Binaca Geetmala

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Binaca Geetmala was a hugely popular weekly radio countdown show of top filmi songs from Indian cinema listened to by millions of Hindi music lovers, that was broadcast on Radio Ceylon from 1952 to 1994. It was the first radio countdown show of Indian film songs,[1] and has been quoted as being the most popular radio program in India during its run. [2] It was the most popular radio program before Satellite television took over in India. Binaca Geetmala, and its subsequent incarnations Cibaca Sangeetmala, Cibaca Geetmala, and Colgate Cibaca Sangeetmala on Vividh Bharati ran from 1952 to 1994, with annual year-end lists airing from 1954 to 1993.

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[edit] Ameen Sayani and Radio Ceylon

The show was hosted during its entire run by Ameen Sayani, and was very popular in India, with estimated listenership ranging from 900,000 to 2,000,000. It greatly increased the popularity of Radio Ceylon, making it the primary source of popular film music on radio for the Indian subcontinent.[3] The show later aired on Vividh Bharati after 1988, and used to be on for 1/2 hour on Monday night.

[edit] Popularity ratings methodology

At its onset in 1952, the program did not rank songs, but rather played seven contemporary songs in no particular order. Later, the program started ranking the most popular Hindi film songs. The list was compiled initially on the basis of a combination of sales of records in India and listener votes to Radio Ceylon. [4]. The popularity was gauged on the basis of record sales, record store owners verdicts and that "shrota-sanghs"(Hindi for listeners clubs). These "shrota-sanghs" would send in the popular songs every week. The clubs were formed because it was possible that a record could sell out of stores quickly and the store would be out of that records, so it wouldn't show up on record sales, despite the record being very popular.

The year-end lists were compiled based on points earned by songs through the year (sometimes between 1966 and 70, there would be no points on the weekly shows broadcast, but the year-end shows would be based on point system. [5]

[edit] Lists of top songs per year

The first countdown show's topper in 1954 was Talat Mahmood’s Jayen to jayen kahan from the film Taxi Driver.[5]

Top songs from 1954 to 1960:

  • 1954: Jayen to Jayen Kahan
  • 1955: Mera Joota Hai Japani
  • 1956: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
  • 1957: Zara Samne to Aao
  • 1958: Hai Apna Dil Jo Awara
  • 1959: Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab ka
  • 1960: Zindagi Bhar Nahin Bhoolegi woh barsaat ki raat

The following is a detailed annual listing of the year-end chart toppers of the Radio Ceylon radio show Binaca Geetmala:

1970s: 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s: 1980

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Back on air with Geetmala. Bella Jaisinghani. The Financial Express (India), Sunday, March 11, 2001. Transcript available online at [1], accessed online on 29 July 2006
  2. ^ "Comeback for radio countdown show". Retrieved on 2006-07-29. 
  3. ^ Sambandan, V.S.. "When Ceylon ruled the airwaves", The Hindu, 2006-01-01. Retrieved on 2006-07-29. 
  4. ^ "Radio speak with Ameen Sayani", exchange4media.com Radio Channel. Retrieved on 2006-07-29. 
  5. ^ a b Reliving the Geetmala lore. S.K. Screen, Friday, September 22, 2000, transcript available online at [2], accessed online on 29 July 2006