Ameen Sayani's Studio

29/07/2025

Saregama Carvaan is a digital portable music player with a retro twist. This portable bluetooth music player with in-built stereo speakers comes with 5000 Hindi film songs. With its premium retro look, extensive content library, ease-of- use & pan India sales and service support, Saregama Carvaan be...

24/07/2025

Turning Waste Into Worth: Indian Startup Makes Eco Containers From Sugarcane
Food delivery packaging creates tons of waste, but an Indian company is changing the game with containers made from sugarcane residue. These biodegradable boxes not only replace harmful plastic and styrofoam but also help reduce air pollution by reusing bagasse — the fibrous waste left after juice extraction. It’s a sustainable step forward for both the environment and the food industry.

24/07/2025

During periods of harsh persecution, Hmong women developed a way to record their history by weaving it directly into their clothing. 🧵

This incredible art form is called “paj ntaub,” which means “flower cloth,” and it was traditionally practiced exclusively by the women of the community.

Using a variety of complex stitching techniques, they created intricate geometric patterns. These designs were not just for decoration on clothes, collars, and baby carriers.

At times when their own language was suppressed, these symbols served as a form of communication and cultural documentation, with history hidden in the very pleats of their skirts.

This tradition took on a new, powerful meaning in the late 1970s after the wars in Southeast Asia.

Forced into refugee camps in Thailand, Hmong women began creating “story cloths.” These were larger tapestries that pictorially documented their lives, their traditions, and their harrowing journey from their homelands to the camps.

These story cloths became a way to tell the world what had happened to them. They also became a vital source of income, sometimes selling for just a dollar, which helped families survive in the camps.

Today, this art form is recognized as a vital piece of Hmong culture and history, a testament to resilience passed down through generations. 🪡

Sources: Hmong Archives, Library of Congress, Sahan Journal

03/07/2025

Leonardo da Vinci's 15th-century bridge design is one of history’s most remarkable examples of engineering elegance. Without a single bolt, nail, or rope, this self-supporting bridge relies entirely on friction and geometry. The clever interlocking of wooden beams ensures that the more weight you apply, the more stable it becomes—making it a masterclass in structural logic using only simple physics.

Though never built in his lifetime, da Vinci’s design was so forward-thinking that it was finally realized centuries later, including a notable full-scale version in Norway in 2001. Originally intended to span the Golden Horn in Istanbul, this bridge now stands as a symbol of sustainable, minimalistic design — proving that true innovation is timeless.

30/06/2025

The Appian Way, built in 312 BC, continues to be a vital part of Rome’s history. At over 2,000 years old, it is not just a road but a living testament to the Roman Empire's engineering genius. Its enduring legacy connects us to a rich past that shapes the present. 🏛️🚶‍♂️

07/03/2025

Bollywood Strike (1987) brought together well-known actors and filmmakers in protest against the heavy tax and surcharge imposed on cinema tickets and equipment.

During the mid-1980s, the film industry faced financial struggles due to high entertainment tax and levies, making filmmaking an expensive affair. Leading Bollywood personalities took to the streets, voicing their concerns to protect the industry and ensure that movies remained accessible to the masses. The strike reflected the unity of Bollywood, where actors, directors, and producers stood together for a common cause.

Such moments in history remind us how Bollywood was not just about glamour but also about fighting for the betterment of the industry!

17/10/2024

Currently digitizing nineteen 78rpm records containing French lessons - in French!
Rajil Sayani

22/04/2024

15/10/2023

Another milestone achieved. 40 CDs and 7 LPs digitized in 10 working days. Rajil Sayani

24/07/2023

Ads should take special precautions and restraint to not exploit the trust and expectation of people suffering from physical conditions and ailments related to height, bust development, obesity, illness, impotence, infertility, and the like.

To know more about this code, visit - https://www.ascionline.in/the-asci-code/

26/06/2023

THE “LAG JA GALE” – SAYANI CONNECTION
1) The iconic song, as many of us know, is from the film ‘Woh Kaun Thi’. Here is the link to the song, for those who have not heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFr6G5zveS8
While Ameen Sayani did not do the radio publicity for the film (as confirmed by Producer N.N. Sippy’s son, Pravesh), Ameen does remember attending the premiere, standing throughout with music director Madan Mohan, as the theatre all was overflowing.
2) The song debuted on Binaca Geet Mala on 19th Feb, 1964.
3) When Ameen Sb was compering Lataji’s shows, the song “Lag ja gale” was almost always the most enjoyed and got the most appreciation.
4) When I did my sound recording and re-production certificate course from the University of Bombay in the 80s, our final assignment was recording a song. The song that was adjudged the best recording was – “Lag ja gale”!
5) For the 2018 launch of Caravaan (which included “Geetmala Ki Chhaon Mein”), Saregama India produced a beautiful five-minute TV ad featuring the song – Lag ja gale. The link for the ad is given below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVe06h3ye9U
6) When the film ‘Kedarnath’ was close to release, Ameen Sayani was contacted to give a request programme type commentary, over a tune on the radio for the last shot of the film. The tune was – “Lag ja gale” ! Unfortunately, he was not able to do that recording.
7) The song still remains to be one of the favorites of our family.
8) Unfortunately, the composer, Madan Mohan ji, did not sing this song in his own voice. But do listen to another gem in his voice from the same film, – “Naina barse rim jhim”. Apparently this version of the song was used for the shooting of the song, as Lataji had not been able to sing it. She dubbed it later!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_8vINlR1cY
Photo courtesy – Pravesh Sippy.
Rajil Sayani