On a train journey from Delhi to Mumbai last week, I chanced upon two co-passengers discussing music. As I listened more carefully, I realised that the topic of their discussion was India’s nightingale Lata Mangeshkar whose death anniversary was just around the corner. As the focus of their discussion moved to her intense, yet riveting solo renditions heard many years back on the radio, the conversation became more animated. I watched in silence for a bit while they spoke of Lata’s lesser mentioned but compelling melodies Aye dil zubaan na sirf khol de and Samjhe na baat meri, I could not help but introduce myself to my co-passengers. It goes without saying that the next few hours of our train journey was sheer bliss with the three of us reminiscing the golden age of radio where such beautiful melodies were brought into our living rooms. By the time the train reached Mumbai, I had also made firm friends with two strangers.

As a founding member of Nostalgiaana (Nostalgia and gaana) a forum dedicated to reviving and reliving the magic of radio, this has been my consistent experience. Any mention of film music and most people begin remembering the days when radio occupied the pride of place in homes, and when family members would gather around the radio to listen to their favourite singers, lyricists and music directors spin magical moments.

A casual conversation with friends on the radio takes many of us back in time – generally between the 1950s and 1990s (when television had not yet become such an all-pervading influence in our lives). I distinctly remember my friends spending time trying to fine-tune short-wave signals on a small radio set – just so that they could get a ‘fluctuating audio glimpse’ of their favourite film song. In those days, with radio being an integral part of everyday life, family members, groups of friends could seldom resist tuning in to their favourite Radio shows like Binaca Geetmala, Chhayageet & Bela Ke Phool -- some of them being aired on late night slots.

Over a period of time these songs began connecting music lovers. While the songs mostly did the talking on their own, the Radio acted as important glue. Who can forget the songs that we associated with our childhood, with small victories in the playground, with falling in love, the realities that plague everyday life, the desire for contentment.

 With the growth of Television, YouTube, OTT and various media offerings over the years, Radio seems to have taken a good back-seat in the last 20-30 years. Predictable playlist offerings have also contributed to the missing thrill, long-lost fun. The surprising “wow” factor on hearing a song from different time-periods being part of a single programme, which kept the listeners guessing added to the magic of the radio. While no one could predict what was going to be played next, listeners kept hoping for songs from their favourite films, favourite playback singers, favourite lyricists or music directors. The idea of sending ‘farmaishes’ to an unknown anchor in an unknown city with the hope that ‘your song’ would be played on the next show was delightful experience. By playing songs from from different genres, moods, artists etc, the Radio subtly contributed to the possibility of a broader and nuanced appreciation of Hindi Film Music in the minds of the listeners.

While today we have so many avenues to pick and choose our favourite songs, this special experience of the radio that has been missing in our lives. It is in order to bridge this gap that a group of my friends came together to bring back the ‘radio listening experience’ and set up Nostalgiaana – a forum dedicated to exploring Hindi Film Music as an art form.

Nostalgiaana began in 2017, when I along with my school friend Balaji Ramachandran decided to share our understanding of Hindi Film songs with music lovers across the globe. We decided put together all the learning and music-related assimilation we had gathered over the years through hundreds of jamming sessions and discussions, meetings with Film Music personalities and reach it to millions of equally passionate music lovers.

Nostalgiaana, which began its online version in June 2020 in an attempt to destress people during the hard months of Covid lockdown, is now a buzzing, growing community of music lovers.

For the last five years Nostalgiaana’s online community shows, have been instrumental in bringing The Radio’ back into our living rooms through our phones and laptops. With six shows a week, Nostalgiaana’s ‘guided listening shows’ imitate and enhance the Radio Experience complete with its thematic programmes, a surprise bouquet of songs which keep the listener guessing and its increasingly popular programme Zoomritaliyya – a collection of songs requested by the listeners celebrating the days of people sending farmaishes on postcards from Jhoomritaliyya. The online ommunity of Nostalgiaana comes together on zoom every night to listen to music just like people did in the past – and celebrate and relive the Radio Experience.

Nostalgiaana organises both free and paid shows. Members can also gift shows to their friends and family.

Radio enthusiasts can reach Nostalgiaana via their website www.nostalgiaana.com

Shankar Iyer is a retired banker who took voluntary retirement to set up Nostalgiaana, which aims at bringing back the magic of listening to film songs on the Radio.