Best songs of 1943: Wrap Up 3

And the award for the best duet goes to?

There is something about duets which make them exceptional. If you take a re-look at my Overview Post, six out of the eight ‘Special Songs’ are duets. There are just so many varieties in them. For example, the titles of Bhojan ke nazaarein hain and Main to Agre se joota laya re are parodies of well-known songs of just a year or two earlier. Both the songs are medley parody songs which tests your knowledge or recall of vintage songs which became roaringly popular. There are some sung by music directors who were not quite known as singers. There were some others which were funky for different reasons: serious singers singing absurdly funny songs and so on.

Out of the 98/99 Memorable Songs in the overview post, there are 27 duets. This is more than male solos and less than female solos. This follows the long-term average distribution between the three types. And to reiterate the convention I have followed for consistency:

i.   If there are three or more singers, whether males or females, I have counted that as a duet.
ii.    Grossly asymmetric duets where one of the two voices comes for a very brief while, I have counted as a solo. Thus, Neend hamari khwab tumhare which has a sargam in the interlude by Balakram or Papiha re mere piya se kahiyo jaye, which has a male voice in the beginning for a very short while I have counted as solos by GM Durrani and Parul Ghosh respectively and have included them in Wrap Up1 and Wrap Up 2 respectively.
iii.    A chorus which has one prominent voice I count as solos, such as Door hato aye duniyawalo Hindustan hamara hai.

I should mention here that some readers do not find this convention satisfactory and I respect their views. But I have been following this consistently for many years.

Readers’ comments and suggestions

SOY is lucky that there are many passionate readers who add a lot of value to these year-wise reviews of the songs of the Vintage Era. Arunkumar Deshmukh has been generally first off the block with very clear choices. His choice of the best duet is Dheere dheere aa re baadal by Arun Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki from Kismet. Anup has given joint choice of More balapan ke saathi chhaila from Tansen and Papiha re mere piya se kahiyo jaye (“which is technically a duet though asymmetric”). He is a dissenter from my scheme which I have explained above.

Gaddeswarupji endorses Dheere dheere aa re badal as his choice for the best duet. So does Mahesh. He is a known Mukesh-expert. And I should mention here a valuable information he provided. Mukesh debuted as actor-singer in 1941. Thereafter, his journey has been rocky until he hit the Bull’s Eye in 1945 with Dil jalta hai to jalne de. 1943 was a blank year for him. For the years 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 his score has been 3, 2, 0, 1 respectively.

Hans always comes up with very interesting comments. He has not given his choice for the best duet, but he has done much more by giving a very special duet we will hear when we come to that. Pramod Godbole’s choice for the best duet is More balapan ke saathi.

Raunak Joy’s engagement with Vintage Era songs, especially the New Theatres songs, is nothing short of a scholarly dissertation. He has mentioned ten best duets in order:

I.   Dheere dheere aa re baadal
ii.  Manmandir mein aye baalam by Rajkumari and Paresh Banerjee from Nai Kahani (outside my long list)
iii. More balapan ke saathi chhaila
iv.  Kaanton sa chubhta jata hai – Anjali Devi and Motilal from Aage Kadam (outside my long list)
v.   Bhool na jana
vi.  Jeevan hai bekar
vii.  Aaj Himalay ki choti se – (I count it as an Amirbai Karnataki solo.)
viii. Karwatein badal raha hai – Arunkumar Mukherjee and Suraiya from Hamari Baat (outside my long list)
ix. Ek din hansaaye ek din rulaaye
x. Puranmasi aayi hansaati – Balwant Singh, Deena Sanghvi from Paraya Dhan (outside my long list)

Neeruahaf is another vintage expert. Her choice for the best duet is Kaanton sa chubhata jata hai, which is at #4 in Raunak’s list. Before I come to the best ten duets of the year, I have to present ‘Special songs’ which has now become mandatory.

Special songs

1. Kaanton sa chubhata jata hai by Anjali and Motilal from Aage Kadam (1943), lyrics Kailash Matwala, music Master Madhav Lal and RC Pal

If two vintage experts rate it highly, I had to put it at the top and the song does grow on you on repeated listening.

2. Saawan mein boondan ki jhalar daali by Kamal Dasgupta and Anima Dasgupta from Rani (1943), lyrics Pt. Madhur, Music Kamal Dasgupta

In my overview post I had posted as a sample one song by a music director, Vasant Desai. There were several in the year. Here is one by Kamal Dasgupta and Anima Dasgupta. I knew Kamal Dasgupta only as a music director. I must say he is excellent as a singer.

3. Bistar bichha diya hai tere ghar ke saamne by Arun Kumar (Mukherjee) and Suraiya from Hamari Baat (1943), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Anil Biswas

While Pt. Narendra Sharma wrote the lyrics for the other nine songs of the film, this song was written by Wali Saheb. This is a light-hearted song, uncharacteristic of both Arunkumar and Suraiya. Raunak recommended this song for ‘Special mention’.

4. Chaand sa nanha aye phoolon sa khil khil jaaye by Jayshree and Zohrabai Ambalewali from Shakuntala (1943), lyrics Ratan Piya, music Vasant Desai

This is a beautiful song composed by Vasant Desai and sung by Jayshree and Zohrabai Ambalewali.

5. Paanwali khila de raseela sa paan by Unknown male singer (Rafiq?) and Amirbai Karnataki from Sawaal (1943), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Pannalal Ghosh

Paan shop used to be male preserve. Here we have an exceptional lady who runs a paan shop. More importantly, she also explains how to make the best paan, and for that you source best ingredients from different places, such as kattha from Aligarh and choona from Banaras.

6. Dhuein ki gaadi udaye liya jaaye by Paresh Banerjee and Rajkumari from Nai Kahani (1943), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Shyam Sundar

This is a melodious train song. Shyam Sundar has composed marvellous music in his debut film. This is the film which had the iconic GM Durrani song Neend hamari khwab tumhare.

7. Manmandir mein aye baalam by Rajkumari and P Banerjee from Nai Kahani (1943), lyrics Wali Saheb, music Shyam Sundar

Another gorgeous duet from Shyam Sundar’s debut movie. Shyam Sundar was a leading doyen of Punjab School of music. This was known more for rhythm and use of dholak and other percussion instruments. But he creates an absolutely melodious song which bears New Theatres style.

8. Ho mat piyo more chhaila tambaku re by Leela Pawar and Master Amritlal from Aage Kadam (1943), lyrics Kailash Matwala, music Madholal Master and RC Pal

This excellent song was added by Hans in his comments with detailed explanation of its meaning. Mind you, the female singer is not Leela Mishra, the Bollywood mausi. As for Master Amritlal, I quote Arunji: “Master Amritlal was originally a stage and silent film artiste from Gujarat, who acted in 20 Talkie films. His first film was Vikram Charitra (1932) and his last film was Roop Nagar (1947) as an actor. He sang 23 songs in 10 films from his film Vikram Charitra (1932) up to Pagli Duniya (1944).”

Best Ten Duets of 1943

Now we are ready to select the best ten duets of 1943. For top two positions the choice is clear. It would be fair to say that More balapan ke saathi chhaila bhool jaiyo na and Dheere dheere aa re baadal dheere aa are stand out duets of the year. Aao ri suhagan naari mangal gaao ri is an extremely melodious duet by Amirbai Karnataki and Saraswati Rane from Ram Rajya. This song has featured prominently on this blog in my post Songs of women for the women by the women. This film also had a terrific ‘Lav-Kush’ duet, Bharat ki ek sannari ki hum katha sunaate hain. No performance or retelling of Ramayan story is complete without a generic Lav-Kush duet. Some outstanding duets still remain in the year to fill up the remaining slots.

1-2. More balapan ke saathi chhaila bhool jaiyo na by KL Saigal and Khursheed from Tansen (1943), lyrics Pt. Indra, music Khemchand Prakash

After Saigal migrated from Calcutta to Bombay in 1940, Ranjit Movietone lapped him up and made immortal films with Saigal, Tansen composed by Khemchand Prakash became the best known film of Saigal of his Bombay period. Khursheed matches him every step, this duet being an eminent proof. This song has two versions – sad and happy. From the video of the two versions you can make out the context.

Sad version

Happy version

1-2. Dheere dheere aa re baadal dheere aa by Arunkumar/Ashok Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki from Kismet (1943), lyrics Pradeep, music Anil Biswas

This song comes a number of times in the film in different combinations. It has an Amirbai Karnataki solo version too. But its recorded version as a duet in the voice of Arunkumar and Amirbai Karnataki is more popular. (Many songs sung by Ashok Kumar on the screen were recorded in the voice of Arunkumar on commercial records).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-as0MBnjtA

3. Hum aisi kismet ko kya kahein haye, jo ek din hansaaye ek din rulaaye by Amirbai Karnataki and Arunkumar from Kismet (1943), lyrics Pradeep, music Anil Biswas

“The Mother & Daddy of all blockbusters”, Kismet had Anil Biswas’s equally blockbuster music. This one is another duet I can’t leave out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo3Sy5pQCgQ

4. Aao ri suhagan nari mangal gaao ri by Saraswati Rane and Amirbai Karnataki from Ram Rajya (1943), lyrics Ramesh Gupta, music Shankar Rao Vyas

This is what I had written when I used this song in a post earlier:

“A natural corollary of marriage and its sanctified purpose is procreation. The expected arrival of a child is a momentous event celebrated by Gode bharai (गोद भराई). It goes by different names in different parts of the country, performed at different stages of pregnancy. In some communities it is a part of the pre-wedding ceremonies. This is similar to ‘Baby shower’ in western cultures, now getting wide currency in India too, among the modern educated women in the family way. In this song, Mata Kaushalya is leading the ladies to shower an expectant Sita with gifts. Shankar Rao Vyas, a trained singer from the Gwalior gharana was the brother of the more celebrated Pt Narayan Rao Vyas. Saraswati Rane also was thoroughly trained in classical music. She had impeccable pedigree, being the daughter of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, the doyen of Kirana gharana, and sister of Hirabai Badodkar and Sureshbabu Mane. These songs show the confluence of folk, classical and cinema.”

5. Bharat ki ek sannari ki hum katha sunaate hain by Yashwant Bua Joshi and Yashwant Nikam from Ram Rajya (1943), lyrics Ramesh Gupta, music Shankar Rao Vyas

This retelling the story of Ramayan by the twins Lav-Kush as narrated to them by the sage Valmiki from their mother Sita’s perspective never fails to move the audience. The singers are not identified in HFGK. In such situations Arunji does not rest until he finally establishes the identity of the singers after a 360⁰ research. Yashwant Bua Joshi sings for Madhusudan Bhatt playing Kush in the film and Yashwant Nikam sings for himself playing Luv. (Note: In the last sentence I had inadvertently reversed the names of Luv and Kush. Since corrected as per comment #1 by Arunji. – AK)

6. Jeevan hai bekaar bina tumhare by Asit Baran and Binota Roy(?) from Wapas (1943), lyrics Pt. Bhushan, music RC Boral

Since Asit Bran was an actor-singer in the mould of New Theatres stalwarts like KL Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, KC Dey and Pahadi Sanyal, he must be the male singer. Uncertainty about the female singer persists. The experts may please confirm. This is a beautiful duet composed by the New Theatres stalwart RC Boral.

7. Bhool na jana aaj ki baatein by Asit Baran and Indrani (?) from Wapas (1943), lyrics Munshi Zakir Hussain, music RC Boral

This is another melodious duet from the film and there is a similar uncertainty about the female singer.

8. Gori baanke nayan se chalaaye jadua by Sitara Devi and GM Durrani from Aabroo (1943), lyrics ‘Hasrat’ Lakhanavi, Music Govind Ram

Sitara Devi is in full form in this song. A street dancer-singer with a harmonium player is a stock situation which has figured in many films. A sedate GM Durrani is trying to give her able company. But he cannot match Sitara Devi’s obvious joy. She does not fail to incorporate classical Kathak footwork in the street dance.

9. More raja ki oonchi atariya by Chitalkar and Parul Ghosh from Muskurahat (1943), lyrics IC Kapoor, music C Ramchandra

This is a duet from one of the earliest films composed by C Ramchandra. He as the singer Chitalkar would sing many roaring hits a couple of years down the line. This is a fabulous duet which gives early indication of his talents.

10. Saajan ke naina jaadu baan main wari jaaun by Amirbai Karnataki and Mumtaz from Najma (1943), lyrics Anjuman Pilibhiti, music Rafiq Ghaznavi

Mehboob Productions first film Najma became a template for ‘Muslim Socials’. It had all the stock ingredients of a Muslim social, such as secret love between the lovers Ashok Kumar and Veena, but their families had other ideas of a compatible match. The lovers are married to other persons. One of the protagonists is unaware of the undercurrents of tension. In a pre-wedding function the family’s young girls present this wonderful duet by the highly talented composer of the time, Rafiq Ghaznavi. The readers must be aware of an important connection between Mehboob Khan and Rafiq Ghaznavi. Mehboob Productions logo of hammer and sickle was accompanied by an invocation, “Muddai lakh bura chahe kya hota hai/ Hota wahi hai jo manzoor-e-khuda hota hai.” It is said that this was written and recited by Rafiq Ghaznavi. (Note: Arunji points out in his comment #3 that while this invocation was recited by Rafiq Ghaznavi, it was written by Agha Jani  Kashmiri, The readers can take this as authentic. – AK)

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
1. I have to thank Arunji profusely for sharing his notes on vintage years which has been very helpful in writing this series.

2. The YT links of songs have been embedded only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog claims no copyright over the songs, which belongs to the respective owners.