Angel Records 78rpm RAEC 33602 India Suraj Mohammad Rafi Asha Bhosle Play Tested

	£		38
	$		50

This 10-inch 78 RPM shellac record, catalog number RAEC 33602, was pressed in India by The Gramophone Company of India (Private) Ltd. under the celebrated Angel Records imprint. Released in 1965 (with film release in 1966), this disc contains two pivotal vocal numbers from the classic Venus Pictures Bollywood musical masterpiece, Suraj (सूरज).

Dating from 1965/1966, this pressing represents the absolute zenith of the Golden Era of Bollywood film music. During the mid-1960s, the Indian recording economy was almost entirely driven by cinematic soundtracks, with commercial singles heavily reliant on the success of theatrical films.
The music director duo Shankar-Jaikishan dominated the industry during this period, famously pioneering massive, multi-layered studio orchestras that seamlessly blended traditional Indian classical instruments with Western grand strings, accordions, and jazz-inflected horn sections.
The film Suraj, directed by T. Prakash Rao and starring Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala, was a massive commercial success, due in large part to its music.
Side A, Chehre Pe Girin Zulfen, is a masterclass in the romantic ghazal-hybrid style that defined Mohammad Rafi's legendary career, demonstrating his unparalleled emotional range and microtonal vocal control.
Side B, Ek Baar Aata Hai, showcases the vibrant, energetic rhythmic syncopation that Asha Bhosle brought to 1960s duets, utilizing complex, fast-paced call-and-response phrasing.
By preserving these definitive studio masters on a heavy 10-inch 78 RPM format just as the Indian market began its slow transition toward vinyl microgroove EPs, this Angel Records disc serves as a vital historical document of mid-century South Asian acoustic engineering.

The Transition Era: While Western markets had almost entirely abandoned the 78 RPM format by 1960, India’s domestic market continued manufacturing shellac discs well into the late 1960s due to the widespread popularity of robust vintage gramophones in non-urban areas. Consequently, 1960s Indian 78s are highly sought after by global archivists who trace the late-stage evolution of shellac cutting technology.

Award-Winning Soundtrack: The music of Suraj was so influential that it earned Shankar-Jaikishan the prestigious Filmfare Award for Best Music Director, with the parallel track Baharo Phool Barsao cementing the film's legacy as one of the top-selling acoustic scores of the entire decade. Condition Report
Media Condition: Very Good Plus (VG+). The heavy black shellac surfaces maintain an uncommonly strong, bright sheen. Under direct, intense light, the disc shows minor superficial storage hairlines and light handling trails, fully consistent with a carefully preserved piece of mid-60s shellac. The surfaces are entirely free of deep needle digs, structural cracks, or edge chipping
.Labels: Excellent. The red-and-white Angel Records labels are perfectly intact. The typography remains clear and unrubbed, with only faint, minimal spindle tracking evident around the center hole.
Playback: Fully play-tested. The record tracks beautifully and plays well on both sides. The robust orchestra and high-frequency vocal lines remain clean and dynamic, cutting cleanly through the baseline shellac surface floor with rich acoustic presence.

Postage, Packing & Delivery Policy

We understand the delicate nature of shipping fragile historical shellac discs. This record will be packed utilizing structural preservation techniques:
Secured tightly between multiple sheets of thick custom-cut corrugated card stiffeners to eliminate flexing.

Wrapped carefully in high-grade, shock-absorbing bubble wrap.

Housed securely inside a specialized, heavy-duty doubleskin cardboard box with dedicated void-fill packaging to prevent any shifting during transit.

Your item will be carefully packed and promptly dispatched.