WHENEVER WE listen to film songs of the good old days, we are transported back in time and get immersed in the dreamland of fantasy and make-believe and try to piece together the tiny pieces of dialogues, lyrics, situation and the actors and actresses in their characters. In those days, it was easy for the viewers to relate to the down-to-earth story and characters.

Unfortunately, today everything is artificial. The star cast, enormous budgets, liberal show of skin and songs to match the given set of inputs appear to be the beginning of doom. These songs are easily forgotten unlike the songs of yore that are hummed even today by the younger generation.

It is interesting to see that the songs of old days are still an inseparable part and parcel of various music contests on Reality TV shows.

The Vividh Bharati radio channel broadcasts old songs regularly as does the SLBC Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and the Urdu Service of AIR. Even some of the TV channels like the ETV have reserved slots for old songs.

Obviously, people long to get back to the lost era which has been able to retain its charms even after half a century by mesmerizing listeners.

Even Big-B,

, the doyen of Bollywood cinema has made a valid observation that songs of present era lack charm of songs of  of the 50's and 60's era.