Category: Music and Cinema

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 #3 – Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #4.

Raat or Din Songs Series

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

This is the fourth song in the series. I hope you liked Song #3 – Tere bina zindagi se koi.

Beautiful Duet Series

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

On 04 Dec 20, I gave you Beautiful Duet #4 – O neend na mujhako aaye. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #5
Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan hoga

Why This Series?

I have already explained that one of the biggest neglected areas in songs in this group has been Duets. One reason for it is that when we pay tribute to singers on their birthdays and anniversaries, we normally put up solos by them.

Yes, anyone can put it up too: just one song per day after checking with me for next day’s slot.

Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar

They are my all time favourites, We can talk about this pair and that pair but some of Hindi films’ best duets have been sung by them. I have very precious memories of these duets.

Take this one, for example. There is enormous wistfulness that surrounds new lovers; everything looks so beautiful, everything appears heavenly. Everything appears possible!

A boy and girl, in love, were lying on the beach and he was reading Byron’s poetry to her: Roll on thou dark blue ocean….She touched his arm and in a trance said, “Just look, John, the ocean is doing what you are asking it to do”!

That, ladies and gentlemen, is the power of Love; that also is the trust in the power of Love.

Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal

They were the most versatile pair of Lyricist with Music Director; they made songs of approximately 300 movies. No other pair is even close to their halfway mark. And yet, they maintained quality all throughout.
Take this song, for example. A song depicting this belief in Love was to be made and in the movie she would sing it again at crucial juncture. It had to have lyrics that would be so extraordinary that you too would believe in their Love. Anand Bakshi provided just those:

झिलमिल सितारों का आँगन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा

प्रेम की गली में एक
छोटा सा घर बनाएंगे
कलियाँ ना मिले ना सही
काँटों से सजाएंगे
बगियाँ से सुंदर वो बन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा
झिलमिल सितारों का आँगन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा

तेरी आँखों से सारा
संसार मैं देखूँगी
देखूँगी इस पार या
उस पार मैं देखूँगी
नैनों को तेरा ही दर्शन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा
झिलमिल सितारों का आँगन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा

फिर तो मस्त हवाओं के
हम झोके बन जाएंगे
नैना सुन्दर सपनों के
झरोखे बन जाएंगे
मन आशाओं का दर्पण होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा
ऐसा सुंदर सपना अपना जीवन होगा
झिलमिल सितारों का आँगन होगा
रिमझिम बरसता सावन होगा

And then, Laxmikant Pyarelal composed it in a tune that appears to be in sync with their heartbeats. Beautiful.

The Movie

Jeevan Mrityu was the name of this 1970 movie that was produced by Tarachand Barjatya (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and other such feel-good movies). The movie was directed by Satyen Bose. What memorable movies he made: both Jagriti and Dosti directed by him won Filmfare Best Movie awards. Raat Aur Din and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi were unforgettable too.

My Own Poetry

I have already given you this a few times:
HUM EK, HAMARI EK…

हम एक, हमारी एक……….. ज़िन्दगी,
कभी एक दूजे की, कभी खुदा की बंदगी I
पैंतीस साल पहले जो मांगी थी दुआ,
उसी का तो अब तक है सिलसिला,
नज़रों का एक होना तो सुनते आये थे,
पर यहाँ तो दिल, ख्वाब, सब एक हुआ I

हम एक, हमारी एक ………….पहचान,
एक दूसरे में बस्ती है अपनी जान I
गरीब थे हम, पर बने रहे अमीर,
हम ही तो थे कल के राँझा और हीर,
दोस्तों ने जिन्हे हमें धनि बनाया,
कहा: “यही तो हैं प्यार की तस्वीर” I

हम एक, हमारी एक ……….. कोशिश,
क्या खूब बनी प्यार की बन्दिश I
ज़िन्दगी में आये कई चढ़ाव उतार,
हम एक संग पहुंचे उनके पार,
ऐसे ही बनी रहे हमारी छोटी सी ज़िन्दगी,
ऐसे ही बना रहे हमारा छोटा सा परिवार I

हम एक, हमारी एक ………. दास्तान,
तू मेरा जहान, मैं तेरा जहान I
कई बरस बाद, हम हवा में समा जाएंगे,
किसी को फिर नज़र नहीं आएंगे,
पर फिर भी देखना लोग भूलेंगे नहीं,
जब प्यार का ज़िक्र हो, हम याद आएंगे I
हम एक, हमारी एक ……… फ़रियाद,
प्यार हमारा बना रहे, मरने के भी बाद I

The Duet

Please enjoy: Jhilmil sitaron ka aangan hoga…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #5.

Please await Beautiful Duet #6 – Dil ki nazar se.

 

Beautiful Duet Series

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

On 02 Dec 20, I gave you Beautiful Duet #3 – Milte hi aankhen dil hua. So here, then, is the next one:

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 #2 – Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujawan in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #3.

Song #3
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Theme-word: Waqat ki qaid mein Zindagi hai magar, Chand ghadiyan yahi hain jo azaad hain.

First of All – My Sister Mona Maharaj

This was always the favourite ghazal of my sister Mona Maharaj. She is really very talented. In addition to her singing skills, she has been endowed with extraordinary presentation skills. When my brother in law was in active service of the Indian Army, Mona was often in demand for organising memorable evenings of entertainment. And these would start with her hand crafted invitations that would be delivered to you as if you were selected to receive a present.

I have, to my great luck, listened to her rendition of this ghazal and I do recall the atmosphere she’d build up whilst and before singing it.

Everything favourite of Mona Maharaj eventually becomes my favourite too (she has that effect on me). Everytime I listen to Farida Khanum singing it, I think of Mona Maharaj making the ghazal come alive to me.

Farida Khanum

She was born in Amritsar in the year 1939. Unlike Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, she moved to Lahore from Amritsar in the year 1957. In the 1960s, she was invited by the President of Pakistan Ayub Khan to sing in public and she achieved the kind of stardom she wouldn’t have dreamt about.

She is known by this ghazal penned by Fayyaz Hashmi in the same manner as Begum Akhtar was known for Aye mohabbat tere anjam pe rona aaya penned by Shakeel and Noorjehan for singing Faiz’s nazam: Mujhase pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang.

Just like Ghulam Ali, she is classical singer of Patiala Gharana.

Fayyaz Hashmi

Fayyaz Hashmi was born in Calcutta in 1920. His father, Muhammad Hussain Hashmi adopted the takhallus of Dilgeer as a poet and for writing plays. Coincidentally, my own uncle Harbans Singh also had the takhallus Dilgir (that’s how he spelt it) and has written hundreds of books on poetry and plays. Dilgir uncle started the first academy of performing arts in Chandigarh called Kala Darpan.

Fayyaz Hashmi worked as a poet and screenwriter for both Hindi and Pakistani films. One of his songs sung by Talat Mahmood (in 1941) became very popular: Tasveer teri dil mera behla na sakegi.

This ghazal, thanks to Farida Khanum, is the most popular ghazal that he wrote.

My Introduction to the Ghazal

I cannot have this great ghazal introduced to you without writing something about it. Here is what I wrote about it last night:

गुफ्तगू रहने दो रात गुज़र जाएगी,
चन्द घड़ियों की मुलाकात गुज़र जाएगी।
ज़िन्दगी बख्शी है खुदा ने प्यार के लिए,
फजूल बातों में यह खैरात गुज़र जाएगी।
रेत के ज़र्रे हाथों में अभी आए तो हैं लेकिन,
देखते देखते यह सौगात गुज़र जाएगी।

How to stop Zindagi at a place of your liking and not to let it slip through your fingers like the grains of the sand is the crux of this ghazal. I hope this introduction helps you to dive deep and discover the meaning that is dying to be found out.

The Ghazal

Ladies and gentlemen, you are bound to tell me that I did right by putting it up as Zindagi ghazal and not Raat or Din Song.

Please enjoy: Aaj jaane ki zid na karo…

आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो
आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो
यूँ ही पहलु में बैठे रहो
आज जाने की ज़िद न करो

हाय मर जाएंगे
हम तो लुट जाएंगे
ऐसी बातें किया ना करो
आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो

तुम ही सोचो ज़रा क्यूँ ना रोकें तुम्हें
जान जाती है जब उठ के जाते हो तुम
जान जाती है जब उठ के जाते हो तुम
तुमको अपनी क़सम जानेजां
बात इतनी मेरी मान लो
आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो

वक़्त की कैद में ज़िन्दगी है मगर
चंद घड़ियां यही हैं जो आज़ाद है
इनको खो कर मेरी जानेजाँ
उम्र भर ना तरसते रहो
आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो

कितना मासूम रंगीन है ये समां
हुस्न और इश्क़ की आज बैराज है
कल की किसको ख़बर जानेजाँ
रोक लो आज की रात को
आज जाने की ज़िद ना करो

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #3 in the series.

Please await Song #4 –  Hai duniya usi ki zamana usi ka.

Raat or Din Songs Series

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

This is the third song in the series. I hope you liked Song #2 – Jab raat hai aisi matwali.

Song #3
Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahin
Theme-word: Raat ki baat hai aur zindagi baaki to nahin.

RD Burman and Gulzar

This is my dedication to two geniuses: RD Burman (Pancham) (with three Filmfare awards for Best MD) and Gulzar (the producer (along with J Om Prakash) and director of the 1975 (the year of Sholay) movie Aandhi, the writer of the movie (along with Bhushan Banmali) and finally the lyricist with highest number of Best Lyricist awards (11) amongst his total awards of 20 (another record)).

Gulzar and RD Burman came together in 1972 Parichay with such lovely songs as Beete na bitayi raina and Musafir hoon yaaro. In 1973 and 1974 thereafter, they did one movie each: Namak Haraam (Diye jalte hain phool khilte hain, Nadiya se dariya dariya se sagar and Main shayar badnam) and Doosri Sita (Tu jahan mile mujhe).

In 1975, both the movies together of Gulzar and RD Burman had lovely songs: Aandhi (Tere bina, Tum aa gaye ho, Is mod se jaate hain, and Salaam kijiye) and Khushboo (Do nainon mein aansu bhare hain, O majhi re apna kinara, and Bechara dil kya kare).

It would be right to say that Gulzar got to emphasize the serious side of Pancham that was seen in his first song ever with Lata Mangeshkar: Ghar aaja ghir aaye (In Raag Malgunji for the Mehboob Ameeta starrer Chhote Nawab).

Take this song, for example. We routinely use the phrases: Unforgettable song, Immortal song, and Great song for all kinds of songs. This song, as seen by some, is at #2 in the Best songs of 1970s (the #1 happens to be RD Burman’s father’s song!)

Raat Versus Zindagi

तुम जो कह दो तो आजकी रात, चांद डूबेगा नहीं,
रात को रोक लो
रात कि बात है, और ज़िंदगी बाकी तो नहीं

Great meaning in those words. It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all! In the end if you just get a Raat, that’s better than the entire Zindagi! And can you control the Chand? I have already said in my very first article in my blog on Chand: Lovers feel that the celestial bodies respond to their call of love:

तुम जो कह दो तो आजकी रात, चांद डूबेगा नहीं

Aansu and Kaash

This is a totally different style of aansu. Firstly, the ordinary ones: जी में आता है, तेरे दामन में, सर छुपा के हम, रोते रहें, रोते रहें; which separated lovers meeting after a long time would do. But, the next line is extraordinary: तेरी भी आँखों में, आँसुओं की नमी तो नहीं! This is indeed acknowledgement of the fact that even you have gone beyond shedding tears and by now all the tears have dried! If ever there was a more beautiful expression on tears (after आँसू के धागे से सीते रहे हम जो ज़ख्म तूने दिये) than the Gambler song by Neeraj.

The Year 1975 of the Movie Aandhi

The year 1975 was a watershed year for India and Indian movies. Firstly, we went through Emergency entirely called by Indira Gandhi who felt that the country had to pay for her seat being challenged and upheld in the court. Secondly, the movie Sholay was released that year and we, forever, changed the way we looked at movies. Thirdly, Aandhi was released after Indira Gandhi tried to stop the release of the movie. The movie was allegedly on a love affair of an Indian politician (role tailored on Indira Gandhi, played by Suchitra Sen with resemblance to her) had during a chance encounter with a hotelier (Sanjeev Kumar).

Just like Sholay, the movie owed a lot to its songs composed by RD Burman who had mastered different genre’s of songs including classical, sad, western and comical. Whereas Sholay’s songs were penned by Anand Bakshi, Aandhi had Gulzar to write the most memorable songs ever. Gulzar directed the movie too.

Popularity of This Song

This song happens to be the most popular of the movie and is full of regret and ruefulness at not letting love bloom whilst being over busy with politics.

Its popularity can be made out from the fact that whilst the viewership of Hindi songs on YouTube is in thousands and sometimes may be lakh or so, this song has been viewed by more than 8.5 Crore times!

My Own Poetry

What about my own poetic introduction to the song? Well, here is one though I wish I could give several! It is a totally different style. It is called:

ZINDAGI AB BHI HAI LEKIN…..

ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है
तब नया सूरज उगा था
तब जलते चिरागों की लौ में
अँधेरे दूर भागते थे
अब रौशनी को तरसते रात के साये
बढ़ते ही जा रहे हैं
सबेरा दूर है, बहुत दूर
ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है

ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है
चमन में फूलों की खुशबु से
फ़िज़ाएं मदहोश थी तब
अब मुरझाये फूल गिरते हैं मज़ार पे
सूखे पत्तों के संग
लहर आई थी चले गयी
हम साहिल पे अब भी खड़े हैं इंतेज़्ज़ार में
ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है

ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है
तेरे क़दमों की आहट से
बंधे थे मेरे दिल के तार
तेरी साँसों में तब था
मेरे ही प्यार का खुमार
अब खाली पैमानों की बज़्म में
हम प्यासे खड़े हैं
ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है

ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है
तब हम मुन्तज़िर थे
तेरे अहद-ओ-पैमान से
अब नींद से जागी हमारी आँख
मौत का नज़ारा ढूंडती है
काश उस ज़िन्दगी को रोक लेते वहीँ
जो अब हर कहीं जिन्दगी का सहारा ढूंडती है
ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है

ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है
फरक सिर्फ इतना है:
तब सब कुछ हमारे आगे था
अब सब कुछ हमारे पीछे है
तब हम कहते थे, “यही है ज़िन्दगी”
और अब? अब सवाल ही सवाल है:”बस यही है ज़िन्दगी, क्या?”
ज़िन्दगी तब भी थी
ज़िन्दगी अब भी है

Other Lyricists

As far as returns of Love are concerned, here is another great lyricist telling you how you are lucky to even get Gham in Love:

दर्द ज़माने में कम नहीं मिलते
सब को मोहब्बत से ग़म नहीं मिलते
टूटने वाले दिल होते हैं कुछ खास
दूर से दिल की बुझती रहे प्यास….

The Song

Kaash is the word for this song sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar.

Please enjoy: Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahin….

लता: तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी से कोई, शिकवा, तो नहीं,
शिकवा नहीं
शिकवा नहीं, शिकवा नहीं

तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी भी लेकिन, ज़िंदगी, तो नहीं,
ज़िंदगी नहीं
ज़िंदगी नहीं, ज़िंदगी नहीं

(काश ऐसा हो तेरे कदमों से, चुन के मंज़िल चले
और कहीं दूर कहीं ) – २
तुम गर साथ हो, मंज़िलों की कमी तो नहीं
तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी से कोई, शिकवा, तो नहीं, शिकवा नहीं

(जी में आता है, तेरे दामन में, सर छुपा के हम
रोते रहें, रोते रहें ) – २
तेरी भी आँखों में, आँसुओं की नमी तो नहीं
किशोर: तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी से कोई, शिकवा, तो नहीं,
शिकवा नहीं
तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी भी लेकिन, ज़िंदगी, तो नहीं,
ज़िंदगी नहीं

तुम जो कह दो तो आजकी रात, चांद डूबेगा नहीं,
रात को रोक लो
रात कि बात है, और ज़िंदगी बाकी तो नहीं
तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी से कोई, शिकवा, तो नहीं, शिकवा नहीं
तेरे बिना ज़िंदगी भी लेकिन, ज़िंदगी, तो नहीं,
ज़िंदगी नहीं

I hope you liked my choice of Song #3 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #4 – Tumhare nain dekh ke suna hai log jogi ho gaye.

 

Beautiful Duet Series

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

On 02 Dec 20, I gave you Beautiful Duet #2 – Meri Neendon Mein Tum, Mere Khwabon Mein Tum. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #3
Milte hi aankhen dil hua diwana kisi ka

Duets in Playback Singing

The first talkie in Hindi movies was Ardeshir Irani’s Alam Ara in 1931. Actor singer Wazir Mohammad Khan played a fakir in the movie and recorded the first solo ever in Hindi movies: De de khuda ke naam par. It was recorded with a harmonium and tabla live.

Then, I told you about the importance of director Nitin Bose. For the first time in Hindi movies he introduced the playback singing through the music director Raichand Boral. Nitin’s brother Mukul was the sound recorder who implemented the idea.

Dhoop Chhaon was the name of the movie. Pahari Sanyal and Uma Shashi recorded the first duet in playback singing: Prem ki naiyya chali jal mein mori.

I also told you that Pankaj Mullick was assistant to RC Boral in this movie.

The lyrics were by Pandit Sudarshan whom we shall be covering later (presently I am covering Pt Indra Chandra in my Great Lyricists series on my Facebook page Lyrical).

Those of you are interested may listen to it here:

Since that time, duets evolved beautifully over years. And the standard for love duets was to have it in three stanzas (eg Dil ki nazar se): first stanza by him or her, second stanza by her or him (other than the first singer) and the third stanza jointly by both.

Shakeel and Naushad, Talat and Shamshad Come up With the Most Unique Duet Ever

This happened in the 1950 movie Babul produced by the Music Director Naushad Ali and directed by SU Sunny. It starred Dilip Kumar, Munawar Sultana and Nargis.

The song was sung by Talat Mahmood as playback for Dilip Kumar and Shgamshad Begum as playback for Munawar Sultana.

What is unique about it?

Dilip Kumar is Ashok in the movie, is rich, and has a job as a Postmaster in the movie; not that he does any work as Postmaster.

Nargis as Bela, relatively poor, is in love with him. She is the daughter of the previous Postmaster.

Munawar Sultana is rich landlord’s daughter and provides quite a competition to Bela.

Learning that Ashok is good in Music and Singing, Bela tries the age-old trick of learning from Ashok. And that’s how this song is sung with him teaching her and she repeating line by line everything that he sings.

By the end of the song, as is to be expected, she has learnt about singing, life and love.

Incidentally, the first song of Shakeel – Naushad for the 1947 movie Dard was also picturised on Munawar Sultana and sung by Uma Devi (Tun Tun): Afsana likh rahi hoon. You may like to see it by clicking:

The Lyrics

मिलते ही आँखें दिल हुआ दीवाना किसीका
मिलते ही आँखें दिल हुआ दीवाना किसीका
अफ़साना मेरा बन गया, अफ़साना किसीका
अफ़साना मेरा बन गया, अफ़साना किसीका

पूछो ना मोहब्बत का असर, हाय न पूछो
हाय ना पूछो
पूछो ना मोहब्बत का असर, हाय न पूछो
हाय ना पूछो
दम भर में कोई हो गया, परवाना किसीका
दम भर में कोई हो गया, परवाना किसीका
अफ़साना मेरा बन गया, अफ़साना किसीका
मिलते ही आँखें दिल हुआ दीवाना किसीका

हंसते ही ना आ जायें कहीं, आँखों में आँसू
आँखों में आँसू
हंस्ते ही ना आ जायें कहीं, आँखों में आँसू
आँखों में आँसू
भरते ही छलक जाये ना, पैमाना किसीका
भरते ही छलक जाये ना, पैमाना किसीका
अफ़साना मेरा बन गया, अफ़साना किसीका
मिलते ही आँखें दिल हुआ दीवाना किसीका

Please enjoy: Milte hi aankhen dil hua deewana kisi ka…

I hope you liked my choice of the third beautiful duet.

Please await Beautiful Duet #4 – O neend na mujhako aaye.

 

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 #1 – Yeh Jeevan Hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #2.

Songs #2
Watan ki raah mein watan ke naujawan shaheed ho
Theme-word: Shaheed teri maut hi tere watan ki zindagi

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

Because, at the partition in Aug 1947, Pakistan made a nation for Muslims, the Indian Muslims suddenly had to prove their patriotism. This was notwithstanding the fact that Islam is the second largest religion in India and the largest Muslim population outside Muslim countries. Our country has the third largest Muslim population in the world after Pakistan and Indonesia.

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan refused to emigrate to Pakistan and in one of the first movies after partition, the 1948 Ramesh Saigal movie Shaheed (I am giving you a song from a Ramesh Saigal movie again after Yeh dil deewana hai from Ishq Par Zor Nahin), he gave one of the finest patriotic songs. I am personally very fond of it, as I am of most of Raja Mehdi Ali Khan songs.

In this song, we have the second best song with Zindagi as the theme. The first one was put up by Raj Dutta: Zindagi maut ke mil rahi hai gale (Kar chale hum fida jaano tan saathiyo from the 1964 Chetan Anand movie Haqeeqat.

Shaheed – 1948 Movie

This Ramesh Saigal movie had Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in the lead roles. Dilip Kumar was a freedom fighter as Ram and faced opposition from his own father (Rajbahadur Dwarkadas played by Chandra Mohan in his last screen appearance).

It was a Filmistan movie. Filmistan was a production company formed by erstwhile sound engineer Sashadhar Mukherjee in Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani’s production company called Bombay Talkies. In 1943, he broke away to form this company independently after convincing Himanshu to give a break to his nephew Ashok Kumar who made a number of movies with Devika.

The Song

Raja Mehdi Ali Khan’s lyrics were composed by another Muslim Ghulam Haider and sung by another two Muslims: Khan Mastana and Mohammad Rafi for yet another Muslim Dilip Kumar.

I recall that for a number of years after independence this song continued being the most popular patriotic song,

My Own Poetry

Reproduction of a poem I wrote in May 1999 when Pakistan perpetrated the most heinous infiltration into Kargil, the Indian side of Line of Control (LOC):

जाना है तुमको आज इक फ़र्ज़ निभाने की खातिर,
इस देश की मिटटी का क़र्ज़ चुकाने की खातिर,
उठो ए जवानो सर पे बाँध लो कफ़न,
शहीदों में अपना नाम दर्ज़ कराने की खातिर I

दुश्मन ने इक बार है फिर तुम्हे ललकारा,
दोस्ती के नाम पे है फिर तमाचा मारा,
क्या भूल गया वो इक मुसलमान शायर का कहना:
सारे जहाँ से अच्छा है हिन्दोस्तान हमारा I

विजय हो तुम्हारी ये देश की है कामना,
करना वीरता से तुम दुश्मनों का सामना,
उठो ए जवानो सर पे बांध लो कफ़न,
सारा जहाँ करेगा तुम्हारी वीरता की सराहना I

इस देश के लिए मिट जायेंगे मर जायेंगे हम,
इक इंच भी अपनी ज़मीन का होने न देंगे कम,
सुनो नवाज़, सुनो मुशर्रफ, सुनो ए सरताज,
सीने यहाँ फौलाद के और बाज़ुयों में है दम I

अब कभी इस तरफ न डालो नज़रें बुरी,
इक तरफ लाहौर यात्रा, और बगल में हो छुरी,
इस बार छोड़ देंगे अपने पे काबू करके,
अगली बार LOC पार न करने की, शायद न हो मजबूरी I

जय हिन्द हमारा नारा है, हिन्द हमारी शान है,
खून का हर तिप्का हिन्द के लिए कुर्बान है,
तुमने सोये शेर को जगा डाला है मूर्ख,
दुश्मन, अब तू चन्द दिनों का मेहमान है I

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Watan ki raah mein watan ke nauhawan shaheed ho…

वतन की राह में वतन के नौजवां शहीद हो
पुकारते हैं ये ज़मीन-ओ-आसमां शहीद हो

शहीद तेरी मौत ही तेरे वतन की ज़िंदगी
तेरे लहू से जाग उठेगी इस चमन में ज़िंदगी
खिलेंगे फूल उस जगह कि तू जहाँ शहीद हो, वतन की …

गुलाम उठ वतन के दुश्मनों से इंतक़ाम ले
इन अपने दोनों बाजुओं से खंजरों का काम ले
चमन के वास्ते चमन के बाग़बां शहीद हो, वतन की …

पहाड़ तक भी कांपने लगे तेरे जुनून से
तू आसमां पे इन्क़लाब लिख दे अपने खून से
ज़मीं नहीं तेरा वतन है आसमां शहीद हो, वतन की …

वतन की लाज जिसको थी अजीज़ अपनी जान से
वो नौजवान जा रहा है आज कितनी शान से
इस एक जवान की खाक पर हर इक जवां शहीद हो
वतन की …

है कौन खुशनसीब माँ कि जिसका ये चिराग़ है
वो खुशनसीब है कहाँ ये जिसके सर का ताज है
अमर वो देश क्यूँ न हो कि तू जहाँ शहीद हो, वतन की …

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #2 in the series.

Please await Song #3 – Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo in this series.

Raat or Din Songs Series

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

This is the second song in the series. I hope you liked Song #1 – Saari saari raat teri yaad sataye.

Song #2
Jab raat hai aisi matwali

Shakeel and Naushad

Naushad gave a break to many artistes in Hindi movies, Majrooh Sultanpuri being one of the dozens of people. However, as soon as Shakeel from Badayun in Uttar Pradesh (427 kms NE of Majrooh’s place and 557 Kms NE of Kaifi Azmi’s place) arrived on the scene with the 1947 AR Kardar movie Dard and penned Afsana likh rahi hoon to be sung by Uma Devi (Tun Tun) – another artiste to whom Naushad gave a break – most of Naushad’s songs for the next several years were penned by Shakeel. And what songs they are!

Out of all genre’ of songs, I have dubbed Shakeel as the Poet/Lyricist of Irony; he excelled in it.

I have written volumes about this best pairing ever of Lyricist with Music Director that has given us Hindi movies’ most memorable songs. K Asif’s Mughal – e – Azam was released in 1960 and last year Dhirubhai Ambani Jio Convention Centre was inaugurated on the occasion of Mukesh Ambani’s son Aakash’s wedding. In the Dhirubhai Ambani Square whilst enacting Ras Leela of Sri Krishna with Radha, one of the songs enacted was Mohe panghat pe Nandlal chhed gayo re (Please see: Mohe Panghat Pe – Down The Ages; Remembering Shakeel And Naushad On Holi) . We attended that. We also attended Janamashtami at ISKCON temple in Kharghar (slated to be the biggest temple in Mumbai) and one of the songs prominently sung was Mohe panghat pe. That’s Shakeel – Naushad for you. In every life a little of them is there; Shakeel has an unmatched hat-trick of Filmfare Awards and Naushad was awarded the highest: Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Ek Raat Ki Baat

Prince Salim (Akbar’s son) (Played by Dilip Kumar) rebels against his father due to Akbar’s (Mughal-e-Azam) resistance to Salim marrying the dancer in his court Anarkali (played by Madhubala). He is soundly beaten by his father and is sentenced to death.

Anarkali begs for his life with Akbar and is granted one night (as a wife) with Prince Salim on the promise that she would be condemned to death (instead of Salim) by being entombed alive (Mughals were very fond of this method of execution; if you recall they did it to Guru Gobind Singh’s sons because they refused to embrace Islam).

Akbar was aware that Salim would interfere with her being entombed alive and hence at the end of the night she would drug him (by making him smell the flower in her tiara) and then she would face death.

Shakeel would, therefore, have to come up with a song that would ostensibly sound happy but would be full of Irony. How he delivered:

ये दिल की लगी कम क्या होगी
ये इश्क़ भला कम क्या होगा
जब रात है ऐसी मतवाली – २
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा – २

नग़मो से बरसती है मस्ती
छलके हैं खुशी के पैमाने – २
आज ऐसी बहारें आई हैं
कल जिनके बनेंगे अफ़साने – २
अब इसे ज्यादा और हसीं ये प्यार का मौसम क्या होगा – २
जब रात है ऐसी मतवाली
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा – २

ये आज का रंग और ये महफ़िल
दिल भी है यहाँ दिलदार भी है – २
आँखों में कयामत के जलवे
सीने में सुलगता प्यार भी है – २
इस रंग में कोई जी ले अगर मरने का उसे ग़म क्या होगा – २
जब रात है ऐसी मतवाली
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा – २

हालत है अजब दीवानों की
अब खैर नहीं परवानों की – २
अन्जाम-ए-मोहब्बत क्या कहिये
लय बढ़ने लगी अरमानों की – २
ऐसे में जो पायल टूट गयी फिर ऐ मेरे हमदम क्या होगा – २
जब रात है ऐसी मतवाली – २
फिर सुबह का आलम क्या होगा – २

Shakeel didn’t just write these; he crafted each word like a jeweler would diamonds. Lata Mangeshkar sang it for Nigar Sulatana (As Bahar she too coveted being Salim’s concubine) whilst this ironical Raat is unfolding. It was just a night and yet Shakeel could bring so much of meaning into it.

Another Lyricist who could bring a lot of meaning into just Ek Raat is Gulzar (my next choice of Raat song):

तुम जो कह दो तो
आज की रात चाँद डूबेगा नहीं
रात को रोक लो
रात की बात है
और ज़िन्दगी बाकी तो नहीं

Kuchh nahin rukta…the moving finger writes and moves on!

Waah Shakeel!

Among a hundred things I wrote on his Centenary four years ago (during this auspicious month of August), here is something about him:

Dil pe chot khaana mohabbat ka ek andaaz hai,
Chot khaa ke likhana yeh Shakeel ki awaaz hai,
Waise to kayi aur nagmaagar huyen hain lekin,
Shakeel ki saalgirah haseen shayari ka agaaz hai.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Jab raat hai aisi matwali…

I hope you liked my choice of Song #2 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #3 – Tere bina zindagi se koi.

Beautiful Duet Series

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

On 24 Sep 20, I gave you Beautiful Duet #1 – Tum Bhi Chalo, Hum Bhi Chalen.

Song #2
Meri neendo mein tum, Mere khwabon mein tum

Shamshad Begum With Kishore Kumar

On the Baisakhi day, 13 April 1919, a nation that wants the world to believe it is among the most civilized nations in the world, England that is, set up the world record in barbarism by killing innocent men, women and children by a terrorist called Reginald Dyer in Jalianwala Bagh in Amritsar. All such nations have double standards and this terrorist wasn’t treated like how they want terrorists to be treated but honoured on return to UK with a large purse for his act: “the Saviour of the Punjab with the sword of honour and a purse”!

Shamshad Begum was born the very next day and unlike the “Butcher of Amritsar” (who killed more than a thousand innocents without being offered any defence and escape) she won the hearts of people and continued doing so until her death on 23 Apr 2013 in Mumbai.

Kishore Kumar? He was ten years younger to her and he died 26 years before she did, on 13 Oct 1987, also in Mumbai.

Female singers were charmed in singing with Kishore Kumar since he made them feel totally at home. In recording serious or comical songs, he always looked at the humorous side of things. It is reputed that his female counterparts in duets found it difficult not to laugh whilst singing!

He was simply the most adorable singer that Hindi films ever saw.

Reel Life Versus Real Life

I have taken this beautiful duet picturised on Kishore Kumar and Meena Kumari from the 1956 K Amarnath movie Naya Andaz. The song was penned by Jan Nisar Akhtar and composed as a waltzing number by OP Nayyar. Here is how reel life tried to imitate real life:

“Chand(Kishore Kumar) an aspiring lyricist as well as a singer goes to a dance shows and sees Mala ( Meena Kumari ) doing a dance show. He is overwhelmed with Meena Kumari’s performance as a dancer (think of that!) and decides that if she can get Mala to dance to his songs, it will be a winning combination. However the owner of the company that Mala dances for is skeptical to the proposition. However before anything happens Chand’s father vehemently opposes the idea and Chand being totally disappointed and frustrated leaves house and moves over to Bombay to try his musical talent. He takes his friend Karim ( Johnny Walker) and his girl friend Raina ( Kum Kum ) with him and puts up with his garage owner friend in the city. They start doing shows and comes to attention of Mala who eventually asks her owner Ashok Babu ( Pran ) to hire Chand to sing songs with Mala dancing together. However watch the rest of the movie to see how after many ups and downs Mala and Chand eventually gets together and the movie has a happy ending.”

Lyrics

कि: 	(मेरी नींदों में तुम, मेरे ख़्वाबों में तुम
	हो चुके हम तुम्हारी मोहब्बत में गुम ) - २

श:	(मन की बीना की धुन, तू बालम आज सुन
	मेरी नज़रोंने तुझको लिया आज चुन ) - २
	मन की बीना की धुन, तू बलम आज सुन

श:	(मेरी दिल की लगी तू, मेरी ज़िंदगी तू
	मेरी हर नज़र है तेरी दास्तां ) - २
कि:	(मेरे दिल की बहारें तुम्हीको पुकारें
	तुम्हीसे है आबाद मेरा जहाँ ) - २
श: 	तू मेरा नाज़ है, मेरा अंदाज़ है, दिल की आवाज़ है
कि: 	मेरी नींदों में तुम, मेरे ख्वाबों में तुम
	हो चुके हम तुम्हारी मोहब्बत में गुम

श:	मन की बीना की धुन, तू बलम आज सुन
	मेरी नज़रोंने तुझको लिया आज चुन
	मन की बीना की धुन, तू बालम आज सुन

My Own Poetry

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: Meri neendo mein tum, mere khwabon mein tum and try not to sleep with the tune that sends you dreaming!

I hope you liked my choice of the second beautiful duet.

Please await Beautiful Duet #3 – Milte Hi Aankhen Dil Hua Deewana.

 

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.

Song #1
Yeh jeevan hai, is jeevan ka yehi hai, yehi hai rang roop

Being Alive

Ladies and gentlemen, I am starting a new series today (to encourage many more to participate). Here is how this series came about:

If you want to refer to all the Fests that we have conducted in this group, you have to click on the link on Left Hand Side of the group called “Files” (8th link from on top). As soon as you do, you will get to see a File called “Fests So Far Until Oct 2019” (I shall update upto 30 Oct this year in a few days). And that’s the time you realise that we don’t do anything ad hoc in this group.

You’d notice that we conducted Zindagi Fest as the second Fest of the month Jan 2015, that is nearly six years ago. Hence, now to convert this into series is well called for.

The second reason is COVID 19. Just before COVID 19, people (the cognoscenti that is) were talking about that by the year 2040, Death for us would become optional. Else, because of improvements in medical field, people would live as long as they want to. And then COVID 19 hit us. Suddenly, people started asking whether we would live till tomorrow, let alone live forever!

That’s Zindagi or Jeevan for you. Being Zinda is often an achievement despite our talk about becoming immortal.

And then, what kind of Zindagi? Though it was a comical song in the 1979 movie Mr. Natwarlal: Mere paas aao mere dosto, the last part of the song: Aur sher mujhe kha gaya, naturally invited this comment from the children: “Lekin aap to zinda hao”. Promptly, Amitabh Bachchan responds, “Yeh jeena bhi kya jeena hai?”

So, even if you are alive, you still have a question whether you have Zindagi or not. Often, when you don’t have the love of your life, you sing, “Teri duniya mein dil lagta nahin, waapis bula le.”

As you can see Zindagi, Jeevan, Jeena, Zinda etc have various interesting connotations and I expect all of you to put up songs covering these facets.

Can You Too Participate?

Of course, all my series (with this, we have three going on presently: Raat Or Din, Beautiful Duets, and Zindagi Or Jeevan) are meant for everyone. Only remember this: This is the unique group on Facebook wherein we lay importance in writing a Description (“On Shankar’s anniversary today, a beautiful song” cannot be taken as “description”). If you are not sure how to write a Description, once gain click on “Files” and you’d come across a post of 02 Dec 2015 titled “Presentation of a Post”. It tells you what all can be included in your Description/Presentation.

The limit is only one song in a day. Who will write this? If you are interested, send me your intent on WhatsApp on my number 7021982702 and I shall give you the earliest available slot. Those shy to make WhatsApp messages, may write their intentions in the comments of this post.

Once you get the slot, do write the title of the post as:

“Zindagi Or Jeevan Songs
Song # (Add 1 to previous day’s number and write)
Mukhada
Theme-word: Write where the theme-word Zindagi or Jeevan occurs in the song.”

And then present the song (I have already told you how to) and finally share the url from You Tube or anywhere it is available such as Daily Motion.

Piya Ka ghar

My first Zindagi or Jeevan song is from the 1972 Basu Chatterjee movie Piya Ka Ghar starring two who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) at Pune: Jaya Bahaduri and Anil Dhawan.

Lets start with the movie. First, Raja Thakur made a Marathi movie called Mumbaicha Jawai, which speaks volumes about the title since at that time Mumbai was known as Bombay. Then came Tarachand Barjataya, who founded Rajshri Productions and made many successful movies such as Dosti, Uphaar, Geet Gaata Chal, Jeevan Mrityu, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Dulhan Wohi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye, Akhiyon Ke Jharokhe Se, and Maine Pyar Kiya. He produced Piya Ka Ghar and made Basu Chatterjee direct it. The movie brings out the reality, difficulties and travails of staying in a house in Bombay by large families (which is generally the case). Even though the movie depicted this life in 1970s, the scenario would be generally the same even now, if not worse. Let alone there being no privacy for a new couple in the house, there is none outside too. For example, couples in love are often the target of others including the police.

The song brings out this reality and calls it the reality of life, not just the reality of life in Mumbai.

Anand Bakshi and Laxmikant Pyarelal

Let me tell you something about the Lyricist of the song: Anand Bakshi and the Composer Laxmikant Pyarelal:

Anand Bakshi was a master lyricist who matched his lyrics perfectly with the emotions of the protagonist. His most common pairing was with Laxmikant Pyarelal with whom he worked in 302 movies. Then, with RD Burman, he did the second highest movies of his career: 99. Amongst the old breed of lyricsts, Anand Bakshi was the only one who penned more than 3000 songs whilst lyricists like Sahir and Sahkeel only penned less than 800.

This song is because of Anand Bakshi pairing with Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Laxmikant Pyarelal made songs and music for 635 movies from 1963 to 1998 when Laxmikant died on 25 May. Nearly half of the movies, 302 to be exact, have been with Anand Bakshi. Anand Bakshi penned more than 3000 songs. More than half of these are with Laxmikant Pyarelal. Just like Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant Pyarelal too tasted resounding success in the very first movie that they attempted: the 1963 movie Parasmani. The popular songs of the movie include: Hansta hua noorani chehra, and Raushan tumhi se duniya. But, the song from the movie that is still everfresh and fondly remembered is this:

Anand Bakshi died on 30 Mar 2002 in Mumbai. However, the songs of Anand Bakshi with Laxmikant Pyarelal kept appearing until the 2011 movie Soundtrack. They had started with the 1964 movie Mr. X in Bombay with super-hit songs: Mere mehboob qayamat hogi, Chali gori pi ke milan ko chali, and Khoobsurat haseena jaane jaan jaaneman. Some of my other favourite songs of the pair from 1965 to 1975 are: Main mujhe apne aanchal mein chhupa le (Chhota Bhai, 1965), Khat likh de saanwariya ke naam babu, Mere dushman tu meri dosti ko tarse, Suno sajana papihe ne (Aaye Din Bahar Ke, 1966), Jab jab bahar aayi aur phool muskaraye, Saat samundar paar se gudiyon ke bazaar se (Taqdeer, 1967), Baahosh habas mein deewana and Nazar na lag jaaye kisi ki raahon mein (Night In London, 1967), Ham tum yug yug se yeh geet milan ka, Sawan ka mahina pawan kare sor, Ram kare aisa ho jaaye, and Mubarak ho sabako sama ye suhaana (Milan, 1967), Mera naam hai chameli, Tu kitani achhi hai O maa, Sang basanti rang basanti aa gaya, and O phiraki waali tu kal phir aana (Raja Aur Rank, 1968), Raat suhaani jaag rahi hai dheere dheere chupke chupke (Jigri Dost, 1969), Bindiya chamkegi, Chhup gaye saare nazaare, Khiza ke phool pe aati kabhi bahaar nahin, and Ye reshmi zulfen ye sharbati aankhen (Do Raaste, 1969), Main raahi anjaan raahon ka, and Rimjhim ke geet sawan gaaye (Anjana, 1969), Saari khushiyan hain mohabbat ki zamaane ke liye (Suhana Safar, 1970), Sharaafat chhod di hamane (Sharaafat, 1970), Sham dhale Jamuna kinaare (Pushpanjali, 1970), Dhal gaya din ho gayi shaam, Haay re haay neend nahin aaye (Humjoli, 1970), Shadi ke liye razamand karli (Devi, 1970), Mujhe tumase mohabbat hai magar main keh nahin sakta (Bachpan, 1970), Achchha to hum chalte hain, Ab aan milo sajana (Aan Milo Sajana, 1970), Agar dilbar ki ruswayi, Khilauna jaankar tum to mera dil, Teri shaadi pe doon tujhako tohfa main kya (Khilauna, 1970), Jaane kyun log mohannat kiya karte hain, Itna to yaad hai mujhe, Mere deewanepan ki bhi koi dawa nahin, and Ye jo chilman hai (Mehboob Ki Mehndi, 1971), Chal chal chal mere haathi, Dilbar jaani chali hawa mastani, and Nafrat ki duniya ko chhod ke (Haathi Mere Saathi, 1971), Sachayi chhup nahin sakti (Dushman, 1971), Aap aaye bahar aayee, Mujhe teri mohabbat ka (Aap Aaye Bhar Aayee, 1971), Haay sharmaayun (Mera Gaon Mera Desh, 1971), Kitna maza aa raha hai (Raja Jani, 1972), Dheere dheere bol koi sun na le, and Ek na ek din ye kahani banegi (Gora Aur Kala, 1972), O manchali kahan chali, Tan man dhan sab hai tera (Manchali, 1973), Aj mausam nbada beimaan hai, Main tere ishq mein mar na jaayun kahin, Motiyon ki ladhi hoon main (Loafer, 1973), Mere dil mein aaj kya hai, Ni main yaar manana ni (Daag, 1973), Akhiyon ko rehne de, Hum tum ik kamre mein band hon, Beshaq mandir masjid tode, and Main shayar to nahin (Bobby, 1973), Gore rang pe itna gumaan kar, Naach meri bulbul ke paisa milega, Ye public hai ye sab janati hai (Roti, 1974), Aadmi jo kehta hai, Phir na kehna Michael daaru pi ke danga karta hai, Nahin main nahin dekh sakta tujhe rote huye, Tumhen jo bhi dekh lega (Majboor, 1974), Chal dariya mein doob jaayen, Doston mein koi baat, Prem kahani mein ik ladka hota hai, and Phool ahista phenko (Prem Kahani, 1975), Man jat yamla pagla deewana (Pratigya, 1975).

Some other favourites of Anand Bakshi with Laxmikant Pyarelal from 1975 onwards are: Aayegi aayegi kisi ko hamari yaad aayegi, Jaaneman kisi ka naam nahin, Ki gal hai koi nahin (Jaaneman, 1976), Ke aaja teri yaad aayi (Charas, 1976), Dream girl (Dream Girl, 1977), O meri mehbooba tujhe jaana hai to jaa (Dharm-Veer, 1977), Koi maane ya na maane (Chacha Bhatija, 1977), Aadmi musafir hai aata hai jaata hai (Apnapan, 1977), Ke mere dil ne tadap ke, Aap ke anurodh pe main ye geet, Aate jaate khuubsurat awara sadakon pe, Jab dard nahin tha seene mein (Anurodh, 1977), Anhoni ko honi karde, O hamako tumase ho gaya hai pyaar, Parda hai parda, and Shirdi waale Sai Baba (Amar Akbar Antony, 1977), Bhor bhaye panghat pe, Chanchal sheetal komal (Satyam Shivam Sundaram, 1978), Main tulsi tere aangan ki (Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, 1978), Ham to chale pardes, Ram ji ki nikali sawari (Sargam, 1979), Ek ritu aaye ek ritu jaaye (Gautam Govinda, 1979), Teri rab ne banayi jodi (Suhaag, 1979), Bane chahe dushman zamaana hamara, and Mere dost kissa ye kyaa ho gaya (Dostana, 1980), Dard-e-dil dard-e-jigar dil mein jagaya aapne, He tumne kabhi kisi se pyaar kiaya hai (Karz, 1980), Hamako bhi gham ne maara (Aas Paas, 1981), Ham bane tum bane ek duje ke liye, Solah baras ki baali umar ko salaam, Mere jeevan saathi pyar kiye ja, and Tere mere beech mein kaisa hai ye bandhan anjaana (Ek Duje Ke Liye, 1981), Khatun ki khdmat mein salaam apun ka (Desh Premi, 1982), Rote rote hansana seekho (Andha Kanoon, 1983), Saari duniya ka bojh uthaate hain (Coolie, 1983), Ding dong O baby sing a song (Hero, 1984), Chitthi aayi hai watan ki chitthi aayi hai (Naam, 1986), Main teri dushman (Nagina, 1986), Mera naam hai Lakhan (Ram Lakan, 1989), Jumma chumma de de (Hum, 1991), Tu mujhe qabool main tujhe qabool (Khuda Gwaah, 1992), Choli ke peeche kya hai, Nayak nahin khalnayak hoon main (Khalnayak, 1993), and Khidaki khuli zara to hangama ho gaya (Deewana Mastana, 1997).

Kishore Kumar

Of course, adorable personality Kishore Kumar sang this song. I rank it as among the best he sang.

Please enjoy Kishore Kumar sing a composition of Laxmikant Pyarelal on the lyrics of Anand Bakshi a song from the 1972 Basu Chatterjee movie Piya Ka Ghar: Yeh jeevan hai is jeevan ka yehi hai rang roop….

ये जीवन है
इस जीवन का
यही है, यही है, यही है रंग रूप (२)

थोड़े ग़म हैं, थोड़ी खुशियाँ
यही है, यही है, यही है छाँव धूप
ये जीवन है …

(ये ना सोचो इसमें अपनी
हार है कि जीत है ) – २
उसे अपना लो जो भी
जीवन की रीत है
ये ज़िद छोड़ो, यूँ ना तोड़ो
हर पल एक दर्पण है
ये जीवन है …

धन से ना दुनिया से
घर से न द्वार से
साँसों की डोर बंधी है
प्रीतम के प्यार से
दुनिया छूटे, पर ना टूटे
ये कैसा बंधन है

ये जीवन है
इस जीवन का
यही है, यही है, यही है रंग रूप
थोड़े ग़म हैं
थोड़ी खुशियाँ
यही है, यही है, यही है छाँव धूप
ये जीवन है

In the 1967 movie Jewel Thief, there is a dialogue about Bombay being too crowded and hence Tanuja liked to stay in Powai hills. Now, even those places are crowded. Indeed, crowds never leave you all the way to Viraar on the Western side and Panvel on the Eastern side. There is no place to go for a modicum of privacy. There was a time, when one could go to Lonavla to see that quiet and be with one’s partner exclusively. Now, there would be any number of people getting into your love scene.

The movie portrayed the situation in 1972. Forty-six years later, you are always in a crowd anywhere in Mumbai and suburbs. Hence, the strain of the song even more appropriate today than it was in 1972.

इस जीवन का
यही है, यही है, यही है रंग रूप

I hope you enjoyed it too.

Please await Song #2 in this series.

Raat or Din Songs Series

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

Song #1
Saari saari raat teri yaad sataye

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, my behna Manik Lakhkar Chava and me jointly start another daily songs series. I shall put up one day and Manik Lakhkar Chava shall put up the next day.

Why Her?

I can never forget the first time she came to Kharghar to visit us. Of course, from the time we picked her up at Bombay VT station, she mingled with Lyn and I like sugar in water. At home, she went straight to my mom’s room. Within five minutes they were talking, as they squatted on bed, as if they knew each other for ages.

They say busy people have time for everything. She and I are two of the busiest people in the group with our circumstances. And yet, we are the only two who have time to put up daily posts.

Can You Too Join the Series?

Of course, you can. The moment you realise that this group is our family and you have something to share in the family, please do join after checking up with Manik Lakhkar Chava and I. Say, you want to put up your favourite Raat or Din song one day, please ask Manik Lakhkar Chava or me on WhatsApp and there you have that slot on the next day. As simple as that.

Not in Any Order or Ranking

I am at pains to always bring out that songs put up by us are not in order or ranking; eg, it is not intended that Song #23 is better than Song #27 or worse than Song #1 or all that came before it. These songs are totally at random and of course do reflect our mood and liking of that day.

Saari Saari Raat Teri Yaad Sataye

This song is from the 1958 Mohammad Hussain movie Aji Bas Shukriya starring Geeta Bali, Suresh, Johny Walker, Shobha Khote, Tun Tun, Shammi, Mukri, Anwar Hussan, and Agha. Geeta Bali (later, in real life, to be Shammi Kapoor’s wife) was Geeta in the movie who maintained her entire family by working as a typist. Of course, you know the real life stories of both Meena Kumari and Madhubala who looked after their entire families by working in the films from their child artiste days.

Lyricist

The song was penned by Farooq Qaiser (also written as Faruk Kaiser) whose moments of glory included such songs as the Parasmani song Hansta hua noorani chehra and 1963 Shikari song Chaman ke phool bhi tujhako ghulab kehte hain.

His education was in Bombay and he developed a taste for creative writing. Faruk’s love for poetry and his friendship with neighbour Kamran Khan (father of Farah Khan and Sajid Khan) were instrumental in his developing an enthusiasm for the creative works of Hindi Cinema. While Kamran Khan produced and acted in films, Faruk was introduced into the Hindi films as an assistant director. He went on to direct several movies until he found his niche as a lyricist.

Until his death on 20 Nov 1987, he wrote approximately 400 songs for over 100 movies.

Music Director and Composer

Roshan Lal Nagrath, born on 14 Jul 1917 in Gujranwala, Punjab (now in Pakistan). He died at the age of only 50 years on 16 Nov 1967 in Mumbai whereat he arrived in 1948 to try his hand at becoming a Music Director.

He became assistant to Khwaja Khurshid Anwar for the 1949 movie Singaar. Of course, those of you who get time to read my daily posts on Lyricists would know that he made it big only when Kidar Sharma gave him a break in 1949 movie Neki Aur Badi. It failed but so much was the trust that Kidar Sharma placed in him that he took him again for his next movie Bawre Nain. He was a total success and people still fondly remember Bawre Nain songs including Khyalon mein kisi ke is tarah aaya nahin karte.

He became the composer of choice for qawwalis and the Hindi movies’ best qawwali ever: Na to karvaan ki talaash hai was composed by him. My behna Manik Lakhkar Chava’s favourite lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi’s most beautiful numbers were composed by him. He was instrumental in getting Sahir his first award for Taj Mahal songs.

Lata Mangeshkar

She happens to be my favourite female singer (it is never intended to say that your favourite is the best in a competition of singers). A favourite is often the one who arouses memories of your earlier days and Lata ji does it for me very well. Many of my favourite songs were sung by her including this.

Importance of Yaad

There is nothing like Yaad in the night (Raat). In this song she goes about saying that one is that Yaad is troubling her and then she has to reckon with Chand too; my favourite theme. Have a look at the lyrics:

सारी सारी रात तेरी याद सताए
प्रीत जगाए हमें नींद न आए रे

एक तो बलम तेरी याद जलाए,
दूजे चंदा आग लगाए आग लगाए
तेरी प्रीत जगाए रे, नींद न आए

तेरी लगन बनी रोग सावरियां,
कैसे बीते बाली उमरियां
बाली उमर मोरी बड़ा तड़पाए रे, नींद न आए

प्रीत लगा के हुए तुम तो पराए,
प्यास जिया की कौन बुझाए कौन बुझाए
कोई ये समझाए रे, नींद न आए

My Own Poetry

TERI YAAD NE RULA DIYA

ज़िन्दगी में अब भी तेरे नाम ने रुला दिया,
सुबह चली गयी पर शाम ने रुला दिया।

प्यार का आगाज़ हंसते हंसते हुआ था मगर,
यकायक प्यार के अंजाम ने रुला दिया।

तेरे इश्क़ में सैकड़ों मुकाम आये राह में,
सोचा न था पर आखरी मुकाम ने रुला दिया।

ज़िन्दगी की कशमकश में हम खुशमिज़ाज़ थे मगर,
पर क्या खबर थी ज़िन्दगी के आराम ने रुला दिया।

तेरी आँखों की कसम पीते रहे और जीते रहे,
बेखुदी तब बढ़ गयी जब एक जाम ने रुला दिया।

तेरे होंठों से होता था इज़हार-ए-उल्फत बार बार,
आखिर में तेरी नज़रों के पैगाम ने रुला दिया।

Please enjoy: Saari saari raat teri yaad sataye…

 

I hope you liked my choice of Song #1 in Raat or Din series.

Please await Song #2.

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.

Song #1
Tum bhi chalo hum bhi chalen, chalti rahe zindagi

Happy Birthday Saira Bano and Remembering Sapan Chakraborty on His Death Anniversary

Why This Series?

The fact is that we don’t pay too much of attention to duets and if at all we do, we go on repeating the same Mukesh Lata, Hemant Kumar Lata and Mohammad Rafi Lata songs. There is, therefore, so much to learn about duets.

Such series are also my way of involving you and your dormant talent.

New Series – Can You Join Too?

Yes, of course. All that you have to do is go on the Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne and put up song of your choice.

The Movie Zameer

It is a 1975 (same year as Sholay) movie produced by BR Chopra and directed by Ravi Chopra. It starred Amitabh Bachchan, Saira Bano and Shammi Kapoor in the lead roles.

This duet was penned beautifully by Sahir Ludhianvi and composed by Sapan Chakraborty (not to be confused with Sapan Dasgupta of Sapan Jagmohan duo).

There are two versions of this song: one as a duet with happily in love couple Amitabh Bachchan and Saira Bano (whose birthday is today) enacting it as duet and sung for them by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. The second (later) version is a solo by Kishore Kumar singing for Amitabh Bachchan when he realises that having impersonated as Shammi Kapoor’s lost son Chimpoo, willy nilly Saira Bano would then be his sister!

Lyrics and Composition

As is to be expected, Sahir’s lyrics are superb:

तुम भी चलो, हम भी चलें, चलती रहे ज़िन्दगी – २
ना ज़मीं मंज़िल, ना आसमां, ज़िन्दगी है ज़िन्दगी
तुम भी चलो, हम भी चलें, चलती रहे ज़िन्दगी

पीछे देखें ना, कभी मुड़ के राहों में, हो
झूमे मेरा दिल, तुम्हें लेके बाहों में, हो
धड़कनों की ज़ुबां, नित काहे दास्तां
प्यार की झिल-मिल छाओं में, पलती रहे ज़िन्दगी
तुम भी चलो, हम भी चलें, चलती रहे ज़िन्दगी

बहते चले हम, मस्ती के धारों में, हो
गूंजे यही धुन, सदा दिल के तारों में, हो
अब रुके ना कहीं, प्यार का कारवां
नित नई रुत के रंग में, ढलती रहे ज़िन्दगी
तुम भी चलो, हम भी चलें, चलती रहे ज़िन्दगी
ना ज़मीं मंज़िल, ना आसमां, ज़िन्दगी है ज़िन्दगी
तुम भी चलो, हम भी चलें, चलती रहे ज़िन्दगी

Sapan Chakraborty has come up with a composition that is as gentle as the one that would fill with regret and enigma. Really beautiful guitar based (especially in the interludes).

My Own Poetry

I am giving you the regret version:

YEH KAHAN AA GAYE HUM?

हम फिर खुद ही खुद से किनारा कर बैठे,
अनजाने में वही गुनाह दोबारा कर बैठे।

कुछ नहीं मिलता हमें यकीनन पता भी है,
जाने क्यूं आज फिर यादों का सहारा कर बैठे।

बार बार वहीं जाता है दिल नज़र ना भी पहुंचे,
फिर उसी गम, उसी बेकसी का नज़ारा कर बैठे।

ज़िन्दगी है, ज़िंदा रहना जरूरी है अपनों के लिए,
फिर क्यूं आज मौत को इशारा कर बैठे।

ख्वाहिशें थी जन्नत मेरी देहलीज़ पे रखेगी कदम,
अब ग़म ए दिल की हकीकत को गवारा कर बैठे।

दौलत ए एहमियत को रखते थे दिल के करीब,
आज उस खुदी को लाचार आवारा कर बैठे।

मिलेंगे तुझे जब खुदा सवाल तो उठेगा दिल में,
उम्र गुज़री जिसे मेरा कहने में, अब क्यूं हमारा कर बैठे।

Please enjoy: Tum bhi chalo hum bhi chalen…

I hope you liked the first beautiful duet put up on the day (23 Aug 20) on the birthday of Saira Bano and Death Anniversary of Sapan Chakraborty.

Please await the next song in this series.

As with all posts on Lyricists, these posts are a compilation of my daily posts on my Facebook page Lyrical.

I hope you liked my choice of songs for Part V.

Lets begin taking up songs for Part VI, the final part.

Day #47, Song #140
Us paar is deewar ke jo rehte hain

I promised you two songs from the 1951 M Sadiq movie Saiyan starring Madhubala and Ajit. We just took up one sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

Day #47, Song #141
Badi mushkil se aisi shaam aayi hai

His next movie in 1951 was a GP Pawar movie Phoolon Ke Haar starring Nasir Khan (Dilip Kumar’s brother who played Jamna in Gunga Jamna), Geeta Bali and Nigar Sultana.

Day #48, Song #142
Pyar bhi aata hai kabhi gussa bhi aata hai

His next movie in 1952 was Insaan, a Jagdish Sethi movie starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Ragini, Kamal Kapoor, Cuckoo and KN Singh.

Day #48, Song #143
Naa to din hi din wo rahe mere

Pahili Shadi was the first movie in 1953 for which he wrote songs.

Day #48, Song #144
Giri bhanwar mein naav hamari

Rasiya was his first movie in 1954, the 23rd year of his career.

Day #49, Song #145
Tere poojan ko bhagwan bana man mandir

Sorry for a little break caused by my having been admitted in the hospital for a surgery.

Day #49, Song #146
Parwano se prit sikh le

Ehsan was his next movie in 1954. It was a Rajendra Sharma movie starring Shammi Kapoor, Munawar Sultana, Gulab, K N Singh, Prithviraj Kapoor, and Roopmala.

Day #49, Song #147
Panghat pe more Shyam bajaye muraliya

We are taking up songs of the 1954 movie Ehsan directed by Dn Madhok himself and starring CH Atma and Suraiya; both of whom sang for themselves as composed by Bulo C Rani.

Day #50, Song #148
Ye raat din ka phera

Yesterday, we took up two songs of the 1954 movie Bilwamangal; one each by Suraiya and CH Atma; both of them being the lead cast of the movie directed by DN Madhok.

Day #50, Song #149
Koi keh de papiha se ja ke

His next movie in 1954 was Barati, a JK Nanda movie starring Chand Usmani, Peace Kanwal, Agha, Om Prakash, Leela Mishra, Sham Kumar, Darpan, and Johny Walker.

Day #50, Song #150
Mera nanha sa dil hai

Aurat Teri Kahani was his last film in 1954. It was a Chaturbhuj Doshi movie starring Bharat Bhushan and Nirupa Roy.

Day #51, Song #151
Duniya ke bazaar mein main dil ka moti layi hoon

Madhur Milan was his second movie in the year 1955.

Day #51, Song #152
Jis mitti mein khel rahe hain bachche

Dhake Ki Malmal was his next movie in 1956. JK Nanda directed the movie starring Kishore Kumar and Madhubala.

These songs are reproduction and compilation of posts on my Facebook group Lyrical.

I hope you liked songs of Part IV.

Lets take up songs of Part V.

Day #43, Song #129
Na thamate hain aansu

For the next movie in 1950: Meena Bazaar, he paired with Husnlal Bhagatram, the first music duo in Hindi films. There were 13 songs in the movie; 12 were penned by Qamar Jalalabadi and DN Madhok wrote only one. But, that is a beautiful song.

Day #44, Song #130
Mast hawayon mein thandi thandi chhanv mein

Man Ka Meet was his next movie in 1950, a Ratilal Hemchand Punatar movie starring Nirupa Roy and Manhar Desai.