Sunbyanyname

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

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

I hope you liked my choice for Song #45 – Kya yunhi rooth ke jaane ko Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #46.

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 #46 in the series. I hope you liked Song #45 – Mera naam chin chin chu.

Remembering Kishore Sahu on His Birth Anniversary

He was born on this day in 1915. He appeared in 22 films between 1937 and 1980 including Guide in which he was the archaeologist Marco neglecting his wife Rosie (Waheeda Rehman). He directed 20 movies between 1942 and 1974. One of the films he directed is a favourite of mine: Dil Apna Aur Preet Prayi. In Hare Rama Hare Krishna, if you recall, he was the Mr Jaiswal neglecting his son and daughter who were to grow up and become Dev Anand and Zeenat Aman.

Kali Ghata – 1951 Movie

This was one movie in which he had the lead role with Bina Rai. He also directed the movie. In this song that I have taken, she is singing the song to him. Lata Mangeshkar is her playback singer.

The Song

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 #45 – Ek daal par tota. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #46
Kisi raah mein kisi mod par

Raag Charukesi or Charukeshi and Rupaktal

The raag in which this most beautiful duet is composed is called Raag Charukesi or Charukeshi. It is a Raaga not of Hindustani music but of Carnatic Music. It is meant to invoke devotional feelings and pathos in the listener. In Malayalam, one of the all-time greatest songs are in Charukesi: ‘Akale akale neelaakaasam’ (from the movie ‘Midumidukki’, 1968). This was composed by Baburaj and sung by Yesudas and S. Janaki.

Some of my favourite songs in this Raag are Bainya na dharo, Bedardi balma, Chhod de saari duniya kisi ke liye, Chalo sajna jahan tak ghata chale, Shyam teri bansi pukare Radha naam, and Ek tu jo mila.

The taal is Rupaktal. A few hours back when I gave you Na jiya laage na, I told you about another song in Malgunji and Rupaktal: Ghar aaja ghir aaye badra saanwariya.

Kalyanji Anandji, Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh

Hats off to Kalyanji Anandji for having composed the lyrics of Anand Bakshi in this Raag and they became instantly super-hit. It appears to me that were fond of Charukesi.

Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh sang it for the 1970 movie Hamsafar (this was the title song) starring Sharmila Tagore and Jumpin’ Jack Jeetendra.
The use of word Kahin in the song invokes different feelings in different places. For example, she has her doubts in the beginning and she says: Kahin chal na dena tu chhod kar. Then there is more doubt when she says: Mera dil kahe kahin ye naa ho! Mukesh’s use is reassuring: Tujhe aa nazar mein chhupa lun main, tujhe lag naa jaaye kahin nazar! And lo, finally reassured, both sing in unison:

la : kahii.n din ye Dhal jaa_e kyaa pataa
mu : kahaa.N raat ho jaa_e kyaa Kabar
Excellent uses of the same word Kahin!!

My Own Poetry

Kahin Pe, Kabhi To…

ज़िन्दगी महज़ चंद मुलाकातें हैं,
छुप छुप के कुछ धीमी धीमी बातें हैं।
दिन तो तेज़ रफ्तार से गुज़र गए,
अब तो चुप चुप ठहरी ठहरी सी रातें हैं।

चाहने और पाने में कितनी दूरी है,
कदम बढ़ के थम गए न जाने क्या मजबूरी है,
दर्द छुपाकर बहुत घूमते हैं इस दुनिया में,
हमें देखिए जिन्हें जीने के लिए दर्द ज़रूरी है।

सब कुछ गया पर उनका खयाल नहीं गया,
ज़िन्दगी का वो सोया हुआ सवाल नहीं गया,
क्यूं मिले थे उनसे जब मिलना ना था मुकद्दर में?
सांस रुकी है पर धड़कनों का उछाल नहीं गया।

क्यूं फिर से प्यार की राह अनजान लगती है?
क्यूं वो हैं भी पर दुनिया वीरान लगती है?
क्या होना था, अभी तो कुछ हुआ ही नहीं,
क्यूं चौराहे पर खड़ी ज़िन्दगी हैरान लगती है?

समझ आए तो हो सके हमें भी खबर करना,
कुछ लम्हे संग बिताए हुए लम्हों की नज़र करना,
शाम ए तन्हाई गर खत्म ना भी हो, रवि,
धुंधले उजाले में ही ज़िन्दगी की सहर करना।

The Song

Please enjoy in Raag Charukeshi: Kis raah mein kisi mod par, kahin chal naa dena tu chhod kar….

किसी राह में किसी मोड़ पर
किसी राह में किसी मोड़ पर
कही चल ना देना तू छोडकर
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
किसी हाल में किसी बात पर
कही चल ना देना छोड़कर
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र

मेरा दिल कहे कही ये ना हो
मेरा दिल कहे कही ये ना हो
नहीं ये ना हो नहीं ये ना हो
किसी रोज तुझ से बिछड़ के मई
तुज़े ढूँढती फिरू दरबदर
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र

तेरा रंग साया बहार का
तेरा रंग साया बहार का
तेरा रूप आइना प्यार का
तुझे ा नज़र में छुपा लू
मै तुझे लग ना जाए कही नज़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र

तेरा साथ हैं तो हैं ज़िन्दगी
तेरा साथ हैं तो हैं ज़िन्दगी
तेरा प्यार हैं तो हैं रोशनी
तेरा प्यार हैं तो हैं रोशनी
कहा दिन ये ढल जाए क्या पता
कहा रात हो जाए क्या खबर
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
किसी राह में किसी मोड़ पर
कही चल ना देना तू छोडकर
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र
मेरे हमसफ़र मेरे हमसफ़र.

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #46.

Please await Beautiful Duet #47 – Aaha rimjhim ke ye pyaare pyaare.

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 #44 – Tu hi re in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #45.

Song #45
Kya younhi rooth ke jaane ko muhabbat ki thi
Theme-word: Zindagi meri mitane ko muhabbat ki thi

Everyone Deserves Shakeel Badayuni

His poetry, ghazals and lyrics are the best known. He used twists of expression to convey emotions far beyond most. There are not many moments when I don’t think of some or the other song of his or ghazal of his.

Here he is with Ravi, the composer. With Ravi he got two of his three (of a hat-trick) Filmfare Awards: Chaudhvinh ka chand ho and Husnwale tera jawab nahin. Both were describing the beauty of woman.

However, with Ravi he also created songs that were sad, poignant and even desperate. Songs such as Lo aa gayi unki yaad, woh nahin aaye; Naseeb mein jiske jo likha tha, and Mili khaak mein mohabbat.
This is one of the same genre’.

Door Ki Awaz

This 1964 movie was directed by Devendra Goel and starred Joy Mukherjee, Saira Bano and Pran in the lead roles. Its songs are among some of the best made by Shakeel-Ravi:

Husn se chand bhi sharmaya hai.
Hum bhi agar bachche hote.
Dil mera aaj khi gaya hai kahin.
This song.
Toot gayi mere man ki muraliya.
Muqaddar aazmana chahta hoon.
Ek musafir ko duniya mein kya chahiye.
Haathon mein haath honthon pe afsaane pyar ke.
Mohe tirchhi najariya na maro.

This Song

It is not just one of the best penned by Shakeel but is among the best sung by Rafi. There is so much of emotion in his singing voice.

Here are the beautiful lyrics:

बना के मेरा मुक़द्दर बिगाड़ने वाले
जवाब दे ओ मेरा घर उजाड़ने वाले

क्या यूँ ही रूठ के जाने को मोहब्बत की थी -२
ज़िन्दगी मेरी मिटाने को मोहब्बत की थी
क्या यूँ ही …

आँख में आँसू लब पे कहानी तेरी
मुझको तड़पाती है दिन-रात निशानी तेरी
क्या मुझे तूने रुलाने को मोहब्बत की थी
क्या यूँ ही …

ओ मुझे भूलने वाले तू कहाँ है आजा
क्या हुई मुझसे ख़ता ये तो ज़रा बतला जा
या ये कह दे के दिखाने को मोहब्बत की थी
क्या यूँ ही …

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Kya younhi rooth ke jaane ko muhabbat ki thi…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #45 in the series.

Please await Song #46 –  Na ye chand hoga.

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 #45 in the series. I hope you liked Song #44 – Bheegi bheegi raaton mein.

Song #45
Mera naam chin chin chu

Happy Birthday Helen Anne Richardson

She was born on this day in 1938 in Rangoon, Burma.

The family trekked to Bombay in the year 1943 to escape Japanese occupation of Burma. She quit her schooling to earn for the family as her mother’s salary as nurse wasn’t enough.

The movie Howrah Bridge from where I have taken this song was her first big break at the age of 19 years.

She redefined dancing in the movies as cabaret based. Later she successfully attempted (since she emerged as a natural dancer) other genres of dancing including even classical. That she emerged as a darling of producers and directors would be an understatement. Omkar Prasad Nayyar was very fond of her and – hold your breath – made her enact even a ghazal in a movie!
Of course, OP Nayyar was the composer of this song.

Howrah Bridge – 1958 Movie

It was a Shakti Samanta movie. As I have already told you several times, Shakti Samanta got used to making super hit movies once every two years. After he started Shakti Films, this was the first release under the banner.

The movie starred Asdhok Kumar and Madhubala in a murder mystery with origins in China (the Calcutta based filmmakers had fascination for China).

Qamar (Moon) Jalalabadi penned the lyrics and all the songs of the movie became hits or super hits:

1 “Aaiye Meharbaan” Asha Bhosle
2 “Yeh Kya Kar Daala Tune” Asha Bhosle
3 “Dekhke Teri Nazar Bekaraar Ho Gaye” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
4 “Gora Rang, Chunariya Kaali” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
5 “Mohabbat Ka Haath, Jawaani Ka Palla” Asha Bhosle, Mohammed Rafi
6 “Main Jaan Gayi Tujhe Saiyaan” Shamshad Begum, Mohammed Rafi
7 “Eent Ki Dukki, Paan Ka Ekka” Mohammed Rafi
8 “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” Geeta Dutt
Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu

Helen would have never thought that the very first song of hers in the movies would be such a super hit song that even after 62 years, it is still a super hit! It has everything: Raat, Chandini, Singapore, Shanghai and other such exotic Eastern places:

मेरा नाम चिन-चिन-चू
चिन-चिन-चू बाबा चिन-चिन-चू
रात चाँदनी मैं और तू
hello, mister, how do you do?

बाबूजी मैं चीन से आई चीनी जैसा दिल लाई
सिंगापुर का यौवन मेरा शाँघाई की अँगड़ाई
दिल पर रख ले हाथ ज़रा, हो जाए न पागल तू
मेरा नाम चिन-चिन-चू

ओ बाबूजी मैं और आप, कितना अच्छा हुआ मिलाप
तुझको देख तबीयत भड़की, अलादीन की मैं हूँ लड़की
फूँक दूँ मंतर छू चू चू, सिंदबाद the sailorतू
मेरा नाम चिन-चिन-चू

Who Does the Song Belong to?

I think besides Qamar Jalabadi, OP Nayyar and Helen, one must give credit where credit is due: Geeta Dutt. She too redefined the way songs were sung in the movies until then.

My Own Poetry

Not just Shanghai and Opium, Chinese also exported Corona to us. Here is my light hearted take on that (Can you imagine OP Nayyar composing it?):

To His Beloved “Corona”

लॉक डाउन में रह रह के याद आती है,
रुलाने में तुम करोना से कम नहीं।
कोई और तुमसा नहीं सताती है,
तुम जैसी हो, किसी में दम नहीं।

हो जाता है मुझे भारी बुखार,
सांस मेरी जाती है फूल।
वायरस नहीं, तुम्हारा है चमत्कार,
तुमसे इश्क़ ज़िन्दगी की है भूल।

कहीं से कोई मिलता नहीं इलाज,
करोना वायरस से तो फ़िर भी बच जाऊं।
औरों को तो कई होंगे काम काज,
मैं तो मुहब्बत में ही गंगा नहाऊं।

हाथ धो के पड़ी हो मेरे पीछे,
तुम तो हो सानिटाइजर से परे।
रहता हूं मैं तुम्हारे अंगूठे के नीचे,
जैसे कोई खरगोश शेरनी से डरे।

अगली बार ठीक करूंगा अपना हाइजीन,
कभी तुमसे नहीं करूंगा मैं प्यार।
सांप के आगे कौन बजाता रहे बीन?
करोना से भी ख़तरनाक है तुम्हारी मार।

रिलीज़ करो मुझे अपनी क्वारंटाइन से,
दिमाग पे मेरे हो गया है इफैक्ट।
जाहिल हो क्या मेरे मरने के साइन से,
किसी और को करलो अपना आशिक़ सिलेक्ट।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Mera naam Chin Chin Chu…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #45.

Please await Raat or Din Song #46 – Din hain pyare pyare.

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 #44 – Chand jaane kahan kho gaya. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #45
Ek daal par tota bole

A Song that can be COVID 19 Song

Yes, avoidance of COVID 19 is all about social distance and in this song penned by Inderjeet Singh Tulsi and composed by Ravindra Jain, it seems, the guys were far ahead of their times (the movie was 1974 movie Chor Machaye Shor) for they referred to Love being there despite social distance between, say Tota and Maina.

Once again, this beautiful and popular duet was sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar for Shashi Kapoor and Mumtaz respectively.

Chor Machaye Shor – 1974 Movie

I was impressed with the songs of the movie, eg, that beautiful Kishore Kumar song in Raag Jhinjhoti: Ghungru ki tarah bajta hi raha hoon, and Le jaayenge, le jaayenge, dilwale dunhaniya that I actually made the mistake of seeing the movie. It was awful and the second half was seen by me in fast forward. Absolute trash. It was similar to watching a Shah Rukh Khan movie – highly rated but actually trash.

There is no point in telling you the story since it didn’t have one. It meandered on to accommodate scenes and songs and fights and comedy.

The Song

Nevertheless, the lyrics are pretty good and composition fine.

Hence, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ek daal par tota bole…

एक डाल पर तोता बोले, एक डाल पर मैना
दूर-दूर बैठे हैं, लेकिन प्यार तो फिर भी है ना
बोलो है ना, है ना, है ना

एक डाल पर तोता बोले, एक डाल पर मैना
मैं तेरे नैनों की निंदिया, तू मेरे दिल का चैना
बोलो है ना, है ना, है ना
एक डाल पर तोता बोले

ये क्या मुझको हो गया साजन, कभी रोऊँ कभी गाऊँ
पेड़ से लिपटी बेल जो देखूँ, लाज से मर-मर जाऊँ
ये पागलपन कैसा, कब से हो गया ऐसा
बिन बतलाए समझो साजन, आज नहीं कुछ कहना
बोलो है ना, है ना, है ना
एक डाल पर तोता बोले

आंधी आए, तूफ़ाँ आए या बरसे बरसातें
इक दूजे में खो जाएँ हम, ख़त्म न हो दिन-रातें
ख़त्म न हो दिन-रातें, मीठी प्यार की बातें
होंठ अगर ख़ामोश रहे तो बोल उठेंगे नैना
बोलो है ना, है ना, है ना
एक डाल पर तोता बोले

जनम जनम की प्यास, रे साजन, पल में बुझेगी कैसे
जीवन भर ये संग न छूटे, अंग लगा लो ऐसे
आ मिल जाएँ ऐसे, सागर-नदिया जैसे
सीख लिया है प्यार में हमने मिट कर ज़िंदा रहना
बोलो है ना, है ना, है ना
एक डाल पर तोता बोले…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #45.

Please await Beautiful Duet #46 – Kisi raah pe kisi mod par.

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 #43 – Aanewala pal jaanewala hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #44.

Song #44
Tu hi re
Theme-word: Maut aur zindagi tere haathon mein de diya re

Happy Birthday AR Rahman 06 January

The song belongs to its composer Allah Rakha Rahman more than to anyone else. AR Rahman was born a Hindu, Dileep Shekhar, on 06 Jan 1967 and converted to Islam in 1989, at the age of 22. In recent past, no other composer and music director has occupied space in our hearts and minds more than Rahman. Rahman’s films career started with the 1992 Tamil movie Roja, also a Mani Ratnam movie and also starring Arvind Swamy, though with Madhoo and not Monisha Koirala. Roja not just won the National Award for Best Film on National Integration but was later dubbed in Hindi, Marathi, Telugu and Malyalam. In 2009, when AR Rahman won two Oscars (for Best Song (Jai ho)) and Best Original Score (together with Gulzar)(Slumdog Millionaire) many of us felt that the Roja songs and music were better than the Slumdog Millionaire. His first film Roja won him the National Award for Best Music Director. One of the songs from the movie is a favourite: Bharat hamako jaan se bhi pyaara hai. As of 2016, Rahman has garnered four National Film Awards, 15 Filmfare Awards and 16 Filmfare Awards South, a record for an Indian composer.

Some of my favourite Hindi songs of AR Rahman in are: Vande mataram (non-filmy), Columbus Columbus chhutti hai aayi (Jeans, 1998), Anjali Anjali pushpanjali (Tu hi mera dil, 1995), Ai ajnabi tu bhi kabhi, Ik suraj nikala tha, Jiya jale jaam jale, Kar thaiya thaiya, Tuu hi tuu tuu hi tuu satrangi re (Dil Se, 1998), Awaara bhanvre jo haule haule gaaye (Sapney, 1997), Bharat hamako jaan se bhi pyaara hai, Dil hai chhota sa chhoti si aasha, Roja jaan-e-man, Rukmani Rukmani shaadi ke baad, Ye hasin waadian ye khula aasman (Roja, 1993), Chand aaya zameen par aaj garbe ki raat mein (Dil Hi Dil Mein, 1999), Dil se nikalegi naa mar ke bhi watan ki ulfat, Jogiya jogiya ve, Maahi ve maahi ve (Also sung by him together with Sukhwinder Singh, The Legend of Bghagat Singh, 2002), Dholna dholna, Khamosh raat sahami hawa, Mujhe rang de (Thakshak, 1999), Duur kahin ik aam ki bagiya, Mehaki mehaki hain raahen behaki behaki hain nigaahen (Zubeidaa, 2000), Ek ho gaye hum aur tum, Gumsum gumsum gulchup…kehna hi kya, Kuchi kuchi rakamma sun lo tum (Bombay, 1995), Ekla chalo re (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – The Forgotten Hero, 2005), Ghanan ghanan ghir ghir aaye badra, Radha kaise na jale, Mitwa O mitwa tujhako kyaa dar hai re, O paalanhaare nirgun aur nyaare (Lagaan, 2001), Haay Rama ye kyaa hua, Ho jaa rangeela re, Kya karen kya na karen kaisi mushkil haay, Tanha tanha yahan pe jeena, Yaai re yaai re jor laga ke naache re, Yaaro sun lo zara (Rangeela, 1996), Jangal mein bole hai koyal ku ku kuu – Kahin aa lage lag jaave, Taal se taal mila (Taal, 1999), Jhuum jhuum naachen ham (Chor Chor), Khamoshiyan gungunane lagi (One Two Ka Four, 2001), Muqaabla muqaabla Laila o ho Laila, Urvashi Urvashi take it easy Urvashi (Humse Hai Muqabla, 1995), Mustafa Mustafa don’t worry Mustafa (Duniya Dilwalon Ki, 1996), O bhanvre dekhi ham deewano ko (Daud, 1997), Piya Haji Ali (Fizaa, 2000), and Ye jo des hai tera (Swades, 2004).

Mehboob, the Lyricist

Mehboob, the lyricist of this song, was born in Nasik (Maharashtra) on 13th Jul 1953. When he was only seven years old, his family moved to Mumbai for good he received education in English and later in Urdu. He was given a break by Ram Gopal Verma in his 1992 Drohi whose songs were composed by RD Burman. His big break actually came with Ram Gopal Verma’s 1996 movie Rangeela, wherein he worked with AR Rahman and for which he received the RD Burman Filmfare Award for Best New Talent. He went on to work for Bombay, One Teo Ka Four, Thakshak, Daud, Dil Hi Dil Mein, and Yuva. He penned AR Rahman’s popular number Maa tujhe salaam (Vande Mataram).

Now about the singers Hariharan and Kavita Krishnamurthy

Hariharan was born on 03 Apr 1955 in Trivanthapuram in Kerala to Tamil parents. The son of renowned Carnatic vocalists, Shrimati Alamelu and the late HAS Mani (full name : Anantha Subramani ), he inherited his parents’ musical talents. However, he went into the Hindustani music stream and emerged as one of the finest ghazal singers, with his idol being Mehdi Hassan. Initially, he started off being a TV artiste. In 1977 he won the All India Sur Singaar competition and that’s how music director Jaidev gave him break in 1978 movie Gaman. His first song in that movie Ajeeb sa neha mujh par guzar gaya yaaron became so popular that it was nominated for National Award. Gradually, his songs have been featured in Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Telugu films. Presently, he is the foremost ghazal singer in India. He was honoured with Padma Shri and he is a two time National Award winner. His association with Lesle Lewis resulted in forming a two member band Colonial Cousins.

Some of my favourite songs of Hariharan are: Bharat hamako jaan se bhi pyaara hai (Roja, 1993), Apni zulfen mere shaano pe bikhr jaane do (Taj Mahal, 2005), Chappa chappa charkha chale, Chhod aaye ham vo galiyan (Maachis, 1996), Dheemi dheemi bheeni bheeni khushbu hai tera badan (1947 Earth, 1999), Gungunaayi hawayen guunshi dishayen (Non-Film, with Alka Yagnik), Haay Rama ye kya hua (Rangeela, 1996), Ham bhool gaye hain rakh ke kahin (Aks, 2001), Ham tumase na kuchh keh paaye (Ziddi, 1997), Jhonka hawa ka aaj bhi (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999), Kabhi chand ki tarah tapaki atthanni si zindagi (Jahan Tum Le Chalo, 1998), Khilli chandini hamen keh rahi (Priyanka, 1995), Likha hai ye in hawayon pe (with Lata Mangeshkar, Darr, 1993), Mil gaye mil gaye dilbar mere (Love Birds, 1996), Mujhe phir wohi yaad aane lage hain jinhe bhulne mein zamaane lage hain (Khumar Barbankwi’s famous ghazal composed by Hariharan and sung by him), Naghme hain shikwe hain kisse hain baaten hain (Yaadein, 2001), Pehle bhi jeete the magar jab se mili hai zindagi (Nida Fazli’s ghazal with Asha Bhosle), Phuulon mein jo khushbu hai kaise wo aayi hai ajuuba (with Sadhana Sargam in Jeans, 1998), Sawan barse tarse dil (with Sadhana Sargam in Dehak, 1998), Sun ri sakhi meri pyari sakhi (Hum Se Hai Muqabla, 1995), Ye duniya ik dulhan (Pardes, 1997), and Youn hi chala chal rahi (Swades, 2004).

Kavita Krishnamurthy was born Sharada Krishnamurthy in a Tamil Iyer family in New Delhi on 25 Jan 1958. Her father TS Krishnamurthy was an employee in Education Ministry. She began her music training upon insistence of her aunt, Ms. Protimma Bhattacharya who enrolled her to Ms. Suruma Basu, who taught her Rabindra Sangeet. She began her formal training in Hindustani classical music under Balram Puri, a classical singer. At the young age of eight, Kavita won a gold medal at a music competition.

She was given a break in Hindi movies by Laxmikant Pyarelal who were impressed by her Hindutani Classical singing. To start with she used to dub for Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. But later, in 1980, a song Kaahe ko biyahi was recorded in her own voice for the movie Maang Bharo Sajana. She became famous for Hawa Hawaii and Karte hain hum pyaar in 1986 movie Mr. India. She has been awarded Padma Shri by the government of India and she has won four Filmfare awards so far.

Some of my favourite songs of Kavita Krishnamurthy are: Aankhon ki gustakhiyaan maaf hon, Albela sajan aayo ri, Dholi tharo dhol baaje, Hum dil de chuke sanam (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999), Aaj main ooper aasman neeche (Khamoshi, 1996), Are karte hain ham pyaar Mr India se, Hawa hawaii (Mr India, 1987), Chalon chale mitwa (Nayak The Real Hero, 2001), Ho chhal chhal chhalke in aankhon ki hgagariya (Janam Janam, 1988), Dhol bajane laga koi laut ke aaya hai (Viraasat, 1997), Deewana deewana ye dil tera deewana (with Abhijeet, Jung, 1996), Dil chura liya (with Abhijeet in Qayamat 2003), Dil ne kaha chupke se (1942 A Love Story, 1993), Dola re dola re, Maar daala (with Shreya Ghoshal and KayKay in Devdas, 2002), Ganpati bappa morya (Agnipath, 1990), Har karam apna karenge (Karma, 1986), Jaise ik chand ka tukada (Inteqaam, 1988), Jo main aisa jaanati preet kiye dukh hoy (Batwara, 1989), Koi mil gaya (Kuchh Kuchh Hota Hai, 1998), Kuchi kuchi rakamma (Bombay, 1995), Tu mujhe qabool main tujhe kabool (with Mohammad Aziz in Khuda Gawah, 1992), Mera piya ghar aaya (Yaarana, 1995), Nayak nahin khalnayak hoon main (Khalnayak, 1993), Nazaron ke milane se kyun hoti hai halchal (Vishwavidhata, 1997), O baalam kesariya (Bhairavi, 1995), Pal do pal ka ye safar pal do pal ka saath (with Udit Narayan in Hadd Kar Di Aapne, 2000), Raja ki kahani purani ho gayi (with Usha Uthup in Godmother, 1998), Tu cheez badhi hai mast mast (with Udit Narayan, Mohra, 1994), Tu hi tu satrangi re (with Sonu Nigam, Dil Se, 1998), Ye duniya ik dulhan (Pardes, 1997), and Na jaane kahan se aayi hai – ye ladaki (with Amit Kumar in Chaalbaaz 1989).

The Movie

Bombay was a 1995 film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film starred Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala as Shekhar Narayanan Pillai and Shaila Bano respectively. The film, made in Tamil (later dubbed in Hindi and Telugu with the same title), is centered on events that occurred particularly during the period of December 1992 to January 1993 in India, and the controversy surrounding the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, its subsequent demolition on 6 December 1992 and increased religious tensions in the city of Bombay (now Mumbai) that led to the Bombay Riots. It is the second one of Mani Ratnam’s tiriology on human relations in the backdrop of events that shook India; the first one being Roja in 1992 and third one being Dil Se in 1998.

The Hindi dubbed film had the following songs, all penned by Mehboob and all composed by AR Rahman:

1.”Hamma Hamma”Remo Fernandes, Swarnalatha & Suresh Peters5:10
2.”Kehna Hi Kya”K. S. Chithra, A. R. Rahman & Chorus5:52
3.”Tu Hi Re”Hariharan & Kavita Krishnamurthy7:14
4.”Kuchi Kuchi Rakkamma”Udit Narayan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, G. V. Prakash Kumar & Sharadha5:07
5.”Kuch Bhi Na Socho”Pallavi, Shubha, Anupama, Noel James & Srinivas5:53
6.”Bombay Theme”Instrumental5:18
7.”Aankhon Mein Ummeedon”Sujatha Mohan & Chorus2:43
8.”Apna Zameen Yeh”Sujatha Mohan, Noel James, Srinivas, Sivanesan, Ganga Sreenivasan, Renuka & Anuradha Sriram3:28

The Song

Please enjoy Hariharan and Kavita Krishnamurthy singing: Tu hi re, tu hi re, tere bina main kaise jiyun….

तू ही रे, तू ही रे तेरे बिना मैं कैसे जियूं
आजा रे, आजा रे, यूं ही तड़पा ना तू मुझको
जान रे, जान रे, इन सांसों में बस जा तू
चाँद रे, चाँद रे, आजा दिल की ज़मीन पे तू
चाहत है अगर आके मुझसे मिल जा तू
या फिर ऐसा कर, धरती से मिला दे मुझको
तू ही रे, तू ही रे तेरे बिना मैं कैसे जियूं
आजा रे, आजा रे, यूं ही तड़पा ना तू मुझको
इन सांसों का देखो तुम पागलपन के
आये नहीं इन्हें चैन
मुझसे ये बोली मैं राहों में तेरी
अपने बिछा दूं ये नैन
इन ऊँचे पहाड़ों से जां दे दूंगा मैं
गर तूम ना आई कहीं
तुम उधर जान उम्मीद मेरी जो तोड़ो
इधर ये जहाँ छोड़ू मैं
मौत और, जिन्दगी, तेरे हाथों में दे दिया रे
आई रे, आई रे, ले मैं आई हूँ तेरे लिये
तोड़ा रे, तोड़ा रे, हर बँधन को प्यार के लिये
जान रे, जान रे, आजा तुझमें समा जाऊं मैं
दिल रे दिल रे, तेरी सांसों में बस जाऊं मैं
चाहत है अगर आके मुझसे मिल जा तू
या फिर ऐसा कर, धरती से मिला दे मुझको
तू ही रे, तू ही रे तेरे बिना मैं कैसे जियूं
आजा रे, आजा रे, यूं ही तड़पा ना तू मुझको
आ …

सौ बार बुलाए मैं सौ बार आऊं,
इक बार जो दिल दिया
इक आँख रोये तो दूजी बोलो,
सोयेगी कैसे भला,
इन प्यार की राहों में पत्थर हैं कितने
उन सब को ही पार किया
इक नदी हूँ मैं चाहत भरी आज मिलने
सागर को आई यहाँ
सजना, सजना, आज आँसू भी मीठे लगे
तू ही रे, तू ही रे तेरे बिना मैं कैसे जियूं
आजा रे, आजा रे, यूं ही तड़पा ना तू मुझको
जान रे, जान रे, इन सासों में बस जा तू
चाँद रे, चाँद रे, आजा दिल की ज़मीन पे तू
पल पल पल पल वक्त तो बीता जाये रे
ज़रा बोल ज़रा बोल वक़्त से के वो थम जाये रे
आई रे, आई रे, ले मैं आई हूँ तेरे लिये
जान रे, जान रे, आजा तुझमें समा जाऊं मैं

Comparison with Shakeel Badayuni

The song is dear to me because of the intensity of emotions of a lover for a beloved. It reminds me of my favourite lyricist Shakeel Badayuni’s best song with Naushad: Mere mheboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam. Look at the similarity, especially in this stanza:

सामने आ के ज़रा पर्दा उठा दे रुख़ से
इक यही मेरा इलाज-ए-ग़म-ए-तन्हाई है
तेरी फ़ुरक़त ने परेशान किया है मुझको
अब तो मिल जा के मेरी जान पे बन आई है
दिल को भूली हुई यादों का सहारा दे दे
मेरा खोया …

And in both the songs, the lover had seen the beloved only from a distance. Can love get to be so strong between virtual strangers? Are there vibes that are only later converted into lyrics but at that time when they strike the lovers, they are just vibes that cannot be described? And can these vibes make Love become so intense that one feels that one cannot live without seeing the object of love? It happened in 1963 Mere Mehboob, it happened in various other movies after that and in happened in 1995 Bombay.

I get goose pimples thinking of this kind of love. When I listen to the song, I get answers to all my silent questions. Even after that it keeps tugging at my emotions.

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #44 in the series.

Please await Song #45 –  Kya yunhi rooth ke jaane ko.

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 #44 in the series. I hope you liked Song #43 – Mujhe chhu rahi hain teri.

Song #44
Bheegi bheegi raaton mein

Happy Birthday Zeenat Aman

Having been born on this day in 1951, she won both the Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific International Contest in 1970. She immediately, thereafter, joined Hindi movies and her first big success came in 1971 Dev Anand movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna. She was his sister in the movie and she became an international craze with the Hippie song Dum maro dum.
She continued being the heart throb of fans like me all over India and abroad in Yaadon Ki Baraat, Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin (wherein she equaled the art of Rishi Kapoor in qawwali singing, Great Gambler, Ajanabee (this song’s movie), Roti Kapada Aur Makan, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qurbani, Don and Lawaris.

We all loved the Anglicized way in which she lisped her dialogues but also admired the way she kept adding to her acting skills.

Ajanabee – 1974 Movie

Shakti Samanta’s movie. He was used to making a super hit movie once every two years. Being a Bengali, he preferred Sharmila Tagore in his movies such as Kashmir Ki Kali and Amar Prem. But, here, he wanted to cash on the newfound craze of people for Zeenie Baby and he was proved right. She acted opposite super star Rajesh Khanna at the pinnacle of his success and the reviews said that she could hold on her own as an actress.

Wet Clothes Song in the Rain

There are a few milestones that any new actress in Hindi movies have to successfully cross. One of these is being a courtesan (how Hindi movies love these girls who are invariably forced to become courtesans). Nargis, Suchitra Sen, Meena Kumari, Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, and Rekha have all gratefully done these roles. The other is, of course, wet saree song in rain. Women who have come out on the other side of success include Mumtaz (with the same actor Rajesh Khanna), Nutan, Vyjayanthimala. You name it, they have all done it.

Zeenie baby has done this with “practised innocence” and that has added to her sensuousness. Rajesh Khanna was, of course, an expert at making women wet. One of his targets was Sharmila Tagore who mastered the art of being pregnant when made wet in rain (Roop tera mastana etc).

I would like to say that the lyrics and composition of this song are such that Zeenie baby comes out winner without having to have a bun in the oven like La Tagore.

The Song

Anand Bakshi’s most versatile pairing was with Laxmikant Pyarelal. The second most versatile was with RD Burman; some called him a genius both with instruments and non-instruments.

I loved all the songs of Ajanabee and there is no denying the fact that this was the most popular:

किशोर: भीगी भीगी रातों में, मीठी मीठी बातों में
ऐसी बरसातो में, कैसा लगता है?

लता: (ऐसा लगता है तुम बनके बादल,
मेरे बदन को भिगोके मुझे, छेड़ रहे हो ओ
छेड़ रहे हो ) – २

लता: (अम्बर खेले होली उई माँ
भीगी मोरी चोली, हमजोली, हमजोली ) – २
ओ, पानी के इस रेले में सावन के इस मेले में
छत पे अकेले में
कैसा लगता है

किशोर: ऐसा लगता है
तू बनके घटा अपने सजन को भिगोके खेल खेल रही हो ओ
खेल रही हो

लता: ऐसा लगता है
तुम बनके बादल मेरे बदन को भिगोके मुझे छेड़ रहे हो हो.
छेड़ रहे हो

किशोर: (बरखा से बचा लूँ तुझे
सीने से लगा लूँ
आ छुपा लूं आ छूपा लूँ ) – २
दिल ने पुकारा देखो रुत का इशारा देखो
उफ़ ये नज़ारा देखो
कैसा लगता है, बोलो?

लता: ऐसा लगता है कुछ हो जायेगा
मस्त पवन के ये झोकें सैंया देख रहे हो ओ
देख रहे हो
ऐसा लगता है
तुम बनके बादल मेरे बदन को भिगोके मुझे छेड़ रहे हो हो
छेड़ रहे हो

As you can make out, Kishore Kumar has sung for Rajesh Khanna and Lata Mangeshkar for Zeenie baby. I could have very well taken up this song as a Beautiful Duet too.

My Own Poetry

All poets have attempted to write what rain does to a female. Sahir wrote so good about it that they made a movie (Barsaat Ki Raat) on this theme. Look at his imagination:

हाय वो रेशमी ज़ुल्फ़ों से बरसता पानी
फूल से गालों पे रुकने को तरसता पानी
दिल में तूफ़ान उठाते हुए
दिल में तूफ़ान उठाते हुए जज़बात की रात
ज़िंदगी भर नहीं भूलेगी …

डर के बिजली से अचानक वो लिपटना उसका
और फिर शर्म से बलखाके सिमटना उसका
कभी देखी न सुनी ऐसी हो
कभी देखी न सुनी ऐसी तिलिस्मात कि रात
ज़िंदगी भर नहीं भूलेगी …

सुर्ख आंचल को दबाकर जो निचोड़ा उसने
दिल पे जलता हुआ एक तीर सा छोड़ा उसने
आग पानी में लगाते हुए
आग पानी में लगाते हुए हालात कि रात
ज़िंदगी भर नहीं भूलेगी …

However, you have to admit that age catches on and then we have only memories and Armaan left. Here is my poem Kuchh Soye Huye Armaan that would fit many of us on the other side of Sixty:

आधी रात को जब उसने बुलाया “honey”,
बढ़ गयी तुरंत मेरी diabetes;
सांस का तेज हो जाना स्वाभाविक था,
दिल की धड़कन भी हो गयी increase.

सब कुछ बढ़ चढ़ के उछाले मारने लगा,
एक brain ही था जो हो गया था seize.
पैंतीस साल हो गए हमारी शादी को,
अभी भी हूँ मैं प्यार का मरीज़ I

गर्मा गर्मी में वो अरमान भी जाग उठे,
जो कल तक लेटे थे होके freeze.
आज तक कभी हिम्मत न हुई थी,
पर अब हमें भी जोश आ गया, please.

और हमने बढ़े इश्किया आवाज़ में कहा:
कल देखेंगे, अब न करो हमें tease.
वो बोली: “खिड़की बंद करने के लिए जगाया था,
और तुम क्या समझे थे, बद्तमीज़?”

“मुझे खूब पता है तुम्हारी काबलियत का,
पुराने जोड़ो में अब नहीं है grease.”
बुढापा आ गया, हमने अंदाज़ ऐ ग़म में सोचा,
छूट गयी हमसे जवानी की दहलीज़।

एक ज़माना था बंद खिड़किया खोल देते थे हम,
अब बोलती बंद है, हम बने हैं नाचीज़।
काश कहीं से जवानी वापिस आ जाए,
और बन जाए मेरी मुस्तक़िल अज़ीज़ I

Ladies and gentlemen, for those who still feel young here is Zeenie baby setting your imagination and armaan on fire with: Bheegi bheegi raaton mein…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #44.

Please await Raat or Din Song #45 – Mera naam chin chin chu.

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 #43 – Ichak dana bichak dana. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #44
Chand jaane kahan kho gaya

Remembering Chitragupta on His Birth Anniversary 16 Nov

He was born on this day in 1917, in the midst of First World War and we being slave to the British. But that didn’t keep him from giving us delightful songs and duets. Nowadays, his sons Anand-Milind are continuing with the tradition.

I have given you his Zabak duet Teri duniya se door and another one from Aulad: Jodi hamari jamega kaise Jani. Another beautiful one that comes to mind is Machalti hui hawa mein from Ganga Ki Lahren.

A Chand Song

Chand is my most favourite theme for songs and the first theme on which we had a Fest here. This one is from an AVM production Main Chup Rahungi, a 1962 film directed by A Bhimsingh who gave us such popular movies as Khandan, Aadmi, Rakhi, Bhai Behan, Loafer, Joru Ka Ghulam, and Gopi.

The movie starred Sunil Dutt and Meena Kumari. The songs were penned by Rajinder Krishan and of course composed by Chitragupta. The other songs include a favourite hymn of mine: Tumhi ho mata pita tumhi ho.

Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar

There are many combinations such as Mukesh and Lata, Hemant Kumar and Lata, Rafi and Asha Bhosle and so on. However, it can easily be proved that some of the most memorable duets in Hindi movies, including this, were sung by Rafi and Lata.

Lyrics

चांद जाने कहाँ खो गया
तुमको चेहरे से परदा हटाना न था
चांदनी को ये क्या हो गया
तुमको भी इस तरह मुस्कुराना न था

प्यार कितना जवां, रात कितनी हसीं
आज चलते हुए थम गई है ज़मीन
आँख तारें झपकने लगे
ऐसी उल्फ़त का जादू जगाना न था

प्यार में बेख़बर, हम कहाँ आ गये
मेरी आँखों में सपने से क्यों छा गये
दो दिलों की है मंज़िल यहाँ
तुम न आते तो हमको भी आना न था

My Own Poetry

Sab Chandramukhi Hain Bechare

आजकल के सूरजमुखी सूरज नहीं देखा करते,
चांद को देख देख रात को हैं आहें भरते।

ताकतवर होने से क्या फर्क पड़ता है,
हसीन है उसी पर हैं लोग मरते।

कौन ताके सूरज को, ठीक है ज़िन्दगी देता है,
पर चांद न होता, तो हम तुम क्या करते?

ज़िन्दगी ही नहीं, रंग भी सूरज ने दिए हैं,
पर अब सूरजमुखी, चांद के लिए हैं संवरते।

माना मैं भी रवि हूं, सूरज से नाम मिला है,
इसलिए लिख रहा हूं मैं यह डरते डरते।

कई ख्वाब चांद के मेरे भी ज़ख्म बन चुके हैं,
आज फिर से ताज़ा हो गए उभरते उभरते।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Chand jaane kahan kho gaya…

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #44.

Please await Beautiful Duet #45- Ek daal par tota bole.

RRR Songs (Songs of Regret, Repentance and Ruefulness)

I started this new series on 17 Jan 21 on my Facebook Group Yaad Kiya Dil Ne. My efforts failed to involve people in writing their own stuff about songs and music rather than copying and pasting from here and there or worse, just sharing url of songs from YouTube. Hence, I had decided to give the group a burial that it deserved rather than making it like thousands of groups on Facebook about songs with nothing unique about them at all.

Hence this series shifted to my page Lyrical.

I hope you liked RRR Song #23: Woh bhooli dastaan lo phir yaad aa gayi. Here is the next song:

Song #24
Seene mein sulagte hain armaan

Lyrics and Composition Par Excellence

Once in a while, a song comes along and it leaves you stunned by the beauty of its lyrics and composition. This is one of them. Prem Dhawan and Anil Biswas have come up with a combination for an RRR Song that keeps playing in the recesses of your mind long after the track finishes. Another similar RRR song that comes to mind was put together by Indeevar and Timir Baran: Kaise koi jeeye zehar hai zindagi.

Anil Biswas thought of composing this in the simplest of raagas: Raag Kalyan.

Lyrics

At the outset, let’s look at the excellent lyrics by Prem Dhawan:

तलत: सीने में सुलगते हैं अरमां
आँखों में उदासी छाई है
ये आज तेरी दुनिया से हमें
तक़दीर कहाँ ले आई है
सीने में सुलगते हैं अरमां

लता: कुछ आँख में आँसू बाकी हैं
जो मेरे ग़म के साथी हैं – २
अब दिल हैं ना दिल के अरमां हैं – २
बस मैं हूँ मेरी तन्हाई है
सीने में सुलगते हैं अरमां

तलत: न तुझसे गिला कोई हमको
ना कोई शिकायत दुनिया से
दो चार कदम जब मन्ज़िल थी – २
क़िस्मत ने ठोकर खाई है
सीने में सुलगते हैं अरमां

लत: कुछ ऐसी आग लगी मन में
जीने भी ना दे मरने भी ना दे …
चुप हूँ तो कलेजा जलता है – २
बोलूँ तो तेरी रुसवाई है
बोथ: सीने में सुलगते हैं अरमां

How Did the Song Come About?

The song is from the 1951 Ram Daryani movie Tarana starring Dilip Kumar and Madhubala, the movie that ushered in their real life romance that finally didn’t end well.

Here, in this movie, Dr Motilal’s (Dilip Kumar) plane crashes near a village. HGe falls in love with Tarana (Madhubala), a villager Surdas’s daughter. Two things upset their apple-cart: one, a rich man of the village is after her to marry her and Motilal’s father wants him to marry a rich lady Sheela.

The rich man’s machinations end up in the father Surdas doubting the character of his daughter Tarana and setting the house on fire with her in it. She is believed to be dead. Later, of course, all works out well for them.

The song is sung when they are separated at the behest of the village rich man Totaram.

My Own Poetry

SULAGTE AANSU

वो लौटा रहें हैं मेरा सामान,
और जला रहे हैं सब कुछ,
मेरी आरज़ू है सितमगर
मेरे अश्क भी जला दें
ताके दिल के समुन्दर में
वो तूफ़ान फिर ना उभरे;
जो मरहले खड़े थे
उन्हें ठोकर से मिटा दें
काश हम ना होते वो ना होते,
और ये आरज़ू ना होती
तेरी आँखों में जो सरूर था
वो सरूर भी हटा दें
मैं भूल गया हूँ सब कुछ,
तेरे प्यार की नज़र में
मेरी कौन सी है मंजिल
मुझे कुछ तो अब पता दें
अब दिल न हो, प्यार ना हो,
और ना रहे उनकी यादें,
कोई उनसे जाके कह दे,
मेरी हस्ती ही मिटा दें

The Song

Please enjoy Talat Mahmood and Lata Mangeshkar singing for Dilip Kumar and Madhubala respectively: Seene mein sulagte hain armaan…

I hope you liked Song #24 in this series.

Please await Song #25: Humse aaya na gaya.

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 #43 in the series. I hope you liked Song #42 – Zulf ki chhaon mein chehre k0.

Song #43
Mujhe chhu rahi hain teri garm saansen
Theme-word: Mere raat or din mehakne lage

I am Basically a Lyrical Man

You would have noticed, time and again, that I am basically a Lyrics man; the Lyrics of a song are the most significant part of the song for me. Lets say a song with average lyrics became popular simply because of its superb composition, it is unlikely to be among my favourite. I would rather have a song with superb lyrics and average composition than the other way round. Whilst covering Lyricists, for which I started a Page called Lyrical, I have given you many a song that have excellent lyrics but didn’t become very popular due to other reasons. As an example, I consider Raja Mehdi Ali Khan’s Phir teri yaad naye geet sunane aayi as a song among his most outstanding lyrics.

Lets come to this song. It has its lyrics penned by a Sardar who has won more Filmfare Awards than any other person. He won these as Lyricist, Producer, Director, Story Writer, and for Screenplay. I like him best for his lyrics. Have a look at these lyrics:

रफ़ी: मुझे छू रही हैं तेरी गर्म साँसें
मेरे रात और दिन महकने लगे हैं
लता: तेरी नर्म साँसों ने ऐसे छुआ हैं
के मेरे तो पाओं बहकने लगे हैं

रफ़ी: लबों से अगर तुम बुला ना सको तो
निगाहों से तुम नाम लेकर बुला लो
लता: तुम्हारी निगाहें बहुत बोलती हैं
ज़रा अपनी आँखों पे पलके गिरा दो
रफ़ी: मुझे छू रही हैं तेरी गर्म साँसें
मेरे रात और दिन महकने लगे हैं

रफ़ी: पता चल गया है के मंज़िल कहाँ है
चलो दिल के लम्बे सफ़र पे चलेंगे
लता: सफ़र खत्म कर देंगे हम तो वहीं पर
जहाँ तक तुम्हारे कदम ले चलेंगे
रफ़ी: मुझे छू रही हैं तेरी गर्म साँसें
मेरे रात और दिन महकने लगे हैं
लता: तेरी नर्म साँसों ने ऐसे छूआ हैं
के मेरे तो पाओं बहकने लगे हैं

Second version
मुझे छू रही हैं, तेरी नर्म साँसें
मेरे रात और दिन महकने लगे हैं

जिस दिल में बसते थे, तूफ़ान के बादल
वहाँ अब इश्क़ के, दिये जल रहे हैं

गुमराह फिरता था मैं, एक खोया परवाना
तेरे दिल की शमा ने मक़्सद दिया मुझ को

जो सपने थे मुर्दा तारीकी में खोए
इस मोहब्बत की रोशनी से, जीने लगे हैं

काँटों से भरा था, ये सफ़र मेरा
तेरे दम से गुलाबों का, फ़र्श बिछ गया

वो फूल जो कभी भी खिल न सके थे
आज शबनम की बदौलत, मुस्कुरा रहे हैं

वादा है ये मेरा, न छोड़ूँगा साथ तेरा
मरते दम तक तेरा साथ दूँगा

जिस रूह पे लोग तरस खाते थे
आज फ़रिश्ते भी मुझसे इश्क़ करने लगे हैं

मुझे छू रही हैं, तेरी नर्म साँसें
मेरे रात और दिन महकने लगे हैं

You would agree with me that you’d find them great even if the composition was average.

Rajesh Roshan

Son of the great music director Roshan who was given a break by Kidar Sharma, Rajesh continued with the magic of old type of songs when people like Bappi Lahiri rotted into pedestrianism. Have a look at some of his compositions that I have liked:

Chhu kar mere man ko.
Jab koi baat bigad jaaye.
Kya mausam hai, ai deewane dil.
Dil kya kare jab kisi se kisi ko pyar ho jaaye.
Uthe sab ke kadam.
Ik raasta hai zindagi.
Baahon mein teri masti ke ghere.
Ye raaten nayi purani.

He has given a similar treatment to this song.

Could Have Been A Beautiful Duet

Yes indeed. This could have been given by me as a great duet between Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar quite late in their lives, for the 1980 movie Swayamvar starring Shashi Kapoor and Moushumi Chatterjee.

My Own Poetry

This was one of my first attempts not to write poetry but lyrics of a song:

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।

The Song

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Mujhe chhu rahi hain teri garm saansen…

I hope you liked my choice of Raat or Din Song #43.

Please await Raat or Din Song #44 – Bheegi bheegi raaton mein.

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 #42 – Phool ahista phenko. So here, then, is the next one:

Song #43
Ichak dana bichak dana

Masterly Children’s Songs by Hasrat Jaipuri

Kishwar Jaipuri, my behna’s dad, wrote a beautiful children’s song for the 1971 movie Andaz, the movie in which his song fetched him the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award (Zindagi ek safar hai suhana). The children’s song was: Hai na bolo bolo.

However, the song in an open air school in a village (the kind that Hemant Kumar sang for Abhi Bhattacharya in 1961 movie Gunga Jumna: Insaaf ki dagar pe) was penned by Hasrat Jaipuri for the 1955 Raj Kapoor movie Shree 420.

Raj Kapoor, in order to get over his indigence, becomes a con man (420) at the behest of Nadira. This of course, is not to the liking of Nargis who had earlier sung a romantic duet with him under an umbrella in rain: Pyar hua ikraar hua. She, therefore, leaves Bombay and goes back to her village and starts teaching children. Meanwhile, Raj Kapoor belatedly discovers that the only person he had been conning was he himself. So he follows her there.

And now for Hasrat Jaipuri’s master stroke:

In this song (Nargis’s way of teaching the kids) she goes about asking riddles from the children and makes it easier for them to answer and learn. The only person who is non-plussed is Raj Kapoor! This is his best imitation of Charlie Chaplin in any movie; a guy who has always been a child!
In the end, he has a riddle to ask. Predictably, the answer is known by all: the children and both Nargis and Raj Kapoor. Love wins over everything! What a masterly stroke from Hasrat Jaipuri.

Raj Kapoor too learns at the end of the movie that he can, at best be 420 (conman) but the respectable high level people in the society are the real conmen and they should be respectfully addressed as Shree 420!

The song

It was, as I said, penned by Hasrat Jaipuri and composed by Shankar Jaikishan. As a duet, it was sung mostly by Lata Mangeshkar for the teacher Nargis and in the end Mukesh singing for Raj Kapoor.

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy: Ichak dana bichak dana..

लत : ईचक दाना बीचक दाना दाने ऊपर दाना, ईचक दाना
छज्जे ऊपर लड़की नाचे, लड़का है दीवाना, ईचक दाना

लत : एक जानवर ऐसा जिसके दुम पर पैसा
सर पे भी ताज है बादशाह के जैसा
ओ~
बादल देखे छम-छम नाचे अल्बेला मसताना, ईचक दान
बोलो क्या?
बच्चे : मोर
ईचक दाना, बीचक दाना …

लत : हरी थी मन भरी थी, लाख मोती जड़ी थी
राजा जी के बाग़ में दुशाला ओढ़े खड़ी थी
ओ~
कच्चे-पक्के बाल हैं उसके मुखड़ा है सुहाना, ईचक दाना
बोलो क्या?
राज : बुड्ढी
बच्चे : भुट्टा

लत : छोटी सी छोकरी लाल्बाई नाम है
पहने वो घाघरा एक पैसा दाम है
ओ~
मुँह में सबके आग लगाये आता है रुलाना, ईचक दाना
बोलो क्या? बोलो न
बच्चे : मिचर्ई

मुकेश : ईचक दाना बीचक दाना दाने ऊपर दाना, ईचक दाना
छज्जे ऊपर लड़की नाचे, लड़का है दीवाना, ईचक दाना

चालें वो चलकर दिल में समाया
आ ही गया वो, किया है सफ़ाया
तुम भी देखो बचकर रहना चक्कर में न आना, ईचक दाना
लत : ग़म?
राज : धत! हम!

I hope you liked my choice of Beautiful Duet #43.

Please await Beautiful Duet #44- Chand jaane kahan kho gaya.

Zindagi or Jeevan Songs Series

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

I hope you liked my choice for Song #41 – Zulmi zamane ne itna sataya hai in Zindagi or Jeevan Songs series. Let’s start with Song #42.

Song #42
Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haay
Theme-word: The first word.

Remembering Rajesh Khanna on His Birth Anniversary 29 Dec

Having been born on this day in 1942 in Amritsar (Punjab), Rajesh Khanna (Jatin Khanna at birth) won the national wide Talent Hunt by United Producers of Hindi Films and hence his first movie in 1967 was offered to him as a prize: Aakhri Khat.

Very soon he emerged as a super star and this movie of 1971: Anand, a Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie (written by Gulzar) came at the height of his career as super star.

He was Anand Sehgal (a role meant to be done originally by Kishore Kumar) suffering from lymphosarcoma of intestines and hence terminally ill. His oncologist Bhasker (Amitabh Bachchan; originally meant for Mehmood) and others around Anand notice that he, Anand, had decided to live life to the fullest and share happiness with others rather than the sadness of his terminal disease.

And this song depicts his view of life (in another similar role (Safar, that is, he spread sadness by Zindagi ka safar hai ye aisa safar koi samajha nahin koi jaana nahin. Indeed, he has three excellent Zindagi songs picturised on him; the third one being: Zindagi ek safar hai suhana. They do get typified, don’t they?).

Lyrics

So, at the outset, lets look at the lyrics penned by Yogesh to understand Anand’s views on Life:

ज़िंदगी …
कैसी है पहेली, हाए
कभी तो हंसाये
कभी ये रुलाये
ज़िंदगी …

कभी देखो मन नहीं जागे
पीछे पीछे सपनों के भागे
एक दिन सपनों का राही
चला जाए सपनों के आगे कहाँ
ज़िंदगी …

जिन्होने सजाए यहाँ मेले
सुख-दुख संग-संग झेले
वही चुनकर ख़ामोशी
यूँ चली जाए अकेले कहाँ
ज़िंदगी …

He is by himself on a beach and give out what is there in his mind rather than putting up the act of Joie de’ vivre’.

My Own Poetry

I am all about Love only and hence, it is not surprising to find my own views about Zindagi:

ZINDAGI MIL JAAYEGI DOBARA

बारिश कभी रुक जाए,
यकायक बरसते बरसते।
ज़ुबान कभी हो जाए खुश्क,
एक बूंद को तरसते तरसते।

दिल कभी खामोश हो जाए,
ऐसे ही धड़कते धड़कते।
नजरें बन जाएं पथरीली,
दो पल बहकते बहकते।

बादल अचानक छंट जाएं,
चमक के गरजते गरजते।
शमा बुझने को हो तैयार,
सारी रात लरजते लरजते।

आंखों की नमी हो जाए खत्म,
आंसूओं को झटकते झटकते।
मेरे कदम हो जाएं साकिन,
तेरी गलियों में भटकते भटकते।

हाथ थाम लेना मेरा, सनम,
अपने हाथों में थरकते थरकते।
आगोश में मेरे आ जाना,
शर्मा के सरकते सरकते।

खुशी खुशी मर जाऊंगा मैं,
ज़िन्दगी को यूं तरसते तरसते।
जैसे उमड़ के लाए हों सैलाब,
बादल रुके थे जो बरसते बरसते।

My Own Singing

Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the song composed by Salil Chowdhury and sung by Manna Dey for the super star Rajesh Khanna on his birth anniversary on 29 Dec: Zindagi kaisi hai paheli haay…

I hope you enjoyed my choice for Song #42 in the series.

Please await Song #43 –  Aanewala pal jaanewala hai.