Golden Era Bollywood Review: Mukesh - Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye (Far Away Where the Day Dulls)

By this point, you should know that Bollywood songs from the Golden Era did not skimp on the poetry. The titles themselves for many songs are something you never see these days, but that is part of the charm. Instead of being used cheesily, a lot of these songs were quite introspective.

Anand featured a gold soundtrack, and Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaye was the peak of them. It is sung by Mukesh, who I think just might be my favorite musical artist of all time. He might not have been the most technical golden-era singer, but he could fill any track with ample emotion.

Kahin Door is a song pinning after loss, and thus Mukesh's voice is used in a surprisingly dreamy way. His voice is assisted by a mid-tempo beat. There is a tabla and a western drum in the back, adding a bit of pop. The violins play an integral part here. The main point worth mentioning is that when Mukesh sings, every other instrument plays a much more muted role. A lazy composer would just turn this into a mostly A Cappella song with drums, but instead, we get the dreamy assist from the instrumental.

And when Mukesh takes a break in singing, a piccolo and several violins take charge, leading to a hopeful melody, working perfectly as a counter to Mukesh's slightly heartbroken singing.

Overall, this might be one of the best songs of the early 1970's, and of all time, really. It showcases emotion, while never feeling commercial or cheap. A true legendary song from a legendary singer.

Rating: 10/10