BENGALURU: His voice was synonymous with Indian radio. On Wednesday, people woke up to the news of Ameen Sayani’s demise at the age of 91. His son Rajil Sayani confirmed the passing of the iconic radio personality, who breathed his last at a hospital in Mumbai.
Sayani was the voice behind the popular ‘Binaca Geetmala’, a weekly countdown show of top songs from Hindi cinema, which broadcasted on Radio Ceylon from 1952 to 1988 and then shifted to the Vividh Bharati Service of All India Radio network in 1989 where it ran until 1994.
Sheshadri Mokshagundam (75) recalls the show – which aired every Wednesday between 8 and 9pm – that made him fall in love with Hindi movie songs. “Sayani belonged to the golden era of the radio. I grew up listening to him. He had influenced me so much in my younger days. Maybe this was the voice that was responsible for my love for Hindi film music,” says Mokshagundam, adding, “That voice had some warmth and would always make us feel that he was talking directly to us. His style in many ways had subconsciously inspired me, and my stage style.”
National award-winning author Rajiv Vijayakar, recalls meeting him twice, both for research purposes. “The second time was while I was writing my fourth book, Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal. During that conversation, Sayani started showing me so many rare music records,” says Vijayakar. In the conversation with Vijayakar, Sayani also mentioned that there was a time when the show was ‘accused’ of being rigged, however, he had all the details to prove otherwise.
Many might not know but Sayani was in Bengaluru in 2018 and was hosted by the Indian Music Experience (IME). Preema John, museum director, says, “Sayani spoke of his love for Indian classical music and how Radio Ceylon started in India when he visited the museum. Even at his advanced age, the voice that serenaded generations of Indians graced us with his iconic address from ‘Binaca Geetmala’ – ‘Beheno aur Bhaiyo’ to which he added, “Main aaj khushi se dol raha hoon, ye museum dekh kar Bangalore main…”
Considered the original voice of radio,
Ameen Sayani passed away on Wednesday. Old Bengalureans speak about the voice that brought alive Hindi music in ‘Binaca Geetmala’, one of the longest-running Indian radio shows
Singer Kavita Krishnamurti recalls meeting Sayani for the first time during her college days when he was the chief guest at a function. Later, she met him along with her aunt at his office in Colaba, Mumbai. “Sayani was extremely charming and asked about my singing plans. He gave me some letters and suggested who I should meet and how they could help. They don’t make people like him anymore,” she says.