Srikaanter Will (1979)

“O Aamaar Joto Saadh” shares the same melodic ancestry as “Manzil Teri Khoj Mein” (Hindi) from Pinjre Ki Panchhi and Madhuri Chattopadhyay’s Bengali masterpiece “Gun Gun Phagun Sesh Hole”.

Although the antara differs slightly in Arati Mukherjee’s version, many admirers still prefer Madhuri’s timeless rendition. Lata’s Hindi version is a brilliant composition with outstanding orchestration, but its deletion from the film prevented it from becoming widely known.

The melodic root of all these songs traces back to the title music of “Ayananta”, where Salil first created this unforgettable line. Sadly, the film is no longer available. The title music was preserved only because a musician friend who played in the original recording remembered the tune and played it from memory on piano decades later.

“Chhuk Chhuk Chhuk Chhuk Karey Railgaari” is a delightful, rhythmic composition capturing the playful movement of a train through its musical phrasing — a classic example of Salil’s ability to paint cinematic motion through melody.

“Naam Shokuntolaa Taar” features the sublime vocals of Yesudas paired with Sabita Chowdhury, and appears in Malayalam (CM3) and Hindi (CL3) adaptations as well.