Paasher Baadi (1952)

Paasher Baadi is a treasure in Salil Chowdhury’s early Bengali filmography. The film features multiple unforgettable compositions, and its title music even contains snippets from the tune of “Paalki Chaley”.

Records for the first four songs were released in the 1950s, and thanks to dedicated collectors, HMV was later able to release all four songs in the four-volume cassette series “Chayonika Vol. II” — essential listening for any Salil admirer.

It was PB1, “Jhir Jhir Jhir Jhiir Jhiri Barosa”, that changed the landscape of modern Bengali songs forever. Bengalis were stunned by its originality — the beginning of Salil’s journey as the most innovative composer-lyricist of his generation.

The rare fifth song survives only in a jumpy, hard-to-find VCD version, and unfortunately the singer remains unidentified. Additionally, the film contains a unique multiscale version of “Gnaayer Bodhu”, where multiple keys and short song snippets appear — showcasing Salil’s experimental brilliance.