Author: Sunbyanyname

Beautiful Duet Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

On 08 Feb 2021, I gave you Beautiful Duet #12 – Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe yaad aaya. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #13
Ek pardesi mera dil le gaya

Madhubala (Honey Maiden) and Bharat Bhushan (Grace of India)

She was nominated only once for the Filmfare Best Actress Award, ie, for her role in 18 years of her acting (not counting as child artiste) in Hindi movies, from 1947 Neel Kamal (also the debut movie of Raj Kapoor) until the 1964 Sharabi. However, she was so popular that even when she acted with Dilip Kumar (who she wanted to marry but for her father standing in their way), after the shots, people waited in queues just to get a glimpse of her. A complete movie industry depended upon her charms.

Take the 1958 movie Phagun for instance, made 11 years before she breathed her last at the age of 36 years. She was discovered with a hole in her heart (ventricular septal defect) at the age of 21, in 1954. By the time she acted in this movie, her condition had worsened to the extent that she would vomit blood (her heart was pumping unwanted extra blood). However, in between bouts of bloody cough, she would act and deliver her dialogues. And people swooned. As they did with this song.

Bharat Bhushan, on the other hand, won the second Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1955 for Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, having wrested it from Dilip Kumar who won the first one for 1954 Daag. However, Dilip Kumar wrested it right back next year for Azaad and denied the same to Bharat Bhushan for Mirza Ghalib.

Phagun – the 1958 Movie

Phagun was a Bhibhuti Mitra production and directed movie that also starred Jeevan, Kammo, Nishi, Cuckoo and Mehmood.

Qamar Jalalabadi penned this song. He also penned songs for Raj Kapoor starrer Chhalia including the popular Dam dam diga diga. His song Din hai suhaana aaj pehli tareek hai used to be broadcast from Radio Ceylone for a number of years on the first of every month. My dad used to hum a popular song of his: Jab raat nahin katati zindagi kaise kategi. He also penned the super hit: Jab tumhaari yaad aayegi sanam. My favourite of his is, however, from Shammi Kapoor’s 1966 movie Preet Na Jaane Reet: Main bewafa nahin hoon tere pyaar ki kasam. Indeed, I titled one of my poems: Main Bewafa Nahin Hoon.

His songs in Phagun were composed by OP Nayyar, the music director who has the record of having most hit/super-hit songs in his movies. Take Phagun’s songs for example:

1 “Teer Yeh Chupke” Asha Bhosle 3:07 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

2 “Main Soya Ankhiyan Meeche” Mohammed Rafi & Asha Bhosle 3:32

3 “Barso Re Haye Bairi Badarwa Barso Re” Asha Bhosle 3:15 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

4 “Chhum Chhum Ghunghroo Bole” Asha Bhosle 3:32 Madhubala

5 “Piya Piya Na Lage Mora Jiya” Asha Bhosle 3:19 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

6 “Soon Ja Pukar” Asha Bhosle 3:06 Bharat Bhushan, Cuckoo, Jeevan, Kammo, Madhubala, Nishi

7 “Bana De Prabhuji” Mohammed Rafi & Asha Bhosle 4:18 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

8 “Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya” Mohammed Rafi & Asha Bhosle 3:53 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

9 “Meri Chhod De Kalahi” Mohammed Rafi & Asha Bhosle 3:12 Mehmood, Dhumal

10 “Tum Rooth Ke Mat Jana” Mohammed Rafi & Asha Bhosle 3:15 Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan

11 “Shokh Shokh Aankhen” Asha Bhosle 4:06 Nishi, Cuckoo, Bharat Bhushan

I am sure, quite a few of your own favourites are in this movie including Piya, piya na laage mora jiya (Jungle ki morni aayi baagon ke mor se milne!), Main soya akhiyan meeche (a most enchanting number) and that beautiful Punjabi sounding duet (that’s how OP Nayyar’s songs sounded): Tum rooth ke mat jaana, in the same class as a beautiful duet from Naya Daur: Ude jab jab zufen teri, in which this actress from the South (Vyjayanthimala, that is) also did a Punjabi dance!

I had found this song as a most suitable song for Valentine’s Day. Why is this a suitable Valentine’s Day song? Oh, come on! She is enamoured by a stranger (pardesi) (Jab Jab Phool Khile came later; else Shashi Kapoor would have warned her: Pardesiyon se na akhiyan milana, Pardesiyon ko hai IK din jaana). Not having known, JJPK, she is madly in love with the Pardesi who gave her मीठा मीठा ग़म when he left. She appears to be in love with gham and Dard since even in her Pyar kiya to darna kya, she sang: इस दर्द को लेकर जीता है, इस दर्द को लेकर मरता हैI She was probably describing her own life!

Pardesi or Stranger as a Song Theme

By the way, Pardesi, is not a favourite theme with Indians alone. When Frank Sinatra sang Strangers In The Night in 1966, it made history as Grammy’s Record of the Year. Look at its lyrics:

Strangers in the night
Exchanging glances
Wondering in the night
What were the chances
We’d be sharing love
Before the night was through?

Something in your eyes
Was so inviting
Something in your smile
Was so exciting
Something in my heart told me I must have you

Strangers in the night, two lonely people
We were strangers in the night
Up to the moment when we said our first hello
Little did we know
Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away

And ever since that night
We’ve been together
Lovers at first sight
In love forever
It turned out so right
For strangers…

My Own Poetry

My Good Morning Message #359

Why would anyone love anyone?
Is it just for frolic and fun?
How much of it is sacrifice?
What do you have to pay as price?
How do you know you are in love?
Do you get a signal from God above?

Some say it is a matter of chemistry,
But to most it still remains a mystery.
As to why just one and no one else would do,
If only someone would provide a clue.
Lovers being strangers just a moment ago,
Are suddenly closer than anyone they know.

Everyone knows Love is not a reasoned emotion,
Else, you won’t fall in love but do so in slow motion.
It affects your entire life but it overpowers you,
Without your knowing it totally showers you.
Love doesn’t give you, between several, a choice,
All you can do is to trust God and rejoice.

Love is the only one whence you fall and win,
You glow in its light outside and within.
You’re sure your loved one was born for you
And hence there is no one you can take in lieu.
You suddenly find answers to many a question,
Before long your love is your obsession.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi sing one of the most popular songs of that era with the most popular tune: Ik pardesi mera dil le gaya….

आशा: इक परदेसी मेरा दिल ले गया
जाते जाते मीठा मीठा ग़म दे गया, हाँ, इक…

रफ़ी: कौन परदेसी तेरा दिल ले गया
मोटी मोटी अँखियों मे आँसू दे गया

रफ़ी: ढूँढ रहे तुझे लाखों दिल वाले
कर दे ओ गोरी ज़रा आँखों से उजाले

आशा: आँखों का उजाला परदेसी ले गया
जाते जाते मीठा मीठा ग़म दे गया

आशा: मेरे परदेसिया की यही है निशानी
अँखियां बिलौर की शीशे की जवानी
ठण्डी ठण्डी आहों का सलाम दे गया
जाते जाते मीठा मीठा ग़म दे गया, ओय, कौन…
रफ़ी: ओहो, कौन परदेसी तेरा दिल ले गया…

रफ़ी: उसको बुला दूँ सामने ला दूँ
क्या मुझे दोगी जो तुमसे मिला दूँ
आशा: जो भी मेरे पास था वो सब ले गया
जाते जाते मीठा मीठा ग़म दे गया
रफ़ी: ओय, कौन…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #13.

Please await Beautiful Duet #14- Jeevan mein piya tera saath rahe.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #11 – Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #11.

Song #12
Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaaye
Theme-word: Zindagi se kaho dulhan ban ke aaj to do ghadi sanvar jaaye

Difficult Being a Woman

I gave you the Raat or Din Song today as tribute to Bhupen Hazarika on his Death Anniversay. The song was picturised on Raveena Tandon who won the National Film Award as Best Actress for her role in 2001 Kalpana Lajmi movie Daman in which Raveena was subjected relentlessly to marital violence, both physical and mental.

This song is from the 1960 RK Rakhan movie Kalpana starring Padmini in the title role. Her sister’s name is the title of the movie and her other sister Ragini (Travancore Sisters) also acts in the movie.

The story is a copy of Nargis’s Adaalat and Suchitra Sen’s Mamta; a poor woman has to take up the role of a courtesan to make both ends meet.

None of the producers and directors would venture into areas wherein women could take up, in their poverty, professions other than prostitution. Mehboob Khan showed the way with Mother India. But that was an exception.

Why This Song Then?

For several reasons. One of the foremost is that a ‘A gentleman is half a lady’ and I am not ashamed of my being a gentleman who would be sensitive towards ladies. This song (not the movie) brings out those pathos (karuna) that I have long associated with Indian women: exploited, made to feel small, and having to choose between wretched life and still more wretched death (Koi ai dil jiye ke mar jaaye).

At one time, I used to regularly borrow Marilyn Ravi’s magazines Femina to read and was shocked to read that Femina touted itself as the magazine: ‘For women of substance’. I have actually seen my mother and her sisters and many other women in our family and I would say these are the ones with substance. These are the ones who won’t give up. We had nothing when my dad died (since he had taken loans to start a project after retirement that never came) and you should have seen my mother, a living copy of Mother India, battling against all odds to make the best of life.

I myself am Sunbyanyname, being my mother’s son. I look at positives. I too don’t look at choice between wretched life and wretched death.

The Song

It was written by Jawed Akhtar’s father Jan Nisar Akhtar. It was composed by OP Nayyar in Raag Desh and Khammaj and Tal Dadra and sung by Asha Bhosle for Padmini who enacted this with her histrionics so well that I have tears in my eyes to see her despondency.

Ladies and gentlemen, please feel for women whilst listening to and seeing the song: Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaaye…

बेकसी हद से जब गुजर जाए
कोई ऐ दिल जिए के मर जाए

जिंदगी से कहो दुल्हन बन के
आज तो दो घड़ी संवर जाए

उनको जी भर के देख लेने दे
दिल की धड़कन जरा ठहर जाये

हम हैं खुद अपनी जान के दुश्मन
क्यों ये इल्ज़ाम उनके सर जाए

मेरे नग्मों से उनका दिल न दुखे
ग़म नहीं मुझ पे जो गुजर जाए

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #12 in the series.

Please await Song #13 –  Kise yaad rakhun kise bhool jaayun? 

Raat or Din Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #12 in the series. I hope you liked Song #11 – Listen to the pouring rain.

Song #12
Ye nayan dare dare…
Theme-word: Raat haseen, ye chand haseen tu sabase haseen mere dilwar

Beautiful Lyrics

Lyrics are by Kaifi Azmi who mastered the art of conveying complex emotions in the most laconic way. Take this stanza itself. He talks about beautiful night, beautiful moon and then adds that she is more beautiful than all these.

Others would leave at that. He now asks: And more beautiful than you? Can he actually imagine someone more beautiful than his beloved? Yes, he can! He concludes: Aur tujhase haseen tera pyaar. Is that all? No, he comes up with a clincher: Tu jaane naa! (You don’t know it!)

Simply awesome.

He gives the same treatment to the second stanza. He starts by taking forward the emotions of the first stanza by saying One finds the happiness of one’s life in Love. However, some sad thoughts also lend happiness. And now he comes up with the deepest thought of the song: Even if I admit defeat; you shouldn’t!

Kohraa – the 1964 Movie

If one knows the story of Biswajeet being married initially to his licentious wife and then marrying Waheeda Rehman after the first wife disappears; and Waheeda Rehman staying in the shadow and fear of the first wife, the lyrics would obtain even greater meaning. One wonders how Kaifi Azmi packed such tremendous meaning into those few words.

The movie’s story was an adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel Rebecca, which even Alfred Hitchcock did in his movie Rebecca. The Hindi version was directed by Biren Nag.

Hemant Kumar

His voice is the voice of God, as seen by some. His voice is the means of transportation, the quickest way, of us into the world of the song. This happens to be one of his best on his own composition. You don’t even have to see the movie; merely by listening to him you can imagine the complete scene.

My Own Poetry

Tu Nahin To Chandni Raat Ky Kare

चांदनी रात है पर तूं मेरे साथ नहीं,
बात तो कुछ है लेकिन वह बात नहीं।

भीगी फिजायें छू लेती हैं आके रुखसार,
उनसे क्या हो जब दिल में बरसात नहीं।

एक ज़माना था शाम ओ सेहर मिलते थे हम,
अब कभी मिलें ऐसे तो हालात नहीं।

लहरे उठती हैं उठ के चली जाती हैं,
दिल की धड़कन को बढ़ा दें इनकी औकात नहीं।

पेड़ों की छाओं में बैठे भी तो क्यूं हो जादू,
ठहरे कैसे ये समां जब हाथ में तेरा हाथ नहीं।

नज़रें रह रह के ढूंढती हैं तेरी नज़रें,
कहाँ है तू इतनी तो अंधेरी रात नहीं।

कैसे अब प्यार हमारा मुकाम तक पहुंचे,
ना तो तुम से न मुझ से जब शुरुआत नहीं।

हम नहीं मिलते यह ज़माने की है पाबंदी,
क्यूं कहती हो, रवि, तेरे दिल में जज़्बात नहीं।

Please enjoy: Ye nayan dare dare…

ये नयन डरे डरे, ये जाम भरे भरे
ज़रा पीने दो
कल की किसको खबर, इक रात होके निडर
मुझे जीने दो
ये नयन डरे डरे ...

(रात हसीं ये चाँद हसीं
पर सबसे हसीं मेरे दिलबर ) - २
और तुझसे हसीं, और तुझसे हसीं तेरा प्यार
तू जाने ना
ये नयन डरे डरे ...

(प्यार मे है जीवन की खुशी
देती है खुशी कई गम भी ) - २
मै मान भी लूँ, मै मान भी लूँ कभी हार
तू माने ना
ये नयन डरे डरे ...

I hope you liked my choice of Song #12 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #13 – Aaja sanam madhur chandni mein.

Beautiful Duet Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

On 07 Feb 2021, I gave you Beautiful Duet #11 – Teri duniya se door chale hoke majboor. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #12
Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe yaad aaya

Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar Again

There is no race. There is no competition. The songs that you put are the ones that you beautiful memories of. My memories are related, to a large extent, with Rafi and Lata. They took me to places I never wanted to come back from. Since the others are contributing to the series and since #3 appeared twice (my fault): once for Milte hi aankhen dil hua and then, next day, for O neend na mujhako aaye, this is my 12th duet and I haven’t given you the pair more than four times. Favourites don’t keep me from giving you others.

This Duet

It is different in one respect; she doesn’t join him till the third stanza. There are many such duets in Hindi movies. Madhumati’s Dil tadap tadap ke is one example.

Aarti – the 1962 Movie

It was a Rajshri Production (such as Hum Aapke Hain Kaun), produced by Tarachand Barjatya and directed by Phani Majumdar. The movie starred Pradeep Kumar, Ashok Kumar and Meena Kumari and Shashikala, the complete cast that was repeated in Bheegi Raat with another great song: Dil jo na keh saka wohi raaz-e-dil kehne ki raat aayi.

Majrooh Sultanpuri and Roshan

The following plot enabled them to come up with some of the most melodious songs of that era:

“An unemployed young man named Deepak (Pradeep Kumar) saves Aarti Gupta (Meena Kumari), a hardworking and dedicated doctor, from drowning, and the two eventually fall in love with each other, although her parent have already engaged her to marry Dr. Prakash (Ashok Kumar). Although Aarti’s father firmly disapproves of this relationship, Deepak and Aarti marry. She moves in with him and his family, which includes his father (Jagirdar), elder brother, Niranjan (Ramesh Deo), sister-in-law, Jaswanti (Shashikala) and their three children. Prakash (Aarti’s former fiancé) happens to be a friend of this family, as also of Aarti’s natal family, and he keeps up his visits to both families. This brings a discord in Aarti’s marital life, so much so that Deepak asks her to leave, and she returns to her father’s house. This is followed by Deepak having a serious accident, when Prakash is the only surgeon who can operate on him. He agrees to operate on him only if Aarti promises to come back to him and forget her husband.”

The above plot enabled the following songs:

1. “Bane Ho Ek Khaak Se” Lata Mangeshkar
2. “Kabhi To Milegi, Kahin To Milegi” Lata Mangeshkar
3. “Ab Kya Misaal Doon Main Tumhare Shabaab Ki” Mohammed Rafi
4. “Aapne Yaad Dilaaya To Mujhe Yaad Aaya” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
5. “Baar Baar Tohe Kya Samjhaaye Paayal Ki Jhankaar” Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
6. “Na Bhanwara Na Koi Gul” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
7. “Woh Teer Dil Pe Chala” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi

All very good songs. Kidar Sharma is the one who gave a break to Roshan in the 1949 movie Neki Aur Badi. After the next movie, the 1950 movie Bawre Nain, there was no looking back for Roshan.

Majrooh was good from his very first movie in 1946: AR Kardar movie Shahjehan starring KL Sehgal whose songs were composed by Naushad such as Jab dil hi toot gaya, Gham diya mustaqil, and Chaah barbaad karegi hamen maloom na tha.

This song makes us majrooh (injured or wounded)!

The Lyrics

आप ने याद दिलाया तो मुझे याद आया
के मेरे दिल पे पड़ा था कोई ग़म का साया
आप ने याद दिलाया  ...

मैं भी क्या चीज़ हूँ खाया था कभी तीर कोई
दर्द अब जा के उठा चोट लगे देर हुई
तुमको हमदर्द जो पाया तो मुझे याद आया
के मेरे दिल पे पड़ा था कोई ग़म का साया ...

मैं ज़मीं पर हूँ न समझा न परखना चाहा
आसमाँ पर ये कदम झूम के रखना चाहा
आज जो सर को झुकाया तो मुझे याद आया
के मेरे दिल पे पड़ा था कोई ग़म का साया ...


लता:
मैं ने भी सोच लिया साथ निभाने के लिये
दूर तक आऊंगी मैं तुमको मनाने के लिये
दिल ने एहसास दिलाया तो मुझे याद आया
के मेरे दिल पे पड़ा था कोई ग़म का साया ...

My Own Poetry

I am going to give you a very different poem:

Apna Apna Dil, Apni Apni Yaad

तेरा ज़ुल्फ़ों का झटकना,
और आंखों का मटकना,
अभी तक याद है।

बिजली में मुझ से लिपटना,
दफ़अतन फिर से चिपटना,
अभी तक याद है।

गले में आवाज़ अटकना,
रात को बेचैन भटकना,
अभी तक याद है।

शर्मा के चेहरे का भड़कना,
नज़रों का रह रह के फड़कना,
अभी तक याद है।

पूछो क्या हुआ, उस पर झिझकना,
होंठों का अंदर पिचकना,
अभी तक याद है।

फिर…

तेरे जाने पे मेरा तड़पना,
तेरे लिए लोगों से झड़पना,
क्यों तुझे नहीं याद है?

तेरे हिज्र में मेरा सिसकना,
आते ही तुझ से सिमटना,
क्यों तुझे नहीं याद है?

याद कर ना….

Please enjoy: Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe yaad aaya…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #12.

Please await Beautiful Duet #13- Ek pardesi mera dil le gaya.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #10 – Dil ye bechain ve in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #11.

Song #11
Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye
Theme-word: Gham-e-zindagi ke andhere mein hamne Chirag-e-mohabbat jalaaye bujhaye

Remembering Laxmikant on His Birth Anniversary 03 Nov

Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar was born on this day in the year 1937 in Bombay. He died on 25 May 1998 at the age of 60 years.

Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar was the find of Lata Mangeshkar. She was impressed by his Mandolin playing in her concert at Radio Club, Colaba when Laxmikant was only ten years old. When still a child, he met Pyarelal and both of them started playing musical instruments together. Lata Mnageshkar, seeing how poor were they, recommended their names to established music directors like Naushad, SD Burman and C Ramchandra.

Parasmani, a 1963 movie, was the debut movie of the duo as Music Director. They ruled the Hindi films music world from that year to 1998 when Laxmikant died.

They have been nominated for Filmfare Awards more number of times than any Music Director.

Laxmikant Pyarelal started off with 1963 movie Parasmani and they made such popular songs for their very first movie that these are fondly remembered even today:

1.”Hansta Hua Noorani Chehra” Asad Bhopali Lata Mangeshkar, Kamal Barot

2.”Mere Dil Mein Halki Si” Asad Bhopali Lata Mangeshkar

3.”Ooi Maa Ooi Maa Yeh Kya Ho Gaya” Asad Bhopali Lata Mangeshkar

4.”Salamat Raho Salamat Raho” Indeevar Mohammad Rafi

5.”Woh Jab Yaad Aaye” Asad Bhopali Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar

6.”Chori Chori Jo Tumse Mili” Faruk Kaiser Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar

The duo that started off so outstandingly well in their very first movie had indeed great future ahead for them. They received their first Filmfare Award for Best Music Director for the 1964 Satyen Bose movie Dosti. Dosti was only their sixth movie (they did a total of 635 movies between 1963 to 1998) after Parasmani (1963), Harishchandra Taramati (1963), Sati Savitri (1964), Sant Gyaneshwar (1964) and Mr X in Bombay (1964). All these movies too had excellent and memorable songs; eg, Main ek nanha sa main ek chhota sa bachcha hoon and Suraj re jalte rehna from Harishchandra Taramati; Tum gagan ke chandrama ho main dhara ki dhool hoon, Jeevan dor tumhi sang bandhi, Sakhi ri pi ka naam naam na poochho, and Itni jaldi kya hai gori saajan ke sang jaane ki from Sati Savitri; Jaago re prabhat aaya, Jyot se jyot jalaate chalo, and Ek do teen chaar bhaiya bano hoshiyar from Sant Gyaneshwar; Mere mehboob qyaamat hogi, Khoobsurat haseena jaan-e-jaan jaan-e-mann, Chali re chali re gori paniya bharan ko, and Julmi hamaare saanwariya ho Raam from Mr X In Bombay.

Asad Bhopali – The Lyricist

Asad Bhopali, the lyricist of this song was born as Asadullah Khan on 10 Jul 1921 in Bhopal.

Asad Bhopali wrote two songs for Fazli Brothers’ Duniya (1949): Rona hai to chupke chupke (sung by Mohammad Rafi) and Armaan lute, dil toot gaya (sung by Suraiyya). The next year, he wrote songs for a couple of films; these songs were sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum. Bhopali’s big break was BR Chopra’s Afsana (1951), for which he wrote 5 songs.

He received his only Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist very late for the 1989 movie Maine Pyar Kiya’s song: Dil deewana bin sajna ke maane na.

The song Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye made him very popular. After Parasmani, L-P and Asad Bhopali were together for another ten movies: Mr. X In Bombay (1964; with such delightful songs as: Mere mehboob qayamat hogi, Zulmi hamare saanwariya ho Ram, Chali re chali re gori paniya bharan ko, and Khubsoorat hasina); Aaya Toofan (1964; Hum pyaar kiye jaayenge koi rok sake to rok le); Shreeman Funtoosh (1965; he wrote only one song. The others were penned by Anand Bakshi); Lootera (1965); Hum Sab Ustaad Hain (1965; Ajnabi tum jaane pehchane se lagte ho, Pyar bantate chalo); Boxer (1965; Khudaya khudaya mohabbat na hoti); Naag Mandir (1966; Ek manzil ek safar hai hamara aap ka); Chhaila Babu (1967; Tre pyar ne mujhe gham diya); Nirdosh (1973; Tujhe khanjar se kya maru ek nazar hai kafi); and Ranbhoomi (1991; Pee ke Shankar ji ki booti).

Parasmani – The Movie

this song is from the 1963 Babubhai Mistri movie Parasmani. Lets look at the story penned by Pandit Madhur and Babubhai Mistri to see how this song came about in the movie:

The actor Mahipal plays Paras in the movie from whom the title is derived. Son of a Senapati, he is lost at sea when his ship passes through a cyclone. He is found and brought up by a villager and because of his genes becomes an accomplished swordsman and singer.

One day, he encounters the princess ( Rajkumari played by Gitanjali) and falls in love with her. His fame as a singer soon reaches the palace, and the Emperor summons him to sing for him. Pleased with his singing, the Emperor asks him for a wish, and Paras asks for the hand of his daughter. Enraged, the Emperor decides to punish Paras, but Paras escapes.

Appearing defeated, the Emperor asks Paras to seek a rare gem called a Parasmani, because he is under a curse that as soon as his daughter marries, it will be the last day for the Emperor. If Paras can find the Parasmani, the life of the Emperor can be saved. Only then can Paras marry the princess. Paras agrees to this and leaves on the search with his sister and brother.

Paras receives clues from various places and is directed to a cave. From this point, the film that is black and white earlier becomes Eastman Color. Fighting various magical creatures and volcanic lava, Paras meets the Sorceress Mayanagri (Jeevan Kala), who falls in love with the brave Paras. Taking him in confidence, she shows him her real self, which is an old woman. The Sorceress shows him the Parasmani, which Paras gains after killing a giant spider-like creature. Soon the old sorceress also meets her end. Paras and his siblings fly back to their kingdom where, after some crucial fights, he meets his father, Senapati, and is married to the princess.

The song comes about when the lovers are separated.

The Song

Laxmikant Pyarelal composed the song in Raag Kalyan, Tal Kaherava.

Please enjoy a composition of Laxmikant Pyarelal in Raag Kalyan or Yaman, Tal Kaherava on the lyrics of Asad Bhopali this unforgettable song sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar for Mahipal and Gitanjali in the 1963 Babubhai Mistri movie Parasmani: Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye…..

वो जब याद आए बहुत याद आए
ग़म-ए-ज़िंदगी के अंधेरे में हमने
चिराग-ए-मुहब्बत जलाए बुझाए

आहटें जाग उठीं रास्ते हंस दिये
थामकर दिल उठे हम किसी के लिये
कई बार ऐसा भी धोखा हुआ है
चले आ रहे हैं वो नज़रें झुकाए

दिल सुलगने लगा अश्क़ बहने लगे
जाने क्या-क्या हमें लोग कहने लगे
मगर रोते-रोते हंसी आ गई है
ख़यालों में आके वो जब मुस्कुराए

वो जुदा क्या हुए ज़िंदगी खो गई
शम्मा जलती रही रोशनी खो गई
बहुत कोशिशें कीं मगर दिल न बहला
कई साज़ छेड़े कई गीत गाए

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #11 in the series.

Please await Song #12 –  Beqasi hadd se jab guzr jaaye. 

Raat or Din Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #11 in the series. I hope you liked Song #10 – Haay re woh din kyun na aaye.

Song #11
Listen to the pouring rain…
Theme-word: Let it rain all night long; Let my love for you go strong. As long as we’re together, Who cares about the weather?

The Joy of Listening

Here is what Wordsworth had to write about it in ‘Three Years She Grew By’:

The stars of midnight shall be dear,
To her; and she shall lean her ear,
In many a secret place;
Where rivulets dance their wayward round,
And beauty born of murmuring sound,
Shall pass into her face.

It is really unfathomable. How much is it? We don’t know. However, one thing is certain: for those who discover it, the joy of listening is far more than that of talking.

Why ‘Listen to the pouring rain?

I knew that the song is by Jose Feliciano. I used to listen to it with great interest. Soon, it became almost similar to the devotion I had for Lyn and my song (by Bread) ‘Baby I’m a want you’.

However, much later than originally listening to the song I discovered why Jose Feliciano urged us to Listen and not See the pouring rain. He was born blind and is blind!

He was born on 10th Sep (yesterday) but in the year 1945 in Lares (Puerto Rico). By the age of three years he had picked up more than average interest in music. By the age of nine years he made his first public appearance.

“Feliciano’s knack for music became apparent when at 7, he taught himself to play the accordion. About two years later, when he was 9 years old, his father gave him his first guitar. He would play his guitar by himself in his room for up to 14 hours a day, and would learn by listening to 1950s rock and roll.”

Most of you would have heard his best-selling Christmas song: Feliz Navidad played around the world endlessly during the Holidays.

In the year 2011 he was awarded the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Eleven years before that he was inducted in International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

The Song – The Lyrics

Jose Feliciano wrote the lyrics. In 2013 he was inducted into Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame:

Listen to the pouring rain
Listen to it pour
And with every drop of rain
You know I love you more
Let it rain all night long
Let my love for you go strong
As long as we’re together
Who cares about the weather?
Listen to the falling rain
Listen to it fall
And with every drop of rain
I can hear you call
Call my name right out loud
I can here above the clouds
And I’m here among the puddles
You and I together huddle
Listen to the falling rain
Listen to it fall
It’s raining
It’s pouring
The old man is snoring
Went to bed
And bumped his head
He couldn’t get up in the morning
Listen to the falling rain
Listen to the rain

My Own Poetry

If Jose Feliciano displayed very high imagination in his Listen to the pouring rain, I want you to gauge the imagination in my:

Journey Of A Raindrop

It arose from the sea,
As vapour,
Still not fully formed as a drop.
There was unbound excitement
At being born, created
A separate entity
Proud to be by itself
Rather than mixed in the salt of the sea.
As it took shape,
Amongst millions others,
It was conscious,
As do all of us
That it would be carried
By forces beyond its control
To far places and people
To lose its identity again when it’d fall.

“Where would fate take me?”
It mused as winds carried it landwards,
“Will I fall on a tree and hang
On to the leaves for dear life?”
“Or will I fall in a pot hole on the road
To be cursed by drivers and walkers alike?”
“Or worse, on a heap of rubbish,
Carrying stench in the air?”

“If I am lucky,
I may fall on the Ganesha idol
In a procession
But then, I shall be quickly
Back into where I was born and arose:
The vastness of the sea.
My friends and I may also fall in the milkman’s pot
And he’d rejoice for increased sale.”
“I have no choice
But, I don’t want to be part of a gutter.

God, I am small and feeble,
Be kind to me,
Let me be valued,
By myself and not
As part of the gang
Together called ‘rain’.”

The cloud that carried him,
Deposited him
On the cheek of a small child,
Naked and hungry,
On a street in Mumbai;
Where it mingled with a single tear
That shot from her eye
On the death of her mother in a bomb attack.
“God”, it said,
Let a hundred drops fall
To wash the sin of
What man has done to man.
But, they should never
Forget that single tear from her eye.
I don’t want to be born again
And again, and again, and again.”

Please enjoy: Listen to the pouring rain..

I hope you liked my choice of Song #11 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #12 – Ye nayan dare dare.

Beautiful Duet Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

On 03 Feb 2021, I gave you Beautiful Duet #10 – Hum tum ek kamre mein band. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #11
Teri duniya se door, chale hoke majboor, hamen yaad rakhna

My Dedication to Manik Lakhkar Chava Behna

To start with, ladies and gentlemen, please pray for her to get better. She has a chest congestion and homeopathy hasn’t helped much. As I write, she is now with an allopathic doctor.

Today is her turn to post both the songs but she is unwell.

My sisters mean the world to me. There was an occasion when I wrote something sarcastic about one of her posts. She rang me up and asked a direct question, “Bhaiya, are you my bhaiya or not?” And that’s the time it occurred to me that it can’t be mere words.

And don’t get carried away about my being “Ladaku” with Surekha Saini. None of you understand her more than me. She has gone through very bad times concerning her immediate family; eg, she lost her sister Rekha. With such bad luck, won’t she want to spend as much time as possible with her family? There will never be time when I start loving her any less.

This Song

I have taken this song from the 1961 movie Zabak that was produced and directed by Homi Wadia. Mahipal (of the Parasmani song with Geetanjali: Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye) and Shyama were the lead cast.

The song was penned by Prem Dhawan (Shaheed songs, for example) and composed by Chitragupt.

Today, I gave you a super Yaad song at the demise of S Mohinder; an all time favourite Raja Mehdi Ali Khan song: Phir teri yaad naye geet sunane aayi. As I mentioned, I opted for it at the expense of Guzra hua zamaana.

This song would then tell you that two of the best Yaad songs in Hindi movies were picturised on Mahipal: Woh jab yaad aaye and Hamewn yaad rakhna.

In this song, as in Parasmani song, Mohammad Rafi sang for Mahipal and Lata Mangeshkar sang for Shyama.

Why and When This Song?

“Hajji (Mahipal) is a carefree young man in love with the princess Zainab (Shyama). His father is a middle class man who runs a Hamam (Bath house). He is not happy with his son’s relationship with the princess because of their social inequality. The minister Qasim Beg has Hajji and his father arrested. The father’s hair is shaven off as punishment while Hajji is whipped. The father, out of shame for his situation, commits suicide. Hajji is thrown out of the city gates (this is where the song occurs), where he saves Saudagar (merchant) Usman Shah’s daughter from being kidnapped. Usman Shah (B. M. Vyas), though posing as a merchant, turns out to be a dacoit. Hajji, now Zabak joins the dacoits, albeit unwillingly. When Usman plans to attack and loot Zabak’s home town Isbahan, he goes along as he finds out that Qasim Beg will marry Zainab. During the dacoity, Zainab is abducted by one of Usman’s men. Qasim, who was in a fight with Zabak and left for dead, kills the Sultan and takes his place. Zabak goes through being misunderstood by his beloved and his mother, but with help from his friends he succeeds in righting all the wrongs committed by Qasim and marries the princess.”

My Own Poetry

KAUN SAMAJHA HAI ISE?

ज़िन्दगी में कोई न कोई बात रह जाती है,
दिन गुज़र जाता है तो रात रह जाती है ।

इश्क़ की गर्म ओ गर्मियां चार दिन की हैं,
फिर तो सिर्फ यादों की बरसात रह जाती है ।

तेरी हँसी के फवारे थे मुखतसर लम्हों के लिए,
उसके बाद ग़मों की बारात रह जाती है ।

हम ही हैं जो खुद को जहाँन समझते हैं,
हमारे चले जाने पे भी कायनात रह जाती है।

सारी जिंदगी छोटी नज़र आती है इसके मुक़ाबले,
जब ज़ेहन में छोटी सी मुलाक़ात रह जाती है।

बचपन और जवानी में कितनी हसीन लगती थी,
बुढापे में नाश – ए – हैय्यात रह जाती है।

एक एक पल हमने संवारा था खून ओ पसीने से,
आखिर में तो मजबूरी – ए – हालात रह जाती है।

कोई नहीं समझ पाया ज़िन्दगी के मायने, रवि,
गुज़र जाने पे भी तख्ती – ए – सवालात रह जाती है।

Please enjoy: Teri duniya se door, chale hoke majboor, hamen yaad rakhna…,

तेरी दुनिया से दूर, चले होके मजबूर, हमें याद रखना
जाओ कहीं भी सनम, तुम्हें इतनी क़सम, हमें याद रखना

१) आएंगी बहारें तो तेरे ही फ़साने सुनाएंगी हमें
होगी तन्हाई तो आके तेरी यादें रुलाएंगी हमें
रुलाएंगी हमें, तड़पाएंगी हमें
कभी देखी थी बहार, कभी हम से था प्यार
हमें याद रखना,
जाओ …

२) लेजा जानेवाले दुआएं मेरे दिल की किसी से क्या गिला
तेरी ही खता है ना मेरी ही खता है जो होना था हुआ
जो होना था हुआ, है किसी से क्या गिला
देखो रोए मेरा प्यार, कहे दिल की पुकार हमें याद रखना,
तेरी …

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #11.

Please await Beautiful Duet #12- Aapne yaad dilaya to mujhe.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #9 – Aapke pehlu mein aake in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #10.

Song #10
Dil ye bechain ve, Taal se taal mila
Theme-word: Jindari behaal hai, Sur hai na taal hai

Happy Birthday Aishwarya Rai

She was born on this day in 1973. She was crowned Miss World 1994 in a pageant that crowned Sushmita Sen as Miss Universe.

She started acting first in Tamil movies; her debut was in 1997 movie Iruvar. She was moderately successful and she won two Filmfare Awards: for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (in 1999) and Devdas (in 2002).

She married Abhishek Bachchan in 2007.

Taal – 1999 Movie

It was produced and directed by Subhash Ghai and starred , in addition to her, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Khnaa, Amrish Puri and Alok Nath.

Alok Nath as Tara Babu was a spiritual singer and Aishwarya Rai was his daughter Mansi in Chamba (Himachal Pradsesh). That’s where Manav (Akshay Khanna) son of a wealthy father Jagmohan Mehta (Amrish Puri) arrived at and fell in love with Mansi.

Mansi gives Manav a shawl embroidered with combining their names as Manavsi since Jagmohan is against the match. Somehow, the whole thing falls apart and then Mansi meets Vikrant Kapoor (Anil Kapoor) and he falls in love with her. Meantime, Manav and Mansi patch up and on the day of Vikrant’s marriage to Mansi, Vikrant realises she still loves Manav and sacrifices his love for their happiness.

Anand Bakshi, AR Rahman, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik

Anand Bakshi had been a very versatile Lyricist. He wrote for Laxmikant Pyarelal in 302 movies. However, he reinvented himself here for AR Rahman who quickly became the most awarded and most talented music director ever (including two Oscars).

Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan also emerged as very accomplished playback singers and covered themselves in glory in many a song.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy, on the birthday of Aishwarya Rai one of the best songs picturised on her: Dil ye bechain ve, Taal se taal mila…

दिल ये बेचैन वे, रस्ते पे नैन वे
दिल ये बेचैन वे, रस्ते पे नैन वे
जिन्दरी बेहाल है, सुर है न ताल है
आजा साँवरिया, आ, आ, आ
ताल से ताल मिला, हो ताल से ताल मिला

सावन ने आज तो मुझ को भिगो दिया
हाय मेरी लाज ने, मुझ को डुबो दिया
सावन ने आज तो मुझ को भिगो दिया
हाय मेरी लाज ने, मुझ को डुबो दिया
ऐसी लगी चढ़ी सोचूँ मैं ये खड़ी
कुछ मैं ने खो दिया, क्या मैं ने खो दिया
चुप क्यों है बोल तू, संग मेरे डोल तू
मेरी चाल से चाल मिला, ताल से ताल मिला
ओ, ताल से ताल मिला ...

माना अंजान है तू मेरे वास्ते
माना अंजान हूँ मैं तेरे वास्ते
माना अंजान है तू मेरे वास्ते
माना अंजान हूँ मैं तेरे वास्ते
मैं तुझ को जान लूँ, तू मुझ को जान ले
आ दिल के पास आ, इस दिल के रास्ते
जो तेरा हाल है, वो मेरा हाल है
इस हाल से हाल मिला, ओ ताल से ताल मिला
ओ, ताल से ताल मिला

दिल ये बेचैन वे, रस्ते पे नैन वे
जिन्दरी बेहाल है, सुर है न ताल है
आजा साँवरिया, आ, आ, आ
ताल से ताल मिला, हो ताल से ताल मिला -३

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #10 in the series.

Please await Song #11 –  Woh jab yaad aaye bahut yaad aaye. 

Raat or Din Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #10 in the series. I hope you liked Song #9 – Awaz de kahan hai.

Song #10
Haay re woh din kyun na aaye

Anuradha – 1960 Movie

Five years ago, I wrote an essay about the treatment of women in Bengal based movies: ‘Bengal Based Hindi Movies From Anuradha To Piku‘. Generally, people don’t have the time to read such posts (we are quite happy with sharing the url of the song with about ten words telling the movie it is from and the singer (such is not the purpose of this group at all; if you specialise in such posts, you are in the wrong group. We don’t want to merely add numbers to the group). However, those of you who take time out from sharing your YouTube urls in umpteen groups (so that people swoon at the good taste in songs you have) and actually go through the post, you’d gain.

Anuradha was the first of the movies that I analysed in the post. It was produced and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and starred Balraj Sahni as Dr Nirmal Chaudhary, the idealist doctor wanting to do something to improve the medical conditions of people in a village. He was unmindful of the interests of his wife Anuradha Roy played by Leela Naidu. She had to give up her passion of music and singing (she was a singer on All India Radio) to accompany him to the village.

Pandit Ravi Shankar – The Composer

The Sitar maestro (unquestionably, the best in the world) composed five songs for this movie; the first mainstream Hindi movie for which he was the Music Director. Each one is a classic (and suitable for the Raat or Din theme):

1. “Jaane Kaise Sapno Main” – Lata Mangeshkar
2. “Sanware Sanware Kahe Mose” – Lata Mangeshkar
3. “Kaise Din Beete, Kaise Beeti Ratiyan” – Lata Mangeshkar
4. “Bahut Din Huye” – Mahendra Kapoor
5. “Hai Re Woh Din Kyon Na Aaye” – Lata Mangeshkar

This was composed by him in Raag Janasamohini (a raag meant to entrance people, literally; and it does here). The lyricist was Shailendra who often went deep into the lyrics:

हाय रे वो दिना क्यों न आये
ज ज के ऋतु
ज ज के ऋतु लौट आये
हाय रे वो दिना क्यों न आये

झिलमिल वो तारे कहाँ गये वो सारे
मन बाती जले बुझ जाये
हये रे वो दिना क्यों न आये

सूनी मेरी बीना संगीत बिना
सपनों की माला मुरझाये
हाय रे वो दिना क्यों न आये

Lata Mangeshkar

It has become fashionable for people to bring out that such and such female singer is better than Lata. I maintain that she always delivered to the expectations of her music directors, however difficult a composition may have been. I maintain that she is the best. If a singer has stayed with you for over six decades, naturally you may have some song or the other that proves your point!

My Own Poetry

Koi Lauta De Woh Din

मुझे याद आते हैं बचपन के वो पल,
लगता न था कभी आएगी कल,
मासूमियत में कह देते थे दोस्तों को:
मैं आता हूँ तेरे पीछे, तूँ चल।

एक एक करके होने लगे वो विदा,
जो रात को भी न होते थे जुदा,
हमारी फुसफ़साहट भी वो सुन लेते थे,
अब नहीं पहुंचती उन तक मेरी सदा।

आती हैं वो सब शरारतें याद,
पेड़ से तोड़े आम का अलग था स्वाद,
क्या लुत्फ था उन हरकतों का,
हालांकि बहुत मार खाई उनके बाद।

क्या अजब खेल था लुकन छिपाई।
कब दिन शुरू हुआ और कब रात आयी,
सब सांझेदारी में बराबर के हकदार थे,
न कोई चीज़ अपनी, न कोई चीज़ परायी।

लगता न था वो प्यारे दिन गुज़र जाएंगे,
तिनके तिनके से बनाये घरोंदे बिखर जाएंगे,
ज़िन्दगी की ऊंचाईयां चढ़ने की ख्वाइश में,
जहां चढ़े बैैठे थे वहीं से उतर जााएंगे।

काश रोक लेते वो दिलकश समां,
हम सब संग संग थे उस जगह जहां,
ढूंढते फिरते हैं उस बीते ज़माने को,
कोई तो बता दो वो बचपन गया है कहां।

Please enjoy: Haay re woh din kyun na aaye…

I hope you liked my choice of Song #10 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #11 – Listen to the pouring rain.

Beautiful Duet Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

On 03 Feb 2021, I gave you Beautiful Duet #9 – Tujhe jeevan ki dore se. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #10
Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon

Remembering Rishi Kapoor on His First Birth Anniversary After His Death on 30th April This Year

The Year 1973 saw two significant events. The first one took place in the month of my birthday, June, that is. I joined the Indian Navy. This, changed my life forever.

The next was on 28th Sep when a movie on young love titled Bobby was released. It changed many things. It actually changed the way we looked at movies. For once, the lead actors really looked of college going age rather than what we had to make do with so far, eg, Rajendra Kumar being a college boy in Dhool Ka Phool in his thirties (the duet being Tere pyar ka aasra chahta hoon). Of course, Mala Sinha was seven years younger but she always had that quality of not looking like a girl.

It changed the lives of lead actors Rishi Kapoor (in his first lead role) and Dimple Kapadia in her debut role.

Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal

Bobby changed the way songs were made. Songs became all about youth, freshness and adolescent imagination like this one.

Both Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal pioneered this movement.

Indeed, another young love song that made waves was the Ek Duje Ke Liye song: Solah baras ki baali umr ko salaam.

Lets face it. They had it in them to think young.

For this movie, I had to choose from as many as three songs. The first one: Mujhe kuchh kehna hai (their first time to say I Love You), the second one: Na maangun sona chandi (declaration of vows) and then this that takes one’s imagination to a new height.

Nowadays, it is common for duets to be made like this. However, Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal were the path breakers.

The Movie – Bobby

Raj Kapoor was always ahead of his times. Some of his movies that failed commercially were later regarded as classics.

However, in this case, it also became one of the top twenty grossing movies of all times in India.

He named his son (both Raj Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor insisted that the movie wasn’t made to launch him but that he wanted to make a young-love movie and couldn’t afford Rajesh Khanna) by his own name: Raj Nath (Nath was taken from the name of his brother-in-law, Prem Nath! She (Dimple Kapadia) was named Bobby Braganza daughter of Prem Nath and Durga Khote as Mr & Mrs Braganza. Their Goan fishermen background suited Pyarelal immensely as he learnt his favourite instrument violin from a Goan musician Anthony Gonsalves (I have already spoken about it elsewhere).

The Duet – The Lyrics

Hats off to Anand Bakshi for having thought of these. Shailendra Singh sang for Rishi Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar sang for Dimple Kapadia:

बाहर से कोई अन्दर न आ सके
अन्दर से कोई बाहर न जा सके
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो

हम तुम, इक कमरे में बन्द हों
और चाभी खो जाये
तेरे नैनों के भूल भुलैय्या में
बॅबी खो जाये
हम तुम   ...

आगे हो घनघोर अन्धेरा
    - बाबा मुझे डर लगता है
पीछे कोई डाकू लुटेरा
    - उँ, क्यों डरा रहे हो
आगे हो घनघोर अन्धेरा
पीछे कोई डाकू लुटेरा
उपर भी जाना हो मुशकिल
नीचे भी आना हो मुशकिल
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
हम तुम कहीं को जा रहे हों
और रस्ता भूल जाये
तेरे बैंय्या के झूले में सिंय्य्या
बॅबी झूल जाये
हम तुम   ...

बस्ती से दूर, परबत के पीछे
मस्ती में चूर घने पेड़ों के नीचे
अन्देखी अन्जानी सी जगह हो
बस एक हम हो और दूजी हवा हो
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
हम तुम एक जंगल से गुज़रे
और शेर आ जाये
शेर से कहूँ तुमको चोड़ के
मुझे खा जाये
हम तुम   ...

ऐसे क्यों खोये हुए हो
जागे हो कि सोये हुए हो
क्या होगा कल किसको खबर है
थोड़ा सा मेरे दिल में ये डर है
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
सोचो कभी ऐसा हो तो क्या हो
हम तुम, यूँ ही हँस खेल रहे हों
और आँख भर आये
तेरे सर की क़सम तेरे ग़म से
बॅबी मर जाये
हम तुम   ...

I love the second stanza most as she wears yellow in that (my favourite colour). Please do note that he always is in jacket and muffler etc appropriate for the chilly weather in the hills and she is always skimpily dressed as the heat of the Love keeps her adequately warm!

Please enjoy: Hum tum ek kamre mein band hon aur chaabi kho jaaye…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #10.

Please await Beautiful Duet #11- Teri duniya se door chale hoke majboor.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #8 – Mujhe tumase kuchh bhi na chahiye in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #8.

Song #9
Aapke pehlu mein aake ro diye
Theme-word: Zindagi ne kar diya jab bhi udaas, Aa gaye ghabra ke hum manzil ke paas.

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan and Madan Mohan

After Shakeel Badayuni, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan happens to be my second most favourite Lyricist. After Shakeel, my blog has the second largest posts on him. The other day when I put up a song penned by him and composed by Madan Mohan: Lag jaa gale ke phir, and it came out that just one You Tube video of the song was seen by 17 Crores people, I commented that a time would come when it would perhaps be easier counting people who don’t like this song.

He is the one who is credited with introducing the word ‘Aap’ in his songs; eg, in the mukhada of this song and Phir aapke naseeb mein ye raat ho no ho in Lag jaa gale song.

All his songs were beautifully worded even though he started at a relatively young age for a lyricist (he wasn’t yet 17 when he wrote Mera Sundar sapna beet gaya for Geeta Dutt to sing on SD Burman’s comosition. He died young at the age of just 37 years.

Madan Mohan was the maestro of music and created immortal songs penned by Raja, Rajinder Krishan and Kaifi Azmi.

In the same 1966 Raj Khosla movie Mera Saaya, a song he wrote in Raag Bhimpalasi was adored by the singer Lata Mahgeshkar as one of the best in raaga songs composed by her “Madan bhaiya”.

Raja and Madan Mohan created the following unforgettable songs for this movie:

1. Mera saaya sath hoga.
2. Jhumka gira re.
3. Naino mein badra chhaye.
4. Aapke pehlu mein aake.
5. Naino wali ne.

Raj Khosla and Mera Saaya

This was the third movie of Raj Khosla with his favourite heroine Sadhana, after Ek Mussafir Ek Haseena and Woh Kaun Thi? He topped it with another one: Anita in which, as with Woh Kaun Thi, Bozo acted opposite Sadhana.

Actually Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya and Anita belong to the trilogy by Raj Khosla of movies that were based on Sadhana as the main protagonist.

In this too, Sunil Dutt is madly in love with his wife Sadhana and she dies in front of him and then there is another Sadhana who claims to be his wife!

Mohammad Rafi and Madan Mohan

Only in Jehan Ara and Dekh Kabira Roya, Madan Mohan took Talat and Manna Dey to sing the male songs. Otherwise, Rafi has never failed him and created memorable songs such as Main ye soch kar uske dar se utha tha, Teri aankhon ke siwa duniya mein rakha kya hai, Main nigahen tere chehre se uthayun kaise, Rang aur noor ki baraat kise pesh karun, Yeh duniya yeh mehfil mere kaam ki nahin, Kabhi na kabhi kahin na kahin koi na koi to aayega, Mujhe le chalo aaj us gali, Sawan ke mahine mein, and Do ghadi woh jo paas aa baithe.

This one happens to be one of the best of the pair.

My Own Poetry

Aapke Pyar Mein Hamen Kya Mila?

आपके प्यार से क्या कुछ है हमें मिला,
फिर भी हमारे लबों पे शिकवा ना कोई गिला।

हम सोचते रहे आपसे मिलेगी जन्नत-ए-मोहब्बत,
क्या पता था ग़मों का शुरू होगा सिलसिला।

परछाईयां, तन्हाईयां, रुसवाईयाँ यूँ बढ़ती गयीं,
ना जाने जाम-ए-उल्फत में तूने क्या दिया पिला।

चले थे साथ तेरे, खुशी का बनाने कारवां,
उदासियों ने यकायक शामिल किया यह काफिला।

रास्ते कई थे प्यार की मंज़िल पाने के लिए,
हर रास्ता इधर उधर से तुझसे ही जा कर मिला।

मांगते रहे खुदा से कई तरह की मन्नते,
मेहरबानी तेरीे क्या कुछ तूने दिया दिला।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Aapke pehlu mein aake ro diye…

आपके पहलू में आकर रो दिए – 2
दास्तान ए गम सुनाकर रो दिए
आपके पहलू में आकर रो दिए

ज़िंदगी ने कर दिया जब भी उदास
आ गये घबरा के हम मंज़िल के पास
सर झुकाया, सर झुकाकर रो दिए
आपके पहलू में आकर रो दिए

शाम जब आँसू बहातिई आ गई – 2
हर तरफ गम किी उदासी छ्छा गई
डीिप यादों के जलाकर रो दिए
आपके पहलू में आकर रो दिए

गम जूदाइ का सहा जाता नहीं
आपके बिन अब रहा जाता नहीं
प्यार में क्या-क्या गँवाकर रो दिए
दास्तान ए गम सुनाकर रो दिए
आपके पहलू में आकर रो दिए

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #9 in the series.

Please await Song #10 –  Dil ye bechain ve. 

Raat or Din Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #9 in the series. I hope you liked Song #8 – Mujhe kuchh kehna hai.

Song #9
Awaaz de kahan hai

My Most Memorable Description of Raat

First of all let me tell you that I could have included this in today’s Beautiful Duets Series as well as Raat or Din Songs Series. However, in keeping with my policy of never posting one song where two would suffice, I put up this under the Raat or Din Songs Series.

My most memorable and enchanting description of Raat is in this iconic song.

This is by Tanvir Naqvi as lyricist pairing with Naushad Ali as composer one year before Naushad was to pair with Shakeel Badayuni:

आवाज़ दे कहाँ है
दुनिया मेरी जवां है
आबाद मेरे दिल में उम्मीद का जहां है
दुनिया मेरी जवां है…

आ रात जा रही है
यूँ जैसे चांदनी की
बारात जा रही है
चलने को अब फलक से
तारों का कारवाँ है
ऐसे में तू कहाँ है
दुनिया मेरी जवां है…

किस्मत पे छा रही है
क्यों रात की स्याही
वीरान है मेरी नींदें
तारों से ले गवाही
बर्बाद मैं यहाँ हूँ
आबाद तू कहाँ है
बेदर्द आसमां है
आवाज़ दे कहाँ है…

The Night Songs Best Composer

Of course, we remember Naushad Ali as the best composer of a night song that still enchants us as no other Raat song: Suhaani raat dhal chuki naa jaane tum kab aayoge. It was for the 1949 movie Dulari and put together by Shakeel Badayuni, Naushad and Mohammad Rafi singing for Suresh picturised with a mandolin.

This Song and Noor Jehan

She earned the sobriquet of Malika – e – Tarannum (Queen of Melody) and we all know that this song was largely responsible for getting her this title. Indeed, for a number of years this song became her identity.

There are many who feel that if Noor Jehan hadn’t emigrated to Pakistan, she would have given a great competition to Lata Mangeshkar. Many feel that she had a better range of singing than Lata.

The Movie – Anmol Ghadi

This 1946 movie was directed by the great Mehboob Khan (Mother India and Andaz). It starred Noor Jehan, Suraiya and Surendra. This song was sung by Noor Jehan and Surendra (one stanza each) for themselves.

The other two songs of the movie that became popular are: Jawan hai mohabbat haseen hai zamaana and Mere bachpan ke saathi mujhe bhool na jaana.

Interestingly the character that Noor Jehan played in the movie was Lata!

My Own Poetry

Alvida!

वक़्त की आंधी में क्या क्या हुआ बर्बाद,
सुहाने प्यार की फ़क़त रह गयी है याद I

उनकी मायूसी को मैं खुशग्वार करता गया,
रफ्ता रफ्ता मेरी ही ज़िन्दगी बन गयी नाशाद I

मेरी वफाओं ने आखिर मान ली हार अपनी,
उनकी जफ़ाएं रहीं बुलंद और ज़िंदाबाद I

मैंने सोचा था उनकी खुदी आजज़ी में बदल जायेगी,
मेरे होते न सही, कम अज़ कम मेरे जाने के बाद I

अलविदा मेरे हसीन हमसफ़र ओ हमनवाज़,
जहाँ भी रहो, रहो खुशदिल और मवाद I

रुख़सत के वक़्त यह दुआ उनके साथ रहे, रवि,
हर ग़म, हर उदासी, हर बेकसी से वह रहें आज़ाद I

Please enjoy: Awaaz de kahan hai…

I hope you liked my choice of Song #9 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #10 – Haay re wo din kyun na.

Beautiful Duet Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 23 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

On 03 Feb 2021, I gave you Beautiful Duet #8 – Rimjhim ke taraane leke. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #9
Tujhe jeevan ki dore se

Remembering Sadhana on Her Birth Anniversary 02 Sep

She was born on this day in 1941. On the Christmas Day in 2015, when we lost her, I wrote a post here titled: ‘Sadhana – Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin!‘ Some of you may like to go through it.

The Magic of Shankar Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri Songs

My Facebook  group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne owes its name to a Shankar Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri song picturised on Dev Anand and Usha Kiran.

S-J gave a new lift to Dev Anand songs; Yaad kiya dil ne is an exception being serious romantic number. Their typical songs were the ones that focused on Dev Anand’s ebullience or effervescent nature. This song from Asli Naqli has it.

Somehow S-J made people believe in the magic of young love, however adverse were the circumstances. Their compositions and music for several Dev Anand songs reflected this; Sau saal pehle and Ek but banayunga.

In this too, here is a bus being driven by him (trust Hrishikesh Mukherjee to get these details right!). Now a bus is a difficult vehicle to drive and it is symbolic here. There is only one passenger: Sadhana. They get down from the bus and Hasrat Jaipuri and S-J take over. Suddenly, the entire atmosphere changes to ebullience, romance, hope and promise. All problems are forgotten and lightheartedness takes over.

Tell me how many lyricist-composer combines would have got this right? I am sure Hrishikesh Mukherjee would have been eternally grateful to them for the song.

And then there are Rafi and Lata. Rafi never sang like Rafi. He had different styles of singing for different actors. Here he is so typically Dev Anand. As far as Lata is concerned, some of the best songs of Lata are picturized on Sadhana and so is this one.

Any which way you look at it, it is a near perfect duet.

Please enjoy: Tujhe jeevan ki dore se baandh liya hai…..
(and see if you can leave the ‘bus full of your problems’ behind and go tripping with them where no bus can ever take you!)

रफ़ी: तुझे जीवन की डोर से, बाँध लिया है, बाँध लिया है
तेरे ज़ुल्म-ओ-सितम, सर आँखों पर
लता: मैने बदले में प्यार के, प्यार दिया है, प्यार दिया है
तेरी खुशियाँ और गम, सर आँखों पर
रफ़ी: तुझे जीवन की ...

(अप्सरा कोई आए तो देखूँ नहीं   
कोई बहकाये हंसके तो बहकूँ नहीं   ) - २
तोरे मतवारे नैनों ने, जादू किया
ओ ... तोरे मतवारे नैनों ने, जादू किया
तेरी उल्फ़त सनम सर आँखों पर ... 

(मेरे जीवन की अनमिट कहानी है तू
मेरी तक़दीर और ज़िंदगानी है तू  ) - २
लिये फ़िरते हैं सबसे छुपाये हुए
ओ ... लिये फ़िरते हैं सबसे छुपाये हुए
तेरी तसवीर हम सर आँखों पर ...

चाँड सूरज भी हैं तेरी परछाइयाँ
तुझ से रोशन हुई दिल की गहराइयाँ
तेरे चेहरे की झिलमिल से मंज़िल मिली
ओ तेरे चेहरे की झिलमिल से मंज़िल मिली
ऐसी प्यारी पूनम सर आँखों पर ...

(दोनो): तुझे जीवन की डोर से, बाँध लिया है, बाँध लिया है
तेरे ज़ुल्मो-सितम, सर आँखों पर

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #9.

Please await Beautiful Duet #10- Hum tum ek kamre mein band.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Oct 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

I hope you liked my choice for Song #7 – Dil aaj shayar hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #8.

Song #8
Mujhe tumse kuchh bhi na chahiye
Theme-word: Main yeh bhool jayunga zindagi kabhi muskrayi thi pyar mein

The Complete Team of Raj Kapoor Movies Songs

It wasn’t a Raj Kapoor movie; only a Raj Kapoor and Nutan starrer (the pair of Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie Anari) and yet the team of Raj Kapoor for songs was there: Shankar Jaikishan to compose and provide music, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri to write the lyrics (this was penned by Shailendra) and Mukesh as the singing voice of Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar for the heroine. They did a very good job. Look at some of the songs they made:

1. Ruk jaa O jaanewali ruk jaa (a song Raj Kapoor addressed to his liquor bottle!)
2. No baliye rut hai bahar ki.
3. O Kanhaiya, aaj aana khwab mein.
4. Yaad aayi adhi raat ko.
5. This song.

Movie Directed by Om Prakash

At times, many actors have tried their hands at direction. This movie had a story penned by Om Prakash and he also directed the movie. Dialogues were written by DN Madhok, the first generation lyricist in India.

Look at the story he wrote: Shanno (Nutan) is devoted to Krishna. Since one of Krishna’s 108 names is Kanhaiya, when she wanders into the forest looking for Kanhaiya, she meets Raj Kapoor as Kanhaiya and assumes that he is the Krishna she is devoted to. The villagers feel Shanno and Kanhaiya are in love and must get married. She is only too happy to be married to the object of her worship; only to realise that this Kanhaiya is a drunkard. She refuses to marry the lout.

What a story!

The story obviously takes a turn for Raj Kapoor to be enacting this song.

The Lyrics

मुझे तुम से कुछ भी न चाहिये
मुझे मेरे हाल पे छोड़ दो
मुझे मेरे हाल पे छोड़ दो
मेरा दिल अगर कोई दिल न था
उसे मेरे सामने तोड़ दो
मुझे तुम से कुछ भी …

मैं ये भूल जाऊँगा ज़िंदगी
कभी मुस्कुरायी थी प्यार में
मैं ये भूल जाऊँगा मेरा दिल
कभी खिल उठा था बहार में
जिन्हें इस जहाँ ने भुला दिया
मेरा नाम उन में ही जोड़ दो
मुझे तुम से कुछ भी …

तुम्हें अपना कहने की चाह में
कभी हो सके न किसी के हम
यही ददर् मेरे जिगर में है
मुझे मार डालेगा बस ये ग़म
मैं वो गुल हूँ जो न खिला कभी
मुझे क्यों न शाख़ से तोड़ दो
मुझे तुम से कुछ भी …

My Own Poetry

Toofan Se Hoon Anjaan

बात कहने से बात निकल आती है,
न कहूं तो बात बन जाती है।
बाहर तूफ़ान आने को है लेकिन,
अंदर धड़कन खामोश हुई जाती है।

इश्क़ की हवाएं तेज़ हुआ करती थीं,
लहरें उमड़ कर उनका ही दम भरती थीं।
दिल की रगें मेरी तो थीं लेकिन,
लगता था वह उनसे कुछ डरती थीं।

और फ़िर वह मुकाम भी आया,
ज़िन्दगी ने इस कदर हमें आजमाया।
जैसे दोनों के बीच आ गया हो,
भूले हुए ज़ख्मों का कोई साया।

क्या खबर उनको हो गया हूं दूर तूफ़ान से,
जैसे साहिल पे पत्थर पड़े हों बेजान से।
इन्सान तो इन्सान है लेकिन,
मैं तो बेरुख हुआ हूं भगवान से।

रहने दो यादों के शोलों को राख में,
पड़ा रहने दो मुझे वक़्त की ख़ाक में।
नहीं लगते हैं वह फूल कभी दोबारा,
एक बार टूट जो गए उस हरी शाख से।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Mujhe tumse kuchh bhi pnaa chahiye…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #8 in the series.

Please await Song #9 –  Aapke pehlu mein aake. 

Raat or Din Songs Series

I started this series on my Facebook group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne on 18 Aug 20. Since then, many other members have put up these songs. Here, I shall be giving you one of my own, per day.

This is the Song #8 in the series. I hope you liked Song #7 – Lag jaa gake ke phir.

Song #8
Mujhe kuchh kehna hai
Theme-word: Mujhe raat-din nahin koi kaam, Kabhi teri yaad kabhi tera naam.

Remembering Rishi Kapoor on His First Birth Anniversary 30 Sep After His Death on 30th April This Year

First Expression of Love

Raj Kapoor produced and directed the 1973 movie Bobby about young love between Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia (both in their debut roles as adults; Rishi Kapoor had acted as the child Raj Kapoor in Mera Naam Joker).

Love is never a reasoned emotion. You don’t step into Love; you fall into it; the word fall would indicate that you can’t control it. It rushes blood to various parts of your body (especially face and you are flush with it). Because of this physical phenomenon, Love got associated with Heart! Believe me, it is a medical fact.

So, then, you are in Love and you have this blood rushing everywhere. What do you do? Sharmila Tagore in her debut role at an age younger than Dimple said philosophically: “Mohabbat jo karte hain woh muhabbat jatate nahin, Dhadakne apni dil ki kabhi kisi ko batate nahin.”

With Rishi Kapoor and Dimple they changed everything; it became all about saying it (earlier it used to be: Mujhe tumase muhabbat hai magar main keh nahin sakta!) They now had things to say to each other. Of course, Rishi Kapoor went several steps ahead with Nitu Singh in Khel Khel Mein by insisting: Khullam khulla pyar karenge hum dono; the new young style. Sharmila Tagore would have died of mortification and made Sumedha Nair very happy that the one who acted more horribly than her idol Manoj Kumar was got rid of before she dislodged Manoj Kumar from his #1 Position!

The Song – The Lyrics

Once again, Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal made this song as Lyricist and Music Director. Raj Kapoor had vowed never to make movies without his favourite Shankar and Jaikishan. However, Jaikishan had died in end 1966 after the commercial failure of Teesri Kasam for which Raj Kapoor was indirectly responsible. Hence, LP, the MD of Satyam Shivam Sundaram stepped in here too.

Once again, Shailendra Singh sang for Rishi Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar for Dimple Kapadia.

Beautiful lyrics:

मुझे कुछ कहना है
मुझे भी कुछ कहना है
पहले तुम, पहले तुम

देखो, जिस तरह लखनऊ के दो नवाबों की गाड़ी
पहले आप, पहले आप, पहले आप
पहले आप करते निकल गयी थी
उस तरह हमारी पहले तुम, पहले तुम, पहले तुम
पहले तुम में ये मस्ती भरी रूठ ना चली जाए

अच्छा, मै कहती हूँ
अक्सर कोई लड़की इस हाल मे
किसी लड़के से सोलहवें साल मे
जो कहती है वो मुझे कहना है

अक्सर कोई लड़का इस हाल मे
किसी लड़की से सोलहवें साल मे
जो कहता है वो मुझे कहना है
अक्सर कोई लड़की…

ना आँखों में नींद, ना दिल में करार
यही इंतज़ार, यही इंतज़ार
तेरे बिना कुछ भी अच्छा नहीं लगता
सब झूठा लगता है, सच्चा नहीं लगता
ना घर में लगे दिल, ना बाहर कहीं पर
बैठी हूँ कहीं पर, खोयी हूँ कहीं पर
अरे कुछ ना कहूँ, चुप रहूँ
मै नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं पर
अब मुश्किल चुप रहना है
मुझे कुछ कहना है…

मुझे रात दिन नहीं और काम
कभी तेरी याद, कभी तेरा नाम
सब रंग दुनिया के फीके लगते हैं
एक तेरे बोल बस मीठे लगते हैं
लिखे हैं बस तेरे सजदे इस ज़मीं पर
जिंदा हूँ मैं तेरी बस हाँ पर नहीं पर
अरे कुछ ना कहूँ, चुप रहूँ
मै नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं पर
अब मुश्किल चुप रहना है
मुझे कुछ कहना है…

मिले हमको फूल के कांटें मिले
वहाँ जा बसे, वहाँ जा रहे
तुझे मिलने में जहाँ डर ना हो कोई
पिया के सिवाय दूजा घर ना हो कोई
क्या ऐसी जगह है कोई इस ज़मीं पर
रहने दे बात को यहाँ पर, यहीं पर
अरे कुछ ना कहूँ, चुप रहूँ
मै नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं नहीं पर
अब मुश्किल चुप रहना है
मुझे कुछ कहना है…

Please enjoy: Mujhe kuchh kehna hai…

I hope you liked my choice of Song #8 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #9 – Awaz de kahan hai.