and they finalised some tunes. Shammiji was present at the recording of O haseena zulfonwali. Everyone was tense. When Ashaji started crooning Woh anjana dhoondti hoon, everyone was thrilled because they hadn't heard this kind of sound before. Panchamda was a creator of new age sound in the field of film music. He was the baap of all gurus.
Sound of Music (1965)
This is yet another album that motivated me to become a music director. Oh, that deadly combination of Julie Andrews' beauty and voice is a rare one.
The music by Rodgers and Hammerstein was just unforgettable. The song Doe a deer is such a wonderful way to teach children music. A unique concept, which went on to become a cult song. And finally the lines When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything have stayed in my heart forever. I love the album for the compositions, the lyrics and of course for the singing. The hills are alive is so inspiring and became a trademark in Hindi films (the image of the heroine running with her arms wide in the air). The feeling of first love has been captured so beautifully in I am sixteen going on seventeen... A very original thought and song. Much later, perhaps inspired by that song, Anand Bakshiji wrote Tu solah baras ki... main atrah baras ka for Karz.

Aradhana (1969)
Another complete album in which the melodies, the lyrics and the renderings by Kishoreda, Rafi saab and Lata Mangeshkar all complemented one another.
The alaap and the introductory combined with the sound of the moving train in Mere sapnon ki rani is so catchy that it's unforgettable.
My heart starts beating when I hear Roop tera mastana... I can feel the passion in Kishoreda's voice, it gives me gooseflesh. And for that the credit goes to Kishoreda's rendering. Even the picturisation of the song was very novel. Even though the visuals are left to your imagination, the song oozes passion. In the playful Bagon mein bahar hai, the Rafi-Lata combination brought the song to life. Kora kaagaz tha yeh man mera is so romantic; Sachinda used the echo effect to augment the impact of love. I just loved the line... Kahan thi ye baatein mulakatein aisi raatein... And finally, the unforgettable Safal hogi teri aradhana... SD's unique style of singing touches your heart. Even 35 years after its release, this album still sounds as fresh.
Bobby (1973)
This is one of the most romantic albums from the RK banner. After hearing this album, I felt the presence of Raj Kapoor in my life.
I love the way Mujhe kuch kehna hai rendered by Lataji and Shailendraji starts with the dialogue Jaise do nawabon ki gaadi... it's the icing on the cake. Then the use of violins leads you to the antara. It shows the perfect balance between the music directors.
Rajji was a genius. The song Hum tum ek kamre mein bandh ho... symbolises the yearning of love... Aur chabi kho gaye is the core of every lover's fantasy.
If you've seen Awara, you will understand that some of the background music pieces in this film were later used as songs in Rajji's own films. Even the strains of Ghe ghe was actually a background piece of music in Awara.
I think that Main shayar toh nahin... is picturised in an outstanding manner—the way Dimple comes in, the manner in which she stands uncomfortably behind the statue. Bakhshi saab's words Jab se tumse mohabbat... tab se jaise ibadat main karne laga is so pure. And then you have Lata Mangeshkar's gayki. Bliss!

Refugee (2000)
I love this album for two reasons. One, it fetched me my first National Award. Second, this was a launching pad for Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan. Believe me, I got so many compliments from other leading ladies for the song Aisa lagta hai... But the best one came from my dad Shri Sardar Malik who asked me, "Beta yeh Yaman aur Bihag ko combine kaise kiya?" The first line Aisa lagta hai is in raag Yaman and with warna it enters into Bihag. The word warna is the bridge between Yaman and Bihag.
I still remember when I composed Panchi nadia pawan ke... I was at Javed saab's home. He gave me these words and said, "Think up a tune. I will be back in two minutes." I randomly started humming. He turned back with a start and asked me to sing louder. When I hummed the tune again he called Shabanaji saying, "Shabana suno kya gana banaya hai Anu ne." I really feel Sonu (Niigaam) did full justice to the song. He understands my compositions and my psyche completely.
After I won the National Award, Lataji was the first person to call me. She congratulated me and sang few lines of Aisa lagta hai I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I was in seventh heaven.