What do the names Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mohammad Rafi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, have in common?
They are, perhaps, some of the biggest names in Bollywood cinema but you won't get to see their faces onscreen; only hear their sublime singing voices. Indeed, their popularity in India as playback singers is almost as great as those film actors they represent. Nevertheless, in truth, I have no great love for Bollywood films and even resent their soppy melodrama, inane slapstick humour and the multitude of plot/character cliches that are recycled over and over again without a trace of ingenuity.
However, one thing has always managed to capture my attention; the song/dance sequences -- though some are plain ludicrous, others are a sumptuous feast for the senses. Soaring ballads delivered by mellifluous vocals, raucous dance numbers coupled with awe-inspiring choreography, and song-lyrics as nuanced as good poetry... Bollywood tunes are, undeniably, more than a tad infectious and has enraptured millions of new fans in both the US and Europe.
Today The Weather Plays Tricks On Me (from the soundtrack of Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding) is one of those handful of Bollywood showtunes that have earned a place on the repeat list of my jukebox. There is almost a haunting quality about this song, but apart from it's title, I have no idea what the rest of the song means...
