Sunbyanyname

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 #56 – Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #57
Aankhon mein hamne aapke sapne sajaye hain

Khayyam

Mohammad Zahur Khayyam was born on 18 Feb 1927 in the village Rahon, near Nawanshahr. This is only 16 Kms away from where I was born some 17 years later. He became famous and I am writing about him.
He was the gentlest of the Music Directors we had; both in his compositions and in his nature. Raag Pahadi appears to be his favourite and there are movies like Noorie in which there are more than one song that he composed in Pahadi.

Ever wondered what he would have done to a duet? Of course, you know already since I have given you duet composed by him for the 1960 movie Shola Aur Shabnam: Jeet hi lenge baazi hum tum. Its gentle notes belie the boast in the lyrics penned by Kaifi Azmi.

Well, in order to quench your curiosity, I have taken a duet from the movie Thodisi Bewafai. It must rank among the gentlest duets ever made.

Thodisi Bewafai

This 1980 movie was written and directed by Esmayeel Shroff

and starred Rajesh Khanna and Shabana Azmi in the lead roles. Her brother rumoured to her that he was seen with another woman. Hence, she, Neema, left him, Arun, totally and went away with their son Abhinandan.

During their heydays, he was so enamoured with her that he dreamt about her even during work and this resulted in the diamond tiara that she wears in the duet breaking. This instantly made his father played by AK Hangal from being wealthy to impoverished.

Anyway, you know the importance of this duet in the movie.

This Duet

As if having Khayyam as the gentlest composer wasn’t enough, this song was penned by Gulzar who has made a name for himself for the sensitivity of his lyrics. The duet was sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar:

किशोर: आँखों में हमने आप के सपने सजाये हैं – २
पलकें उठा के आप ने जादू जगाये हैं
लता: सपना भी आप ही हैं हक़ीक़त भी आप हैं – २
बस आप आप आप ही मुझमें समाये हैं
किशोर: आँखों में हमने आप के सपने सजाये हैं

किशोर: आँखों का रंग ढूँढा हैं हीरे तलाश कर
दिल में सजायेंगे ये रंग यूँ ही उम्र भर
मुश्किल से ज़िंदगी के
मुश्किल से ज़िंदगी के, रंग हाथ आये हैं
आँखों में हमने आप के सपने सजाये हैं

लता: दोहराये जायेंगे ना ये लमहात अब कभी
सपनों में भी न छूटेगा ये साथ अब कभी
मिलती हैं ज़िंदगी जब आप मुस्कुराये हैं – २

लता: ये दिल कुछ ऐसे आप के सजदे में झुक गया
किशोर: नज़रे उठायी आप ने तो वक़्त रुक गया
लता: ठहरे हुए पलो में
ठहरे हुए पलो में, ज़माने बिठाये हैं
किशोर: आँखों में हमने आप के सपने सजाये हैं
लता: आ आ बस आप आप आप ही मुझ में समाये हैं
किशोर, लता: आँखों में हमने आप के सपने सजाये हैं

My Own Poetry

Sapne Mere Apne

सपनो का राही हूँ,
सपने ही तो मेरे हैं।
जब सपनो से आगे बढ़ा,
वो दिन फिर क्या तेरे हैं?
सपने ही तो उजाले हैं,
बाकी सब अंधेरे हैं।
तुझे रातों के साये पसंद हैं,
मेरे लिए सपने ही सबेरे हैं।
चंद दिन की यहां खुशियां हैं,
जाने कहाँ फिर डेरे हैं?
ज़िन्दगी के क्या माईने हैं?
दो चार रोज़ के फेरे हैं।
जी लेने दे अपनी ज़ुल्फ़ों तले,
जब तक इनके साये घनेरे हैं।

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Aankhon mein hamne aapke sapne sajaye hain….

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #57.

Please await Beautiful Duet #58 – Yun hi tum mujhse baat karti ho.

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 #54 in the series. I hope you liked Song #55 – Pyar par bas to nahin hai.

Song #58
Shaam-e-gham ki kasam
Theme-word: Ab to aaja ke ab raat bhi so gayi

Happy Birthday Dilip Kumar, 11 Dec 2020

He is 98 years old today and no doubt the entire country awaits to celebrate his hundredth birthday.

There is no doubt in my mind that he ruled the acting scene of Hindi films for decades. Like Mohammad Rafi, Shakeel and Naushad, there is no one to hold a mirror to him. His acting style was imitated (for example by Amitabh Bachchan). However, Dilip Kumar was and is head and shoulder above others.

Many years ago, I have gone on record in my blog that the best songs in Hindi movies were made by the quartet of Shakeel, Naushad, Rafi and Dilip Kumar.

That doesn’t mean that the others haven’t sung songs for him any less. Take Talat Mahmood, for example. You are bound to instantly agree with me that this song ranks among the best ever.

Talat Mahmood for Dilip Kumar

This is not the only gem that Talat sang for Dilip Kumar. There are, for example, others such as:

• Ai dil mujhe aisi jagah le chal.
• Seene mein sulagte hain armaan.
• Ye hawa ye raat ye chandni.
• Milte hi aankhen dil hua.

This Song

It is from the 1953 Zia Sarhadi movie Footpath that had Meena Kumari opposite Dilip Kumar.

As my friend Ashwani Sharma has brought out earlier, there is debate about how come the song is credited to be written by both Ali Sardar Jafri and Majrooh Sultanpuri. Here are the outstanding lyrics, the kind that leave you stunned:

शाम-ए-ग़म की क़सम आज ग़मगीं हैं हम
आ भी जा आ भी जा आज मेरे सनम
शाम-ए-ग़म की क़सम
दिल परेशान हैं रात वीरान हैं
देख जा किस तरह आज तनहा हैं हम
शाम-ए-ग़म की क़सम

चैन कैसा जो पहलू में तू ही नहीं
मार डाले न दर्द-ए-जुदाई कहीं
रुत हंसीं हैं तो क्या चाँदनी है तो क्या
चाँदनी ज़ुल्म है और जुदाई सितम
शाम-ए-ग़म की क़सम

अब तो आजा के अब रात भी सो गई
ज़िन्दगी ग़म के सेहराव में खो गई (२)
ढूँढती हैं नज़र तू कहाँ हैं मगर
देखते देखते आया आँखों में ग़म
शाम-ए-ग़म की क़सम

My Own Poetry

Woh Tum Na Thi

तुम वह नहीं हो जिस से मैं प्यार करता था,
आँखों में आँखें डाल के इज़हार करता था.

मेरी जुबां – ऐ – नब्ज़ पे था तेरी वफ़ा का नाम,
शौक – ऐ – ज़िन्दगी को सलाम सौ – बार करता था.

क्या आलम था वह अब भी दिल को खबर है,
सेहर से ही शब – ऐ – हुस्न का इंतज़ार करता था.

नाज़ुक लबों पे गर्मी – ऐ – जज़्बात थरथराते थे,
तेरी मासूमियत – ओ – नज़ाकत से न मैं इंकार करता था.

सुबह को जब तुम शाम कह के सुनाती थी,
तेरे सजदे में झुक के मैं इकरार करता था.

उल्फत -ऐ -ज़िन्दगी में वो मक़ाम भी आये,
जब तुम थी नहीं फिर भी तेरा दीदार करता था.

काश मैं समझ सकता तेरी दगा – बाज़ी का हुनर,
तुम वह कभी थी ही नहीं जिस से मैं प्यार करता था.

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Shaam-e-gham ki kasam…

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 #55 – Achha ji main haari chalo. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #56
Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke

Remembering Nadira on Her Birth Anniversary 05 Dec

She was born on this date in the year 1932. Her full name was Florence Ezekiel Nadira. As the name suggests, she was a Jew (of a Baghdadi Jewish family).

Aan, the first technicolor Indian movie, of 1952, made her suddenly have limelight. The movie was made by Mehboob Khan and she acted as a Rajput princess who would eventually fall in love with a commoner Dilip Kumar.

The movie was the first Indian movie to be released worldwide. Naturally, the movie relied heavily on the lyrics of Shakeel and Music of Naushad.

Shree 420

However, the Beautiful Duet that I have taken for you is from the 1955 movie Shree 420, produced and directed by Raj Kapoor. Main lead of the movie were Raj Kapoor and Nargis; Raj Kapoor coming into the city of Bombay from a village but soon learning that being a con man (420) was earning him good life.

The one person who helped him become a card-sharp was the high-society woman Nadira.

This Song

Raj Kapoor’s love with Nargis reminds him over and over again that he must leave his crooked ways and return to being a straight guy. However, such is not in Nadira’s interest. More so, since it is a New Year eve and lots of money van be made in card sharping.

Shailendra penned the excellent lyrics and it was composed by Shankar Jaikishan as a Waltzing number, appropriately for that night.
The song was sung by Asha Bhosle for Nadira and Manna Dey for Raj Kapoor.

The Lyrics

मुड़ मुड़ के न देख, मुड़ मुड़ के
ज़िंदगानी के सफ़र में तू अकेला ही नहीं है
हम भी तेरे हमसफ़र हैं

आये गये मंज़िलों के निशाँ
लहरा के झूमा झुका आसमाँ
लेकिन रुकेगा न ये कारवाँ
अह ह ह आ~~
मुड़ मुड़ के न देख …

मुड़ मुड़ के न देख, मुड़ मुड़ के
ज़िंदगानी के सफ़र में तू अकेला ही नहीं है
हम भी तेरे हमसफ़र हैं, हे!
मुड़ मुड़ के न देख …

नैनों से नैना जो मिला के देखे
मौसम के साथ मुस्कुरा के देखे
दुनिया उसीकी है जो आगे देखे
मुड़ मुड़ के न देख …

दुनिया के साथ जो बदलता जाये
जो इसके ढाँचे में ही ढलता जाये
दुनिया उसीकी है जो चलता जाये
मुड़ मुड़ के न देख …

My Own Poetry

Zindagi Kya Kya Sikhati Hai?

खुशी बढ़ती है बांटने से,
दर्द बांटने से घटता है,
गमगीन हों तो वक़्त बोझ है,
मुस्कराते बस यूं ही कटता है।

लेने से दौलत नहीं बढ़ती,
देने से हम होते हैं अमीर,
वो क्या गरीब जो किसी का ग़म खरीदे,
वो क्या अमीर जो बेच डाले ज़मीर?

क्या फायदा उस सच का,
जो किसी की ले ले जान,
क्यूं नफ़रत करें उस झूठ की,
जो आदमी को बना दे इंसान?

बहुत बोझ मिलते हैं उठाने को,
उठता नहीं बोझ गुनाहों का।
लोगों से तो नज़रें बचा लोगे,
क्या करिए अपनी अंदरूनी निगाहों का?

जो दूसरों के चुराएं ख्यालात,
वो तो बहुत मकबूल हैं,
वो बेचारे अकेले फिरते हैं
जिनकी अपनी तखील और असूल हैं।

सुनने देखने पे भी दोस्तो,
न करना कभी उसका यकीन,
जो मीठी मीठी बातें करे,
पर हो सांप ए आस्तीन।

Finally, the Duet

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #56.

Please await Beautiful Duet #57 – Aankhon mein hamne aapke.

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 #54 – Chandni aayi banke pyar in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #55.

Song #55
Kaise koi jeeye zehar hai zindagi
Theme-word: In the mukhada

Baadbaan – 1954 Movie

In the last two weeks, I have given you quite a few of the movies directed by Phani Majumdar. This 1954 movie Baadbaan (Shelter from Storm). The movie starred Dev Anand, Meena Kumari, Ashok Kumar, Usha Kiran, Mehmood and Leela Chitnis.

Indeevar penned the lyrics of this song and Timir Baran composed it. The song has two versions: the female version by Geeta Dutt and the male version by Hemant Kumar.

Not just that the lyrics are very beautiful (yes, Indeevar wrote these before Bappi Lahiri ruled his life for as many as 500 trash songs), but the composition makes it very suitable as RRR Song. The kind of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness that you experience with the song makes it very soulful.

I am going to give you both versions. The lyrics are the same in both Geeta Dutt and Hemant Kumar versions:

कैसे कोई जिए ज़हर है ज़िन्दगी
उठा तूफ़ान वो…
उठा तूफ़ान आस के सब बुझ गए दिए~~~
कैसे कोई जिए

बादल है या धुआ आग लगी कहा
जलता ना हो कही मेरा ही आशिया
अंगारे थे आंसू नही वो दिल ने जो पिए
कैसे कोई जिए
ज़हर है ज़िन्दगी
उठा तूफ़ान वो….

तारे ना जाने ऊंचाई गगन की
आंखे ना समझे गहराई मन की
गहराई मन की..तारे ना जाने
प्यासे पपीहे ने आस थी बाधी
उड़ गए बादल अI गई आंधी
हमने जो छेड़ा दिल ने हसी से
होठ सी लिए
कैसे कोई जिए ज़हर है ज़िन्दगी

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 both versions of: Kaise koi jeeye, zehar hai zindagi…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #55 in the series.

Please await Song #56 –  Chalte chalte mere yeh geet.

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 #54 in the series. I hope you liked Song #54 – Hain sabse madhur woh geet.

Song #56
Pyar par bas to nahin hai mera lekin phir bhi
Theme-word: Poochh kar apni nigahon se bata de mujhako, Meri raaton ke muqaddar mein sehar hai ke nahin

Sahir Ludhinavi and My Behna Manik Lakhkar Chava

This morning, quite early, behna rang me up and I am flying since then. Here is what she said that converted me into an aviator like my Chhote Raj Dutta: “The best that the YKDN group did to me was to have given me you as my brother.”

Honestly, ladies and gentlemen, tell me how else would I have received this news. I hope by evening I shall land!

Sahir Ludhianvi, her favourite poet and lyricist is about 37 Kms from the place where I was born (Village Urapur). His poetry and lyrics have, as was the case with most poets and lyricists of that era, a lot of Urdu in them. Now, I studied Urdu in my school. But, then, have someone like behna to appreciate such poetry is delightfully amazing. I have been always inclined towards Love (and not Socialism or even Communism). Hence, by my own inclination, I am more for Shakeel’s poetry than of Sahir. However, I would still place Sahir as an outstanding poet and lyricist. Ye mehlon ye takhton, ye taajon ki duniya, for example, would stay as top-notch poetry for me, if I were to move away from pure Love and into social inequities.

This is a Love Poem

This one that I have chosen to give you is a Love poem with doubts, the kind that Sahir always had in reel and real life. Amazingly, he made Sudha Malhotra, the woman he loved, sing Tum mujhe bhool bhi jao to yeh haq hain tumako, Meri baat aur hai maine to mohabbat ki hai! He always had doubts about Love; even, for example, in Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khyal aata hai!

In this Love poem, therefore, he has his characteristic doubts. But, has addressed her only to clarify! Please go through the extraordinary lyrics:

प्यार पर बस तो नहीं है मेरा, लेकिन फिर भी
तू बता दे के तुझे प्यार करूँ या ना करूँ

मेरे ख़्वाबों के झरोखों को सजाने वाली
तेरे ख़्वाबों में कहीं मेरा गुज़र है के नहीं
पूछ कर अपनी निगाहों से बता दे मुझको
मेरी रातों के मुक़द्दर में सहर है के नहीं
प्यार पर बस तो नहीं है …

कहीं ऐसा न हो पाओं मेरे थर्रा जाएं
और तेरी मरमरी बाहों का सहारा न मिले
अश्क बहते रहे खमोश सियाह रातों में
और तेरे रेशमी आंचल का किनारा न मिले
प्यार पर बस तो नहीं है …

Sahir, OP Nayyar and Talat Mahmood

You would have noticed that I am trying my best to give you the compositions of this great (but presently neglected) composer OP Nayyar. This is a rare composition by him that, even if I repeat myself, tugs at your emotions. The requisite tremor is provided by Talat Mahmood.

Sone Ki Chidhiya

This 1958 movie was directed by Shaheed Latif and starred Talat Mahmood himself in the lead role. Nutan acted opposite him. The title is taken from the destiny of Nutan; as impoverished woman she was neglected by her family. As soon as she became wealthy, they treated her as Sone Ki Chidhiya.

My Own Poetry

Here are my own doubts in Love Poetry:

YEH KAISA PYAR 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?

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Pyaar par bas to nahin hai mera lekin phir bhi…

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 #54 – Pehla nasha, pehla khumar. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #55
Achha ji main hari chalo maan jaayo na

Chemistry Between the Actors

Duets are songs sung by a pair of playback singers for a pair of actors. Whilst singing, coordination of a very high order is required. Lata Mangeshkar informed us how in the final recording of Piya piya piya mera jiya pukaare, she accidentally started singing the line when Kishore was to sing. Kishore covered for her lapse by covering the mouth of his co-actor Chand Usmani when the song was being enacted; Kishore being the male singer and the male lead!

Now, there are actors who evoke such chemistry. Dev Anand was the best in male actors and brought out this chemistry in all his heroines.

Madhubala was able to bring out this chemistry in all her heroes such as Sunil Dutt (eg, Chand sa mukhada kyun sharmaya), Bharat Bhushan (eg, Do ghadi wo jo paas aa baithe), and Ashok Kumar (eg, Ye kya kar daala tune?). However, she failed to evoke this in Pradeep Kumar (eg, Rajhath song Ye waada karo chand ke saamne). Pradeep Kumar seemed to have such chemistry only for Meena Kumari (eg in Aarti and Bheegi Raat songs).
So here we have Dev Anand having chemistry with all his heroines (without exception) and Madhubala having with all except Pradeep Kumar. Naturally, we want to see some fire-works when they come together; as they did in this song.

Kaala Pani – 1958 Movie

This was the name of the movie produced by Dev Anand’s Navketan Films and directed by Raj Khosla.

Dev Anand’s dad was, by design of the evil lot, sent to prison erroneously and Dev Anand was there to unravel the mystery.

SD Burman – Majrooh Sultanpuri

Post 1957 movie Pyaasa when SD Burman developed a rift with Sahir Ludhainvi (after working together for 19 movies), Majrooh moved in with SD Burman to fill the gap. In this movie and this song, therefore, Majrooh’s lyrics were composed by SD Burman, the MD of choice for Dev Anand movies; so much so that Sachin Dev Burman used to insist that his own name had his favourite hero’s name as the middle name.

Asha Bhosle and Mohammad Rafi

This pair has given us a number of Beautiful Duets. Their best was also picturised on Dev Anand with Raj Khosla’s favourite actress Sadhana: Abhi na jao chhod kar.

Lyrics

आशा: अच्छा जी मैं हारी, चलो मान जाओ ना
रफ़ी: देखी सबकी यारी, मेरा दिल जलाओ ना

आशा: (छोटे से क़ुसूर पे, ऐसे हो खफ़ा
रफ़ी: रूठे तो हुज़ूर थे, मेरी क्या खता ) – २
आशा: देखो दिल ना तोड़ो
रफ़ी: छोड़ो हाथ छोड़ो
आशा: देखो दिल न तोड़ो
रफ़ी: अरे! छोड़ो हाथ छोड़ो
आशा: छोड़ दिया तो हाथ मलोगे समझे?
रफ़ी: अजी समझे!

आशा: (जीवन के ये रास्ते, लम्बे हैं सनम
रफ़ी: काटेंगे ये ज़िंदगी, ठोकर खाके हम ) – २
आशा: ओय! ज़ालिम साथ देले
रफ़ी: अच्छे हम अकेले
आशा: ज़ालिम साथ देले
रफ़ी: अरे अच्छे हम अकेले
आशा: चार कदम भी चल न सकोगे समझे?
रफ़ी: हाँ समझे!

आशा: (जाओ रह सकोगे ना तुम भी चैन से
रफ़ी: तुम तो खैर लूटना जीनेके मज़े ) – २
आशा: क्या करना है जीके
रफ़ी: हो रहना किसी के
आशा: क्या करना है जीके
रफ़ी: अरे, हो रहना किसी के
आशा: हम ना रहे तो याद करोगे, समझे?
रफ़ी: समझे!

आशा: अच्छा जी मैं हारी, चलो मान जाओ ना
रफ़ी: देखी सबकी यारी, मेरा दिल जलाओ ना

My Own Poetry

Isn’t it amazing that I have a poet on every topic?

Main Kadam Kadam Pe Haara

तुम रूठो तो मेरी गलती, मैं रूठूँ तो मेरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I
जीत के तुझे वह मिल गया जो हार के मुझे मिल न पाया I
फिर भी लगता है तेरे दिल पे पढ़ा है कोई ग़म का साया I
तुम चाहो तो चाहत है, मैं चाहूँ तो भूल है मेरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I

काश जो अब तुम समझ रही हो, वह पहले ही समझती I
कदम कदम पे बात बात पर मुझसे ना उलझती I
गाली गलोज और इल्ज़ामों की तुमने लगाई थी ढेरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I

मैं मायूस उदास ज़रूर हूँ, लेकिन हूँ नहीं तनहा I
याद है मुझको संग बिताया हर एक अनोखा लम्हा I
मेरी मुहब्बत साथ रहती है, बनके याद सुनहरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I

मुझे तुमसे कोई शिकवा नहीं, ना है कोई शिकायत I
इक तरफ़ा प्यार की, तेरी महफ़िल में थी रिवायत I
तुम्हें ज़िन्दगी की खुशियां मुबारक, मेरे लिए चोट है गहरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I

इक डोर थी जो अब टूटने को है , सजाई थी ख़्वाबों की जन्नत I
इक सांस है जो अब झूटने को है, मांगी थी ज़िन्दगी की मन्नत I
तेरी कामयाबी पर, कबूल हो बधाई अब मेरी I
दोनों रुख़ से जीत हुई है, ऐ सनम अब तेरी I

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Achha ji main haari chalo maan jaao na…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #55.

Please await Beautiful Duet #56 – Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke.

Today is the death anniversary of Shakeel Badayuni, the greatest poet and lyricist. I have penned more than 20 blogs on him. He continues being my favourite. One of the reasons is that the emotions of his songs, ghazals, and nazams come closest to my own.

Recently, on Friday, 07 Apr 23, my book of poems titled Dhanak (Rainbow) was launched. It was a huge honour for me to dedicate it to Shakeel Badayuni:

My dedication to him read:

As soon as I learnt singing (mainly to sing to my wife, Marilyn, suffering from Alzheimer’s, I started singing Shakeel songs. Today, as a tribute to him, I reproduce some of these:

Song #1
Zara sun haseena-e-nazneen

The very first song of Shakeel that I sang was on his Birth Anniversary, 03 Aug 2021.

It was composed by Ravi in my favourite Raag Pahadi. Mohammad Rafi sang it. The song was picturised on Vijay Kumar and Waheeda Rehman in the hill station of Nainital for the 1963 movie Kaun Apna Kaun Praya.

Please enjoy my rendition of: Zara sun haseena – e – nazneen…(Incidentally, I recorded it live whilst shooting the video without the assistance of good audio equipment)

Song #2
Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj

Even whilst I was learning to sing, the second of Shakeel songs that I sang was this. It was difficult for me but I had always wanted to sing it. It is from the 1952 Vijay Bhatt movie Baiju Bawra for which the composer and music director Naushad received the only Filmfare Award in his career. Later, he was honoured by the Government of India by bestowing on him Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest in India in cinematic excellence.

Naushad composed it in Raag Malkauns, Tintal. Mohammad Rafi sang it with unmatched verve. It is often considered as the best bhajan in Hindi movies, as also the true representation of Malkauns.

Please enjoy my own rendition of: Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj…

Song #3
Insaaf ki dagar pe bachcho dikhao chal ke

I would call this as an iconic song from the 1961 Nitin Bose (Dilip Kumar production) movie Gunga Jumna starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala.

I included this song as the #1 Children’s Song (in a country-wide poll in the year 2013) depicting all the ideals in the Preamble to the Constitution of India.

I was penned by Shakeel, composed by Naushad, and sung by Hemant Kumar for Abhi Bhattacharya who enacted the role of a teacher in Gunga Jumna’s village open air school.

Please enjoy my rendition of: Insaaf ki dagar pe bachcho dikhao chal ke….

Song #4
Aaj purani raahon se koi mujhe awaaz na de

By this time I had already started doing riyaaz for high pitch and notes; a feature in many Rafi songs. Here, on a very early stage, I sang this iconic song put together by Shakeel, Naushad and Rafi for the 1968 movie Aadmi starring Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, and Manoj Kumar.

The lyrics are so powerful. I maintain that the most loved songs in Hindi movies were penned by Shakeel, composed by Naushad, and sung by Mohammad Rafi for Dilip Kumar. This is one of them.

Please enjoy my rendition of: Aaj purani raahon se koi mujhe awaaz na de…

Song #5
Husn waale tera jawab nahin

This song fetched Shakeel Badayuni the second of the only hat-trick of Filmfare awards (the second, third and fourth Best Lyricist awards since these were instituted in the year 1960; Shailendra was the first lyricist ever to receive it for Yeh mera deewanapan hai for the 1959 Bimal Roy movie Yahudi).

It was filmed for the 1961 SS Vasan (Gemini Productions) super-hit movie Gharana starring Rajendra Kumar and Asha Parekh.

Please enjoy my own rendition of: Husn waale tera jawab nahin….

I sang it for our wedding anniversary last year; Shakeel is remembered by me for all important events and festivals.

Song #6
Deewana keh ke aaj mujhe phir pukariye

It is from the 1963 movie Mulzim starring Pradeep Kumar and Shakila.

It was composed by Ravi and sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Please enjoy my rendition of: Deewana keh ke aaj mujhe phir pukariye…

Song #7
Mujhe ishq hai tujhi se

Finally, I have selected a song that I sang to Lyn on our anniversary (yes we celebrate it twice in a year!) on 12 Dec 2022.

She was so happy when I sang and enacted it for her (you can see it in the movie).

The original song was filmed on Joy Mukherjee and Nanda for the 1971 movie Umeed. It was composed by Ravi and sung by Mohammad Rafi.

Please enjoy my rendition of: Mujhe ishq hai tujhi se….

I hope you liked my selection and singing of Shakeel songs on his death anniversary on 20 Apr 23.

There will be more on more occasions.

 

 

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 #54 in the series. I hope you liked Song #53 – Dil ki awaz bhi sun.

Song #54
Hain sabse madhur woh geet
Theme-word: Har raat ka hai paigham yahi, Taare bhi yahi dohraate hain

The Sweetest Song

I am not saying it; the lyrics of the song say it! It is a literal translation of Shelley’s famous quote: “Our sweetest songs are those that tell of the saddest thought.”

What Shelley was to that quote, Shailendra was to this song in a movie that has the title of this group penned by Hasrat Jaipuri: Yaad kiya dil ne.

Shankar Jaikishan

There is no doubt in my mind that they were the wizards of good music and good compositions. The 1953 movie Patita, an Amiya Chakrabarty movie starred Dev Anand and Usha Kiran in the lead roles. There was nothing unique about Dev Anand’s do-gooder role. He had perfected it in Maya too, in 1961 and many others. Hindi films industry has a way of categorising you for certain roles; as indeed it did in making Amitabh Bachchan an ‘Angry Young Man’.

The Lyrics

Having borrowed heavily from Shelley, Shailendra did well in writing these beautiful lyrics:

हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत जिन्हें, हम ददर् के सुर में गाते हैं
जब हद से गुज़र जाती है खुशी, आँसू भी छलकते आते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत

(पहलू में पराये दर्द बसाके, हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा
तू हँसना हँसाना सीख ज़रा ) – २
तूफ़ान से कह दे घिर के उठे, हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हम प्यार के दीप जलाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …

(काँटों में खिले हैं फूल हमारे, रंग भरे अरमानों के
रंग भरे अरमानों के ) – २
नादान हैं जो इन काँटों से, दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
दामन को बचाये जाते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …

(जब ग़म का अन्धेरा घिर आये, समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं
समझो के सवेरा दूर नहीं ) – २
हर रात की है सौगात यही, तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
तारे भी यही दोहराते हैं
हैं सबसे मधुर वो गीत …

Another Song on the Theme

Instead of giving my own poetry, I shall give you another song on the theme made very very popular by Neil Diamond:

Song Sung Blue
Song sung blue
Everybody knows one
Song sung blue
Every garden grows one
Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again
Sing them out again
Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow
Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know, it get to feeling good
You simply got no choice
Me and you are subject to the blues now and then
But when you take the blues and make a song
You sing them out again
Song sung blue
Weeping like a willow
Song sung blue
Sleeping on my pillow
Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
And before you know, it started feeling good
You simply got no choice
Song sung blue
Song sung blue
Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice
The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Hain sabse madhur woh geet….

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 #53 – Bahut shukriya, badi meharbani. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #55
Pehla nasha, pehla khumaar

Happy Birthday Udit Narayan 01 Dec

As I mentioned in the Zindagi or Jeevan song of today: O paalanhare, nirgun aur nyaare, Udit Narayan was born on this day in 1955. One of his early high-points was to be able to sing with Mohammad Rafi in the 1980 movie Unees Bees. He later sang even with Kishore Kumar.

I had mentioned this as my most favourite song among many since, in the new breed of male singers, I am rather fond of him.

From among nearly 1800 songs sung by him, my top favourites are: this song, Aaye ho meri zindagi mein, Papa kehte hain, Ho gaya hai tujhako to pyaar, Bole chudiyan, Humko hamin se chura lo, Raja ko rani se pyaar ho gaya. Of course, many of these are, like this one, picturised on Aamir Khan.

Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar

This 1992 movie was directed by Mansoor Khan (the one who gave us Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla starrer Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak) and starred Aamir Khan and Ayesha Jhulka in the lead roles.

The songs of the movie were composed by the Haryana duo Jatin-Lalit, the nephews of Pandit Jasraj.

Majrooh Sultanpuri, who was in the 47th year of his career when this movie was released, had always re-invented himself in keeping with the dictates of times whilst retaining the magic and romance of his earlier day lyrics. He was the one who penned the lyrics for this song:

पहला नशा, पहला खुमार
नया प्यार हैं नया इंतज़ार
करलूँ मैं क्या अपना हाल
ऐ दिल-ए-बेक़रार मेरे दिल-ए-बेक़रार
तू ही बता

(उड़ता ही फिरूँ इन हवाओं में कहीं
या मैं झूल जाऊँ, इन घटाओं में कहीं ) – २
एक करलूँ आसमान और ज़मीन
अब यारो क्या करूँ क्या नहीं
पहला नशा, पहला खुमार …

(उसने बात की, कुछ ऐसे ढंग से
सपने दे गया वो हज़ारों रंग के ) – २
रह जाऊँ जैसे में हार के
और चूमे वो मुझे प्यार से

पहला नशा, पहला खुमार
नया प्यार हैं नया इंतज़ार
करलूँ मैं क्या अपना हाल,
ऐ दिल-ए-बेक़रार मेरे दिल-ए-बेक़रार,
तू ही बता

Udit sang for Aamir Khan and Sadhana Sargam for Ayesha.

Majrooh 36 Years Before This

Instead of giving my own poetry at this stage, I want to give you his song about pehla pyaar, 36 years ago, in the 1956 Raj Khosla movie C.I.D., the debut movie of Waheeda Rehman, though this song is picturised on Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik:

लेके पहला पहला प्यार
भरके आँखों मैं खुमार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …

उसकी दीवानी हाय कहूँ कैसे हो गई
जादूगर चला गया मैं तो यहाँ खो गई
नैना जैसे हुए चार
गया दिल का क़रार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …

तुमने तो देखा होगा उसको सितारों
आओ ज़रा मेरे संग मिलके पुकारो
दोनो होके बेक़रार
ढूँढे तुझको मेरा प्यार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …

जब से लगाया तेरे प्यार का काजल
काली काली बिरहा की रतियां हैं बेकल
आजा मन के श्रृंगार
करे बिन्दिया पुकार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यर …

मुखड़े पे डाले हुए ज़ुल्फ़ों की बदली
चली बलखाती कहाँ रुक जा ओ पगली
नैनों वाली तेरे द्वार
लेके सपने हज़ार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …

चाहे कोई चमके जी चाहे कोई बरसे
बचना है मुश्किल पिया जादूगर से
देगा ऐसा मन्तर मार
आखिर होगी तेरी हार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …

सुन सुन बातें तेरी गोरी मुस्काई रे
आई आई देखो देखो आई हँसी आई रे
खेले होठों पे बहार
निकला गुस्से से भी प्यार
जादू नगरी से आया है कोई जादूगर
लेके पहला पहला प्यार …
The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Pehla pyaar, pehla khumar…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #54.

Please await Beautiful Duet #55 – Achha ji main haari chalo.

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 #52 – Mere dushman tu meri dosti ko tarse in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #53.

Song #53
Dil laga kar hum ye samajhe
Theme-word: Zindagi kya cheez hai

Reminds Me of a Funny Anecdote

A very young boy, only 17 years old, died and as expected the hapless mother was inconsolable. During the mourning, she cried, “Abhi to is ne Zindagi bhi dekhi na thi.” At this the 16 years old girl, next door, whispered to her, “Udaas mat hoyiye maan ji; Zindagi to maine dikha di thi.”

Truly, the only Zindagi that you experience is when you are in Love. Look at the difference between us Indians and the English as Ian Fleming wrote in a Jemes Bond novel, “You only live twice; once when you are born and once when you look death in the face.” Whereas, we Indians consider Zindagi as the one spent in love.

This song is by the maestro Shakeel Badayuni. However, even others such as Rajinder Krishan had this to say:

ज़िंदगी प्यार की दो चार घड़ी होती है
चाहे थोड़ी भी हो ये उम्र बड़ी होती है

The Song

It is from the 1965 movie Zindagi Aur Maut directed by Nisar Ahmad Ansari and starring Pradeep Kumar and Faryal.

The song was penned by Shakeel Badayuni and composed by C Ramchandra. It has two versions, the male one sung by Mahendra Kapoor and the female one sung by Asha Bhosle.

Here are the lyrics of Mahendra Kapoor version:

दिल लगाकर हम ये समझे, ज़िंदगी क्या चीज़ है
इश्क़ कहतें हैं किसे और, आशिक़ी क्या चीज़ है

हाय ये रुख़सार के शोले, ये बाहें मर्मरी
आपसे मिलकर ये दो बातें, समझ में आ गईं
धूप किसका नाम है और चाँदनी क्या चीज़ है

आपकी शोख़ी ने क्या-क्या, रूप दिखलाए हमें
आपकी आँखों ने क्या-क्या, जाम पिलवाए हमें
होश खो बैठे तो जाना, बेख़ुदी क्या चीज़ है

आपकी राहों में जबसे हमने रखा है क़दम -२
हमको ये महसूस होता है कि हैं मंज़िल पे हम
कोई क्या जाने मोहब्बत की खुशी क्या चीज़ है

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Dil laga kar hum ye samajhe..

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #53 in the series.

Please await Song #54 –  Chandni aayi banke pyar.

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 #53 in the series. I hope you liked Song #52 – Din dhal jaaye haay raat na jaaye.

Song #54
Dil ki awaz bhi sun
Theme-word: Din bhi niklega kabhi raat ke aane pe na jaa

OP Nayyar

I had promised you a lot more songs from Omkar Prasad Nayyar and here I am again. You will see that the more you see the range of his songs and quality of his compositions, the more you’ll be convinced that he ranks among the greatest composers and music directors that the Hindi films have seen. His being the Music Director of a movie, invariably assured its success. Take this 1968 movie Humsaya from where I have taken this song and you’ll know what I mean:

“Dil Ki Awaaz Bhi Sun” Mohammed Rafi
“Mujhe Mera Pyar De De, Tujhe Aazma Liya Hai” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
“Badi Mushkil Se Kaabu Mein Dil-E-Deewana Aaya” Asha Bhosle, Mahendra Kapoor
“Kitna Haseen Hai Yeh Jahan” Asha Bhosle
“O Kanhaiya Kanhaiya” Asha Bhosle
“Woh Haseen Dard De Do” Asha Bhosle
“Aaja Mere Pyar Ke Sahare” Asha Bhosle

Lyricist – Shevan Rizvi

OP Nayyar’s favourite, SH Bihari, was one of the lyricist of the above songs. Hasrat Jaipuri too. However, this song was penned by Shevan Rizvi.
His song in the 1958 Al Hilal was on everyone’s lips. The song was composed by Bulo C Rani: Hamen to loot liya milke husn walon ne. Another song that I can recall is Jaate jaate ek nazar bhar dekh lo.

Mohammad Rafi

Gradually, people in this group are realising that Mohammad Rafi was the God of Songs. He sang at levels that were unimaginable by others. In every song, including this, his singing was the fastest way to transport the emotions of the song in you.

Here, he sang for Joy Mukherjee in a movie that was produced and directed by Joy. He had two female leads Mala Sinha and Sharmila Tagore for the simple reason that he had a double role in the movie (Humsaya, that is). In one role he was an Indian Air Force Officer and in the other as his Chinese look-alike. Mala Sinha was the Chinese!

The Lyrics

दिल की आवाज़ भी सुन मेरे फ़साने पे न जा
मेरी नज़रों की तरफ़ देख ज़माने पे न जा

इक नज़र फ़ेर ले जीने की इजाज़त दे दे
रूठने वाले वो पहली सी मुहब्बत दे दे
(इश्क़ मासूम है – २), इलज़ाम लगाने पे न जा

वक़्त इनसान पे ऐसा भी कभी आता है
राह में छोड़के साया भी चला जाता है
(दिन भी निकलेगा कभी – २), रात के आने पे न जा

मैं हक़ीक़त हूँ ये इक रोज़ दिखाऊँगा तुझे
बेगुनाही पे मुहब्बत की रुलाऊँगा तुझे
दाग दिल के नहीं मिटते हैं मिटाने पे न जा

My Own Poetry

Main Bewafa Nahin Hoon

इस से पहले के बेवफाई का मुझे दो तगमा,
अपने एहसास में आने दो वह प्यारा नग़मा;
जो दिल की धड़कन के साज़ से जुबां तक पहुंचा,
कहाँ आगाज़ हुआ था और कहाँ तक पहुंचा.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …..

पास रह कर भी तुम दूर चले जाते थे,
मेरी मजबूर तमन्ना को और भी तरसाते थे,
दिल की आवाज़ बन के रह जाती थी सदमा.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …

ये दीवार मैंने नहीं तुम्ही ने तो बनायी थी,
कहाँ थी तुम जब पास सिर्फ तन्हाई थी?
मेरी खामोशी उस वक़्त थी मेरे दिल की मेहमान,
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …

अब हम नहीं, तुम नहीं और हयात भी नहीं,
उल्फत की राहों में सुलगते जज़्बात भी नहीं,
सिसकियाँ भर के खत्म हो गए सब अरमान.
इस से पहले के बेवफाई का …

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Dil ki awaz bhi sun…