Best songs of 1942: Wrap Up 3

And the award for the best duet of 1942 goes to?

1935 to 1946 have been years of KL Saigal dominance of the film music. Yet, there is something about duets that even in these years duets leave a lasting imprint. These include some duets in which KL Saigal is the male singer, but the female counterparts hold their fort. I have no hesitation in saying say that Jis jogi ka jog liya ho and Sar pe kadamb ki chhaiyaan muraliya baaj rahi have been embellished by the presence of Khursheed and Rajkumari respectively.

In the list of MEMORABLE SONGS in the Overview Post, there are 20 duets in 84/85 songs. I find that I have counted 23 male solos in Wrap Up 1 and 34 female solos in Wrap Up 2. If you total these, it leaves a gap of 7/8 songs. This is because in some songs either one or both the singers are unidentified.

Every post in the year-wise reviews has to include a section of Special Songs to cater for some unusual and exceptional songs. The overview post started with Nis din barsat nain hamaare by KL Saigal. We generally believed it as a Saigal solo song. But on closer examination we find another voice, that is of his younger brother Mohinder Saigal who plays the role of Krishna and utters a few words in the song. Solo or duet? A good example of a ‘special song’. Another duet included in the Special Song was Meghraj aye by Sitara Devi, Anil Biswas & chorus – a superb example of Anil Biswas’s expertise in singing and composing chorus.

Readers’ choice

There are many such excellent songs. Let me look up readers’ choices for the best duet. I would try to accommodate the remaining in ‘special songs’ as far as possible. Anup chooses Kaanta lago re sajanawa mose raah chali na jaye as the best duet. ‘Basant’ was the high point of vintage Anil Biswas. It is important to mention here that Panalal Ghosh is officially credited as the music director of this film. But it is said by many sources in public domain that Anil Biswas was actually the music director of this film, but because of a contract with another production house he could not use his name. It is said that Pannalal Ghosh actually composed only the background score. This is so well-known that I am taking Anil Biswas as the music director of the film.

Basant had many excellent duets, besides female solos. Tough choice between Kaanta laago re and Balam dheere bol koi sun lega, Ek duniya basa le mere man duniya basa le, Aya basant sakhi viraha ka ant sakhi and Gori mose Ganga ke paar milna. Mahesh endorses my view that Basant should be a strong contender for duets.  Arunkumar Deshmukh goes for Door desh ka rahnewala (Kanan Devi & Asit Baran, Jawab) as the best duet. It does not have any intra competition.

Raunak Joy is a Vintage Era and New Theatres expert. In his five long comments and equal number of rejoinders he expands  our horizon a great deal. He has given a list of 10 best duets, some not in my master list of Memorable Songs. He gives the top position to Door desh ka rahnewala as Arun ji has done. His #2 is Sar pe kadamb ki chhaiyan which is my favourite too at par with Jis jogi ka jog liya ho. There are two more duets in his list which are my absolute favourites: Gori mose Ganga ke paar milna, and Prabhuji pahle paanv pakharun. He also includes Tumko mubarak ho oonche mahal ye in the duet which is surprising to me. He is referring to the film version in which there is a male voice (possibly Suresh). There are videos of the full film and several songs on the YT. In the climax scene when there is vindication that theatre is not sinful, a boy starts with this line and prods Mumtaz Shanti to take over. The boy’s voice seems to be a female’s and the impact of the song is of a pure solo. I agree with him that duet or no duet, it is one of the best songs of 1942. It has figured among the top female solos. Raunak also mentions Jholi bhar taare la de re, main aankh michauli khelungi as a KL Saigal-Khursheed duet. I checked up the song. It seems to be a Khursheed solo – an outstanding song though.

Now I am in a position to start with ‘Special songs’, followed by the ‘Best ten duets’.

Special songs

1. Prabhu ji pahle paanv pakharun phir Ganga paar utaarun by a Male voice and Amirbai Karnataki from Bharat Milap (1942), lyrics Pt. Indra, music Shankar Rao Vyas

I would have easily included this song near the top of the best ten duets of the year, but the male voice is unidentified. This is from the familiar Ram mythology. In the course of his vanvaas they have to cross the river Ganga. The boatman and his wife cleverly put a condition that they have to clean dust off his feet first which has the power to turn a stone into a woman (Ahilya legend). How can his poor wooden boat survive? You can’t cite a better example of devotion, pleading mixed with natural pathos in the voice of the singers and the composition.

2. Paani ke raja machhariya ho by Shanta Apte and a Male voice & chorus from Apna Ghar (1942), lyrics Narottam Vyas, music HC Bali

This is an excellent boatmen/fisherfolk song. This style was taken to great heights by C Ramchandra in Nadiya Ke Paar (1948) – you would remember Kathwa ke naiya banaihe re malahawa in which CR had also lent his voice. This excellent song was added by Raunak Joy.

3. Ab der na kar saajan phoolon se jo milna hai by Sitara and Mukesh from Dukh Sukh (1942), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Khemchand Prakash

I had included the other Mukesh-Sitara duet from this film – Mori atariya pe aa ja ho pardesi panchhi. Mahesh added this song stating that Dukh Sukh was the only film of Mukesh in 1942 in which he acted and sang two duets with Sitara. This is a nice duet worthy of inclusion in ‘Special songs’. Raunak Joy also added this in his list.

4. Aao chalein us paar sajni by Zahoor Raja and Amirbai Karnataki from Baadal (1942), lyrics Tanvir Naqvi, music Mushtaq Hussain

The male singer was also the lead actor and director of the film. This is an excellent song of two lovers contemplating going to a dream-world. We had many songs of this type post-50s.

5. Chalo paniya bharan ko chalein by Noorjehan and Shamshad Begum from Khandan (1942), lyrics DN Madhok, music Ghulam Haider

Ghulam Haider creates this great folk duet sung by his two greatest gifts to the film world – Shamshad Begum whom he had introduced a year earlier in Khazanchi, and Noorjehan whom he launched in Hindi films with Khandan.

6. Balam dheere bol koi sun lega by Amirbai Karnataki (?) and Arun Kumar from Basant (1942), lyrics Pyare Lal Santoshi, music Pannalal Ghosh (Anil Biswas)

Based on the background of theatre, it had some fabulous dance duets. The male dancer was usually Mumtaz Ali. His lady partner matches with him step by step. In Basant, to my ears a couple of songs of Amirbai Karnataki are wrongly attributed to Parul Ghosh. One was Hua kya qasoor jo humse ho door. In this song too, the female voice appears to be Amirbai Karnataki’s.

7. Dil loot liya ji dil loot liya by GM Durrani & Rajkumari from Nai Duniya (1942), lyrics Tanvir Naqvi, music Naushad

Nai Duniya was known mainly for Suraiya’s debut song, Boot karun main polish babu. Here is a beautiful duet from this film.

8. Ek duniya basa le mere man duniya basa le by Parul Ghosh and Arun Kumar from Basant (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Pannalal Ghosh (Anil Biswas)

The hero Ulhas on the piano and Mumtaz Shanti singing in delight is a scene of perfect bliss when they could not foretell troubles in their life. A nice song from the commercial and musical blockbuster Basant.

9. Ja ri sakhi mere pi ko suna de, saawan ke din aye, ghar aa ja by Shamshad Begum and Umrao Jan Begum & chorus from Zameendar (1942), lyrics Behzad Lakhanavi, music Ghulam Haider

A Barahmasa song. When saawan comes, the pangs of separation aggravate. The pining lady is seeking the help of her sakhi to send for her lover. Some sites mention Shanta Apte with Shamshad Begum, some mention the name of only Shamshad Begum. ASAD mentions the second voice as that of Umrao Jan Begum who was the wife of Ghulam Haider.

10. Chalo chalo ri sakhi madhuban mein by Rajkumari and Suraiya from Station Master (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Naushad

Station Master is a discovery trip of early Naushad. Among some superb songs is this excellent duet by two ladies.

Best duets

1. Jis jogi ka jog liya wo jogi base bides by Khursheed & KL Saigal from Bhakt Surdas (1942), lyrics DN Madhok, music Gyan Dutt

Since I am doing the year-wise review in reverse order, readers are aware of the ultimate Khursheed-KL Saigal duet More balapan ke saathi chhaila bhool jaiyo na from the film Tansen (1943). I place Jis jogi ka in the same class.

2. Gori mose Ganga ke paar milna by Arun Kumar & Parul Ghosh from Basant (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Pt. Pannalal Ghosh (Anil Biswas)

Mumtaz Ali had been a Bombay Talkies favourite right from the beginning. He was a fantastic dancer. In many duets you would be floored by Mumtaz Ali’s dance which was often more delightful than the female dancer. This song starts with a kabaddi between Mumtaz Ali and his gang; soon they move out of the stage when the women led by Mumtaz Shanti come from the green room. That is enough for Mumtaz Ali to come in full form, and he dances this superb duet with Mumtaz Shanti. Arun Kumar sings for Mumtaz Ali, and Parul Ghosh for Mumtaz Shanti.

3. Door desh ka rahnewala aya des paraya by Kanan Devi & Asit Baran from Jawab (1942), lyrics Bekal, music Kamal Dasgupta

Kamal Dasgupta in his debut in Hindi film music composes an excellent duet with Kanan Devi and Asit Baran. The haunting tune creates a surreal feeling.

4. Kaanta laago re sajanwa mose raah chali na jaaye by Arun Kumar & Parul Ghosh from Basant (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Pt. Pannalal Ghosh (Anil Biswas)

This was Anup’s choice as the best duet. There are some other great duets in the film, but there is something special about it: This is the only dance-duet picturised on Mumtaz Shanti that she sings with her lead actor Ulhas. The rest are picturised on Mumtaz Shanti and Mumtaz Ali.

5. Aya basant sakhi, biraha ka ant sakhi, ban ban mein chhayi bahaar by Parul Ghosh and Arun Kumar from Basant (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Pt. Pannalal Ghosh (Anil Biswas)

Here is another superb dance duet between Mumtaz Shanti lip-synching Parul Ghosh, leading a group dancers, and Mumtaz Ali lip-synching Arun Kumar.

6. Sar pe kadamb ki chhaiyan muraliya baaj rahi by Rajkumari and KL Saigal from Bhakt Surdas (1942), lyrics DN Madhok, music Gyan Dutt

This was the period of Saigal’s peak. But as I said in the beginning, Rajkumari holds her fort before the ultimate actor-singer. The result is this superb duet.

7. Chaandni raat aur tare khile hon by Khursheed and KL Saigal from Bhakt Surdas (1942), lyrics D Madhok, music Gyan Dutt

The tonal quality of KL Saigal and Khursheed couldn’t be more different. Yet they combine beautifully in this romantic duet. Khursheed wishes stars come out in moonlit night; Saigal wishes two hearts beat together under the canopy of the stars.

8. Gori kaahe khadi angana atariya mein aao by Anil Biswas an Maya Banerjee from Apna Paraya (1942), lyrics Pt. Indra, music Anil Biswas

The man and woman are equally forthright. When he asks her why she is standing in the angana, she should come instead in the atariya, she agrees and asks him to light a lamp there. A superb composition by the Bhishm Pitamah Anil Biswas.

9. Baras gayi ram badariya kaari, bujhi na pyas hamari by GM Durrani and Rajkumari from Station Master (1942), lyrics PL Santoshi, music Naushad

We consider beginning of Naushad’s wave from Rattan (1944). But Station Master had some landmark songs. Here the famous singer from that era GM Durrani and Rajkumari sing this beautiful Barahmasa song.

10. Choori laya nahin manihar ki choori bin na rahihaun by Amirbai Karnataki and SN Traipathi from Chooriyan (1942) lyrics Ramesh Gupta, music SN Tripathi

The lady’s obsession with bangles does not ruffle the man. He talks to her patiently and pacifies her. A very good duet from the year.

In conclusion,

The SOY Award for the Best Duet of 1942 goes to ‘Jis jogi ka jog liya ho’ by KL Saigal and Khursheed from the film Bhakt Surdas, composed by Gyan Dutt.