Author: Sunbyanyname

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 #18 – Aaj purani raahon se in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #19.

Song 19
Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba
Theme-word: Teri ik nigaah ki baat hai, Meri Zindagi ka sawaal hai

Excellence of Lyrics

Majrooh was from that part of Uttar Pradesh that produced some of the greatest lyricists in Hindi movies: Kaifi from Azamgarh, Shakeel from Badayuni and he himself from Sultanpur. Many many years later, politically, it was said that the winners in UP normally made the government at the centre. That was the effect of people in that part of the world both poetically and politically.

By writing the theme-word line, Mahrooh simply made us understand why he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest in cinematic excellence, given by the government of India.

So, why just the theme-word line, with the superb use of Zindagi being compared to her one look, lets, at the outset, go through the lyrics:

तुझे क्या सुनाऊँ मैं दिलरुबा
तेरे सामने मेरा हाल है
तेरी इक निगाह की बात है
मेरी ज़िंदगी का सवाल है

मेरी हर ख़ुशी तेरे दम से है
मेरी ज़िंदगी तेरे ग़म से है
तेरे दर्द से रहे बेख़बर
मेरे दिल की कब ये मज़ाल है

तेरे हुस्न पर है मेरी नज़र
मुझे सुबह शाम की क्या ख़बर
मेरी शाम है तेरी जुस्तजू
मेरी सुबह तेरा ख़याल है

मेरे दिल जिगर में समा भी जा
रहे क्यों नज़र का भी फ़ासला
के तेरे बग़ैर ओ जान-ए-जां
मुझे ज़िंदगी भी मुहाल है

You would know that twice more Majrooh (Injured or Wounded) repeated Zindagi. What do you get out of this? He is thinking of Zindagi as something that is dependent on her, her gaze, her sorrow. You can’t be so aloof as to miss the excellence of lyrics.

Madan Mohan and Mohammad Rafi

With such beautiful lyrics, who is there to compose them? Well, the maestro: Madan Mohan himself. Recall what he did to Kaifi’s Main ye soch kar uske dar se utha tha? He transformed already great lyrics into something totally sublime. He did the same here.

And who is there to sing these? A man who could take ordinary lyrics and average compositions into great songs: Mohammad Rafi. And, if the lyrics are already great and composition already sublime, what does he do? According to me, he takes the song to a height that all other singers (without exception) cannot even imagine reaching.

Aakhri Dao – 1958 Movie

And now for the other relatively insignificant details. The song is from the 1958 Mahesh Kaul movie Aakhri Dao starring Nutan and Shekhar. He has been asked to sing in a picnic party and he sings, not to everyone, but only to her. She is uncomfortable with the revelation of his love for her in such intense words in front of everyone. You should see the way she looks and the way others, especially Shammi, looks at her.

My Own Poetry

Meri Zindagi Aapki Aankhon Tale

आपकी आँखों में मुझे वह झलक मिल जाती है,
ज़िन्दगी दफ़अतन और हसीन हो जाती है I

लोग देखते हैं प्यार दिलरुबा की आँखों में,
मुझे तो सारी कायनात नज़र आ जाती है I

ये आँखें नहीं हैं मेरी ज़िन्दगी की रहनुमा हैं,
ज़िन्दगी के मायने यकीनी मुझे समझाती हैं I

कई बार सोचता हूँ कह दूँ इनसे मैं दिल की बात,
क्या कहूं हया मेरी आंखों में छलक जाती है I

सबेरे का सूरज इनकी पलकें खुलने का इशारा है,
रात का अँधेरा पलक झुकने पे ले आती हैं I

ज़िन्दगी में लाखों ग़म इधर उधर बिखरे हों तो क्या,
ज़िन्दगी के सारे ग़म इनकी लौ भुलाती हैं I

मुझे अब इनके सिवा कुछ और न चाहिए, रवि,
जन्नत – ऐ – खुदा खुद बा खुद मिल जाती है I

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #19 in the series.

Please await Song #20 –  Zindagi mein aaya toofan.

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 #17 – Zindagi mein to sabhi pyar kiya karte hain in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #18.

Song #18
Aaj purani raahon se koi mujhe awaz na de
Theme-word: Jeevan badla, duniya badli, man ko anokha gyan mila

Shakeel, Naushad, Mohammad Rafi and Dilip Kumar

In an article on Best Hindi Songs about ten years ago (http://www.sunbyanyname.com/2011/12/27/the-best-of-old-hindi-songs-rafi-shakeel-naushad-and-dilip-kumar-together/), I had mentioned that the most memorable songs are the ones that have these four together.

It happened in this song and the movie Aadmi. Yesterday, on Chitragupta’s Birth Anniversary, I gave you a song in Beautiful Duet Series: Chand jaane kahan kho gaya. It was, I mentioned, for the 1962 A Bhimsingh movie Main Chup Rahungi. I had given you a list of movies directed by A Bhimsingh and mentioned that Aadmi of the year 1968 was one of them.

Aadmi – 1968 Movie

If 1962 movie Main Chup Rahungi was an AVM Production, ie, AV Meiyappan, this one was a PSV production, ie, PS Veerappa.

It starred Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, Pran (all of them had been in Dil Diya Dard Liya) and Bozo and Simi Grewal.

Just like Main Chup Rahungi, this too was a remake of a Tamil movie Aalayamani with Sivaji Ganesan doing the role that Dilip Kumar got.

Dilip Kumar is about to marry Waheeda Rehman and is paralysed (his acting on a wheelchair won him accolades). That’s the time he discovers that Waheeda is having an affair with Bozo. When he was small, Dilip Kumar had killed a boy who touched the doll of the girl he loved. Now, what was to happen!

This story enabled Shakeel and Naushad to give us the following songs:

1. “Aaj Purani Raahon Se Koi Mujhe Awaaz Na De” Mohammed Rafi
2. “Na Aadmi Ka Koi Bharosa” Mohammed Rafi
3. “Main Tooti Huyi Ek Naiya Hoon” Mohammed Rafi
4. “Kaisi Haseen Aaj Baharon Ki Raat Hai” Mohammed Rafi, Mahendra Kapoor
5. “Kal Ke Sapne Aaj Bhi Aana” Lata Mangeshkar
6. “Kaari Badariya Maare Nazariya” Lata Mangeshkar

Lyrics

Extraordinarily beautiful lyrics:

आज पुरानी राहों से, कोई मुझे आवाज़ न दे
दर्द में डूबे गीत न दे, गम का सिसकता साज़ न दे

बीते दिनों की याद थी जिनमें, मैं वो तराने भूल चुका
आज नई मंज़िल है मेरी, कल के ठिकाने भूल चुका
न वो दिल न सनम, न वो दीन-धरम
अब दूर हूँ सारे गुनाहों से

जीवन बदला दुनिया बदली, मन को अनोखा ज्ञान मिला
आज मुझे अपने ही दिल में, एक नया इनसान मिला
पहुँचा हूँ वहाँ, नहीं दूर जहाँ, भगवान की नेक निगाहों से

टूट चुके सब प्यार के बंधन, आज कोई ज़ंजीर नहीं
शीशा-ए-दिल में अरमानों की, आज कोई तस्वीर नहीं
अब शाद हूँ मैं, आज़ाद हूँ मैं, कुछ काम नहीं है आहों से

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Aaj purani raahon se…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #18 in the series.

Please await Song #19 –  Tujhe kya sunayun main dilruba.

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 #18 in the series. I hope you liked Song #17 – Dil jo na keh saka.

Song #18
Husn chala hai ishq se milne
Theme-word: In the next line: Chand chhupa aur taare doobe Raat ghazab ki aayi

Remembering Mahendra Kapoor on His Death Anniversary 27 Sep

So fond he was of his guru Mohammad Rafi that one day, as related by Annu Kapoor on Mastii channel in a late night show, he was being felicitated on stage for his singing skills. He noticed the son of Mohammad Rafi, his guru, sitting in the audience. He called him on stage, touched his feet, garlanded him and said, “How can I be felicitated in a function that has the presence of the son of my guru?”

Yesterday, some people shared on WhatsApp late SP Balasubramanyam’s video of his washing the feet of his guru Yesudas and a question was asked whether such humility was ever found elsewhere. Okay, I have given an example.

And what about Mohammad Rafi himself? He stood outside the studio of Naushad the whole night once so that the latter would give him the bus fare to go home. Naushad was overwhelmed and said, “You could have just come inside any time rather than waiting the whole night outside.” Shocked, Rafi responded, “How could I disturb you in your work?”

Mahendra Kapoor, of course, has quite a few anecdotes of his humility. He also has quite a few of his songs that are now iconic. Chalo ek baar phir se readily comes to mind. There are many others. This song is his best as far as singing skills are concerned.

Sohni Mehiwal

Everyone knows the legend of Sohni Mehiwal, a tragic romance of Punjab and I am not going to repeat it. On this night when Mahendra Kapoor sang this iconic song, she was to take the journey across the river on her clay pitcher that she used every night to meet Mehiwal, her lover. Sohni’s sister-in-law had already discovered the place where Sohni kept the pitcher and replaced it with a kuchcha one so that the love affair would be over once and for all. Sohni undertook the journey and drowned. Mehiwal saw her drowning and jumped into the river himself to save her. The river was in spate and he drowned too and united with her in death.

This particular incident is so popular in folk-lore that Shobha Singh of Andretta made his famous painting Sohni Mehiwal (now in Chandigarh Art Museuam). I have a copy of it in Whispering Winds, Kandaghat.

This 1958 film (from where I have taken up this song) was directed by Raja Nawathe and starred Bharat Bhushan and Nimmi as Mehiwal and Sohni.

The Song

Shakeel Badayuni wrote about Love only (others were all part of Progressive Writers Movement and had Communist leanings) and he seems to have put in his best in this. His mentor Naushad has composed it so well. It was to be high pitch throughout and Naushad must have felt that Mahendra Kapoor’s voice was better suited for it. And indeed it was. Here are the lyrics:

चाँद छुपा और तारे डूबे रात ग़ज़ब की आई
हुस्न चला है इश्क़ से मिलने ज़ुल्म की बदली छाई

टूट पड़ी है आँधी ग़म की, आज पवन है पागल
काँप रही है धरती सारी, चीख रहे हैं बादल
दुनिया के तूफ़ान हज़ारों, हुस्न की इक तनहाई

मौत की नागन आज खड़ी है राह में फन फैलाये
जँगल-जँगल नाच रहे हैं शैतानों के साए
आज ख़ुदा खामोश है जैसे भूल गया हो ख़ुदाई

घोर अँधेरा मुश्किल राहें, कदम-कदम पे धोखे
आज मोहब्बत रुक न सकेगी, चाहे ख़ुदा भी रोके
राह-ए-वफ़ा में पीछे हटना, प्यार की है रुस्वाई

पार नदी के यार का डेरा, आज मिलन है तेरा
ओढ़ ले तू लेहरों की चुनरी बाँध ले मौज का सेहरा
डोले में मँझधार के होगी आज तेरी विदाई

डूब के इन ऊँची लेहरों में नैय्या पार लगा ले
उल्फ़त के तूफ़ान में ज़िन्दा रहते हैं मरने वाले
जीते-जी संसार में किसने प्यार की मंज़िल पायी

तेरे दिल के खून से होगा लाल चेनाब का पानी
दुनिया की तारीख में लिखी जायेगी येह क़ुर्बानी
सोहनी और महिवाल ने अपनी इश्क़ में जान गँवायी
     
coda : Lata, Rafi 
हमारे प्यार के किस्से सुनाये जायेन्गे
येह गीत सारे ज़माने में गाये जायेन्गे
हम न होंगे फ़सान होगा (२)
आने वाले को आना होगा, जाने वाले को जाना होगा

Please enjoy: Husn chala hai ishq se milne…

I hope you liked my choice of Song #18 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #19 – Main rickshawala.

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.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #17 – Gum hai kisi ke pyar mein. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #18
Kajra mohabbat wala…

The Mastery of Omkar Prasad Nayyar

Some of the Hindi movies’ best duets and other songs were composed by him. His songs always ensured the success of movies such as Kashmir Ki Kali and Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon and Phagun.

He made the kind of songs that were on everyone’s lips whether Ek pardesi mera dil le gaya or Aao huzoor tumako sitaron mein le chalun or Aayiye meharbaan baithiye jaan-e-jaan.

Of course he delved in Raaga based songs too and these too are among the best in Hindi movies. His favourite was Raag Peelu; eg, Jayiye aap kahan jayenge from Mere Sanam.

When it came to Comedy and Farce, he excelled there too.

This song, a duet between Asha Bhosle (Op Nayyar’s favourite singer) and Shamshad Begum (another favourite with OPN) is downright comical. Biswajeet and Babita are running away from the goons and there is, luckily for them, a nautanki going on. He become the female part of the duet and Babita as the male part. The name of the movie was Kismet; a Manmohan Desai movie before Desai laughed all the way to the bank by making movies on lost brothers: if it is two, it is Dharam Veer, if it is three it is Amar Akbar Antony.

Asha Bhosle sang for Babita and Shamshad Begum sang for Biswajeet.

SH Bihari’s lyrics are just too good.

My Own Poetry

Here is another comical poem:

Haay Yeh Hai Kaisi Majboori?

अब तो पाबंदी लग गई है छूने पे और मिलने पे,
पर तुम तो पहले भी रहती थी मुझसे ऐसे ही दूर।
करोना को क्यूं दें हम इल्ज़ाम ए मुहब्बत,
उस से पहले भी हम रहे हैं ऐसे ही मजबूर।

यही लॉकडाउन यही अकेलापन यही तन्हाई थी,
तुम वहां अपने आप में, मैं यहां अपने ही संग।
तुमने कहां कभी वह चिलमन गिराई थी?
कभी देखा ना था मुलाकात का कोई रंग।

हम तो मरने के लिए भी बैठे थे तैयार,
एक बार मिलने की हसरत गर हो जाती पूरी।
सांस फूल जाती, चड़ जाता तुम्हारा ही बुखार,
वेंटिलेटर पे हमें रख लेना हो जाता ज़रूरी।

चलो किस्मत वाले हैं वह जिनके हो तुम करीब,
हमसे तो रखती हो गजब का सोशल डिस्टेंस।
हम भी उन लोगों की तरह हैं गरीब,
खुशी का जिनकी ज़िन्दगी में नहीं कोई इंस्टेंस।

Please enjoy: Kajra mohabbat Wala…

कजरा मुहब्बत वाला
अँखियों में ऐसा डाला
कजरे ने ले ली मेरी जान
हाय रे मैं तेरे क़ुरबान

दुनिया है मेरे पीछे,
लेकिन मैं तेरे पीछे
अपना बना ले मेरी जान
हाय रे मैं तेरे क़ुरबान
कजरा मुहब्बत वाला
अँखियों में ऐसा डाला
कजरे ने ले ली मेरी जान
हाय रे मैं तेरे क़ुरबान

आई हो कहाँ से गोरी
आँखों में प्यार ले के
आई हो कहाँ से गोरी
आँखों में प्यार ले के
चढ़ती जवानी की ये
पहली बहार ले के
दिल्ली शहर का सारा
मीना बाज़ार ले के
दिल्ली शहर का सारा
मीना बाज़ार ले के
झुमका बरेली वाला,
कानों में ऐसा डाला
झुमके ने ले ली मेरी जान,
हाय रे मैं तेरे
दुनिया है मेरे पीछे,
लेकिन मैं तेरे पीछे
अपना बना ले मेरी जान
हाय रे मैं तेरे क़ुरबान

मोटर न बंगला माँगूँ,
झुमका न हार माँगूँ
मोटर न बंगला माँगूँ,
झुमका न हार माँगूँ
दिल को जलाने वाले,
दिल का क़रार माँगूँ
सैय्याँ बेदर्दी मेरे,
थोड़ा सा प्यार माँगूँ
सैय्याँ बेदर्दी मेरे,
थोड़ा सा प्यार माँगूँ
किस्मत बना दे मेरी,
दुनिया बसा दे मेरी
कर ले सगाई मेरी जान,
हाय रे मैं तेरे
कजरा मुहब्बत वाला
अँखियों में ऐसा डाला
कजरे ने ले ली मेरी जान
हाय रे मैं तेरे क़ुरबान

जब से है देखा तुझको,
हो गए गुलाम तेरे
जब से है देखा तुझको,
हो गए गुलाम तेरे
अपना बना ले गोरी,
आएंगे काम तेरे
अपना ये जीवन सारा
लिख देंगे नाम तेरे
अपना ये जीवन सारा
लिख देंगे नाम तेरे
कुर्ता ये जाली वाला,
उसपर मोतियन की माला
कुर्ते ने ले ली मेरी जान,
हाय रे मैं तेरे

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #18.

Please await Beautiful Duet #19- O raat ke musaffir chanda.

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 #16 – Insaaf ki dagar pe in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #17.

Song #17
Zindagi mein to sabhi pyar kiya karte hain

Monument for the Love of a Woman

One is, of course, the physical one, the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the other is this ghazal penned by Pakistani poet Qateel Shefai and made famous by Mehdi Hassan.

The fact of the matter is that, historically, in Islam, the treatment of women has been anything but single minded devotion by men, thanks to an interpretation that men are allowed to have more than one wife (for the simple reason that Prophet Mohammad during the seventh century wars, seeing the plight of women whose husbands had died in the war, asked men to take such women in their shelter by marrying them even if they were already married. This was certainly not meant as a conjugal relationship (take, for example, Mohammad having married Fatima who was just a child) but, as an insurance to provide for these destitute women.

So, lets take the case of Shahjehan who erected Taj Mahal for Mumtaz. In 1607 he was engaged to Anjuman Banu Begum who was later to become Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen one of the Palace). They were only 14 years old when they got engaged and waited five years to get married. So, during this wait Shahjehan married Khandari Begum and got his first daughter through her. Before Mumtaz died, Shajehan married another eight women. So, it was nowhere near single minded devotion depicted poetically.

It is, therefore, most unlikely, that Qateel Shefai, in his poetry claimed that he would stay true to his beloved even after death. It is just a ghazal that is not proven by any of their actions.

In India, when a daughter is born blind, she is named Sunaina. A poor guy is named Daulat or Ameer Khan. Hence, I think, the ghazal is to be taken in that spirit.

Single-Minded Devotion

Single minded devotion, is, however, traditional in Indian and more specifically Hindu culture.

Hence, it is no surprise that this Qateel Shefai ghazal sung by Mehdi Hassan is popular in India. Have a look at the lyrics:

ज़िंदगी में तो सभी प्यार किया करते हैं
मैं तो मर कर भी मेरी जान तुझे चाहूँगा

तू मिला है तो यह अहसास हुआ है मुझको
यह मेरी उम्र मोहब्बत के लिये थोड़ी है
इक ज़रा सा ग़म-ए-दौरां का भी हक़ है जिस पर
मैंने वोह साँस भी तेरे लिये रख छोड़ी है
तुझ पे हो जाऊँगा क़ुर्बान तुझे चाहूँगा
मैं तो मर कर भी मेरी जान तुझे चाहूँगा

अपने जज़बात में नग़मात रचाने के लिये
मैंने धड़कन की तरह दिल में बसाया है तुझे
मैं तसव्वुर भी जुदाई का भला कैसे करूँ
मैंने क़िस्मत की लकीरों से चुराया है तुझे
प्यार का बनके निगहबान तुझे चाहूँगा
मैं तो मर कर भी मेरी जान तुझे चाहूँगा

तेरी हर चाप से जलते हैं ख़यालों में चराग़
जब भी तू आये जगाता हुआ जादू आये
तुझको छू लूँ तो फिर ऐ जान-ए-तमन्ना मुझको
देर तक अपने बदन से तेरी ख़ुशबू आये
तू बहारों का है उनवान तुझे चाहूँगा
मैं तो मर कर भी मेरी जान तुझे चाहूँगा

ज़िंअगी में तो सभी प्यार किया करते हैं
मैं तो मर कर भी मेरी जान तुझे चाहूँगा

Excellent poetry this, as far removed from reality as possible.

My Own Poetry

Meri Zindagi Aapki Aankhon Tale

आपकी आँखों में मुझे वह झलक मिल जाती है,
ज़िन्दगी दफ़अतन और हसीन हो जाती है I

लोग देखते हैं प्यार दिलरुबा की आँखों में,
मुझे तो सारी कायनात नज़र आ जाती है I

ये आँखें नहीं हैं मेरी ज़िन्दगी की रहनुमा हैं,
ज़िन्दगी के मायने यकीनी मुझे समझाती हैं I

कई बार सोचता हूँ कह दूँ इनसे मैं दिल की बात,
क्या कहूं हया मेरी आंखों में छलक जाती है I

सबेरे का सूरज इनकी पलकें खुलने का इशारा है,
रात का अँधेरा पलक झुकने पे ले आती हैं I

ज़िन्दगी में लाखों ग़म इधर उधर बिखरे हों तो क्या,
ज़िन्दगी के सारे ग़म इनकी लौ भुलाती हैं I

मुझे अब इनके सिवा कुछ और न चाहिए, रवि,
जन्नत – ऐ – खुदा खुद बा खुद मिल जाती है I

The Ghazal

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Zindagi mein to sabhi pyar kiya karte hain…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #17 in the series.

Please await Song #18 –  Aaj purani raahon se.

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 #17 in the series. I hope you liked Song #16 – Muskrao ke jee nahin lagta.

Song #17
Dil jo na keh saka, Wohi raaz-e-dil kehne ki raat aayi

A Rare Repeat

I had given you this song on 24 Oct 2018 as Song #95 in my Raaga Based Song of the Day series. This is, of course, in Raag Maru Bihag, Tal Kaherava.

Why Again Here?

We are putting up Raat or Din Songs with the theme-word occurring in either mukhada or antara. However, imagine a song that has been written on Raat itself; that special night in the lives of a couple in love. This is, indeed, the Raat song.

In its sensuous appeal, the only other song that comes anywhere close to it is the Mujhe Jeene Do song performed by Waheeda Rehman: Raat bhi hai kuchh bheegi bheegi chand bhi hai kuchh madham madham. Of course, Waheeda Rehman is a courtesan in that song and is expected to make it sensuous. Here, Meena Kumari, with the least movements and largely based on histrionics conveys the same (I am talking about the Lata Mangeshkar version that I am giving you today), if not more.

One can conclude that she is ravishing indeed and Pradeep Kumar is a very lucky man.

The Song’s Appeal

The song is from the 1965 Kalidas movie Bheegi Raat (Imagine having the theme-word in the title itself), which was a remake of the Hollywood movie An Affair To Remember.

Kalidas retained the same cast as was there in the 1962 Phani Majumdar movie Aarti: Meena Kumari in a triangle with Pradeep Kumar and Ashok Kumar and he even maintained some of the supporting cast as Shashikala and Rahendra Nath.

But, more than anything else, Kalidas maintained the Lyricist – Music Director pair of Majrooh Sultanpuri and Roshan. Here too Lata Mangeshkar sang for Meena Kumari and in the Pradeep Kumar version, Mohammad Rafi sang for him. (Some sites are erroneously crediting this song to Sahir Ludhianvi. To settle it once and for all, I played the movie and re-confirmed that Majrooh wrote the lyrics).

It is a beautiful night, the fire is on at three places, at least. One can see the visible fire but feel the invisible ones through the lyrics, notes and histrionics. Is it the raat to remember forever? Yes, of course. Is it similar to Roop tera mastana. Yes, of course except that it was many years before RTM.

Look at how expressive the lyrics are:

दिल जो ना कह सका
वही राज-ए-दिल, कहने की रात आई

नग्मा सा कोई जाग उठा बदन में
झनकार की सी थरथरी है तन में
प्यार की इन्हीं धड़कती फ़िज़ाओं में
रहने की रात आई…

अब तक दबी थी एक मौज-ए-अरमां
लब तक जो आई, बन गई हैं तूफां
बात प्यार की बहकती निगाहों से
कहने की रात आई…

गुज़रे ना ये शब, खोल दूँ ये जुल्फें
तुम को छुपा लूँ, मूँद के ये पलकें
बेक़रार सी लरज़ती सी छाँव में
रहने की रात आई…

My Own Poetry

Dil doesn’t say; but, dil always listens. Here is:

Hamare Dil Ka Geet

रातों के ख्वाब दिन में भी लगे आने,
तेरे प्यार में सनम हम हो गए दीवाने।
सांस रुकने लगी,
आंख झुकने लगी,
तन्हाई के पल भी अब बन गए सुहाने।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,
इसे दिल से सुन।

सेहरा में भी आ गयी बहार,
खिल उठा है मेरा घर संसार।
ठंडी ठंडी हवाएं,
भीगी भीगी फिजायें,
तेरा ही कर रही थी इंतज़ार।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,|
इसे दिल से सुन।

ज़िन्दगी भर रहेगा अपना साथ,
हमेशा रहेगा मेरे हाथों में तेरा हाथ।
बस यूँ ही यूँ है,
हर तरफ तूँ ही तूँ है,
जन्मों जन्मों की हमारी मुलाकात।
मुहब्बत की यह धुन,
इसे दिल से सुन।

Please enjoy: Dil jo na keh saka….

I hope you liked my choice of Song #17 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #18 – Husn chala hai ishq se milne.

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.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #16 – Ye wada karo chand ke saamne. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #17 for me
Gum hai kisi ke pyar mein

Indirect Expression of Love

During the olden days movie, it wasn’t a done thing to express Love openly (something that became a norm later by such songs as Khullam khulla pyar karenge hum dono). Men and women sought indirect means to do so such as Mujhe tumase mohabbat hai magar main keh nahin sakta. Indeed, one of the heart-warming duets from Aradhana had Rajesh Khanna trying his best to make Farida Jalal say it but she keeps saying Na na na na without saying it. Sharmila Tagore in Kashmir Ki Kali went to the extent of ticking off Shammi Kapoor by: Mohabbat jo karte hain woh mohabbat jatate nahin, Dhadkane apne dil ki kahin kisi ko sunate nahin. OP Nayyar went one step ahead and composed: Aap youn hi agar hamse milate rahe dekhiye ek din pyar ho jaayega (Song penned by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan who introduced Aap as a form of address in his songs).

I am sure you got the point that even for the year 1972 when Manmohan Desai made Raampur Ka Lakshman, it wasn’t a done thing to directly talk about Love. In both Mere Mehboob and Barsaat Ki Raat (the songs written respectively by Shakeel Badayuni and Sahir Ludhianvi), the hero had to indirectly address the expression of love for her hoping like hell that she’d understand. Luckily, both Sadhana and Madhubala more than understood.

Majrooh Sultanpuri and RD Burman

Majrooh was the reluctant lyricist (he never wanted to become one until Jigar Moradabadi coaxed him to). However, in his very first movie Shahenshah, in which AR Kardar and Naushad gave him a break, he came up with such memorable songs that the hero KL Saigal wanted one of these to be sung on his funeral (Jab dil hi toot gaya). No wonder that he became the first lyricist to be conferred with the highest award: Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He became a natural lyricist.

Here he is with RD Burman, the genius music director who gave us some memorable songs in various genre’s including Qawwali in Raag Kalawati in Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, serious songs in Aandhi, and pop songs that he mastered. This duet owes to him to come up with a tune that is still on everyone’s lips nearly five decades after the movie.

Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar

Kishore Kumar sang for Randhir Kapoor and Lata for Rekha. Whatever you do, you can’t get both playback singers out of your system. They are simply adorable. Don’t forget their Aandhi songs.

Lyrics

किशोर: गुम है किसी के प्यार में, दिल सुबह शाम
पर तुम्हें लिख नहीं पाऊँ, मैं उसका नाम
हाय राम, हाय राम

रंधीर: कुछ लिखा?
रेखा: हाँ
रंधीर: क्या लिखा?

लता: गुम है किसी के प्यार में, दिल सुबह शाम
पर तुम्हें लिख नहीं पाऊँ, मैं उसका नाम
हाय राम, हाय राम

रेखा: अच्छा, आगे क्या लिखूँ?
रंधीर: आगे?

किशोर: सोचा है एक दिन मैं उससे मिलके
कह डालूँ अपने सब हाल दिल के
और कर दूँ जीवन उसके हवाले
फिर छोड़ दे चाहे अपना बना ले
मैं तो उसका रे हुआ दीवाना
अब तो जैसा भी मेरा हो अंजाम

गुम है किसी के प्यार में, दिल सुबह शाम
पर तुम्हें लिख नहीं पाऊँ, मैं उसका नाम,
हाय राम, हाय राम

रंधीर: लिख लिया?
रेख: हाँ
रंधीर: ज़रा पढ़के तो सुनाओ

लता: चाहा है तुमने जिस बावरी को
वो भी सजनवा चाहे तुम्हीं को
नैना उठाए तो प्यार समझो
पलकें झुका दे तो इक़रार समझो
रखती है कब से छुपा छुपा के
रंधीर: क्या?
लता: अपने होंठों में पिया तेरा नाम

गुम है किसी के प्यार में, दिल सुबह शाम
पर तुम्हें लिख नहीं पाऊँ, मैं उसका नाम
हाय राम, हाय राम

My Own Poetry

Could I have become more indirect than this:

Yeh Kaisa Pyaar Hai?

जो कुछ भी हमारे बीच में है,
क्या इसी का नाम प्यार है?

बढ़ते बढ़ते कदम रुक गए,
यह दिल क्यूं यूं बेकरार है?

ज़रा अपने आप से पूछ के बता,
यह इज़हार है या इनकार है?

वक़्त थम क्यूं नहीं जाता,
क्यूं इतनी तेज़ इसकी रफ्तार है?

क्या इसके हाथों में कुछ भी नहीं?
क्यूं आदमी इतना लाचार है?

यह जो खंडहर खड़े हैं खामोश,
क्या इन्हीं का नाम बहार है?

इतने साल बीत गए हैं, चांद,
अभी भी मैं इधर और तू उस पार है?

कई बार सोचता हूं लौटा दूं उसे,
यह जो ज़िन्दगी उसकी उधार है।

क्या पता वो दिन आएगा के नहीं,
हमें कब से जिसका इन्तज़ार है?

Please enjoy: Gum hai kisi ke pyaar mein…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #17.

Please await Beautiful Duet #18- Kajra mohabbat wala.

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 #15 – Zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #16.

Song #16
Theme-word: Last line: Jeevan naya milega antim chita mein jal ke.

Best Children’s Song by a Poll

This was overwhelmingly voted as the Best Children’s Song in a poll in 2015. To imagine that the song occurred in the 1961 movie Gunga Jumna! Fifty four years later, it was still voted as the best! That says a lot about this song.

It was penned by Shakeel Badayuni, composed by Naushad Ali and sung by Hemant Kumar for the teacher Abhi Bhattacharya teaching a class in an open air class in a village in which children are studying.

Hindi Songs Depicting Ideals in Preamble to Constitution of India

In the year 2016, I included it as a song that depicts all the ideals contained in the Preamble to Constitution of India: Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Hats off to Shakeel Badayuni for having thought of that!

Please read all about it and listen to the song in:

http://www.sunbyanyname.com/2016/01/26/hindi-songs-depicting-ideals-in-preamble-to-constitution-of-india/

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #16 in the series.

Please await Song #17 –  Zindagi mein to sabhi pyar kiya karte hain.

I hope you liked my choice of Song #16 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #17 – Dil jo na keh saka.

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.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #15 – Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #16
Ye wada karo chand ke saamne

Love in Times of Enmity

Sohrab Modi’s 1956 movie Raj Hath (or Rajhath) revolved around two neighbouring empires whose animosity knows no limits. Their children Madhubala and Pradeep Kumar try to convert their enmity into love. I have already told you that if Love is anywhere, Hasrat Jaipuri is to be called and he’d do the needful in his lyrics.

This movie has, for example, another song penned by him that became one of the best of Mohammad Rafi (there are, indeed, quite a few of Mohammad Rafi’s popular songs songs that were penned by Hasrat Jaipuri. The song was: Aaye bahar ban ke lubha kar chale gaye. Madhubala was sent, dressed as a man into the territory of Pradeep Kumar to recover documents. In addition, she managed to steal his heart too.

Shankar Jaikishan

On one hand, Rajhath was all about Shams Lucknowi’s interesting story. On the other hand, in order to carry the story forward, Shankar Jaikishan composed some really memorable songs. The two songs that I mentioned are the best of the movie.

Madhubala and Pradeep Kumar

Sohrab Modi was a Dadasaheb Award winner. However, the only minus of the song is that he wasn’t able to bring out the kind of chemistry between Pradeep Kumar and Madhubala that should have existed on a Chand song.

One must see how Nandlal Jaswantlal was able to bring out in 1954 movie Nagin (on similar story of feud between neighbouring tribes) the chemistry between Pradeep Kumar and Vyjayanthimala.

I have, lately started looking at each aspect of the song and I think the song lacks good direction here. I saw Zikr hota hai jab qayamat ka and saw similar flaw plus average rendition by Mukesh.

Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh

Here, Mukesh and Lata both have sung it well and have proved that they were great duet singers. Chand as a witness was a common theme for lovers and they confided in Chand whilst talking about their Love.

Please enjoy: Ye waada karo chand ke saamne…

ये वादा करो चाँद के सामने
भुला तो न दोगे मेरे प्यार को
मेरे हाथ में हाथ दे दो ज़रा
सहारा मिलेगा मेरे प्यार को

ये चन्दा ये तारे तो छुप जायेंगे
मगर मेरी नज़रों से छुपना न तुम
बदल जाये दुनिया न बदलेंगे हम
निभाना ही होगा इस इक़रार को
ये वादा करो चाँद के सामने …

बहारों के साये में आ झूम लें
भुला दें ज़माने के ग़म आज तो
ज़माने के ग़म से हमें काम क्या
हमें तुम मिले और क्या चाहिये
कि हम छोड़ बैठे हैं संसार को
ये वादा करो चाँद के सामने …

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #16.

Please await Beautiful Duet #17- Gum hai kisi ke pyar mein.

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 #14 – Hum chhod chale hain mehfil ko in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #15.

Songs #15
Zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein lati hai mujhe

Happy Birthday Talat Aziz 10 Nov

He was born on this date in 1956 in Hyderabad. He started learning music from an early age. Jan Nisar Akhtar and Jagjit Singh were frequent guests to his family’s place.

This song from 1981 movie Umrao Jaan was one of his early successes. This was followed by his Bazaar (1982 movie) Phir chhidi raat baat phoolon ki.

He emerged as a ghazal maestro and has made good name for himself for singing both fiolmy and non-filmy ghazals.

Umrao Jaan – 1981 Movie

This was directed by Muzaffar Ali and is quoted as one of the best roles of Rekha.

The story is of 1840 when a girl named Amiran is kidnapped from Faridabad and sold to the brothel madam Khannum Jaan in Lucknow.

She becomes accomplished in writing shayari, singing and dancing and emerges as Umrao Jaan.

Farooq Sheikh as Nawab Sultan falls in love with her but later reveals that he must marry a gilrl of the choice of his parents.

This ghazal is sung by him to show his gratitude to Umrao Jaan for her love and care. It was penned by Shahryar and composed by Khayyam. Khayyam won both National and Filmfare Awards for the music and Rekha too won both the awards as Best Actress. The other songs of the movie as fondly remembered, if not more are:

1. Dil chhez kya hai aap meri jaan leejiye.
2. In aankhon ki masti ke.
3. Justuju jiski thi.
4. Yeh kya jagah hai dosto.

The Lyrics

ज़िंदगी जब भी तेरी बज़्म में लाती है हमें
ये ज़मीं चाँद से बेहतर नज़र आती है हमें

सुर्ख फूलों से महक उठती हैं दिल की राहें
दिन ढले यूँ तेरी आवाज़ बुलाती है हमें
ज़िंदगी …

याद तेरी कभी दस्तक कभी सरगोशी से
रात के पिछले पहर रोज़ जगाती है हमें
ज़िंदगी …

हर मुलाक़ात का अंजाम जुदाई क्यूँ है
अब तो हर वक़्त यही बात सताती है हमें
ज़िंदगी …

My Own Poetry

Yeh Bhi Jeena Hi To Hai

मरने के बारे में सोच कर,
ज़िन्दगी का ख्याल आ गया।
और जियें या ना जिएं,
फ़िर वही सवाल आ गया।

ज़िन्दगी गुज़र रही थी,
तहरीक ए हयात से मज़ूल।
फकत यही सोच के,
यूं ही उबाल आ गया।

आपको शायद लगता है,
मैं अभी भी जिंदा हूं।
जैसे ही खून ए दिल से,
रुख पे मलाल आ गया।

छोड़िए, रहने दीजिए,
जाने भी दीजिए इसे अब।
आख़िर में वक़्त यूं ही,
थोड़ी तेज़ चाल आ गया।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Zindagi jab bhi teri bazm mein laati hai hamen…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #14 in the series.

Please await Song #16 –  Insaaf ki dagar pe.

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.

Last time, I gave you Beautiful Duet #14 – Jeevan mein piya tera saath rahe. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #15
Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere, O chanda…

Dedication to the Composers of Millennium – Shankar Jaikishan

Shankar Jaikishan Foundation, Ahmedabad, particularly my friends Chirag Patel, Snehal Patel, Rajan Bedke, and Uday Joglekar are doing an outstanding job to make us forget Corona restrictions and giving us superb programmes of SJ songs to enjoy in Live Fests on Facebook and You Tube.

What is it about Shankar Jaikishan that doesn’t let a day go by when we don’t think of their remarkably beautiful music? The fact is that we can go on and on and still not do full justice to their mastery.

Recently, to them, I commented upon one attribute of theirs that, I think, stands out: it is to do with their imagining, in advance, the effect of their music on the common audiences in the halls.

Take me, for example, I gave you in this series and named a Music Group after what I feel is a perfect duet: Dil ki nazar se. This group is named after another memorable duet of theirs” Yaad kiya dil ne kahan ho tum.

Shailendra

Dil ki nazar se too was penned by him and Yaad kiya dil ne by Hasrat Jaipuri. Hats off to the team that Raj Kapoor made: Shankar Jaikishan, Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra; they never competed against one another but always complemented one another’s efforts. Whereas Hasrat Jaipuri would take you into romance, Shailendra would take you a little deeper until you feel your soul is connected to the emotions of the song. They are so many memorable songs that you sit entranced watching them.

Raj Kapoor and Nargis

He was 26 years old when this movie, Awaara, was shot and she was 21 years old. The way they have enacted the song makes them appear much younger. Of course, she in her ribbons actually gives the appearance of being with her first Love and he is amused that she’d choose an Awaara as her lover!

Look at the mastery of Shailendra; she is the one who wants Chanda (Moon) to look the other way whilst she loves him and he, the Chor (Thief) wants the Chanda to look their way so that he can be witness to their love! Only, Shailendra could have thought of something as unique as this: she as the thief for stealing his heart and he needing someone to stand witness to the act!

Outstanding indeed!

For me, being in the Navy, Nargis had already won my heart by being in a nautical shirt complete with anchors and their choosing to voice their love for the first time in a boat (compare this with another boat in Meena Kumari’s Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh and then Dil apna aur preet prayi.

Can’t let sea and boats get out of Love!

My most memorable in this is my fantasy song’s second stanza: Chand sa mukhada kyun sharmaya, hold your breath, also penned by Shailendra.

The Lyrics

लता: दम भर जो उधर मुँह फेरे
दम भर जो उधर मुँह फेरे, ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूंगी, बातें हज़ार कर लूँगी

दिल करता है प्यार के सजदे – २
और मैं भी उनके साथ
चाँद को चन्दा रोज़ ही देखे
मेरी पहली रात, हो … मेरी पहली रात
बादल में अब छुप जा रे ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर …

मुकेश: दम भर जो इधर मुँह फेरे
दम भर जो इधर मुँह फेरे, ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगा, नज़रें तो चार कर लूँगा

मै चोर हूँ काम है चोरी – २
दुनिया में हूँ बदनाम
दिल को चुराता आया हूँ मैं
येही मेरा काम, हो … येही मेरा काम
आना तू गवाही देने ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगा, नज़रें तो चार कर लूँगा

लता: दिल को चुराके खो मत जाना – २
राह न जाना भूल
इन कदमों से कुचल ना देना
मेरे दिल का फूल, हो … मेरे दिल का फूल
ये बात उन्हें समझा दे ओ चन्दा
मै उनसे प्यार कर लूँगी …

Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh

He has been the singing voice of Raj Kapoor even in Dil ki nazar se. Lata has sung here for Nargis and Dil ki nazar se for Nutan. The magic is the same.

My Own Poetry

Chand is my most favourite theme and here is why:

Chand Mere Liye Kya Hai?

कैसे बतायूँ किसीको चांद मेरे लिए क्या है,
चांदनी प्यार बन के बिखरी है उसी की तो दुआ है।

होने को ज़िन्दगी में बहुत कुछ हो चुका, लेकिन
जब जब चांद निकला, लगता तभी कुछ हुआ है।

उनकी आंखों में झलक उठती है किरण माहताब की,
मैं कुछ कहूँ तो कहते हैं जाईये यह सिर्फ हया है।

लोग कहते हैं सदियों से ऐसे ही उगता रहा है,
मेरे दिल में नज़र डालो, हर चांद कुछ नया है।

दिल के ख़ज़ाने रौशन हुए यह चांद की खिदमत है,
पूछते हैं वह चांद ने तुम्हें दिया ही क्या है।

तन्हाई में मुझे और मेरी कलम को इक सहारा मिला,
चांद न हो तो जीने में क्या मज़ा है।

डगमगाता हूँ चांदनी रातों में कुछ ऐसे, रवि,
जैसे चांदनी चांदनी नहीं इक अजब सा नशा है।

Please enjoy: Dum bhar jo udhar moonh phere…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #15.

Please await Beautiful Duet #16- Ye wada karo chand ke saamne.