If the world only comprised narcissists at one extreme, and the most polite and courteous who profusely praise others at the other end, it would be a very boring place. Things are never black and white. There are various shades of grey in life. In our interactions we often cannot resist the temptation of putting-down a pompous person by a clever repartee, prick his ego by a smart one-liner, use various figures of speech from irony, pun, tongue-in-cheek statements, sarcasm to trenchant scorn. Even with dear friends or respected persons we often indulge in mild leg-pulling and harmless humour.
Sometimes these attempts at humour go awry. Stand-up comedians make a living out of cracking jokes, making fun of celebrities and public figures. But this is a risky business, and some have landed up in jail because the joke was considered offensive. With this kind of ultra-sensitivity, self-deprecating humour is beyond our politicians. The US has a tradition of Annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner which the President also attends. Here the tables are turned; instead of the journalists making fun of the President in their columns, the President roasts himself turning all the barbs he had faced in the media on their head. The great communicator President Ronald Reagan was gifted with instant wit. A failed assassination attempt, nevertheless, left him seriously injured. In the OT, seeing several doctors in mask trying to save his life, he asked them with a wink, I hope you guys are not Democrats. Reagan was at his best in making fun of communism. One of the funniest: “Who invented communism, scientists or politicians? Obviously politicians, scientists would have first tried it on mice.”
BBC TV series Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister is a hilarious satire on politician-civil servant relationship in which the wily permanent secretary/cabinet secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (played by Nigel Hawthorne) uses various stratagems to frustrate the proposals of the Minister, innocent about the ways of the bureaucracy. In an award function for the series, the Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher, a big fan of the series, offered to write a short skit of the main characters and persuaded the makers of the series to let her play herself in the skit. The result is the witty side of the dour and fearsome lady, when the tables are turned on Sir Humphrey.
The humour of British public leaders is legion, and many, perhaps apocryphal, have entered popular folklore. Gladstone, a Member of the British Parliament, said to the then PM Disraeli (19th century), “Sir, you would either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.” Disraeli’s retort was, “Sir, that depends on whether I embrace your policies, or your mistress”. Many one-liners are attributed to Churchill. He said about Neville Chamberlain, “He is a modest little fellow who has much to be modest about.” One which has been adapted globally is, what is the difference between disaster and catastrophe? When a cruise carrying the entire cabinet sinks, that would be a disaster; if they are rescued that would be a catastrophe.
Wit and humour is not rare in our Parliament. One funster long ago was the MP Piloo Mody. In the days when the CIA was responsible for all our ills, Piloo came with a placard around his neck, “I am a CIA agent”. In a serious debate the PM got agitated and said, “I can’t be expected to answer all the barking dogs.” Piloo on his turn started his address seriously, Hon’ble Speaker, Hon’ble PM, This House comprises pillars of our Constitution, pillars of our Republic and pillars of society. I am a dog, and you know what a dog does to the pillars.”
There are hundreds of jokes for specific sections of the society: Husband-wife jokes. One I find very witty is – Behind every successful man is a smiling and surprised wife. Judges and lawyers: Once Attorney General was making long-winded, repetitive arguments before a Constitution Bench. The judges were getting irritated. They asked the AG, why are you repeating your arguments. Do you think we are idiots that we don’t understand it? After some pause, the AG replied gravely, “Your Lordships have put me in a serious dilemma. If I agree with you I would be hauled up for contempt of court, whereas if I disagree with you I would be guilty of perjury.”
Oscar Wilde is universally regarded as a genius, despite his conviction and imprisonment for what was then considered ‘gross indecency’. He has become more famous for his epigrams, his insults, one-liners, than his classics. One about his extreme narcissism, and this one might have been coined by someone else – Oscar Wilde on a trip to New York, when asked by the immigration to declare what he was bringing in, said, “I have nothing to declare except my genius.” He reserved his grossest scorn for decent people: “Some people give compliments in a way as if they are expecting a receipt”; “He didn’t have any redeeming vice”. (P.S. With the theory of consensual adults in the privacy of their bedroom gaining acceptance, Wilde was pardoned 117 years after his death. I don’t know what it means in legal or moral terms. – AK)
One important opposition leader unfortunately has become the butt of some unkind barbs, and he finds it impossible to get out of it. His interview by Arnab Goswami set Hitler screaming at his generals in his bunker when informed that the interview has become a threat to the German entertainment industry.
The above clip from the German film Downfall (2004), on the last days of Hitler in his bunker, has become a favourite of funsters around the word, and there are a large number of spoofs in which the sub-titles are changed to fit into some local funny situation.
We have now become the most offended society. If you are not easily offended you have to keep quiet, and not make provocative statements like, what is so offensive about the film PK or the web series Tandav or Ashram? I felt that one of the shows of the stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra I watched on the YT was quite funny, but when he came out of the hall he was roughed up by the vigilantes of our religion. Except this blog which is quite specialised, I shun social media, I shun religion and I shun politics. But even on this blog there are times when someone turns abusive on some joke or some irreverent humour the person does not get. They have to be blocked to maintain the standard of the blog.
Bollywood was known to be innocent about caste, religion and politics. No longer. But in the good old days there were several put-downer songs. Let us savour some.
1. Humse nain milana BA pass karke humse preet lagana BA pas kar ke by Mukesh and Shamshad Begum and Mukesh from Aankhen (1950), lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, music Madan Mohan
This song has the bluntest snub by a woman to a man. She is very clear that the guy has to be BA pass to flirt with her. The man tries to show his BA degree, she dismisses it with scorn with choicest slangs:
अपनी ये चार सौ बीस किसी और पे चलाओ
जाओ ये है झूठी डिग्री इसको कूड़े में फेंक आओ
जाये भांड़ में ऐसा प्यार तेरे ये नखरे हैं बेकार
हमको गुस्सा ना दिलाना बकवास कर के
2. C A T कैट, कैट माने बिल्ली, R A T रैट, रैट माने चूहा by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle from Dilli Ka Thug (1958), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Ravi
Kishore Kumar is wild and crazy, true to his character. The exasperated Nutan makes some sarcastic remarks: M A D mad mad माने पागल; B O Y boy boy माने लड़का (and that is you). Later she calls him ‘C R O W, crow माने कौवा.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSY4vYRtcQw
3. Jaoji jaao bade shaan ke dikhanewale by Mahendra Kapoor, Balbir, Asha Bhole and Saudha Malhotra from Razia Sultana (1961), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Lachhiram
In qawwali muqabala each side tries to put down the other. In this one women seem to be having the upper hand.
4. Kahiye kaisa mijaz hai aapka, kya iraada hai aakhir zanab ka by Rafi and Asha Bhosle from Salam Memsaab (1961), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Ravi
This is a consensual banter. The man asks the woman’s welfare. She snubs him, Humse kya vasta hai janaab ka. The man realises perhaps he has gone overboard and tries to mollify her, Are are aap to bigadane lage, but she continues on her caustic spree, Nahin nahin aapko samajhane lage. Her smile gives away that the entire show of annoyance is play-acting, because in the next stanza, the lines are reversed.
5. Ada bijli badan shola…Nigah-e-naaz ke maaron ka haal kya hoga by Asha Bhosle, Sudha Malhotra and Shankar-Shambhu qawwal from Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music Roshan
This qawwali muqabala is a nice example of combining both narcissism and sarcasm. The women are high-spirited and very proud of their electrifying mannerisms and fiery body. They have scorn for the poor menfolk struck by their glances. And न बच सके तो बेचारों का हाल क्या होगा? They seem to be winning all the way, the menfolk’s response हमीं ने इश्क़ के क़ाबिल बना दिया है तुम्हें seems quite tepid. This is despite the women being hidden by a screen, true to a Muslim social.
6. Haseeonon ke jalwe pareshan rahte agar hum na hote By Rafi, Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle from Babar (1960), lyrics Sahir Ludhiyanavi, music Roshan
The men claim that the beautiful damsels would have been quite restless if they were not there. The women on the other hand are quite clear that without them the men would have been ignorant about love. The song continues in this vein throughout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sW7SGgnSkw
7. Milte hi nazar tumse hum ho gaye deewane by Rafi, Manna Dey and Asha Bhosle from Ustadon Ke Ustad (1963), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Ravi
The two lead qawwals think that the women would be impressed by their profession of love. But the qawwalas are quite scornful about it, and say patronisingly, ‘Anjam-e-mohabbat se tum ho abhi anjaane’. Thus, not all qawwali muqabalas have reciprocal sarcasm. Here the men are quite serious, but the women are very dismissive both by words and gestures.
8. Haye ye bholi suratwale dil ka lagana kya jaanein by Rafi, SD Batish, Iqbal, Lata Mangeshkar and Rajkumari from film Chaar Din (1949), lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Shyam Sundar
Each side is sceptical of the other’s capacity to express love.
9. Kaise besharm ashiq hain ye aaj ke, inko apna banana gazab ho gaya by Yusuf Azad and Rashida Khatoon from Putlibai, lyrics Zafar Gorakhpuri, music Jaikumar Parte (?)
This no-holds-barred qawwali muqabala between Yusuf Azad and Rashida Khatoon has the bluntest roasting of each other.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x36jmcy
10. Magar ae haseena-e-bekhabar by Rafi and Sulochana Kadam from Dholak (1951), lyrics Aziz Kashmiri, music Shyam Sundar
Sulochana Kadam rose to immense popularity because of the song Chori chori aag si dil mein lagakar chal diye from this film. In this duet the hero Ajit and the heroine Meena Shorey, each tries to profess that he/she is not in love with the other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzuZyjRjvM
11. Main hun gori nagin dekhungi rasiya, kaise aaj teri baaje nahi been re by Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from Naache Nagin Baaje Been (1960), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music Chitragupta
In sapera-nagin legend, the snake-charmer is thought to be an evil person with some special powers. He casts his spell on the nagin by his been and captures her in his basket. But here the lore is turned 180 degrees. Kumkum dares the guy that she is a bewitching nagin going to dance and would see how he can resist playing his been. The man pleads that he has but a tiny heart and please do not shear it bit by bit.
It is not for nothing that we all love Chitragupta. All the songs of this B-grade film starring Chandrashekhar and Kumkum were absolutely melodious, and now that I am on this theme, I realise most of the songs lend themselves to such etymological analysis. Chandrashekhar continues his abject pleading in the next duet in the film, Chale ho kahan sarkar humein beqaraar kar ke, but he is again rebuffed by Kumkum, Hamari khushi koi roke hai kyun takraar ke. It seems, embarrassed by his own pusillanimity, he mounts a tentative challenge in the next duet, Gori nagin ban ke na chala karo, jaadu maarega sapera koi aay ke, but she still continues on I-don’t-care attitude, Dil haath mein lekar jala karo, main to chalungi hazaron bal khay ke. Finally, there is a conciliation between the two, Beet gayi hai aadhi raat chaandaniya dheere dheere aana.
But let us hear the first duet in the series, in which Kumkum dances up a storm. Chitragupta’s honey-dripping sweetness oozes throughout in the tune, in his orchestration and prelude and interludes. Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar are at the peak of their vocal quality. (I don’t know why Chitragupta chose Suman Kalyanpur in one of the four duets I have mentioned. She is indistinguishable from Lata Mangeshkar unless you know it. – AK)
12. Chatt deni maar deli, kheench ke tamacha, hi hi hi hi hans dele Rinkiya ke papa, Bhojputi NFS by Manoj Tiwari from the album Uparwali Ke Chakkar Mein, lyrics Manoj Tiwari and Prabhu Nath, music Dhananjay Mishra
Bollywood believes in nok-jhonk, Papa’s disapproval of the girl’s choice of someone much below her station when Rai Bahadur Saheb’s long lost son has now surfaced (played by the suave Pran) with the locket which was in the neck of Rai Bahadur’s infant son, and final resolution with some beating up of the impostor Pran. But the Bhojpuri land does not have such niceties. Rinki (Rinkiya) gives the Majnu Manoj Tiwari a tight slap, but the worst part is that Rinkiya’s papa starts laughing at him Hi Hi Hi Hi. To get over this public humiliation, a Bollywood hero would have drowned himself in alcohol, but the Lothario Manoj Tiwari hangs out with his gang of friends and sings this song of his insult publicly.
चट देनी मार देली खींच के तमाचा, ही ही ही ही हंस देले रिंकिया के पापा
13. Ek chatur naar kar ke singaar by Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar from Padosan (1968), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman
Now comes the mother of all roasting songs. Mehmood has to be put in his place as Bhola (Sunil Dutt) and Panch Ratna Natak Mandali (led by the Guru, Kishore Kumar) realise that the girl is not in love with Mehmood but with his art. Mehmood as Master Pillai gives an unrestrained performance in his get up of a Tambam with a heavy South Indian access. Look at the words Kishore Kumar uses for Mehmood: Kala re ja re ja re, jaake naale ke pani mein munh dho ke aa, and Tujhe suron ki samajh nahi ayi/ Tune kori ghaas hi khayi. Mehmood is brilliant in his comic role. When he is led astray from the note, he is in jitters: Ye gadbadji, ye sur badla. Ye sur kidharji, ye hum chhodega nahiji, Ye akad ke rakhega ji.
Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
1. 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.
2. In some songs playing on another site has been blocked, but by clicking on the links you can play it on YT.
{ 135 comments… read them below or add one }
AKji,
One more thoroughly enjoyable post with a brilliant write-up.
Really impressed the way you come up with such innovative topics.
The clip from Downfall is too good, more so with the wonderful subtitles!
Would this fit in…
Suraj 1966
SJ – Hasrat – Rafi, Asha
Kaise samjhaoon badi nasamajh ho..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGNlrzq3FIQ
Dr Deshpande @1,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. This post completes the continuum of Narcissism – Sarcasm – Praise. Therefore, some day I would have hit upon it.
The spoof clip of Downfall is really superb. I think I saw the movie after I had seen the clip. The movie is, obviously, excellent. It is available on the Interest for free watching on ok.ru. It is a Russian site and difficult to navigate. But once you find it, it has a wonderful collection of classics from all over the world.
Witty one-liners are quite ubiquitous. As I write this, I am watching Broadway Danny Rose. My attraction was mainly Woody Allen, and he is brilliant as ever. In this movie in the flow of his fast dialogue delivery he says casually, “I really don’t want to badmouth him, he is such an obnoxious lout.”
Kaise samjhaun is a very good song of reciprocal roasting. I had not realised it as it was masked under the classical-base. Thanks a lot.
Albela 1951
C Ramchandra – Rajinder Kirshan – Lata, CR
Bholi surat dil ke khote naam bade aur darshan chhote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb2ef3cUrKU
Song#9 Kaise besharm ashiq hain ye aaj ke had a follower in the 90s, with similar lyrics.
Shreeman Aashique 1993
Nadeem Shravan – Noor Kaskar – Asha, Anu Malik
Bade besharam ladke hai ye aaj inko apna banana gazab ho gaya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF19uDzvTd0
Dr Deshpande @2,
Bholi surat dil ke khote is a great song of reciprocal roasting. Geeta Bali and her gang come up with Naye zamaane ke ye chhaila, ujale kapade dil hai maila.
@3, This is a nice reprising of the classic qawwali muqabala from Putlibai. Please listen to song #9 again.
AK ji
Sarcasm is not a quality that generally we have or we tolerate nowadays. And in Hindi films it is not very common to find a sarcastic film or dialogue or a song. Yet you have found out perfect examples and presented them brilliantly.
Apart from Oscar Wilde Winston Churchill was also famous for his wicked wit and there is a whole industry on his witticism. In Maharashtra we had the likes of Acharya Atre and PL Deshpande whose sarcastic quotes are memorable. But for now I will go with a song like of which in todays times is impossible to be made
Salam kijiye – Aandhi – Gulzar – RDB
https://youtu.be/pn0szF61OUM
And this one may qualify under reciprocal roasting
Gore rang pe na itna – Roti- AB – LP
https://youtu.be/QA2MOxhMXtU
There is the wonderful song Jaao ji jaao by Asha Bhosle and Rafi for Sharabi (1964) with dekhe hai bade tumse hai chor lutere ….phrase for snubbing the male! And also Itni nazuk na banoo by Rafi from Vaasna on Biswajeet .
Mr Muli @6,
Thanks a lot. Jaane Bhi Do Yaro starts with self-deprecating humour, later it was was full of irony and sarcasm. Namak Halal had a scene of sarcasm when Bhairon tells village buffoon Arjun (Amitabh Bachchan), Apni bhi koi izzat hai. The Big B had just seen him being roughed up by his client, says mockingly, Izzat, haan izzat. Later when the Big B is taken to the five-star hotel to impress the GM Ranjit, the job seeker roasts him mercilessly:
आप अंदर से कुछ और बाहर से कुछ और नज़र आते हैं
बाखुदा शक्ल से नज़र आते हैं
आपका तो लगता है बस यही सपना
राम नाम जपना पराया माल अपना
He makes amends for this with his village buffoon act ‘I can talk English because English is a very funny language’.
Both the songs you have mentioned are perfect.
KB @7,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Both the songs are befitting.
AK ji,
I should say it came as a surprise because I was expecting a totally different theme. Nice topic, though.
Hema Malini royally roasts AB in DESH PREMEE:
Jaate ho toh jao
Par itna sunlo
Thodi choodiyan pahan lo
Ek ghagra silvao
HM makes appropriate hand signs of the Third / Other sex while singing the next lines..
Aurat ki hifazat jo kar na paye
Us mard ko kya kehte hain…
Dr Shetty,
It is good if the readers get a surprise from time to time. Desh Premee song is an absolutely over the top song. Thanks for a nice addition.
AK ji
Jane bhi do yaro Friday will invite huge outcry from vigilante public . It had a scene in which Duryodhan is opposing chirharan and pandavas are supporting it
Deewar carried number of scenes in which there was more than a hint of sarcasm and roasting. The most celebrated one being the meeting of two brothers in which AB starts with ” kahi mujhe aane me der to nahi hui” to which Shahi replies ” car se aane wale aksar der se aate hai”
The scene ends with the most iconic snub ” mere paas ma hai”
Then there is Shashi demanding AB’ s signature and AB goes berserk ” jaao pahle us aadmi ka……”
It is left to Nirupa Roy to silence AB’s tirade with ” tu to Mera apna khoon tune apni ma ke mathe par kaise likh liya…..”
We also have AB’s brief skirmishes with Iftekar ” main phenke huye paise nahi uthata”
Madan Puri” main janata tha ki aap majak kar rahe hai”
Parveen ” tumhari jaisi ladkiya kapado ki taraha apne naam badalati hai”
Coming to the songs (obviously not from Deewar) I think the most beautiful (musically) example of reciprocal roasting is 2 back to back songs of guide
Mose chal
https://youtu.be/4omm5U4bvqU
Kya se kya ho gaya
https://youtu.be/j0yhX_VDu-o
A great writeup on a very interesting theme which should initiate more discussion here. The song selection is wonderful and some of these I had not heard .
We recollect the famous song from NASTIK … ‘Dekh tere sansaar ki haalat…’ (1954)
https://youtu.be/s-m8uXyNmvY
A similar but counter song came up in the following year which I am not sure if it would get covered here.
‘ Dekh tere bhagwan../1955/ RAILWAY PLATFORM / Sahir Ludhyanvi / MM / Rafi , SD Baatish , Manmohan Krishna
https://youtu.be/mvOAuo8_rtI
AKji,
A straight hit for a six. Repeatedly producing such innovative posts can happen when a fertile brain takes on the mind.
Kudos for the collection of appropriate songs. Must be gifted with a remarkable memory to recollect the songs with appropriate lyrics.
Thanks for embedding the clippings from Yes minister/ prime minister and Downfall with sub-titles which enhanced your brilliant write-up.
Posting two versions of the song Kusoor Aap Ka from Bahar (1951). Hope they fit the bill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Zd3foU594
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrd1LPLR4aw
This may be more appropriate
Humare Siwa Tumhare Aur Kitne Deewane Hai, Apradh (1972), KA, Indeevar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE_wMMeiEa8
Om Prakash to Dilip Kumar..
Soorat hai bandar ki phir bhi
Lagti hai albeli…
Kawwa jaise pankh Mayur ka..
In
Saala main toh Saab ban gaya
SAGINA.
( The whole song reenactment in RAJA HINDUSTANI.
But, earlier his reaction towards DK entirely different in..
Gentleman Gentleman Gentleman.
APNE RANG HAZAR
Meri kali kalooti ke nakhre..
Hans ke chal mein dekho
Kawwa chali.
Jodi hamari banegi kaisi jaani?
The very hat ke Chitragupta gem from
AULAD.
Tayyab Ali jaan ki dushman…
AAA
AK Ji
Nice, offbeat theme…
Can this song fall under this category?
A rare Mahindra Kapoor singing for Madan Mohan in Anpadh, written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan
A good satire on the eductaion system..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmarDySZ0LQ
Mr Muli @16,
Towards the end Jaane Bhi Do Yaro with the dead body Satish Shah also playing a great role becomes a deadly farce. Your comment is a very good satire on the present times. I hope we have not lost the ability to see a farce as a farce.
Nice observations about the film Deewaar. The two songs of Guide are of a sad mood. I would not think it as mutual roasting. Mutual lament is somewhat different.
Mr S Joseph @13,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Dekh tere Bhagwan ki haalat is a nice sarcasm.
Venkataramanji @14,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. These posts and songs grow over time. No sharp memory. Mr Google gives all the answers.
Both versions of Qusoor aap ka huzoor aap ka are very good.
@15,
Humare siwa tumhare aur kitne deewane hain: is very appropriate for sarcasm.
Dr Shetty @16,
Now this is memory! Very impressive. Thanks a lot for all the additions.
Mr Sivanandam @17,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Sikandar ne Porus se ki thi ladai is a very good satire on the education system. This was comic, but Sherlock Holmes dismissed basic knowledge for a different reason. How does it make a difference whether the earth is round or flat? After all, human brain has a limited capacity, and he didn’t want to clutter it with useless information like earth revolves around the sun or the sun revolves around the earth.
Main ka karoon Ram mujhe budda mil gaya..
SANGAM.
Ram naam japna, Paraya maal apna..
SUVARNA SUNDARI.
Ram Ram japna, Paraya maal apna..
DO DIL.
And, as part of
Pag ghungroo band Meera..
NAMAK HALAL.
Haal chaal theek thak hai..
MERE APNE.
Sarcasm is so well explained in the preface to the article.
Unfortunately, most of the situations in the film get reduced to very mundane comedy.
The difficult subject handled so well, Congratulations
I recall this song from Padosan wherein picturizaton is little loud comedy, but Kishore Kumar’s rendition of the song touches high degree of wit
https://youtu.be/Zr_enRRcyuw
AK, you have outdone yourself. Brilliant post. The songs, of course, but what precedes the songs, too – wonderfully entertaining and amusing.
AK ji
Three songs fitting the theme using the same phrase in the opening line
Ye munh aur masur ki dal – Shri nagad narayan -Madhup Sharma – Vinod – Rafi and Asha
Here the man calls the lady Bandariya
https://youtu.be/dh8mLa5dUco
Yeh munh aur dal masur ki – Barish – Rajendra Krishna – C Ramchandra – Lata
Now it’s ladies turn and she calls him Shahar ka bandar
https://youtu.be/noI1sRhLiCU
Ye munh aur masur ki dal- Around the world- Shailendra -SJ – Shamshad Begum and Sharda
A forgettable song from a forgettable film
https://youtu.be/2C8JY2tTLzE
AK,
Narcissism, praise, sarcasm. What next? After reading the ‘praise’ post, a thought had entered my mind that I pose you a question to bring out a post which would cover the frequent dialogue in our films, ‘tum nahin samjhoge’. Though that challenge before you still stands, yet the sarcasm can be taken as a way to ‘samjhana’ things in a different way. I hope some day you would bring a theme which will cover ‘tum nahin samjhoge’.
You have given interesting anecdotes about politicians in particular. At our home front there have been lot of interesting jokes of rulers like ‘Akbar-Birbal’ and ‘Tenalirama’. The most famous of the sarcastic comment by his wife gave us the great poet Tulsidas. This incident gave birth to the song ‘hai dhanya suhagan wo jisne bharat ko Tulsidas diya’ (GS Nepali/Chitragupta), though she may not have been as happy as others with the result of her own deed.
About half of your songs are qawwalis, which shows how ably this genre adopted the sarcasm theme. Popularity of this aspect of qawwali is perhaps the reason that Putlibai qawwali became a rage though there were not many takers of the film itself. I like the songs a lot. Rafi’s ample presence shows, he was the master of any genre.
Your first entry was from Madan Mohan. He had given a number of such songs to us. Siva has posted the Anpadh song, which I also wanted to post. Still I would give other songs from him. Coincidentally all are written by Rajinder Krishan.
The first one is from Bhai Bhai – 1956.
Is duniya men sab chor chor – Lata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL6L9ki5dgg
Next is from Pocketmaar – 1957.
Ladi ankh se ankh mohabbat ho gayi – Lata, Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdbfpemyCNg
Aeji biwi ko ghar men bithlake bahar tum kyun – Minister – 1959 – Asha, Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFaH1OIioWk
Surat yateem ki shauk shikar ka – Mohar – 1959 – Asha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHPzZldFCs4
Suniye suniye aajkal ki ladkiyon ka program – Ladka Ladki – 1966 – Kishore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Pr9bZk6OU
Hans ji
To kk’s suniye suniye a perfect retort by Mala Sinha
Ye aaj kal ke ladke – Dillagi – Majrooh -LP – Usha Mangeshkar
https://youtu.be/fQW3VwUjfXU
Vaishnavji said “Unfortunately, most of the situations in the film get reduced to very mundane comedy.”
That is very true but not always the case. Here are some different songs in addition to some of such songs already posted above.
‘Husnwalon ko na dil do ye mita dete hain’ by Talat from Babul, by the Shakeel/Naushad team, is one of the best sarcasm in our films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kJiT2R81w
A counter from the female side comes from a film from the same year Sheesh Mahal. Here Shamshad playbacks for Naseem Bano who is giving sage advice to Nigar Sultana. A Vasant Desai creation written by Shams Lucknawi.
Husnwalon ki galiyon men jana nahin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ot1611GoUQ
Talat gave voice to another gem in this category from Parchhain. A good sarcasm from Noor Lucknawi tuned by CR. Shantaram is berating his real wife on the reel without her having any clue, because, as he says
‘Mohabbat hi na jo samjhe wo jalim pyar kya jane’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUtsWBLonSk
Another tit for tat from the pen of Rajinder Krishan ‘ye mard bade dilsard’, sung alternately by Lata and Rafi in film Miss Mary. Composer was the great Hemant Kumar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj3En6RiI8I
Indirectly complaining through others has been always a way to show soft sarcasm in our society. Husband and wife and even other relations used to talk in such manner at times of family strains by conveying things by talking through others. We have seen a lot of such situations in films. Here is a song where both are talking through ‘chanda’ as the common mean. From the same film.
O raat ke musafir chanda jara bata de – Rafi, Lata
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtel91wtlHQ
Dr Shetty @23,
I saw Sangam again nth time. Main ka karun Ram mujhe buddha mil gaya: my thoughts went to my post that it fitted the theme.
Ram naam japna paraya maal apna: I am impressed by your knowledge, recall and making connections. I knew of Namak Halal. The other two I heard for the first time. Especially the one from Suvarna Sundari which had the raagmalika Kuhu kuhu bole koeliya was quite surprising and is also superb.
Ajagar kare na chaakari, panchhi kare na kaam by Rafi & others from Suvarna Sundari (1958), lyrics Bharat Vyas, music Aadi Narayan Rao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vUuiv-K5KI
The one from Do Dil: Mehmood at times becomes irritating.
Rahul, @ 28
Perfect retort. But this one in Ladka Ladki which I posted had its counter in that film itself, which I am giving here
Kamal ho ya kamla
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzDzcuAm7Es
And this one ‘ek tara bole’ from Yaadgar – 1970, from KA/Verma Malik team, mocks the girl as well as boy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHlJ5DmPP-0
You made a bouquet of ‘masoor ki daal’, which was very nice, the Baarish song being my favourite. Here I give three songs, the first line of mukhdas of which end with ‘tan ke’.
Aaye the huzoor bade tan ke by Asha in Main Bhi Ladki Hoon by the RK/CG team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tujt7iTtNm0
The same song by Rafi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGTUFWJoJrE
Now the song from Talaq – 1958 by Asha which says ‘jhuk gayi dekho gardan unki chalte the jo tan ke’, by RK/CR combo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJePjWWbjeo
AKji,
A great thought, excellently executed.
Would,
Yeh Aaj kal ke ladke by Usha Mangeshkar fit?
Anup
🙂
Ashokji @24,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I absolutely love Meri pyari Bindu. Kishore Kumar’s best comedy is in Padosan. He was brilliant in embedding parody of classics in a song. The cleverest is in this song. Please watch carefully from 1.20 to 1.50. When Bhola asks, what should I say when Bindu says all this, he tutors him, अरे बांगड़ू, प्यार में जवाब अपने आप सूझ जाता है, कहना, अनुराधा, अनुराधा. At this point Mukri corrects him, Guru, Anuradha nahin, Bindu, and Kishore then corrects himself, Are teri, bhoolaa, kahna, Meri pyari Bindu. Mixing up Bindu with Anuradha was not a slip of tongue, it was a clever parody of KC Dey’s iconic song Gokul se gaye Giridhari, which he starts with addressing Kanan Devi’s character Anuradha in the same tone in the film Vidyapati (1937). Venkataramanji furthered confirmed my hypothesis by adding that Kishore Kumar’s character name in Padosan is Vidyapati. This was absolutely brilliant.
Madhu @25,
Coming from you, I treasure this appreciation. Thanks a lot.
Mr Muli 226,
This is brilliant. Earlier Dr Shetty found three references to Raam naam japna paraya maal apna. In the first one, the lady tries to mount a defence, but the man backed by Rafi has first-mover advantage. The second song carries the sweetness of Lata Mangeshkar-C Ramchandra combination. Nutan has the field to herself. Thanks for these additions. Now you should discover songs on all our proverbs of scorn, such as Bandar kya jaane adarak ka svad or Bandar ke haath mein chameli ka tel or Bhains ke aage been bajay, bhains baithi pagurai. The third song you rightly said it was eminently forgettable.
A perfume maker from Kannauj gave a sample to an ignoramus who tasted it and said it was sweet. In this case the Ritikaaleen poet Bihari (1595-11663) blamed the perfume-maker:
करि फुलेल को आचमन मीठो कहत सराहि
रे गन्धी मतिमंद तू अतर दिखावत काहि
Hans @27,
You have posed an interesting issue: Tum nahin samjhoge. This situation is quite universal in human interaction. This seems to be independent of Narcissism-Sarcasm-Praise axis. But thanks, it is an interesting topic.
You have nicely brought out the role of Ratnavali’s sarcasm in the making of Tulsidas. At least she got the glory for giving Tulsidas to us. In a counter example, Yashodhara lifelong lamented the disappearance of her husband in the night; not for his absence, but for his leaving without telling her. What did he think, that I would be an obstruction in the path of his greater attainment?
सिद्धि हेतु स्वामी गये यह गौरव की बात
पर चोरी चोरी गये यही बड़ा व्याघात
सखि वे मुझसे कहकर जाते
कह तो क्या, वे मुझको ही अपनी पथ बाधा पाते?
(मैथिली शरण गुप्त)
All the songs you have added are superb, fitting the theme like T.
@29,
Now all the songs are well-known. Thanks for the interpretation.
Anup @32,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Ye aajkal ke ladke obviously fits. Another Aajkal ke ladke from Dillagi (1966), composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal has been posted by Mr Muli @28.
Perhaps this song may also fit in here.
‘ Usko nahin dekha…’/ 1966 / DAADI MAA / Majrooh Sultanpuri / Roshan / Manna Dey , Mahendra Kapoor , Usha Mangeshkar
https://youtu.be/Sm7EylaJBH0
Mr Joseph @38,
Which part? As far as I can understand, it is in praise of the mother. We have not seen Him, but God cannot be much different from you.
AK ji,
You are proving again and again that you can bring out pearls after pearls from your creative thinking in unusual but interesting topics for variety of songs. No wonder readers and lovers of music flock here and participate enthusiastically.
All the best to you.
-AD
Tum kya jaano mohabbat kya hai..
HKKN.
Kmbhe jaisi khadi hai..
DIL.
Khud ko kya samjhti hai..
KHILADI.
And, the most beiman movie that manipulated FF Awards blatantly…
Na ijjat ki chinta
…
Jai bolo BEIMAN ki..
Arunji,
Thanks a lot for your kind words. You are a big inspiration for the bloggers on HFM.
MUNIMJI
Pran’s roasting is in a different level!!!
Dil ki umange hain jawan
Rang mein doobi hai sama..
Aap bhi gaayiye na
Kya mushkil hai?
Sargam sikha doon?
Bahut achhe..
Ek baar aur..
Aap bhi nachiye na
And, jumping on his foot!
At last, riding on a donkey!!!
Only thing missing is the donkey braying in reply to Pran’s besura singing.
I absolutely enjoy this song and the performances of Pran and Nalini Jayawant.
Other than the fantastic SDB score, the movie was very average for me. I watched it just a few years ago.
Dr Shetty @41, 43,
Dil ki umangein hain jawan is a brilliant composition and picturisation. Pran’s acting is superb. His grimace at the torture he is going through is superb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqg1k9efHIg
Don’t know if the following Bhakti Geet is suitable for this subject :
Bada natkhat hai………… Amar Prem 1973
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLu5Nw6WKCI
Rahul @ 26 posted two songs in one of which a male calls the female bandariya and in the other it is reversed. I present here a song in which they give each other these titles and much more. It is a parody song.
Dheere re chalo mori langdi bandariya – Insaaf – Johny Whisky, Usha Khanna – Akhtar Romani – Usha Khanna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obCr7D725iM
Here is another great parody song with the sarcasm theme.
Chal chal re naujawan – Ek Phool Do Mali – Prem Dhawan – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6RlLVak03Y
Barsaat Ki Ek Raat 1981
RDB – AB – KK
Kauwa hans ki chaal chala …..kaliram ka khul gaya pol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSO30UhA4gg
Love Story 1981
RDB – AB – Asha, Amit
Ye ladki zara si diwani lagti hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoa4oTDRhsY
Hum Tum 2004
Jatin Lalit – Prasoon Joshi – Alka, Shaan
Ladki kyon na jaane kyon ladkon si nahin hoti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WLugDJYXmM
Dushman 1971
LP – AB – Lata
Paisa phenko tamasha dekho – Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKSMCp87qIc
Izzat 1968
LP – Sahir – Rafi
Kya miliye aise logon se jinki fitrat chhupi rahe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Uq9Mq7qMSc
AK ji
Thanks for your generous appreciation.
It is very difficult to find sarcasm songs based on proverbs of scorn. Maybe Hans ji, Venkataraman ji and other knowledgeable readers can find some.
One that comes to my mind is Kader khan – Govinda spat
Kaha Raja bhoj – Dulhe Raja – Sameer – Anand shrivastav – Sonu Nigam & Vinod Rathod
For a change jugalbandi between son in law and father in law
https://youtu.be/SFytjC7dZ0A
Meanwhile on to some mundane ladka ladki skirmishes
Mere peeche ek ladki – Banarasi Babu – KA – Kishor Kumar and Kanchan
https://youtu.be/SFytjC7dZ0A
Dev was thousand times better in B& W films teasing his girl like in mana janab ne
Ladki cycle wali – Pati patni aur Woh – Anand Bakshi – Mahendra Kapoor and Asha – Ravindra Jain
https://youtu.be/U_kCjM6BdiQ
It is surprising that otherwise shy and peace loving Vidya Sinha using aggressive posture here to snub Sanjeev Kumar brutally.
First she wonders why his head was not broken then she taunts
Umra to Khasi hai
Par ab tak kunwara hai
(Was it an oblique reference to bachelor Sanjeev )
And finally she declares
BA pas hu main koi dasvi fail nahi.
BA pass was a coveted qualification during 70s films.
But the best of lot (musically) is Asha parekh spurning Shashi’ s overtures
Main na milungi – Pyar ka Mausam – Majrooh – RDB – Lata
https://youtu.be/LoJ1xRJClos
Kahe pe jhule ho
Kahe bemausam phule ho
Is bemausam phulana a proverb?
And then
Aaye ho kya kuch peeke
Peena was considered as a vice then .
Now, a few duets of different colours.
Johny Walker and Yasmine searching for his lost heart and in the process dishing out one of the best sarcasm.
Jane kahan mera jigar gaya ji – Mr Mrs 55 – Rafi, Geeta – Majrooh – OPN
Guru Dutt as taxi driver pokes his nose in the love affair of his passengers and gets back what he gives. ‘Mohabbat karlo jee bhar lo’ comes from the same team as in the above song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1BsXULRl-U
Ravi brings up a fun song in the mela like ‘kahe itna guman goriye’, but this one seems better to me as sarcasm song.
O ballo soch ke mele jana – Khandan – Rafi, Asha – RK/Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehuoJAqlMRs
This one is in my book a sarcasm song just for the reason of lyrics misfit on the characters of Om Prakash and Manorama. I think this was made for this purpose.
Teri patli kamar teri bali umar – Dus Lakh – Rafi, Asha – Prem Dhawan – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1VXj5ZivY
The next song is from the same film where Babita and Helen dish out a real roast of Om Prakash at the time of his wedding with Manorama. The lyrics of ‘aagre ka lala angrezi dulhan laya re’ go now soft now hard on Om Prakash and he looks puzzled. The singers are Mangeshkar sisters Asha and Usha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EbHLtUhzh0
Talking of Kishore and his pranks-refer #33 of AK Ji…I am reminded of the song Jai Jai shiv shankar in the film Aap Ki Kasam. Though the song may not fit this theme, but there is an interesting comment right at the end of the song, when Kishore says ” Are bajaao re bajaao ..Imaandari se bajaao…pachas hazaar karcha kar diye”..It seems the producer J Omprakash was cribbing about some delay in the shooting and kept saying pachaas hazaar karcha kar diye..The genius Kishore included this in passing without the knowledge of the producer and only later on after the film got released , revealed this..real roasting!!
One more Kishore’s song comes to my mind , Dheere se jaana Khatiyan mein O khatmal in the film Chupa Rustam..a rare case of the same music director SD Burman making a comical song from his old song Dheere se jaan bhagiyan mein , re bhanwara. Neeraj and Kishore join in the parody!!
Two more Rajesh Khanna songs which may possibly fill this catagory : Gore rang pe itna gumaan kar from Roti (1974) and Gussa itna haseen from Maryada (1971) both again by Kishore Kumar!
There is also an old comedy song from Sanam (1951) Naya hai Pyar Zamana Dekh Na Le sung by Suraiya , Shamshad Begam and SD Batish which may also add on to this theme …
Manoj @45,
Bada natkhat hai Krishna Kanhaiya refers to childlike pranks of Krishna. To me, it does not fit.
Dr Deshpande @47,
Kauwa hans ki chaal chala….Kaliram ka khul gaya pol: It is a top class song of scorn.
@48,
Ye ladki zara si diwani lagti hai: Very nice song of mutual leg-pulling. The film was a great success as other star-son’s launches by their daddies have been. But unluckily the hero or the heroine neither had a successful career.
@49,
Ladki kyon na jaane kyon ladkon si nahin hoti: This has been a perennial question.
@50,
Paisa phenko tamasha dekho: A nice song of satire.
@51,
Kya milne aise logon se jinki fitrat chhhupi rahe: A nice song of sarcasm.
AKji,
Rahulji @ 52 wrote,
“It is very difficult to find sarcasm songs based on proverbs of scorn. Maybe Hans ji, Venkataraman ji and other knowledgeable readers can find some.”
At the outset let me confess I am not that proficient in Hindi.
Comments and songs pouring in and here are my two drops in the bucket. May be they are not exactly proverbs of song, hope they are apt for the post.
Kya Hawa Chali Baba Ritu Badli,
Shor hai gali gali
Sau sau chuhe khaike billi haz ko chali
Parakh (1960), Manna Dey, Shailendra, Salil Chowdhury
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAcZ_c-wo-o
Aa ha budha hai ghoda lal hai lagam
O budha hai ghoda lal hai lagam
Sargam (1950), Chitalkar & Lata Mangeshkar, Pyarelal Santoshi, C Ramchandra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiQIPmpZ7OQ
AKji,
my all time favourite that would fall in this category would be
maana mere haseen sanam from Adventures of Robinhood (a non-descript movie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BZQdqA4NJc
माना मेरे हसीं सनम, तू रश्क़-ए-माहताब है
पर तू है लाजवाब तो, मेरा कहाँ जवाब है
हैरत से यूँ न देखिये, ज़र्रा हुआ तो क्या हुआ
अपनी जगह पे जान-ए-मन, ज़र्रा भी आफ़ताब है
तेरे शबाब का सुरूर छाया जो दो जहाँ पर
मेरी निगाह-ए-शौक़ से आया ये इनक़लाब है
Mr Muli @52,
Kahan Raja Bhoj kahan Gangu/Bhojua teli is a very nice song adapting from a famous proverb (the link is of the second song, a repetition). By now in the post and the comments, following proverbs/ idiomatic usages have been used:
1. Naach na jane na aangan tedha
2. Naale ke pani mein munh dho ke aa. Some years back Amir Khan acted in a series of commercials for Coca Cola, highlighting its price had come down from RS 6 to 5. In one of them, someone still quoted the price as RS 6. Amir Khan used the snub, Jaiye munh dho ke aiye
3. Ram naam japna paraya maal apne/ Baahar se kuchch aur andar se kuchch aur.
4. Chaar sau bees.
5. Koode mein phenk aao.
6. Bhaand mein jaaye aisa pyar.
7. Naam bade aur darshan chhote. The best song on this is Bholi surat dil ke chhote.
8. Kitna badal gaya insan.
9. Kauwa chala hans ki chaal.
10. Ye munh aur masoor ki daal.
11. Sabke data Ram.
12. Paisa phenk tamasha dekh
13.Shor hai gali gali.
14. Buddha ghoda lal lagam.
Some proverbs seem to be made for a film song:
15. Chor ki daadhi mein tinka.
16. Choubey gaye chhabbe banane dubey ban ke aye.
17. Jo boye so paaye.
18. Galey ki haddi.
19. Kabab mein haddi.
20. Kaath ki haandi baar baar nahin chadhati
21. Doodh ka jala mattha bhi phun phunk kar peeta hai.
If there is no song containing the proverb, I am sure a number of songs conveying the meaning of the proverb.
Ladki cyclewali: A rotund Daddy-type college boy was acceptable. I don’t think kunwara was a conscious reference to Sanjiv Kumar’s bachelorhood.
Main na milungi: There is another well-known song, Tu na mili to hum jogi ban jayenge.
Hans @53,
You have presented a bouquet of songs of sarcasm. About roasting of Om Prakash, the film Chupke Chupke roasted him all through.
Mr Sivanandam @54,
Arey bajao or bajao: Congratulations and thanks for discovering the satire.
As for the parody of Dheere se jana bagiyon mein bhanwra, you have its very good parody in the second interlude of Paanch rupaiya barah ana.
KB @55, 56,
The sarcasm in Gore rang pe na itna guman kar and Gussa itna haseen ho to pyar kaisa hoga is quite obvious.
Venkataramanji @59,
You have discovered two great songs on proverbs. At @61, I have listed a big list of proverbs, tongue-in-cheek statements covered in the main post and comments. I have also given a big list of potential candidates. Much easier is songs conveying the meaning of the proverb.
Anita @60,
Mana mere haseen sanam: The song is obviously excellent. Sarcasm/ scorn is not so obvious.
AK ji
Himmatwala (original) should be considered as an important milestone in the history of HFM. The film became superhit and what followed was a torrent of South movies starring Jeetendra, Shridevi and / or Jayaprada with Indeevar as lyricist and Bappida as composer. Together they churned out some ” sublime” songs with equally “sublime” lyrics such as taaki o taaki, zhopadi me charpai , gussa chod Dil na tod etc.
The Pioneer of this phase is a sarcasm song filled with scorn from beginning to end
Ladki nahi hai tu lakadi ka khamba hai – Himmatwala – Indeevar – Bhappi Lahiri – Kishor and Asha
https://youtu.be/Wir7cBZZZKQ
Mr Muli @67,
Great men think alike. (Disclaimer: This is not a narcissistic nor a mutual back-scratching statement.) This film and the song are also my great favourites. Jeetendra has been one of the greatest actors of Bollywood. His rivals out of jealousy coined a moniker for him – Jumping Jack Jeetu (Triple J or JJJ as in जा जा जा, but he was not going anywhere as he had the support of discerning viewers).
Some years earlier he played badminton, with a song naturally, with Leena Chandravarkar in the film Humjoli (1970). People don’t realise it, but that inspired millions of youth to take to badminton. From that movement emerged Prakash Padukone. He in turn became the inspiration for Pulela Gopichand and a large number of badminton’s global superstars.
Thank you Jeetendra for your great contribution to cinema and sports. 🙂
AKji,
In the last song posted by you (#13), from Padosan, you mentioned few diatribes used by Kishore Kumar against Mehmood. Mehmood at one stage hurls the proverb ‘Naach na jaane aangan tedhaah”. The same proverb is used with slight twist in the 1985 film Zamana. In the song, Gopi Krishna,does some acrobatic moves, singing Naach na jaane kahe aangan tedhaa to flaunt his own expertise at Rishi Kapoor’s expense. Gopi Krishna (Hariharan) and Rishi Kapoor (Kishore Kumar) try to outdo each other. A seems to be a parody too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhRze_9u_l8
Incidentally, I recollect the song, “Pyare Nandoya Sarota Kahan Bhool Aaye”, from the same film, mentioned by you in the tenth anniversary post of SoY. In fact there was a long thread of songs posted by you and our friends.The version by Nagina Jaan was the best. Can this song be suitable for this post?
AKji,
Rajeshji posted good song on a proverb of scorn, “Kauwa hans ki chaal chala …..kaliram ka khul gaya pol” @ 47.
Posting an immensely popular song sung by Kailash Kher from the 2013 movie Jolly LLB. This song is a compilation of proverbs. Besides “Kauwa chala hans ki chaal”, and the proverb “Choubey gaye chhabbe banane dubey ban ke aye” mentioned by you, the song starts with “Namaj bakshwane gaye the roze gale pad gaye”, and “Okhlee mein sar diya toh moosal padhenge” and “Baal mundwaate hee olay gire hain are also part of the lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03bPXuRdPE
Venkataramanji @69,
Thanks for posting the song Naach na jaane aangan tedha from Zamana (1985). I don’t know what forced Gopi Krishna to try comedy. Mehmood-Manna Dey have set a standard difficult to match. I am grateful that you retraced our Long Trail of Pyare nanduiya sarota kahan bhul aaye. Had the joke been limited to only nanduiya I would have agreed it was a song of sarcasm. But in all versions final insult is on the sainya – while the nanad, nanduia and the lady eat peda, laddoo and barfi, the sainya is left licking the plate and so on. It would be interesting to probe its social anthropology deeper. I suspected that sarota had risqué connotation. Hans in his comment on the 10th anniversary post states that it started as a vulgar song. Bhabhi addressing nanduiya, it is quite likely.
@70,
Thanks a lot for the song from Jolly LLB. It seems the song was meant for including as many proverbs as follows.
Rahulji @ 26,
“Ye munh aur masur ki dal“-You have posted three songs on this phrase/ proverb.
Or is it a proverbial phrase?
@ 52,
“Kaha Raja bhoj” from Dulhe Raja another good variation. Thank you.
Another line in the song “Chhunder ke sar pe na bhaye chameli” too, I believe, is a variation of another proverb.
AKji, Rahulji,
Posting a song based on the proverb
“Na baap bada na bhaiyya,
Sabse bada rupaiya”
from Sargam (1950)
Vinod (Raj Kapoor) along with Munne (Mumtaz Ali) and Bhairavi (Rehana) does a stage performance to expose Vinod’s father (Omprakash), Seth Roopchand’s greed for money.
Suno shab, suno shab, o bhai suno
Apane desh su nikale the ham le ke lutiya-dori
Kaudi-kaudi jodi ban gaye lala aaj karodi
Mharo nam seth karodi
Paas hamare hatthi ghoda phaltan fauj sipahiya
Lekin aise kaise bane ham
Bol dun bapu, bol de beta
Bap bhala na bhaiya bhaiya, sabase bhala rupaiya
Bap bhala na bhaiya bhaiya, sabase bhala rupaiya
Sabase bhala rupaiya, hay rupaiya hay rupaiya
Chitalkar Ramchandra (Mumtaz Ali), Md.Rafi (Raj Kapoor) and Lata Mangeshkar (Rehana), lyrics Pyarelal Santosh (also the producer and director of the film), music C Ramchandra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyCMPi8uIYk
Posting a satirical song from the 1976 film Sabse Bada Rupaiya.
Na biwi na bacha
Na bap bada na maiya
The whole thing is that ke bhaiya
Sabse bada rupaiya
Mehmood, Basu-Manohari, Majrooh Sultanpuri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlniHtzFgb0
The above song from Sabse Bada Rupaiya (1976) was used in the 2005 Abhisek Bachhan starer Bluff Master as the title song.
Venkataramanji @72,
Thanks for adding songs on Baap bada na bhaiya, sabse bada rupaiya. Now we are ticking more and more in the list.
This song may fit in here. A song for all lovers .
‘ Meri mehboob kahin…’/ 1964 / GHAZAL / Sahir Ludhyanvi / MM / Rafi
https://youtu.be/Hts4cb2zzso
Hansji@ 47 & 53,
I was away for 48 hours (between 13th evening and 15th evening) and many songs have been posted in between. And I am in the catch-up-mode.
Enjoyed your postings, especially I liked the two parodies.
Adding one more parody which, I think, would be apt for this post too.
Mere Samne Wale Kamre Me Ek Bhade Ka Tatu Rehta Hai
Lakhon mein ek (1971), Asha Bhosle and Manna dey, Anand Bakshi, R D Burman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZ7aPtIAGo
AKji,
Hansi posted 5 songs composed my Madan Mohan, one by Shivanandamji, one by Akji and one by
Josephji from the film Railway Platform.
I think it is time to revisit the song Andher nagari chaupat raja a satire sung by Md.Rafi, S D Batish, Manmohan Krishna & Asha Bhosle and composed by Madan Mohan for the 1955 film Railway Platform. The proverb, of course, points to a city of darkness headed by a leader who knows not what is just or unjust.
Andher nagri chaupat raja
Jis mol bhaaji uss mol khaaja
Lyrics Sahir Ludhyanvi, music Madan Mohan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbbBUZU2s4s
A classic from Sahir,Roshan,Lata . Someone running away from realities but hoping for success. Could fit in here.
Sansaar se bhaage…’/ 1964 / CHITRALEKHA / Sahir Ludhyanvi / Roshan / Lata
https://youtu.be/qvag4f1eKLc
AK ji
I think Choro ko saari najar aate hai chor from Naya Zamana may fit here as “proverbial” sarcasm
https://youtu.be/hEw6SJRYOvI
The same movie also had an excellent Kishor song . This is my personal favourite from school days but is not talked about even in SDB – Kishor songs.
The third stanza is full of subdued sarcastic anguish of a writer who is deprived of his due credit by a rich publisher . Throwback to pyaasa but not in the same class.
https://youtu.be/1PrBHeXfIVk
And there was one more from the same film which definitely is a sarcastic comment on the youth of the day
Wa re naujawan Aaj kal ke – Naya Zamana – Kishor – AB- SDB
https://youtu.be/9Z-Y078RPtc
PS I think if Jeetu spurred the nation’s liking for shuttle some credit should also be given to Leena for inspiring Saina and sindhu
All of us know the message in this song. There is no doubt that this is a suitable song .
‘ Taayi laga ke …’ / 1957 / BHABHI / Rajinder Krishna / Chitragupt / Lata
https://youtu.be/ouRYOwc7yG8
Mr S Joseph @74, 77, 79,
I think I would grant all the three songs fit the theme.
A famous song which I think fits in here .
‘ Tu Hindu banega…’/ 1959 / DHOOL KA PHOOL / Sahir Ludhyanvi / N Datta / Rafi
https://youtu.be/fgNa41wNxyw
One more very painful song from Dhool ka phool which I think should fit in here.
‘ Tu mere pyar…’/ 1959 / DHOOL KA PHOOL / Sahir Ludhyanvi / N Datta / Lata
https://youtu.be/jGiIZHX7jgg
Venkataramanji @76,
Andher nagri chaupat raja is a perfect example. Incidentally, it was a play written by Bharatendu Harishchandra. The second half of the proverb goes, टके सेर भाजी टके सेर खाजा.
Mr Muli @78,
Choron ko saare nazar aate hain chor is a good one. Still better is Chor chor mausere bhaai.
Duniya O duniya tera jawab nahin is a good attempt to reprise Pyasa theme.
Yes, I agree some credit should go to Leena Chandravarker for the rise of our women stars. The only problem is the time-line. Prakash Padukone seems to be a direct outcome. In one film there was a Kabaddi song Ho tu tu tu. Someone has to study the timeline. I think that was an inspiration for India becoming Kabaddi superpower. Out of jealousy, the world body has removed the game from international tournaments.
About Jeetendra, I agree that he is one of the most important actors. He and Dharmendra were the producers liking because their films rarely forced huge losses on the producers. On the other hand the so-called super stars Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh had a long line of absolute flops. Perhaps propaganda works more than real contribution in bollywood. I think it would be wrong to give credit to Himmat for his South sojourn. Farz, his first hit was a Madras based film. Then in 1969 Jeene Ki Raah and Jigri Dost followed, which were
also Madras based. In 1970 his four hits Himmat, Humjoli, Jawab and Khilona were all Madras based.
But the idea of rise of Prakash Padukone due to Humjoli is far-fetched. Padukone was born in 1955 and at nine years old i.e. 1964 he was Karnataka State Junior champion and Jeetendra had not yet truly arrived on film scene, which he did with Farz and Humjoli was six years away. He was a real achiever and P Gopichand’s achievements, who has more of the limelight, pale before his. Padukone was a real talent and won the National Championship at 17 in 1972, the year in which he also won Junior’s national title. P Gopichand won this Championship at 23. He achieved when the world of badminton was dominated by Indonesian and Danish players.
The Sabse bada rupaiya songs post by Venkataramanji @72 reminded me of this enjoyable song from Teen Bahuraniyan 1968
KA – AB – MK, Asha, Kamal Barot
Aamdani atthanni kharcha rupaiya
bhaiyya na poochho na poochho haal
nateeja than than gopal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n3rj-FMN9E
And the title song from the film titled – Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya 2001
Himesh R – Sudhakar Sharma – Udit, Shaan, Johnny lever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9kFhIzQwhc
Kala Bazar 1989
Rajesh Roshan – Payam Saeedi – Nitin Mukesh
Than than ki suno jhankar ye duniya hai kala bazaar
ye paisa bolta hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id4iSFGEw0g
Dr Deshpande @86,
Amandani athanni kharcha rupaiya
Nateeja than than Gopal
Both the proverbs are in common use. And the songs from Teen Bahuraniyan is excellent.
@87, 88,
Nice use of some common proverbs.
A very nice satire is in Jagte Raho’s celebrated bhangra song, Ki main jhooth bolyan. ‘I saw honest people going to the gallows, and the dishonest making merry. People say it is destiny, I say it is anyay‘ – every stanza has such sarcasm.
Here’s one Jeetendra song which comes in the film after the guys lose a basketball match to the girls…so no inspiration for anyone to become a basketball hero.
Ek Nari Ek Brahmachari 1971
SJ – Neeraj – KK, Asha, Manna Dey, Sharda
Tu hai buddhu brahmachari tu kya jaane kya hai nari
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK2bCSemEqE
Venkatramanji, AK, Rahul,
This ongoing topic of use of proverbs in songs initiated by AK on the basis of comment of Rahul, has been taken further by Venkataramanji by posting some great proverb songs. I also want to put forward my opinion.
Some proverbs are used as it is and some are very intelligently woven into the song. Some are so beautifully woven that we dont even notice them. Look at song no 7, the first line ‘milte hi nazar tumse hum ho gaye deewane’ is followed by ‘aagaz to achha hai anjam khuda jane’ which is a proverb and can be easily recognised, but the females reply with ‘sholon se ulajhte ho’ which is not so easily seen through. Similarly, song 13 goes like ‘ek chatur naar karke singaar mere man ke dwaar ye ghusat jaat’ has the proverb ‘man ke dwaar aana’ which is woven. But, the proverb in the reply is still more difficult to see, ‘ek chatur naar badi hoshiar, apne hi jaal men fasat jaat’ has this ‘apne jaal men fasna’ beautifully mingled in the mukhda.
I posted the Dus Lakh song ‘agre ka laala’. Its first antara starts,
‘koi kahe buddhu koi kahe hai anadi,
koi kahe maari apne paon pe kulhadi,
koi kahe laalon ki dubai isne lutiya,
naak katwai hai kata ke isne chutiya,’
Look how beautifully four proverbs have been woven so that they are hardly discernible.
Similarly, the saying about ‘bapu ke teen bandar’ was woven in the first antara of the Manmauji song ‘murge ne jhoot bola’. The same proverb was directly used in the Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke song ‘bura mat suno, bura mat dekho, bura mat kaho’. The second antara of the Maumauji song inducts ‘chor ki nani’ in the kauwa chidiya story explained there. In Gehra Daag, the proverb ‘subah ka bhoola’ has been beautifully modified for the antara of the song ‘subah ka bhoola sham ko ghar aajaye wo ghar aa jaye, wo bhoola na kahlaye.
There are some songs which directly use the proverb given below:
Jaan bachi aur lakhon paye – Sanjog – 1943
Jhooth bole kauwa kate – Bobby
Sach kahti hai duniya ishq par jor nahin – Ishq Par Jor Nahin
Kisi pe dil aa jaye to kya hota hai
wahi hota hai jo manjoor e khuda hota hai – Rafoo Chakkar
Surat yateem ki shauk shikar – the song I posted at 27.
Hans,
You have made some very sharp observations on proverb songs. It is a great list. Now we realise there must be hundreds of songs embedding proverbs in them.
Hans ji
I said that torrent of South movies starring Jeetendra, Shridevi / Jayaprada with lyrics by Indeevar and music by Bhappi started after Himmatwala. It should not be taken to mean that Jeetendra’s south sojourn began or was established with Himmatwala. Jeetendra was a favourite of South producers much before Himmatwala but those films did not satisfy other parameters mentioned by me.
My personal opinion is that mere propoganda or hype does not make a superstar let alone reign as a superstar for a significantly long period ( in case of Rajesh it was less than AB) .
I was first shocked to read about Taki Oh Taki…Jeetendra..Himmatwala etc as that was the time Hindi film music went to the Mariana Trench..then I realised the theme was sarcasm and then heaved a sigh of relief!!!
#89–AK Ji..what a great song you have mentioned–Oh aiven duniya deven duhai …also known as Teki Mein jhoot boliya, koi naa..bhai koi naa song.
Oozing with sarcasm in a philosphical way…giving the main lines of the song here….
Oye haq dooje daa maar maar ke
Banade log amir
Main ainun kahenda chori
Duniya kahandi taqdeer
Vekhe pandit gyaani dhyani
Daya dharm de bande
Raam naam japade
Khaande gaushaala de chande
Sachche phaansi chadhade vekhe
Jhootha mauj udaye
Loki kaihande rab di maaya
Main kahandaa anyaay
Prem Dhawan-Salil-Rafi ( Pre-Maya rift, Salil & Rafi gave few very but very great songs and this is one of them–one more which is mostly ignored in the popular media was from Kabuliwala–Oh Sabah Kehna Mera dildaar ko, dil tadapta hai tere deedar ko–again written by Prem Dhawan).
Mr Sivanandam,
Ain vain duniya deve duhai…Ki main jhooth bolyan: is one of the best bhangras in Hindi films. Balbir is also with Rafi in this song. He provides the Punjabi touch and Bhangra feel. The movie Jaagte Raho was itself a satire and this song fitted very well.
AK ji , Venkataraman ji
Andher nagari chaupat Raja takes me to a somewhat similar Marathi song from an all time great Marathi movie Jagachya pathivar .
The song is
Uddhava ajab tujhe sarkar
Uddhava is a cousin of Krishna but here I think the reference is to almighty.
One of the stanzas goes like this
Scoundrels build palatial homes
Wise have no roof over their head
Faithful wife is hanged
but the infidel is rewarded with necklace
Raja paranjape, G D Madgulkar and Sudhir Phadake combined together to make number of landmark movies which were entertaining as well as socially relevant.
With this song GD Madgulkar in 1957 traveled back to the future in a sense.
While writing this song he must have had an inkling that there would be Ajab sarkar led by Uddhav in Maharashtra.
https://youtu.be/oFPWIgPPmxs
AKji,
Thank you for making me aware of the other half of the proverb, Andher nagari chaupat raja take ser bhaji take ser khaja .
And thank you for mentioning the wonderful bhangra from Jagte Raho.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ua1jpl9sIk
Josephji you have hit the bull’s eye with some appropriate songs.
Thank you Rahulji for the couple from Naya Zamana.
Rajeshji,
Your postings @ 86, 87 ,88 & 90 are equally enjoyable.
Great going. We are reaching the century mark.
Hansji @ 91,
I simply endorse Akji’s comments @ 92.
Such comments require some keen observation and good understanding of the language. Thanks a lot
Rahulji @ 96,
Thank you for the song “Uddhava ajab tujhe sarkar” and the translation and additional information.
Akji, Rahulji,
Posting a satirical song from the 2005 film Shabnam Mausi
Sau Bar Sochana Yaaro, Kahi Galti Na Ho Jaye by Vinod Rathod, Shabnam Mausi (2005), lyrics Dilip Tahir, music Dilip-Hari Kishen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0peQbi4JjwY
Shabnam Mausi was the first transgender Indian to be elected to public office (MLA). She was an elected member of the Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2003. Hijras were granted voting rights in 1994 in India.
AKji,
Another ironical song from the another off-beat film, Godmother (1999)
Raja Kee Kahanee Puranee Ho Gayee by Usha Uthup, Rekha Bharadwaj & Kavita Krishnamurthy, lyrics Javed Akhtar, music Vishal Bharadwaj
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFBHpr8z9s4
Godmother is a 1999 Hindi biographical drama film inspired by the life of Santokben Jadeja, who ran the Mafia operations at Porbandar, Gujarat, in the late 1980s and early 1990s and later turned politician. She served as an MLA from Kutiyana from 1990 to 1995.
Songs in Manoj Kumar movies such as Pehchan and Sanyasi had such songs. For example, Woh pari song by Suman Kalyanpur , Sharda and Mukesh had lines such as Yeh Gangaram ki samajh mein na aaye with sarcasm and also in Chal sanyasi mandir mein also such message of sarcasm is there.
Do not recollect songs pictured on Pran . I feel this song fits in here.
‘ Kasme waade pyar…’/ 1967 / UPKAR / Indeevar / Kalyanji Anandji / Manna Dey
https://youtu.be/vyrOdkr2myw
Mr Muli @96,
Venkataramanji @97, 98
The Marathi song Uddhav ajab tujhe sarkar is a very nice song. In absurdity it matches Andher nagri chaupat raja. Its sarcasm is similar to the sarcasm of the bhangra Ki main jhooth bolyan from the film Jaagte Raho (1956).
A few words about Bharatendu Harishchandra’s play Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja. It was written in 1883, when modern Hindi (Khadi Boli) literature was in infancy, Bharatendu being one of the pioneers. Therefore, the language may be a little awkward compared to modern usage, but its farce is far ahead of its time.
“A guru with his chela in course of their wandering reached this new land. The guruji asked his chela to go out for alms, and buy some vegetables for Re 1. The chela came back with some exquisite mithais. The chela explained to the guruji that in this kingdom he found that boxes of mithais cost the same as lowly veggies. So he brought the mithais to enjoy themselves.
“The guruji was concerned at this Andher Nagri and said that it was not safe to stay here. The chela became greedy at this windfall and requested the guruji to let him stay there to enjoy life. Guruji told him that if he ever found himself in danger, he should remember him for help.
“One day a poor widow reached the Chaupat Raja’s court to complain against one Deendayal that he had hit her goat badly with sticks and as a result the goat died. The Chaupat Raja delivered his justice of life for life, and asked his kotwal to bring Deendayal to be hanged. The executioner found that Deendayal’s neck was too thin to fit in the noose so it was impossible to hang him. The Chaupat Raja ordered his kotwal to bring the first fat man he found. The chela who had fattened himself eating mithais day after day was the first suitable man the kotwal found.
“The chela pleaded why he was being hanged when he had not committed any offence. The Chaupat Raja explained to him that his neck fitted the noose. The chela fervently remembered the guruji to rescue him from this madness. The guruji arrived and whispered something in the chela’s ears. Both started fighting to go to the gallows first. The Chaupat Raja was surprised, it is very funny, everyone tries his best to escape the noose, and you are fighting to be hanged!
“The guruji explained to the Chaupat Raja that that moment had rare constellation of stars and the person who was lucky to be hanged would be blessed with a kingdom five times the size of that kingdom. The Chaupat Raja shooed them off that he himself would avail of this opportunity. The Chaupat Raja forced the jallad to put the noose around his neck.”
I remember Satyajit Ray/Sandeep Ray’s Gopi Bagha Phire Elo had this element of Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja. Venkataramanji may please confirm.
Venkataramanji @99,
Nice song from Godmother. I think there have been some more films in which the lady is the main Gangster. One very nice comedy is Phans Gaye Re Obama in which Munni (Neha Dhupia) is the head gangster.
KB @100,
You are absolutely right about the sarcasm in the films Pehchan and Sanyasi.
Mr S Joseph @101,
Kasne waade pyar wafa sa is an excellent song and fits the theme.
AKji:
This is the AKji of yore that we have known! Wonderful, witty, wholesome. An effortless century was always on the cards. But now it looks like this post will go far, quite far.
Since the post starts with a Reaganism from White House Correspondents’ dinner, here is an abbreviated version of Bill Clinton’s remarks at the 1999 event (C-Span has a full set of recordings):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5T9tScxGe4&ab_channel=FactbaseVideos
Sarcasm is a weapon that often leaves even the target smiling. Its ‘safety valve’ function has been recognized by our culture which provides institutionalized roasting opportunities during Holi, births, marriages, etc. to sections of society (women, younger relatives, transgender). Here is the roasting of a groom’s party at a wedding in Bihar (the actual roasting in villages could be more severe and sometimes results in clashes).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR8QXc4iv3A
By the way, in AKji @ 102, were you referring to Satyajit Ray’s ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe?’
Rahul,
Thanks for the clarification about the limited angle to your quote. I had took it as if it was a general opinion about Jeetendra’s South films. I also typed Himmat instead of Himmatwala in my above comment.
About films, my own opinion is that common perception means a lot to bollywood people and it is propaganda which makes common perception. Super Star as per me is just a replacement name for star. Rajesh Khanna was the first super star because he coined the word for the propaganda and no earlier star thought of that. Since the birth of this word every actor tries to show himself as super star. Dilip Kumar coined the word ‘method acting’ as if no actor before him followed any method. There were better actors than him earlier as well as later. Actors mostly function under directors. Dilip Kumar perhaps coined the word to show that he is above everyone director and all.
Of our trimurti Dev Anand was considered at the third spot, because initially he had the least propaganda, while Dilip and Raj Kapoor excelled in it. Later on he also realised the importance of propaganda and coined the words like ever green and ever young, which he continued with later he looked worn out. Suraiya was never declared super star or any such thing, because she withdrew from the limelight, although she achieved the feat of charging 5 times the money our male no 1 of that time Dilip Kumar charged. This has never happened either earlier or later.
In the year 2000, at the turn of the millennium, there was a list of 100 most beautiful actresses of Indian Cenema (perhaps in TOI). This list did not have the name of Sadhana who was one of the most beautiful actresses, with facial features + well shaped body, because after retirement she withdrew into her household and made no propaganda. The others of her times, the likes of Sharmila, Waheeda etc. were in the list, because they kept themselves in news. The list had Shilpa Shetty and Rambha, two of the ugliest heroines in bollywood.
Outside of bollywood too, propaganda is the main thing. We have been told that Corona is the deadliest thing. TB which is a disease which is claiming 4-5 lakhs lives since eternity and is very contagious, particularly in our slum like conditions, has never caused a lockdown of any type, let alone national one. There are numerous dangerous diseases for which we do not have proper tests or vaccines, even after 100s of years of their existence. But for Corona we find test kit before the advent of disease and dozens of vaccines in the market, because everyone should have his/her share of the plunder.
Even earlier than Corona, AIDS hogged the limelight over TB, though it can be contacted only when one is careless in his personal habits. It is propaganda through which people are selling plots on the Moon, even the landing of man on which is now a suspect thing. Bitcoin is also another example.
#95..AK Ji…sorrry I missed out Balbir while mentioning the artists involved in that Bhangra song of Jaagte Raho.thanks!
Dont know if these two songs were covered earlier in the comments and if they would fit?
1) Dekh tere sansaar ki halat kya ho gayi bhagwan, kitna badal gaya insaan ( Nastik/1954/C Ramachandra/Kavi Pradeep-lyrics and singer)
2) Ramachandra keh gaye siya se aisa kal yug aayega
( Gopi/1970/Kalyanji-Anandji/Mahindra Kapoor/I am not sure if it is a traditional song …
Hans ji
Thanks for an elaborate explanation of propoganda. I will use the cliche’ we agree to disagree.
By the way , you did not include the most apparent example of perception and propoganda in contemporary politics ( Maybe your focus was on films)
Rahul,
The thought of propaganda in contemporary politics came in my mind, but, I thought if somebody saw my comment and reported, I might be declared a ‘Traitor’. 😉
In fact, everybody who uses his brain, knows about propaganda in politics.
AK, @ 102
From where you have taken this summary of Andher Nagri. I thought you have either not read it or had read it long back and forgotten, because the story I had read was different. So I checked up in the book I had and found that the story posted be you is not correct. This play of Bhartendu Harishchandra is available on net too. You may refresh your memory.
The video of roasting of groom’s party in Bihar posted by Canasya brought to the mind some marriage roasting songs. I agree with him that the real roasting is more severe than this video.
The first song is from Gharana, which is close to the real roasting done in marriages. Here both sides are at each other.
Mere banna hariyala hai – Asha, Shamshad – Shakeel – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yULW6HpAT6Y
Panjab and Haryana areas have lot of folk songs on this theme. Here the queen of folk Surinder Kaur is roasting the bride.
Duniya se nyari gori teri sasural hai – Bari Bahoo – Bharat Vyas – Anil Biswas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NSdPh_s5dQ
Now, bhangra and roasting at the same time during a marriage in Panjab in film Heer Ranjha. Madan Mohan here used four lesser known singers Usha Timothi, Krishna Kalle, Hemlata and Balbir to create a gem.
Jo moti teri naani hai suna hai deewani hai – lyrics Kaifi Azmi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAwvTzlnD9w
Mutual roasting between Jeeja-Saali-Didi.
Jeeja ji jeeja ji meri didi hai anadi – Ponga Pandit – KK, Asha, Usha –
Rajinder Krishan – LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt3pApUOsPY
Hans ji
I add few more “roasted” in-laws
Jeetendra in Shadi ke baad
This song had become quite a hit those days fortunately it was not played on loudspeakers in marriages.
Kabhi khole na tizori ka tala – AB- LP- Kishor
https://youtu.be/ddZR24aX92I
Jeejaji jeejaji honewale jeejaji – Sajan bin Suhagan – Indeevar – Usha Khanna – Anuradha Paudwal, Dilraj Kaur and Suresh Wadkar
https://youtu.be/2yHK8N362ws
This song from the 40s may fit in here. Do not know if the dispute that one of the singers is the MD himself has been resolved. Some portions of the song is in Punjabi I learn . Appears to be picturised in an office.
‘ Lara lapa Lara…’/1949 / EK THHI LADKI / Azeez Kashmiri / Vinod / Lata , GM Durrani , Rafi
https://youtu.be/BmF5M3MjPog
Rahul,
This ‘kabhi khole na tizori ka tala’ was a universal favourite, but this was from Judaai. In the other one the ‘hone wale jijaji’ is fully roasted and agrees to all conditions.
In ‘kabhi khole na’ SIL was roasting FIL, but here in the film Pati Patni both FIL and SIL combine to roast their respective ‘patnis’ though in absentia. The vintage era singer-actor Surendra playbacks for Om Prakash and Manna Dey for Mehmood.
Meri patni mujhe satati hai – Anand Bakshi – RDB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0olsI5cDkU&t=59s
Rekha roasts her sister for the impending marriage.
Sun sun sun didi tere liye ik rishta aaya hai – Khoobsoorat – Asha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhbCciTUIIU
Next one is the strangest. Two lovers roasting each other about their respective dulha/dulhan. This is the film Izzat and Dharmendra and Jayalalita torment each other.
Sar par lamba top leke aayega – Rafi, Asha – Sahir – LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eHV9hGOWvQ
Canasya @106,
Thanks a lot for your nice words. Many of the jokes at WH Correspondents Dinner are very America-specific, and for an outsider some references go over head. Reagan’s anti-Commi jokes were universal.
Some of the galis in weddings are quite ribald. From gender perspective on analysis I find it troubling. The ladies of the bride side refer to the wives/sisters of different relatives on the other side, and make fun of their body, gestures, and efforts to have dalliance with the men of ‘our’ side. I doubt if anyone from either side thinks on these lines.
@102,
As soon as I wrote that I had this feeling that I was mixing up. I needed to only check which one had Soumitra Chatterjee and the Chaupat Raja Utpal Dutt. Yes I meant Hirak Rajar Deshe. Thanks a lot.
Sarcasm came naturally to Sahir. There are a number of serious songs of this hue, some of which have been posted already. I think everyone knows about a number of such songs in Pyaasa, therefore they have been avoided.
I present here some of Sahir’s sarcastic songs which were written for lighter situations.
This one is about corruption from film Aadmi Aur Insaan.
Bacha le ae maula ae raam – Rafi – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EWO8uqs0y0
This one is on food adultery.
Khali dabba khali botal – Neel Kamal – Manna Dey – Ravi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYm8tLfK83E
Two friends roast each other.
Jis pyar men ye haal ho – Phir Subah Hogi – Rafi, Mukesh – Khayyam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orLKyuR1mlk
He himself is dissuading himself for falling in love, imagining marital disasters.
Pyar ke bukhar ko utar – Izzat – Manna Dey – LP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b7RNWVZ3gw
Mr Sivanandam,
Dekh tere sansar ki haalat is quite a caustic statement. Its comedy where the words are reversed has been posted earlier. That too is also very good.
Ramchandra kah gaye Siya se fits perfectly.
Hans @111,
Yes, the play is available on the Internet. In details it varies. I ignore whether the guruji had one or two chelas, it is trivial. The play has a couple of more scenes of Chaupat Raja’s farce. On the goat episode, the link is quite long. Finally with the Guruji and his chela fighting with each other to be hanged first, for going to Vaikunth, everyone in the court from Kotwal to Vazir to Chaupat Raja start fighting to be executed on this auspicious occasion.
The essence of the farce is the neck fitting the noose for execution and similar farcical standards of justice.
Hans @112,
You might have seen my response to Canasya. The real gaali songs in villages are quite ribald, which I find quite awkward, because the women don’t realise that the gaali is not on the men, but on the women of the other side.
Our traditional weddings songs in films are quite sanitised and are very good songs of roasting. You and Mr Muli have added a good number of songs.
Thanks a lot.
Mr S Joseph @114,
‘Lara lapapa lara lappa is a Punjabi expression and I am told it means pretext, excuses. The setting is an office where they are roasting their boss.
The singers mentioned in the credits are, besides Lata Mangeshkar, Rafi and GM Durrani.
Here in SoY we often stray away to the fringes, or even outside the fringes of the main topic, resulting in an “adda” like ambiance. And there lies the attraction of SoY. Thanks to AKji for the liberality provided.
I was enjoying from the side-lines, the discussion by Rahulji, AKji and Hansji on Himmatwala, Jeetendra, his involvement in South Indian films/ music, his contribution to cinema and sports (read badminton), Prakash Padukone-Gopichand, propaganda/hype, superstars etc. etc. Cansyaji too, in his own style has made his presence felt.
Similarly my posting of a song on “Andher nagari chaupat raja “, among other proverbs, after Rahulji’s gentle prodding, started another chain of comments from Rahulji, Akji and Hansji. There may be various versions of the story but, as I understand, the essence of the satire remains the same. Hansji’s comment led me search for the story and I found both the versions. But my gain was, in spite of the handicap, I enjoyed the play written by Bhartendu Harischandra. Initially, the mention of exquisite mithais in Akji’s version, made me wonder whether the Andheri Nagari was present day Bengal. Lo and behold, I did find more than one connection to Bengal, my adopted state.
One- Bhartendu’s ancestors migrated from Bengal to Benaras. ( they were not Bengalis)
Two- When Bhartendu Harischandra was in Bengal, when he was 15 years of age, on his way to Jagannath temple at Puri, he was impressed by the Bengal Rennaissance and this influence reflected in his Hindi translation of the Bengali drama Vidyasundar, three years later, in 1868. Vidyasundar was written by Sadhak Ramprasad Sen (1723-1775).
Three- Not impressed by the version of the play staged by the Parsi and Maharastrian Natak Mandali, the Hindu National Theatre, founded by the Bengali and Hindi speaking communities of Varanasi, requested Bharat Bhushan Bhartendu Harishchandra to write a more relevant version in Hindi. This establishes the fact that there were other versions even before Bhartendu wrote the Hindi version.
Four- In the second part of the play (Bazar), I found a line said by the Halwayi-
“Jaise Kalkatte Ki Wilson mandir ke beethariye, waise Andheri Nagarike ham.
Bhartendu Harishchandra was a very well informed person.
The Wilson Mandir he was referring to was the St.Pauls Cathedral.
After several attempts, finally it was under Bishop Daniel Wilson’s initiative the project to build the Cathedral was revived in 1832 and was completed in 1847. To the common man it was known as Wilson Ka Mandir. After the death of Bishop Wilson in 1858, as per his wish, his body was buried in a chamber below the cathedral.
In 1955, a film by the same name was produced by Asha Bishwas under the banner Chitra Mahal Ltd. and directed by Shamim Bhagat. Avinash Vyas gave music and Bharat Vyas wrote the story, screenplay, dialogues and the lyrics too. The whole film is actually social satire wrapped in dream sequence.
There is a villager who has an ugly daughter. He is unable to get her married. She had no looks and he does not have enough money as dowry, which he thinks would have got her married. One day he sees the king’s daughter getting married with pomp and show and he starts thinking…………..
He becomes the king of Andher Nagari and tries to bring radical changes in the law and order, social and political structures. ”Equality and Justice for all” is his Mantra. So, as per his order everything in the market is equally priced. Gold or Gobar, elephant or donkey all are priced equally. All crimes get the same punishment. For murder or spitting the punishment is death. In this chaotic situation, the King arranges Swayamvar of his ugly daughter. Even his power or riches cannot get her married. He is enraged and gives order that if his daughter cannot get married, no one in the kingdom will get married. There is a couple, Madho and Imrati whose marriage is kept on hold. They start a rebellion and together, the king is thrown out of his golden heaven to the muddy earth……………….
This was the version of the story after independence.
Thank you AKji, Hansji and Rahulji, for initiating me into this journey of exploration.
AKji I have taken your grant of liberty as licence, hope you and others bear with me for this indulgence.
Posting a song from the film by Shamshad Begum and Bharat Vyas (?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTFaVQlgDoc
Venkataramanji,
This is absolutely fascinating and very scholarly. Thanks. The essence of the satire was the same farcical system of justice of the Chaupat Raja in Andher Nagri. One can imagine that the play if enacted today with cleaner language would be hilarious. Satyajit Ray’s ‘Hirak Rajar Deshe’ has this element of Chaupat Raja in the character of Utpal Dutt.
@ 39,
True this song praises Mother.
What is repeated and emphasised here is … ‘Uss ko nahin dekha…’ / par iss ki zaroorat kya hogi …? / …’ teri soorat se alag…kya hogi ?’
To this, add the other many expressions in the song like … /’insaan toh kya devta bhi…’ / ‘ hai swarg issi duniya mein… ‘ /etc.
The message I get here is that mother is the true God and … where is the need to look for any other whom no one has seen . This message is opposed to the common belief.
Mr Joseph,
You are right, the song uses some very nice metaphors/ similes for the mother. My submission was whether it fits in the theme of sarcasm, roasting, insults.
AKji
Posts gush out of your fertile imagination and stuns one and all and I am no exception. Some of the sarcastic quotes of English politicians are well known and there is a book on the subject – The keen art of political wit by Leon Harris. I read it in 60s from British Council library when it was in Rafi Marg. I have quite a lot of such quotations but this is not the place to post them as it is to do with music aspect of this quality of human beings.
The bonmots quoted in your post are enjoyable and I would always think of your posts as doozy in character.
Mr DP Rangan,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Your flowery language makes my narcissist heart fly in the sky.
This song from the film Chaal Baaz, a duet by Geeta Dutt and Mohammad Rafi is delightful, with Rafi shying away from marriage and Geeta Dutt laying a clear trap. Do not know whether it will fit the theme.
Ho Chat Mangni, Chaal Baaz 1958, lyrics Anjum Jaipuri, music Chitragupt
https://youtu.be/8lavGUgyzy8?list=TLGGOD5p2urIC6YwMTA5MjAyMg&t=3
Mr Rangan,
To my mind, the song fits.
I was away for a long while, AK and am only now catching up on your posts. The sequence of narcissism, praise and sarcasm is well thought out. 🙂
I humbly present Acha ji main haari chali for the most sarcastic apology ever.
Where Madhubala says, Zaalim saath le le to which Dev replies, Achhe hum akele and she responds, Char kadam bhi chal na sakoge, samjhe!, while earlier she says, Chhod diya to haath maloge, samjhe!
It is the best case of unapologetic apology I have ever heard. But let me know if it fits.
Anu,
“Unapologetic apology” – I liked it. After committing a serious gaffe, a politician’s apology is always of this category. Thanks a lot for your comment and explanation of ‘Achcha ji main haari’
Couple of more marriage roasting songs..
Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani 1988
Bappi Lahiri – Majrooh – Alka, Usha
Dulhe raja ki surat dekho bas ek zara doom ki kasar hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9AihIEtTRs
Krodhi 1981
LP -AB -KK, Asha
Ladki tumhari kanwari reh jaati
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_S8OwCF5_I
A song of self-reproach or self-satire
Itni Si Baat 1981
KA – Anjaan – KK
Raja o raja tera baj gaya baaja
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hZe6jQsuVQ
Dr Deshpande,
Raja o raja tera baj gaya baaja: This is a perfect song of self-sarcasm. There are many situations of this type in many films and in real life. I am sure there would be many songs falling in this category. How about this:
Ke maara gaya brahmchari by Manna Dey from Chitralekha, music Roshan
https://youtu.be/6VECs6Cs7Tk
In your earlier post, the two songs – Ladki tumhari kanwari rah jaati and Ek dum ki kasar hai – both are very apt roasting songs during the wedding celebrations.
How about this song from the film Hum Aaapke Kaun Hai (1994) sung by Lata Mangeshkar & S P Balasubramaniam, music Ram Lakshman
Didi tera dewar deewana
https://youtu.be/2V56f0xZNqw?t=77
Delightful songs! The examples that sprang to mind from the golden era have already been mentioned, so I will add a couple from the ’70s-’80s. I always cringe to laugh at “Jaate Ho Jaane Jaana” from “Parvarish” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGIJ1wJfvUw) since the joke is so dark: the ladies threaten suicide unless the gentlemen get together with them, and the gentlemen call their bluff. I don’t care either way for the music of “Anardi Ka Khelna Khel Ka Satyanas” from “Woh 7 Din” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPXOA-9GHew), but both the lyrics and picturization are great good fun. “Qaidi bhag jaye, toh jail ka satyanas!”