BINACA GEETMALA (1952-94)

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME:

Binaca Geetmala , programme that ruled the radio industry for
decades. It was a weekly countdown show of top filmy songs from
Hindi cinema. Binaca Geetmala was broadcast on Radio Ceylon from
1952-1989, and then on All-India Radio's (AIR) Vividh Bharati
network from 1989-1994. It was a programme which won millions
and millions of heart, favourite of all generations, and made radio
the popular medium to reach masses during its time making listeners
glued to their radio's sets. The show was first called Binaca
Geetmala, then Cibaca Geetmala and, thereafter, Colgate- Cibaca
Geetmala.
In 2000 the GEETMALA was awarded the Advertising Club's Golden
Abby Award for being adjudged the most outstanding Radio
Campaign of the Century
CONCEPT:
In the beginning Geetmala only played 7 contemporary songs in no
particular order. But as it grew popular it started ranking the
Bollywood songs. The songs were initially ranked by a combination of
the number of records sold in India and listener votes.[6] Popularity
was gauged by record sales, verdicts from record store owners, and
popularity among the shrota-sanghs or 'listeners clubs'. Each week,
the shrota-sanghs would send the radio station their list of popular
songs. The clubs were formed because it was possible for a record to
be sold out at stores and although there was interest to buy more,
the interest would not show up in record sales.
LISTENERSHIP:
The fact that it drew 9000 letters after its first airing and thereafter
an astounding 60, 000 letters a week, speaks volume about the
show's reach. It estimated listenership was ranging from 900,000 to
2,000,000 listeners.
A former editor of Femina, Sathya Saran, who was a young girl
growing up in Guwahati at the time, recalls what the show meant to
her. “Every Wednesday, I would go and sit near the radio from 8-
9pm to listen to Binaca Geetmala," she reminisces over the phone. “I
had this little black diary in which I wrote down every song that
played, how many times it was featured, whether it had gone up or
down—I would keep tabs, and always sing along, because I knew all
the lyrics. And Ameen Sayani was like god to me. I would hang on to
every word he said."

RADIO CEYLON AND AMEEN SAYANI

Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was
started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the colonial Telegraph
Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of
broadcasting in Europe.
This new medium of mass communication not only became
increasingly popular in the years that followed, but also quickly
evolved into a medium of national character, which led to the “Radio
Service” being organised as a separate department of the
government of Ceylon (currently Sri Lanka) in 1949. Subsequently, in
1967, the Department of Broadcasting was transformed into its
present statutory form of a state corporation by the Ceylon
broadcasting corporation Act.
Radio Ceylon had a Hindi service that was launched in the early
1950s. Millions of rupees in form of advertising revenue came from
India. The station employed some of the most popular Indian
announcers who played a vital role in establishing Radio Ceylon as
the ‘King of the airwaves’ in South Asia, among them, the Ganjwar
sisters, Vimla and Kamini, Vjay Kishore Dubey, Gopal Sharma, Hasan
Razvi, Kumar and Manohar Mahajan, Sunil Dutt (who went on to
become a popular film star in Bollywood), Ameen Sayani and his
elder brother Hamid Sayani (who were not taken on the rolls of
Radio Cylone).

AMEEN SAYANI, The unforgettable countdown show was hosted

by the living legend, also known as the "golden voice" of Indian
radio. Ji haan behnon aur bahiyon, we are talking about, Ameen
Sayani, and he presented the show during its entire run. His golden
voice stole everybody’s soul. He is still idolized, imitated by many,
the only constant force associated with Binaca Geetmala around the
different names it got collaborated with and still very much active in
India Radio. The panache of its presenter and the programme format
he developed bought an overwhelming response then, and even
now, 50 years down the line, requests for Ameen Sayani's Geetmala
continue unabated. His mesmerising voice brought him a major fan
following like a hero.
Ameen was initiated into radio at the age of seven by his brother,
veteran broadcaster late Hameed Sayani, another great talent.
His strength lies in his voice . "Apart from having a command over
the spoken language, an announcer needs to sound like he were
addressing each listener individually," he says.
He has been on several jury panels for judging excellence in
advertising and communication in radio, TV, cinema and press with
the Advertising Club (Bombay), the Radio & TV Advertising
Practitioners Association of India, the Indian Academy of Advertising
and Film Arts, the Dubai Chapter of the International Advertising
Association, the Dubai Media City IBDAA Awards.

Ameen has produced over 54,000 programmes and 19,000

commercials, a fact that is also recorded in the Limca Book of
Records. He has also contributed immensely to radio in the USA,
Canada, UK, UAE, Swaziland, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji and New
Zealand, apart from India and Sri Lanka. Another of his most
outstanding radio shows is Sangeet Kay Sitaron Ki Mehfil. It played
on an independent FM station in Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta from
2003 to 2005, and is now being broadcast in Dubai and Auckland
(New Zealand).
Ameen Sayani is perhaps the best known voice of India. As of now he
has completed over 60 years in radio! Ameen Sayani’s mesmerising
voice made him literally a God !

Lists of top songs per year ( As rated by BENACA

GEETMALA)
Music
Year Song Film Lyricist Singer(s)
Director
Ye Zindagi Usi Anarkali C. Rajinder
1953 Lata Mangeshkar
ki Hai (film) Ramachandra Krishan
Jayen To Jayen Sahir
1954 Taxi Driver S.D. Burman Talat Mahmood[8]
Kahan Ludhianvi
Mera Joota Hai Shankar
1955 Shri 420 Shailendra Mukesh
Japani Jaikishan
 Music
Year Song Film Lyricist Singer(s)
Director
Ae Dil Hai
Majrooh Mohammed Rafi, Geeta
1956 Mushkil Jeena C.I.D. O. P. Nayyar
Sultanpuri Dutt
Yaha
Zara Saamne
Janam Janam Bharat Mohammed Rafi, Lata
1957 Toh Aao S. N. Tripathi
Ke Phere Vyas Mangeshkar
Chhaliye
Hai Apna Dil Majrooh
1958 Solva Saal S. D. Burman Hemant Kumar
Toh Awara Sultanpuri
Haal Kaisa Hai Chalti Ka Majrooh Kishore Kumar, Asha
1959 S. D. Burman
Janaab Ka Naam Gaadi Sultanpuri Bhosle
Zindagi Bhar
Nai Bhoolegi Barsaat Ki Sahir
1960 Roshan Mohammed Rafi [9]
Wo Barsaat Ki Raat Ludhianvi
Raat
Teri Pyaari Shankar Hasrat
1961 Sasural Mohammed Rafi
Pyaari Surat Ko Jaikishan Jaipuri
Ehsaan Tera Shankar Hasrat
1962 Junglee Mohammed Rafi [10]
Hoga Mujh Par Jaikishan Jaipuri
Jo Wada Kiya Sahir Mohammed Rafi, Lata
1963 Taj Mahal Roshan
Woh Nibhana Ludhianvi Mangeshkar
Mere Man ki
Ganga aur tere Shankar Mukesh,
1964 Sangam Shailendra
man ki Jamuna Jaikishan Vyjayanthimala
ka
Jis dil mein basa Kalyanji
1965 Saheli Indeevar Mukesh[11]
tha pyaar tera Anandji
Baharon phool
barsao mera Shankar Hasrat
1966 Suraj Mohammed Rafi
mehboob aaya Jaikishan Jaipuri
hai
Saawan ka
Laxmikant- Anand Mukesh, Lata
1967 mahina pawan Milan
Pyarelal Bakshi Mangeshkar
kare sor
Dil wil pyar
Laxmikant- Majrooh
1968 vyar main kya Shagird Lata Mangeshkar
Pyarelal Sultanpuri
jaanu re
Kaise rahoon
Laxmikant- Rajendra
1969 chup ki meine Inteqam Lata Mangeshkar
Pyarelal Krishna
pee hi kya hai
Bindiya
Laxmikant- Anand
1970 chamkegi Do Raaste Lata Mangeshkar
Pyarelal Bakshi
choodi khankegi
 Music
Year Song Film Lyricist Singer(s)
Director
Zindagi ek safar Shankar Hasrat Kishore Kumar, Asha
1971 Andaz
hai suhana Jaikishan Jaipuri Bhosle
Hare Raama Anand
1972 Dum Maro Dum R. D. Burman Asha Bhosle, Usha Iyer
Hare Krishna Bakshi
Yaari hai imaan
Kalyanji Gulshan
1973 mera yaar meri Zanjeer Manna Dey
Anandji Bawra
zindagi
Mera jeewan
koraa kaagaz Kalyanji M. G.
1974 Kora Kagaz Kishore Kumar
koraa hi rah Anandji Hashmat
gaya
Baaki kuchh
Lata Mangeshkar,
bacha to Roti Kapada Laxmikant- Varma
1975 Mukesh, Jaani Babu
mahangaai maar Aur Makaan Pyarelal Malik
Qawwal, Narendra
gayee
Kabhi kabhi
mere dil mein Sahir
1976 Kabhi Kabhi Khayyam Mukesh [12]
khayaal aataa Ludhianvi
hai
Husn haazir hai
Sahir
1977 mohabbat ki Lailaa Majnu Madan Mohan Lata Mangeshkar
Ludhianvi
sazaa paane ko
Ankhiyon ke
Ankhiyon Ke Ravindra
1978 jharokhon se, Ravindra Jain Hemlata
Jharokhon Se Jain
mainen dekha jo
Muqaddar Kalyanji
1979 O Saathi Re Anjaan Kishore Kumar
Ka Sikandar Anandji
Dafli Wale Dafli Laxmikant- Anand Lata Mangeshkar,
1980 Sargam
Baja Pyarelal Bakshi Mohammed Rafi
Mere Angane Kalyanji Amitabh Bachchan,
1981 Laawaris Anjaan
Mein Anandji Alka Yagnik
Angrezi Mein Rajesh Majrooh Kishore Kumar, Lata
1982 Khuddar
Kehte Hain Roshan Sultanpuri Mangeshkar
Shayad Meri Saawan Kishore Kumar, Lata
1983 Souten Usha Khanna
Shaadi Kumar Mangeshkar
Tu Mera Hero Laxmikant- Anand Anuradha Paudwal,
1984 Hero
Hai Pyarelal Bakshi Manhar Udhas
Ram Teri Ravindra
1985 Sun Sahiba Sun Ravindra Jain Lata Mangeshkar
Ganga Maili Jain
Yashoda Ka Laxmikant-
1986 Sanjog Anjaan Lata Mangeshkar
Nandlala Pyarelal
 Music
Year Song Film Lyricist Singer(s)
Director
Laxmikant- Anand
1987 Chitthi Aayi Hai Naam Pankaj Udhas
Pyarelal Bakshi
Qayamat Se Majrooh
1988 Papa Kehte Hain Anand-Milind Udit Narayan
Qayamat Tak Sultanpuri
My Name Is Laxmikant- Anand
1989 Ram Lakhan Mohammed Aziz
Lakhan Pyarelal Bakshi
Gori Hai Lata Mangeshkar,
1990 Aaj Ka Arjun Bappi Lahiri Anjaan
Kalaiyaan Shabbir Kumar
Dekha Hai Pehli Nadeem- Alka Yagnik, S P
1991 Saajan Sameer
Baar Shravan Balasubramaniam
Maine Pyar Phool Aur Nadeem- Kumar Sanu, Anuradha
1992 Sameer
Tumhi Se Kaante Shravan Paudwal
Choli Ke Laxmikant- Anand
1993 Khalnayak Alka Yagnik, Ila Arun
Peechhe Pyarelal Bakshi

HISTORY OF GEETMALA
In the year 1952 the then minister of information and broadcasting
(I&B) of newly independent India, B.V. Keskar, determined that All
India Radio (AIR) which was the information and entertainment
lifeline of the nation would not air film songs because he felt they
would worsen the moral fabric of youth and were far too
“Westernized”. He believed they would hamper the cultural growth
of a young nation on the cusp of a dazzling future. Instead, he
proposed, the country could lend its ears to intellectual home-grown
classical music.
In response, film producers who owned the rights to the songs
decided to overturn the broadcast licences given to AIR. And, as
Keskar anticipated, film music completely disappeared from radio
within a mere three months. The void was filled by AIR broadcasting
classical music. Across the shore, Radio Ceylon rose to the occasion
and used the opportunity. It created the legendary musical
countdown Binaca Geetmala which was a show entirely dedicated to
Indian film songs. Every Wednesday, Indian listeners would tune into
Radio Ceylon and listen to their favourite songs with their favourite
show host, the iconic and amiable Ameen Sayani, who would engage
them with corresponding film ins and outs. Youngsters would gather
around radio from 8 to 9 pm for listening to Binaca Geetmala. Binaca
Geetmala ran from 1952 to 1988.
In 2010, Sayani, in an interview with Aswin Punathambekar
(professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan-
Ann Arbor), recounted how his team would record the show on
tapes “every single day. And every week’s quota used to fly by Swiss
Air, Air Ceylon or Air India to Colombo. Sometimes, we did get into
trouble, especially with Geet Mala, because with Geet Mala we were
not supposed to record too much in advance. The popularity poll had
to reflect a current mood...(Binaca Geetmala) became an absolute
rage... Just like how the streets would be empty when B. R. Chopra’s
Mahabharat (1988) or Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan (1986) would be
on television, the same thing happened to Geet Mala... Wednesdays
came to be known as Geet Mala day."

Talking about Radio and not talking about Binaca Geetmala a programme
that ruled the industry for decades is a subject incomplete.
YAADON KA IDIOT BOX

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

Yaadon ka idiot box is an indian radio show launched by BIG FM

92.5, narrated by neeleesh Mishra.

CONCEPT
The show is based on dreamlanding stories or imaginary cities in
which storyteller use imaginary thoughts to take the listeners to an
imaginary world.