A Fifteen Days Tribute Leading Up To His Death Anniversary, 20 Apr 13
This tribute was done on both: a music group called ‘Dil Ki Nazar Se’ and on my page ‘Lyrical’ on Facebook. Why would I want to do that? Read on. In order to cut this to readable size, I shall be doing so in several parts. This tribute is not about his history or past, for example, being from the town Badayun in Uttar Pradesh, having been born on 3rd Aug 1916 and having completed his journey on earth on 20th April 1970. This post is about his poems, ghazals and songs that are erroneously referred to as Old Hindi Songs (probably because these were sung in Old Hindi Movies) but are actually Old Urdu Songs (Read ‘Urdu – A Language of the Heart’)
Day – 1
Shakeel Badayuni died 43 years ago….on the 20th of April was his death anniversary….but, the lyrics didn’t die…they would never. When you hear Begum Akhtar sing ‘Ai mohabbat tere anjaam pe rona aaya’, you know it is Shakeel; when you hear Mohammad Rafi sing ‘Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam’ (Arguably, the greatest song of Hindi movies), you know it is Shakeel, when you hear Dilip Kumar sing ‘Dil diya dard liya’, you don’t have a second guess to know it is Shakeel. What was so special about Shakeel that a nobody named Sunbyanyname is deewana (crazy) for his lyrics?
The answer is in his own words that came straight from his heart. Taste this:
“Main Shakeel Dil Ka Hoon Tarjuman
Keh Mohabbaton Ka Hoon Raazdaan
Mujhe Fakhr Hai Meri Shayari
Meri Zindagi Se Juda Nahin”
That’s really outstanding poetry; in one stroke it equates his poetry with his life.
Lets start the journey into Shakeel’s world by his 1960 Guru Dutt movie Chaudhvinh Ka Chand starring Waheeda Rehman opposite Guru Dutt.
This is by far the best song ever written describing the beauty of a woman. For this Shakeel got his first Filmfare Best Lyricist Award.
Please enjoy: Chaudhvinh ka chand ho ya aftaab ho
Jo bhi ho tum khuda ki kasam lajwaab ho…
zulfe.n hai.n jaise kaa.Ndhe pe baadal jhuke hue
aa.Nkhe.n hai.n jaise may ke payaale bhare hue
mastii hai jisame pyaar kii tum, vo sharaab ho
chaudahavii.n kaa …
cheharaa hai jaise jhiil me khilataa huaa ka.nval
yaa zi.ndagii ke saaj pe chhe.Dii huii gazal
jaane bahaar tum kisii shaayar kaa Kvaab ho
chaudahavii.n kaa …
ho.nTho.n pe khelatii hai.n tabassum kii bijaliyaa.N
sajade tumhaarii raah me.n karatii hai.n kaikashaa.N
duniyaa-e-husn-o-ishq kaa tum hii shabaab ho
chaudahavii.n kaa …
Didn’t it look like that each word was crafted and polished like a diamond? That’s what Shakeel did effortlessly. Lets hear Begum Akhtar sing ai mohabbat. I repeat the complete lyrics here so that you would see them, hear them and feel them…
Ai mohabbat tere a.njaam pe ronaa aayaa
jaane kyuu.N aaj tere naam pe ronaa aayaa
yuu.N to har shaam umiido.n me.n guzar jaatii thii
aaj kuchh baat hai jo shaam pe ronaa aayaa
kabhii taqadiir kaa maatam kabhii duniyaa kaa gilaa
ma.nzil-e-ishq me.n har gaam pe ronaa aayaa
jab hu_aa zikr zamaane me.n mohabbat kaa ‘shakiil’
mujhako apane dil-e-naakaam pe ronaa aayaa
What’s so special about 1963 movie Bin Badal Barsaat starring Biswajeet and Asha Parekh? It is the best combination – for me – of Lyricist, Music Director and Singer. You guessed it; Shakeel with Hemant Kumar.
Please enjoy: Jab jag uthe armaan to kaise neend aaye
Ho ghar mein haseen mehmaan to kaise neend aaye?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=dtXj_AbLKPM
Here is a great ghazal from Shakeel:
Bana bana ke tamanna mita-ee jati hai
Terah terah se wafa aazma-ee jati hai
Jub unko meri mohabbat ka aitbar nahi
To jhuka jhuka ke nazar kyon mila-e jati hai
Humaare dil ka pata vo hume nahi dete
Humaree cheez humee say chupa-e jati hai
Shakeel door munzil se na-umeed na ho
Ab aa he jati hai munzil ab aa he jati hai
Here is another famous one:
Ye aish-o-tarab ke matavale bekar ke baten karte hain
payal ke gamon ka ilm nahi jhankar ke baten karte hain
nahak hai havas ke bandon ko nazzara-e-fitarat ka dawa
aankhon mein nahi hai betabi didar ke baten karte hain
kahate hain unhin ko dushman-e-dil naam unhin ka naseh bhi
wo log jo reh kar sahil par majhadhar ke baten karte hain
pahunche hain jo apni manzil par un ko to nahi kuch naz-e-safar
chalne ka jinhen maqadur nahi raftar ke baten karte hain
This is a famous ghazal of Shakeel for the 1954 movie Amar starring Dilip Kumar and his heart throb Madhubala. However, the ghazal is picturised on Nimmi who acted as a village girl in the movie, whom Dilip had got pregnant in one of his wayward moods. In ironical satire, if you can ever find anything better, do let me know.
Taste this:
Tumhi ne gham ki daulat di hai bada ehsaan farmaya,
Zamaane bhar ke aage haath failaane kaahan jaate?
Na milata gham to barbaadi ke afsaane kahan jaate?
Agar duniya chaman hoti to veeraane kahan jaate?
Lata has sung this on Naushad‘s music…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BKLe-L6Dtg
Talking about Shakeel, Naushad combine, who can ever forget this great number from the 1949 movie Dulari? It is amongst the best of Mohammad Rafi too.
Please enjoy: Suhaani raat dhal chuki naa jaane tum kab aayoge…
Shakeel was not just our best in melancholic numbers but also was versatile enough to take into his stride light hearted numbers. He wrote some of his best lyrics for the 1961 movie Ganga Jamuna starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayantimala that became a super hit. Naushad, once gain was the music director.
Please enjoy: the super hit: Dhundo dhundo re saajana, more kaan ka baala….(this is during the era when women, in the movies, were routinely losing their jewellery, eg, jhumaka gira re bareilley ke bazaar mein)
Baiju Bawra was a 1952 movie starring Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari. It had some of Shakeel’s best lyrics such as Tu Ganga ki mauj mein Jamuna ka dhara ragega Milan, mohe bhool gaye saanwariya, O duniya ke rakhwaale, Door koi gaaye dhun ye sunaaye, and Bachpan ki mohabbat ko dil se na bhula dena.
But, in order to showcase the versatility of Shakeel, here is the best Bhajan ever in Hindi movies: Man tadpat Hari darshsan ko aaj. Lots of credit also goes to Naushad and Rafi to have adorned it with the best possible music and voice.
Please enjoy: Man tadpat Hari darshan ko aaj…
What else can you expect from a Lyricist who has made the best ever song in Hindi movies: Mere Mehboob, best song on husn of a woman, best melancholic and ironic ghazals, best raat number, best bhajan, and best light-hearted romantic numbers?
Of course you want to know if he could write the best children’s song too?
Well, as a matter of fact, Shakeel could do that!
This is from the 1962 movie Son of India and even though it is old there is hardly anyone who hasn’t heard of it. Once again, music is by Naushad. Singing is by Shanti Mathur.
Please enjoy: Nanha munna raahi hoon,
Desh ka sipaahi hoon,
Bolo mere sang, Jai Hind…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rszFSH6z4Us
Look at the Award List of 1962 Guru Dutt Movie Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam:
1962: President’s Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi
1963: Berlin Film Festival: Golden Bear (Best Motion Picture): nominated
1962: Indian submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Filmfare Award for Best Movie – Guru Dutt
Filmfare Award for Best Director – Abrar Alvi
Filmfare Award for Best Cinematographer – V. K. Murthy
Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Meena Kumari
Filmfare Nomination for Best Actor – Guru Dutt
Filmfare Nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Rehman
Filmfare Nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Waheeda Rehman
Filmfare Nomination for Best Story -Bimal Mitra
Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards – Film of The Year.
Notice something? There is not even nomination for Best Lyricist Shakeel Badayuni and Best Music by Hemant Kumar. And yet, the movie is remembered best for its songs! See the following:
- Bhanwara bada nadaan haay.
- Koi door se awaaz de chale aayo.
- Saakia aaj mujhe neend nahin aayegi.
- Meri baat rahi mere dil mein.
- Na jaayo sainyan chhuda ke bainyan.
- Piya aiso jiya mein samayi gayo re.
- Meri jaan o meri jaan achha nahin itana sitam.
What do you say now? It must be lopsided Filmfare Awards. No guys and gals….Shakeel continuously got the Best Lyricist Award for 1961, 1962 and 1963 but for other songs. At the same time when Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam got its various awards, Shakeel got the Best Lyricst Award for Husn waale tera jawaab nahin from Gharana.
Anyway, please enjoy the beauty of the lyrics of Na jaayo sainyan chhuda ke bainyan…
Shakeel was most lyrical when it came to describing husn. For both his songs Chaudhvinh ka Chand ho, and Husn Waale tera jawab nahin, he got the best lyricist awards. And yet there are many other husn songs written by him that are equally good.
Please enjoy this: Husn se chand bhi sharmaya hai…
Ravi’s music, Rafi’s singing.
I gave you a song from Son of India; what about Mother India? It had some of his best numbers:
- Duniya mein ham aaye hain to jeena hi padega.
- Dukh bhare din beete re bhaiya.
- Gaadi waale gaadi dheere hank re.
- Ghunghat nahin kholungi sainyaan tere aage.
- Matwaala jiya dole piya.
- Na main bhagwaan hoon, na main shaitaan hoon.
- Nagari nagari dwaare dwaare dhundo re saanwariya.
- Pi ke ghar aaj pyaari dulhaniya chali.
By this time you must be already thinking that Sunbyanyname is not crazy for nothing when he talks about Shakeel….he was head and shoulders above the others.
Lets look at the exquisiteness of just one of the songs of Mother India:
Na mai.n bhagavaan huu.N na mai.n shaitaan huu.N
duniyaa jo chaahe samajhe mai.n to inasaan huu.N
mujh me.n bhalaaii bhii mujh me.n buraaii bhii
laakho.n hai.n mail dil me.n tho.Dii safaaii bhii
tho.Daa saa nek huu.N tho.Daa beiimaan huu.N
duniyaa jo chaahe samajhe mai.n to inasaan huu.N
na koii raaj hai na sar par taaj hai
phir bhii hamaare dam se dharatii kii laaj hai
tan kaa Gariib huu.N man kaa dhanavaan huu.N
duniyaa jo chaahe samajhe mai.n to inasaan huu.N
jiivan kaa giit hai sur me.n na taal me.n
ulajhii hai saarii duniyaa roTii ke jaal me.n
kaisaa a.Ndher hai mai.n bhii hairaan huu.N
duniyaa jo chaahe samajhe mai.n to inasaan huu.N
Please enjoy: Na main bhagwaan hoon, na main shaitan hoon….
https://youtube.com/watch?v=-MD4bGAbEug
And yet, fairly early in his career Shakeel was humble enough to pen:
Ye zindagi ke mele duniya mein kam na honge
Afsos ham na honge…
This is another movie Mela with Naushad’s music and Rafi’s singing. Some of the best lyrics ever written are in this song:
(ye zi.ndagii ke mele – 2), duniyaa me.n kam na ho.nge
afasos ham na ho.nge
ik din pa.Degaa jaanaa, kyaa vaqt, kyaa zamaanaa
koii na saath degaa, sab kuchh yahii.n rahegaa
jaae.nge ham akele, ye zi.ndagii …
duniyaa hai mauj-e-dariyaa, qatare kii zi.ndagii kyaa
paanii me.n mil ke paanii, a.njaam ye ke paanii
dam bhar ko saa.ns le le, ye zi.ndagii …
ho.ngii yahii bahaare.n, ulfat kii yaadagaare.n
biga.Degii aur chalegii, duniyaa yahii rahegii
ho.nge yahii jhamele, ye zi.ndagii …
Okay, guys and gals, I have barely re-introduced the beauty of the lyrics of Shakeel Badayuni to you. Please add to this and feel elated just as the poet Kabir had written:
Kabira sangat sadhu ki,
Jyun gandhii ki baas,
Je kuchh gandhii de nahin,
Phir bhi baas subaas….
The fragrance of the songs of Shakeel Badayuni would always be there.
Here is one of his ghazals from the 1952 movie Deewana. It has some of his best lyrics describing the husn of a woman. Naushad’s music and Rafi’s singing made it immortal…
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii Kuun-e-jigar se
Kuun-e-jigar se
dekhaa hai tujhe mai.n ne muhabbat kii nazar se
are, muhabbat kii nazar se
jitane bhii mile ra.ng vo sabhii bhar diye tujh me.n
haay, bhar diye tujh me.n
ik ra.ng-e-vafaa aur hai, laa_uu.N vo kidhar se
are laa_uu.N vo kidhar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
saavan terii zulfo.n se ghaTaa maa.Ng ke laayaa
haay, maa.Ng ke laayaa
bijalii ne churaa_ii hai ta.Dap terii nazar se
are, ta.Dap terii nazar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
mai.n dil me.n biThaa kar tujhe ruKsat na karuu.Ngaa
haay, ruKsat na karuu.Ngaa
mushkil hai teraa lauT ke jaanaa mere ghar se
are jaanaa mere ghar se
tasaviir banaataa huu.N terii …
In every art form, there is a creator and then there are others who adorn and add to his work by their own skill. For example, Mere Mehboob shall always be thought of Mohammad Rafi’s best or Gam-e aashiqui se keh do as Talat Magmood’s best. But, who is the creator? Who is the guy who conceives the thought? That’s the lyricist. He imagines, he dreams, he steps into the shoes of the actor and lives his life and love. I have heard many and I maintain Shakeel did that outstandingly. Read them and hear them and then see where his imagination takes you. Read the lyrics of the songs of Dil Diya Dard Liya and you can have a good initiation into the marvellous world of Shakeel. Yes, music is to be enjoyed but lyrics are the starting point. As Shakeel himself wrote: “Aur phir raah mein bikhare the hazaron nagme; main vo nagme teri aawaaz ko de aaya thai. Aa mujhe phir unhi geeton ka sahara de de. Mera khoya hua rangeen nazaara de de”. Welcome to the world of words, poems, lyrics. From now onwards you will notice the words of the song that carry the jazbaat (emotion).
Day 2
One of the most famous ghazals of Shakeel Badayuni was:
Gam-e-aashiqii se kah do raah-e-aam tak na pahu.Nche
mujhe Khauf hai ye tohamat mere naam tak na pahu.Nche
mai.n nazar se pee rahaa thaa to ye dil ne bad-duaa dii
teraa haath zindagii bhar kabhii jaam tak na pahu.Nche
naii subah par nazar hai magar aah ye bhii Dar hai
ye sahar bhii raftaa raftaa kahii.n shaam tak na pahu.Nche
vo navaa-e-muzamahil kyaa na ho jis me.n dil kii dha.Dakan
vo sadaa-e-ahale-dil kyaa jo avaam tak na pahu.Nche
u.nhe.n apane dil kii Khabare.n mere dil se mil rahii hai.n
mai.n jo unase ruuTh jaauu.N to payaam tak na pahu.Nche
ye adaa-e-beniaazii tujhe bevafaa mubaarak
magar aisii beruKhii kyaa ke salaam tak na pahu.Nche
jo naqaab-e-ruKh uThaa dii to ye qaid bhii lagaa dii
uThe har nigaah lekin koii baam tak na pahu.Nche
vahii ik Khamosh naGmaa hai “Shakeel” jaan-e-hastii
jo zubaa.N tak na aaye jo qalaam tak na pahu.Nche
Great meets Great. Who else to sing this ghazal than the King of Ghazals: Talat Mahmood?
My father was very fond of get-togethers, parties and fests. In my boyhood days, I attended quite a few of these and sing-song sessions invariably were part of these. This was a famous Shakeel Badayuni song (though I didn’t know at that time that it was Shakeel who wrote it) that was often heard at those parties.
It is from the 1954 movie Shabab starring Nutan and Bharat Bhushan. The movie had a Hemant Kumar number that too became my favourite in later years: Chandan ka palna resham ki dori. Anyway, this was sung by Mohammad Rafi on Naushad’s music.
Please Enjoy:
Aaye na baalam vaadaa kar ke
aaye na baalam vaadaa kar ke
thak gaye nainaa dhiiraj dhar ke
aaye na baalam …
chhup gayaa chandaa luT gayii jyoti
taare ban gaye jhuuThe motii
pa.D gaye phiike ra.ng najar ke
aaye na baalam …
aao ki tum bin aa.Nkho.n me.n dam hai
raat hai lambii jiivan kam hai
dekh luu.N tum ko mai.n jii bhar ke
aaye na baalam …
Please forgive me but I can’t resist putting up a Hemant da number at this stage that was penned by Shakeel Badayuni for the same movie Shabab starring Nutan and Bharat Bhushan. We have already established that Hemant da – as singer and music director – has more Chand numbers to his credit than any other. This too has Naushad‘s music.
Please enjoy: Chandan ka palna resham ki dori….and see if you can close your eyes and be transported to another world!
Yesterday, I wrote about the versatility of Shakeel Badayuni: ghazals, songs of melancholy, romantic numbers, bhajans in shudh Hindi, children’s songs and now let me add to his repertoire by giving you a song that Mohammad Rafi sang for the comedian Johnny Walker in the 1964 movie Door Ki Awaz. Music is by my namesake.
Please enjoy the light-hearted naughty number:
Ik mussafir ko duniya mein kya chaahiye,
Sirf thodi si dil mein jagah chahiye…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=W6ZW2vcdF7Y
How are you enjoying the journey into Shakeel Badayuni’s world? He was named Shakeel when he was born on 3rd of Aug 1916 and like poets and lyricists of that era, since he was born in the village Badayun of Uttar Pradesh, he became known as Shakeel Badayuni just as Majrooh got the name Majrooh Sultanpuri, Sahir as Sahir Ludhianvi and Hasrat as Hasrat Jaipuri and many others.
Talking about Shakeel Badayuni – Ravi combination, the best was for the 1960 movie Chaudhvinh Ka Chand that starred Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. We have already heard and seen the Best Husn song in the world, the title song of this movie.
Curiously, the movie also had a really despondent song sung so well by Mohammad Rafi that it leaves people gaping.
Please enjoy: Mili khaak mein mohabbat jala dil ka aashiana,
Jo thi aaj taq haqeeqat wohi ban gayi fasaana…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qy3BnqbJifM
What about Shakeel Badayuni on the subject or theme of ‘Muhabbat’? Let me bring out different strokes. In the 1955 movie Udan Khatola starring Dilip Kumar and Nimmi, he gives an advice to everyone to tread carefully on the paths of Muhabbat. Music is by Naushad.
Please enjoy: Muhabbat ki raahon mein chalna sambhal ke,
Yahan jo bhi aaya gaya haath mal ke…
https://youtube.com/watch?v=3uiOL6y-kjo
The second song on the theme of Muhabbat penned by Shakeel is from the 1960’s epic film Mughal-e-Azam (The Greatest of the Mughals). Salim (Dilip Kumar) is Akbar’s (Prithviraj Kapoor’s) son and he falls in love with the court dancer Anarkali (Madhubala). This earns the ire of Akbar who has her thrown into the dungeon for the ‘crime’ of loving a prince. This song, like all songs of Mughal-e-Azam became super hit and you are left marvelling at how beautifully Shakeel has brought out the irony, the pain, the despondency.
Please enjoy: Muhabbat ki jhooti kahani pe roye…
Lets end tonight moving away from the melancholy, despondency and sadness and move into the sunnier side of Love also depicted by Shakeel. In this genre too he has many numbers. One of the best was sung by Mahendra Kapoor in the 1965 movie Zindagi Aur Maut. It has C Ramachandra’s music and I won’t be surprised if you too start believing that Shakeel wrote as if direct from the heart.
Please enjoy: Dil lagakar ham ye samajhe zindagi kya cheez hai,
Ishq kehte hain kise aur aashiqui kya cheez hai…
I hope you liked the Part I of the peep into the lyrical world of Shakeel Badayuni. Prepare yourself for Part II that I shall put up shortly.
