Concluding the series of tributes to Usha Khanna with her best songs for Lata Mangeshkar and other female singers
Usha Khanna’s debut score in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) sounded so much OP Nayyar-ish that you may get the impression that she too would exclude Lata Mangeshkar completely and her female singer would be predominantly Asha Bhosle as she was in Dil Deke Dekho. But from her very second film Hum Hindustani (1960), just as she showed great felicity with Mukesh, she also composed a superlative Lata Mangeshkar song in the film, Chori chori tori ayi hai Radha, kadam tale haule haule. Usha Khanna showed remarkable competence for composing for most of the prominent female playback singers, such as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Suman Kalyanpur and others. My first post was on her best songs for Rafi, and second on Mukesh and other male playback singers. In these two posts I have also included their male-female duets. The third and last post in the series of tributes to Usha Khanna is on her best songs for Lata Mangeshkar and other female singers. Since their duets with male singers are already covered this would be limited to their solos, and female-female duets.
Lata Mangeshkar
With songs like Chori chori tori ayi hai Radha kadam tale haule haule Lata Mangeshkar has to figure at the top.
1. Chrori chori tori ayi hai Radha kadam tale haule haule by Lata Mangeshkar from Hum Hindustani (1960), lyrics Bharat Vyas, music Usha Khanna
This song, its flute tunes, Lata Mangeshkar’s voice and Usha Khanna’s composition always give me goosebumps. Asha Parekh was a trained dancer and shows her grace and lyrical dance steps in this song depicting Radha as an Abhisarika Nayika.
2. Manjhi meri kismet ke ji chaahe jahan le chal by Lata Mangeshkar from Hum Hindustani (1960), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna scores another Lata Mangeshkar Ace in the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csuf-1p9458
3. Shayad meri shadi ka khayal dil mein aya hai by Lata Mangeshkar from Sautan (1983), lyrics Sawan Kumar Tak, music Usha Khanna
From a genuine superhit film, this is an amusing song when the girl seems to be exhilarated at the prospect of her marriage being discussed.
4. Ajnabi kaun ho tum jabse tumhein dekha hai by Lata Mangeshkar from Sweekar Kiya Maine (1983), lyrics Nida Fazli, music Usha Khanna
Nida Fazli was the most prominent writer-poet of the post-Sahir Ludhiyanvi and Kaifi Azmi era. It was natural that filmmakers would turn to him and has written many great lyrical songs in the later era. Here is a gem for the 1980s, well beyond the period of focus of this blog. Lata Mangeshkar still retained her melodious voce and Usha Khanna has made a marvellous composition. Both Vinod Mehra and Shabana Azmi appear to have literary interests. Shabana is holding a compilation of ghazals written by her father Kaifi Azmi.
Asha Bhosle
5. Haye tabassum tera, dhoop khil gayi raat mein by Asha Bhosle from Nishan (1965), lyrics Javed Anwar, music Usha Khanna
In the first post in the series on Usha Khanna’s best songs by Rafi I had posted the Rafi solo. There is an Asha Bhosle version too which many would not have heard. Most twin songs prove my hypothesis that the male version was a frontrunner whereas the female version remained a laggard and mostly unheard. Here is the Asha Bhosle version.
Suman Kalyanpur
6. Mera chhaila babu aya, albela babu aya by Suman Kalyanpur and Usha Khanna from Faisla (1965), lyrics Asad Bhopali, music Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna now joins Suman Kalyanpur sing this excellent female-female duet. We have earlier seen how though being a competent singer Usha Khanna did not try to promote her voice.
7. Khushiyan hazar le ke dil ka qaraar le ke din aisa aye baar baar by Usha Khanna and Suman Kalyanpur from Laal Bangla (1966), lyrics Vinod Sharma, music Usha Khanna
Laal Bangla is famous for Mukesh’s Chaand ko kya maloom chahta hai koi use chakor. Here there is an excellent F-F duet by the same pair.
Geeta Dutt
8. Tu laage mora baalam ye kaise kahun main by Geeta Dutt and Usha Khanna from Hum Hindustani (1960), lyrics K Manohar, music Usha Khanna
Our lovers used to be shy in those days. These days there are different degrees of being in a ‘relationship’. The Surrogate Songs came to the rescue which said what the lovers were too shy to express.
Usha Khanna
9. Dheere re chalo mori langdi bandariya by Usha Khanna and Johnny Whisky from Insaaf (1966), lyrics Akhtar Romani, music Usha Khanna
This is a superb parody medley of nine famous songs. I am hearing Johnny Whisky’s name for the first time. An excellent comedian and his voice has uncanny similarity with Mukesh.
10. Dil ka ladakpan shuru ho gaya by Usha Khanna from Ek Raat (1967), lyrics Anjan, music Usha Khanna
This film had Mukesh’s eternal Aaj tumse door hokar aise roya mera pyar, and here is a superb song by Usha Khanna.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
The music videos have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the readers. This blog has no commercial interest, and claims no copyright over these songs which vests with the respective owners.
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
Let me wish you and all the readers of SoY a very happy Diwali
Quite an enjoyable diwali feast AKji!
One of my Lata Mangeshkar – Usha Khanna favourites is
Ek sunhari sham thi
https://youtu.be/X2wns34Xr9o?feature=shared
I recently came across this song from Trip to moon by Lata Mangeshkar
https://youtu.be/NZCAn48RCa8?feature=shared
If I remember correctly, there was one song from Insaaf (1966) too. But I’m not been able to recollect it.
And
For Suman Kalyanpur
Barkha bairan zara
https://youtu.be/N-sSiBsqDn0?feature=shared
Usha Khanna deserved such a coverage on the blog. Thank you for the series of posts.
Anup
🙂
Looking at my collection of songs, Usha Khanna has composed some great male as well as duet songs, however, in my opinion, I don’t think her Lata and other female singer songs are of the same caliber.
Having said that, I would like to point out her following Lata and other female singer songs:
– Nigaahon Ki Jaadugari Adaaon Ki Yeh Dilbari – Shabnam(1964) by Lata
– Roothe Ho Sanam To Phir Kya Hai – Lal Bangla (1966) by Suman Kalyanpur
and two of her own songs
– Ae Jaane Wafa Maine Dil Rakh Diya from Nishan (1966)
– and Teri Zaat Paak Hai Ae Khuda from Main Hoon Alladin(1965)
AK ji,
Here’s wishing you and the entire SoY family शुभ दीपावली!
I remember the song Tu Is Tarah Se Meri from Aap To Aise Na The generating a lot of heat in the earlier two posts of this series. Here is the female version sung by Hemlata. It is slower and has a tinge of sadness.
https://youtu.be/dhMCB1CK_TM
Everyone has their own favourite version of this song. I remember that when I was doing a request show on FM one of the listeners specifically asked me for the Hemlata version.
Anup,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. And thanks for adding some excellent songs composed by Usha Khanna. Ek sunehri sham thi is an extremely melodious song. Suman Kalyanpur’s Barka bairan zara jam ke barso is a counterpoise to the vastly more popular Mukesh song, Barkha rani zara jhoom ke barso.
I find Lata Mangeshkar had several songs in the film Insaaf (1966). One that I particularly like is
Aya re mera jaan-e-bahar
https://youtu.be/RrWpF5fJYGU?si=dZycZvWOXAaAnEOf
Sameer,
You are generally right, but some songs of Lata Mangeshkar Usha Khanna composed are out of this world. Chori chori aayi hai Radha I put in that category.
Anita,
I think you are bringing Tu is tarah se meri zindagi mein shamil hai full circle with Hemlata version. So there are passionate fans out there for each of the three versions.
There is a definite certainty to the fact that Usha Khanna Ji was perhaps more adept in composing male solos and duets than she was at composing female solos. At least in relative terms or so. But there are some female songs of her that are really nice. Apart from the ones that you have mentioned in the post above, there are two that I really like which are-
1.) Pani Mein Jale from Munimji (Suman Kalyanpur) – A very clean and polished melody, delivered effectively by Suman Ji.
https://youtu.be/C_59pVjvg4Y?si=loZvTmtzVwqIpY9L
2.) Tere Jaisa Pyara Koi Nahi (Hotel) – A groovy Bappi-esque Club number, sung by Usha Khanna Ji herself.
https://youtu.be/zlYCQg-dZzE?si=Y6Z7ZCw8ti3YJRzR
P. S: I have only posted the audio links on YT for both songs as the videos of those songs are better not watched as they kind off ruin the beauty of the songs- a trait that has often been the bane of many of our filmmakers who have little idea on how to picture songs in an aesthetic and artistic manner.
I consider song by Lata from EK SAPERA EK LUTERA (1966) Door kahin door hame le chalo sanam (not included here ) as the best song composed by Usha Khanna for her.
Raunak Joy,
‘More adept in scoring male solos than female solos’: Another reason has made such observations. Nice one. Pani mein jale mera gora badan is a superb song. Thanks for mentioning it.
NATEEJA, 1969.
UK has used 6 female singers including herself.
Ae sapnon ka Raja milne as jaa..
has 4 singers:
Shamshad Begum, Kamal Barot, Usha ( Khanna and Timothy )…
singing for 3 females and 1 male ( Junior Mehmood ).
Din mohabbat ki raaten shabab ki…
S Begum, Sulakshana Pandit ( a rare combination. Is it the only time they sang together? )
The sixth singer is Hemlata.
Usha Mangeshkar, Chandrani Mukherjee, Arti Mukherjee,Anuradha Paudwal , Shivangi Kolhapure, Dilraj Kaur , Kavita K ..
Have all sung for UK.
AK,
I think you were in some hurry to post this one. Otherwise how you could exclude this beautiful gazal by Lata.
Meri dastan mujhe hi mera dil suna ke roye – Aao Pyar Karen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erlk7XPeWek
Shabnam had many popular songs. Lata had two of them. One has been mentioned by Sameer. The other is here.
Hasnun hala haya habbi..ik nazar mein sau afsane – Shabnam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TozX1qCXlfI
As you said, Lata entered UK recording room in Hum Hindustani. Her association with UK was in two parts. Lata 1.0 started with her getting half of the 54 female solos UK composed in 17 films upto 1966. UK introduced Suman in 1965 with Ek Sapera Ek Lutera and things started to change. From 1967 to 70 Lata reduced her songs and sang only 10 solos. Suman had 3 solos upto 1966 and 13 in the later 4 years. Lata stopped singing for UK from 1971 and only sang a song in 1979 after Suman had sung her last song for UK in 1978. In her first stint Lata sang just one male-female duet and one female-female duet. In 2.0 she sang 17 solos and 5 male-female duets from 1979 to 1985. I do not have figures after 1985.
I give here the last solo sung by Suman for UK.
Sata sata ke khush hote ho – Saajan Bina Suhagan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F63OixAdW2I
Hemlata was another who has been vocal about Mangeshkar sisters role in harming her career. She was perhaps given first break by UK. She used her first in Ek Phool Ek Bhool-1968. I give here her cabaret number from 1969 film Nateeja.
Is ada se salaam lete hain – Nateeja
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYbACBUedOA
And here is a really good song from Usha Khanna herself.
Shyam ki bahon mein radhika khele – Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxjffWtNIr4
UK had the opportunity to use 7 female singers for the title song in
7 BIJLIYAN, 1988.
( I am sure most of us haven’t heard of this movie ).
But, she makes do with just 4.
UK, Alka Yagnik, Parvati Khan ( Jimmy Jimmy Aa jaa, DISCO DANCER fame ), Kalyani Mitra ( The only song of her’s that I remember is the title song of SAAWAN KO AANE DO, where she sings/ says Sach? 3/4 times ).
Ak ji
Happy Diwali to you and everyone at SOY.
There is almost unanimous view that UK had a greater felicity in composing male solos than female solos, yet number of memorable female solos have been already posted.
I remember doing a bouquet of UK songs on Nayikabhed post. One of them, ” ek sunhari sham” is posted by Anup ji here. Another favourite of mine from Aao pyar kare is posted by Hans ji.
Here are two more Lata songs composed by UK
1 Ye sham ki hawao- Ek Raat-
https://youtu.be/t7Osuqw3rNw?si=GWzmSYpZjPwvXFpk
2 Chand Apna Safar – Shama
There are two versions of this song the second is rendered by UK with Lata
https://youtu.be/G5yD3d__bKM?si=AK8GYfFmwlxE4iPO
https://youtu.be/aAFynP4SNmU?si=XtdL6GmRjzMLdjvH
And this number by Asha was very popular
Aao yaro gao- Hawas
Rekha doing Zeenat
It is said that Rekha was present at the recording of this song and was so enamoured by it that she forced Sawankumar to film the song on her instead of Fariyal.
https://youtu.be/smywvYCN8Ck?si=YumNNNoaWO-Txr80
KB @8,
Door kahin door humein le chalo sanam is indeed a superb song. But calling it ‘the best’ is a very subjective matter.
Door kahin door humein le chalo sanam by Lata Mangeshakr from Ek Sapera Ek Lutera (1966), music Usha Khanna
Dr Shetty @10,
I never cease admiring your capacity to recall. Aa sapnon ke raja milne aa ja: is a very nice song.
Aa sapnon ke raja milne aa ja by Shashad Begum, Kamal Barot, Usha Khanna, Usha Timothy from Nateeja (1969), music Usha Khanna
@11,
Thanks a lot for the information.
@13,
You can at least be sure about me. I have neither heard about the movie nor the song. Admire again, thanks a lot for the information.
Hans @12,
I entirely agree with you Meri dastaan mujhe hi mera dil suna ke roye is an outstanding song. It is interesting it reverses the imagery where the ‘dastaan’ starts crying, it is generally the other way round.
You are a master of Data Analysis. Lata Mangeshkar-Suman Kalyanpur’s changing numbers in Usha Khanna 1.0 and 2.0 is interesting. So is Hemlata connection with Usha Khanna. My observation is one of astonishment, having achieved so much in Hindi film music, they had no reason for feeling threatened.
Nice addition of songs and thanks for the information and addition of songs.
Mr Muli @14,
Thanks a lot for refreshing our memory of these songs. Song #2 reminded me of a stage qawwali at a very young age whose lines went, Chaand chamka kiya, shama jalti rahi hum tadapate rahe roshni ke liye. Last song, interesting story. Rekha was not yet in the top bracket. But she was still about to exercise her power over a lesser actor.
Adding to the list of female singers used by UK, given by Dr. Shetty.
Shyama Chittar, Sharada, Krishna Kalle, Kamal Barot, Mubarak Begum, Sarla Kapoor, Shyama Hemadi, Parveen Sultana, Chitra Singh, Anupama Deshpande, Chanchal, Hemanti Shukla, Jaishree, Sharon Prabhakar, Annette. And two more Mukherjees to the already rich Mukherjee list, Ranu Mukherjee and Sapna Mukherjee.
I do not have authentic information after 1985.
Since posting the above list, I have found that Shyama Chittar is the same as Shyama Hemadi.
Hans ji,
She is, arguably, the composer who gave chance to maximum number of strugglers/ new comers. So, there can be a few more names.
I am trying to remember a Mubarak Begum, K Barot duet from
HUM EK HAIN, 1969.
Dr. Shetty,
This is a very good duet starting with ‘matware sanwaria ke naina’. UK combined both unique voices into one song. Mubarak has only this song for UK as per my knowledge. Here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CSl2_xjwEc
Hans ji,
Bull’s eye.
Yes, this was the song I was trying to remember.
I, too, think this could be MB’s only song for UK.
Sameer and Raunaq have said that UK’s female songs were not so good. Some others might have felt this too. I agree with that but the reason for this is the type of films she was giving music. A number of her films had strongmen like Dara Singh, Dev Kumar or Sheikh Mukhtar. These films as well as the films in which Feroze Khan acted had a lot of fights and stunts. Such films used dance songs in various forms as diversion. Such songs were popular, but their popularity was short lived because there were a number of good quality songs available in those times. But whenever she got opportunity, she composed other type of songs even in these films. I will give here a few of such songs.
First one is a rakhi song ‘rakhi kehti hai tumse bhaiyya’ by Suman in film Ek Phool Ek Bhool. This was very popular rakhi song and was mostly part of the Rakshabandhan bouquet on AIR.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0NNpNtQEA
Next is a song of love between a mother and son ‘kya gokul dekhun main, kya mathura jaun’ by Suman and Krishna Kalle for film Begunah, and its second version by Kalle for the son who is looking for his mother when she is lost.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMSP–R3aLw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZQX_zeyjvU
And now a soulful song ‘dil ne ik bewafa se pyar kiya’ by Suman for film Fareb, and for a change Fariyal in full attire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4NjRodkNUA
Belated Diwali / Navo Varsas Mubarak to all SOY readers.
AK,
In your last two posts
1 Usha Khanna’s best songs for Mukesh and other male singers
2 Usha Khanna’s best songs for Lata Mangeshkar, and other female singers
male singers and female singers are on almost equal footing,
Adding her first Rafi post, that consists most of her creamiest songs, proves the dominance of male singers in her music direction.
She seems to have a benign personality, could be reason she has worked with almost all the singers. Is Talat Mahmood the exception?
Adding some female numbers, starting with Lata.
Lata had a Usha Mangeshkar style song in Faisla
Julmi Sanawariya Ne Hanske Mara
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9mEArnW1nA
Next Sharda, Hans mentioned her names in the singers
Mera Naam Johar Bhatakti Hai Jawan Nazre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COhp_lIM-iA
In Fareb UK had beautiful Mukesh sad song “Naaz tha jispe mere seene woh dil hi nahin, that song has two short versions combined in one video one verse each of Mukesh in peppy and Usha Khanna in Somber mood
Uploader has Suman Kalyanpur as singer but that it is not Suman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUH-9rvaiVc
Now Usha Khanna singing with Rafi she has quite a few duets with him, I think she is very good in this one.
Shaam Dekho Dhal Rahi Hai | Mohammed Rafi Hit Songs | Usha Khanna | Anjaan Hai Koyee (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLhVuMCjzOE
Now Hemlata in action with Rafi
Yeh Bheegi Fizayen Inhi Mein Kho Jaaye – Hemlata & Mohd Rafi – Kaanch Aur Heera (1972)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5Ob4ai8Tvc
Shayama and Suman maiden ( Hemadi ) singing
Aa ghata baras ja, Shyama Chittar,Suman Kalyanpur Md Usha Khanna,Deedar 1970
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFEZq1qKaZw
AK@17
I too could not believe that you missed Meri dastan mujhe hi in your list of Lata songs, It is okay “der ayye durust aaye”.
But with your late entry interesting explanation, I am in “duvidha”
You write “
“It is interesting it reverses the imagery where the ‘dastaan’ starts crying, it is generally the other way round.”
Now that is not what I comprehend. I do not think “dastaan” is crying
The song is “meri dastaan mujhe hi mera dil suna ke royen”
I think it the usual “dil rota hai”
“Mera dil, meri dastaan, mujhe sunata hai aur sunate sunate rota hai”
This is my understanding in simple words, now if you think that “dastaan” is crying then we need a third forth for more parties (the more the merrier) intervention.
Mumbaikar8, @ 26
Your interpretation of ‘meri dastaan’ is on the dot as always. I think AK wrote something and was thinking about something else, otherwise his understanding of poetry is always correct. Here is the first antara
‘mile gham se apne fursat to main haal poochhoon uska,
shab-e-gham se koi keh de kahin aur ja ke roye’
I think he was talking about shab-e-gham. Most of the poet’s complain about the shab-e-gham but here Rajinder Krishan is talking about compaint of shab-e-gham, which is reverse imagery. This is such a deep poetry. In fact the whole gazal is deep poetry. I always think why this gazal is not listed among Lata’s top gazals. In my view, UK gave here best music in Aao Pyar Karen. When I saw the title of the post (for Lata) this was the first song which came to my mind, next being ‘majhi meri kismat ke’.
Hans @19,
Impressive. That is quite a huge list of singers.
@20,
That would mean Shyama Chitter is Suman Kalyanpur’s sister?
@23, Dr Shetty @21, 22
Nice Mubarak Begum-Kamal Barot duet.
@24,
Rakhi kahti hai tumse bhaiya, mere bhaiya: It is one of the most famous Rakhi songs. Thanks a lot for posting it.
Mumbaikar8 @25,
I reciprocate your greetings. I have not honeycombed Usha Khanna’s songs for Talat Mahmood. Thanks a lot for straightening out Meri dastann mujhe hi mera dil suna ke roye. The convoluted order of subject, object and verb prompted me instantly for the meaning I gave. I checked it out with another person. He also instantly came up with my meaning. The most famous song having the narrator, story and the crier (one who cries) is – Jo humne daastan apni sunaayi, aap kyun roye. Other daastan songs I remember are Bade shauq se sun raha tha zamana/ Humeein so gaye daastan kahte kahte and Wo daastan jo humne kahi bhi, humne likhi/ Aaj wo khud se suni hai/ Nahin udas nahin/ Bas ek chup so lagi hai. But none has such convoluted syntax that is not common in Hindi (though it is common in Sanskrit).
You already have a third party – Hans – endorsing you. I any case I am not on a shooting spree for my interpretation. Thanks a lot again.
AK@ 29
Thanks for reciprocating my greetings. The question about Talat Mahmood was not directed to any one person, it was an open question.
I did not anticipate that this time you would take criticism so seriously. How can I, who had to depend on marks of grace to pass her languages even in 11th grade can do himakat of going on a shooting spree for the interpretation of a scholarly person like you, I was doing it in my usual nok jok way. I am sorry.
In past we have done interpretation of songs multiple times with multiple people involved. I thought that was accepted. I am sorry once again.
Hans @ 27
Thanks for endorsing my interpretations. I completely agree about the standard of this ghazal, Usha Khanna in one of her interviews has said she is very proud of this ghazal because Madan Mohan had complimented her for it, that was a big achievement.
Hans, like AK even you did not notice Shyama Suman song that I posted, any comment on that.
‘mile gham se apne fursat to main haal poochhoon uska,
shab-e-gham se koi keh de kahin aur ja ke roye’
I would like to interpretate this antara with you but not now.
Mumbaikar@30,
I reject your apology because there is nothing to apologise for. 🙂
Please don’t curb yourself. Your comments add a lot of value to the blog.
AK ji,
Hemmadi is the maiden surname of Suman Kalyanpur. Shyama Hemmadi ( Chittar after marriage ) is her younger sister.
They are Saraswat Brahmins from the Coastal Karnataka. They choose the names of their villages as surnames.
Padukone ( Gurudatt, Prakash, Deepika ), Shyam Benegal, Karnad ( Sadashiv Rao : a freedom fighter, philanthropist; Girish ), Nagarkatti/ Nag ( Anant n Shankar ).
They migrated from the banks of River Saraswati. Speak Konkani.
Kashmiri Brahmins ( Motilal Nehru family, Mani Kaul, Anupam Kher, Suresh Raina ) are their North Indian counterpart.
Dr Shetty,
Thanks a lot for this anthropological information.
AK, @ 28
If you look at the male list of singers used by her, it would be a much bigger surprise. She used in all 32 female singers. As against that she used 42 male singers(Talat Mehmood is not among them and Hemant Kumar also has just one song which you posted). Considering the fact that male songs are always less compared to female songs, it is a huge difference.
She used 17 female singers from 1959-70 and added 10 to this list from 1971-80 and added another 5 to the list in films from 1981-85. It may be noted that she was much more active in the third phase from 1981-85 than 1971-80. In both these phases she composed music for 35 films each, though number of years was half in 3rd phase.
She used 12 male singers in the first phase and another 12 in the 2nd phase. She added a whopping 18 male singers to her list in the 3rd phase. Of these 18, she gave just one song each to 12 of them. Earlier also she had given a single song to 8 others. Was she on some singer adding spree. Answer may be yes when you see that she also gave a single song to 12 of the 32 female singers.
@ 29
I genuinely believed you have written ‘dastaan’ for ‘shab-e-gham’. But since you say you meant ‘dastaan’, I am giving my views in detail. You say the lines have convoluted syntax which is not found in Hindi. I dont think so. The subject, object, verb etc are strictly applicable in prose only. Poetry is a different thing, where these rules do not apply. In the case of film songs there is the added reason of adjusting words for fitting them in the meter with reference to rhyming scheme. You will agree that if the sentence was written as ‘mera dil mujhi ko meri dastaan suna ke roye’ would not have helped in getting this beautiful tune. Suppose we take your view that ‘dastaan’ is making a complaint. In that case the line would mean ‘meri dastaan mujhe mera dil suna rahi hai aur ro rahi hai’. How can ‘dastaan’ suna the ‘dil’ to us. But if we take it as adjustment of words for rhyme that would mean ‘mera dil mujhe hi meri dastaan suna ke ro raha hai’. That is perfectly logical. Rajinder Krishan used this analogy in another way in the second line of mukhda of famous Lata-MM gazal ‘yun hasraton ke daag’, where he wrote ‘khud dil se dil ki baat kahi aur ro liye’. Here ‘baat’ has been replaced by ‘dastaan’. The underlying idea in all such things is that we get gloomy feeling by remembering what happened with us ourselves. The poet can somewhere say it in the form in which he said in the Adalat song and in some like this Aao Pyar Karen. This underlying idea was used by Sahir in ‘main jab bhi akeli hoti hoon’ in the antara in another manner, where he wrote ‘ro ro ke tumhen khat likhti hoon aur khud padh kar ro leti hoon’.
I hope I have made myself clear. I am very sure about this interpretation and firmly believe that Mumbaikar8 and I are on the right lines.
Mumbaikar8, @ 31
I wanted to reply to your post but I needed to write in detail. Last week I had gone to my original home town because my grand-daughters wanted to celebrate Deewali there. Therefore, I wrote only about the ‘dastaan’ interpretation. I will write on your songs separately.
You talked about grace marks in 11th. I am one of those who do not believe in the marks or grades as our system is just horrible. In higher secondary which was 11th in our times, I got 27 out of 100 in Hindi, which was horrible. But, I vowed that I would not pick up Hindi books for the next exams and in the next one I got 72. In language paper you hardly need to study at exam time if you have done your course properly through the year.
Regarding interpretation of the antara about ‘shab-e-gham’, I know there is another angle to it and I have perhaps guessed what you want to say. But, in poetry there may be some hidden meaning which may have escaped one’s mind. As such I am open to your interpretation whenever you give it.
Hans @35,
This imbalance in the number of male singers and female singers Usha Khanna used is remarkable given that in general female songs outnumber male songs by a huge margin. One reason for this reversal could be the extent of monopoly among the two categories. But interesting data.
From my exchange with Mumbaikar8 ending with @32 it should be clear I was not justifying my misunderstanding. But thanks a lot for your detailed comment which gives a lot of insight. An interesting point you have made is fitting into a melody. You are more than clear.
Mumbaikar8, @ 25
Since you have specifically mentioned the Deedar song, I would first give my views on that. This was a film I saw in a cinema hall when I was in college and I liked its music. Besides the songs I posted in the other post there was a bhangra song ‘tere kheton ki rakhwali main nahin o jana’ by Rafi and Suman which was very popular. In this song the singing of both sisters is very good and the tune and orchestration of the dance is of a high quality almost equal to SJ. But the situation and dress sense for the situation – homely atmosphere and in the presence of elders – leaves much to be desired. It looks like some cabaret at home.
‘Naaz tha jispe’ is one of my great favourites. Actually in this film the version you posted comes first when Fariyal is remembering the song Dev Kumar used to sing and then she sings as he has married Bela Bose. The main song comes later when Dev Kumar is ditched by a coterie including Bela Bose and his humshakl.
You said about Faisla song that Lata sang like Usha Mangeshkar. Before commenting I would post two more Lata songs from the 1966 film Insaaf.
Jab se aayi jawani – Lata for Helen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqiyABMg9eE
Saiyan ne bheje jo pyar bhare parche – Lata for Madhumati.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1oH8OaBCl0
Both of these are dance songs and Lata’s voice is not original in these songs too like the Faisla song. She had four solos in this film one of which was posted by AK @4. There was another song ‘intezar hai tera’ which was a haunting song for which Lata is famous. I post it here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRK-fuV53ms
Both these songs have Lata’s original voice. This means she changed her voice only for dance songs. In the Chitragupta-Lata post AK and I had discussed some songs which Lata sang in Suman’s voice. Suman’s original voice had a texture somewhere between Lata and Usha. In my view she might have sung these songs to give Suman effect and not Usha Mangeshkar, because she had problems with Suman and not Usha.
AKji,
A good coverage of UK’s songs for female singers including herself.
Besides the songs from the Golden Era, it is good to see the song #4 – Ajnabi kaun ho tum. I like the song. Sweekar Kiya Maine had a nice musical score by UK. Released in the same year as Souten, the film’s songs were heard during the film release. But the film’s failure affected the success of the songs.
Lata had one more solo in the film
Pyar to sapna hai dard hi apna hai,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qABW2aEj5mI
I also like the two duets – I had posted the Lata-KK one in the previous post. Here is the Asha-KK duet
Kamai to bahut phir bhi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDTTno8V4nY
Hemanti Shukla sang Bhor bhayi bhairav gun gao.
It has a comic picturization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe6TKnGwsxk
Hansji @12 has mentioned Suman’s song from Sajan Bina Suhagan as her her last solo for UK.
She sang two solos in the film Dada (1979), which came after Saajan Bina Suhagan. Both songs belong to different genres, reiterating Suman’s versatility and were fairly popular and heard that time.
Hum sab ko nek raah chalaana mere allah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsIBoZgI78
Humne mana humpe sajan jobanwa bharpur hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cve_BMDCu8A
Dr Deshpande @39,
Thanks a lot for dropping in, and your detailed comments and addition of several songs. Ajanabi kaun ho tum jabse tumhein dekha hai is obviously a superlative song and stands among Lata Mangeshkar’s tallest songs of the period. Pyar to sapna hai dard hi apna hai too is also very good. But it seems the link you have posted is of the former song. Here is a correct link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsnJdLjXbx0
Hemanti Shukla’s Bhairav song is an excellent lakshan song. But the pictusisation seems to be discordant.
@40,
Dada‘s one song Dil ke tukde tukde kar ke became so popular it overshadowed other songs. One may miss other songs in recall. I can’t but mention picturisation of this song too is quite discordant.
Dr Deshpande, @ 40
I go by HFGK which I think is authentic and in that Daada is listed in 1978. They have a logic in going with the issue of censor certificate, because date of release is not authentic. There may be some films which might not have been released even after issue of the certificate. I had said what I said because in alphabetical list Sajan Bina Suhagan came after Daada. Now I have seen the date of issue of censor certificate. For Dada it is 30.11.78 and for Sajan Bina Suhagan it is 23.10.78. So it is just about a month’s separation. It is clear both these films were being produced side by side. By 1978 the practice of issue of music before the actual release of the film had already started. It can not be said with surety which songs were recorded earlier or which were released earlier. May be Dada music was released later, so your claim may be right, but Daada for me will always be a 1978 film.
The context in which I had said the SBS song was last for Suman was Lata’s singing again for UK in Meri Biwi Ki Shadi on the condition that Suman does not sing for UK. As Meri Biwi Ki Shada got censor certificate on 27.2.79, it can be easily said that Suman had sung her last song before Lata sang again for UK after 1970.
Hansji @42
My comment was based on the censor certificates according to which SBS was censored before Daada. Also, I know that SBS released in Dec 1978 while Daada came in Jan 1979.
I do agree that that release dates may not be accurate and some films do not have an all-India release on the same date. And yes, difficult to confirm which song was recorded earlier.
I also rely on HFGK and believe it to be the most accurate among all the sources on HFM.
I have my own communication with Hamraazji and have been a contributor to the recent editions of HFGK.
Hans @ 35
I envy your competency of expressing your ideas.
You have explained it so well. All I can say is “Aah…. if wishes were horses”
Hans @ .36
Asking for your comment on my post was a just a flutter of mind, I should have avoided it.
I agree with you that for language there is no need to study, but knowing the basics, vocabulary, grammar, spelling forming sentences is necessary, I never got that; I believe I had (have) some language learning disability. I could pass my finals with marks of grace Without it I would have never made it. For me grade system was the savior.
“Regarding interpretation of the antara about ‘shab-e-gham’, I know there is another angle to it and I have perhaps guessed what you want to say. But, in poetry there may be some hidden meaning which may have escaped one’s mind. As such I am open to your interpretation whenever you give it.”
If you can tell what that other angle you are thinking of, I am curious to know,because my interpretation in not very different, from yours. I just wanted to discuss some nuances.
Dr Deshpande, @ 43
Great to know you are contributing to HFGK, which has been a boon to music lovers like me.
Mumbaikar8, @ 44
Thanks for the response and appreciation. There is no need for being apologetic about asking for comment. Family members never feel like this and freely seek such comments and there is no doubt we are here become like family members due to long association.
I think your language ability is as good as mine. It is not necessary that we learn it at the time of school or regular study. My mother never went to school but she became quite efficient in reading and writing Hindi. My elder sister, who was 4 years older than me, did not get enough time to study as she had to share her time in household chores because we kept milch cattle and my mother was regularly away for looking after farming activity at village. She did not get good marks which does not mean she was not intelligent enough.
Now about the ‘shab-e-gham’ case. Krishan Chander personified ‘shab-e-gham’ here, but he had earlier personified ‘shehnai’ in another famous song ‘ja aur kahin ro shehnai, ab main hoon meri tanhai’ from film Shaadi. Here ‘shab-e-gham’ is complaining. There could be two reasons. One is she has come to make some excuses for the heroine’s troubles. The other may be, she wants to say why you people are blaming me in each and every problem which you face. Another may be she says why, if at all, you use the name ‘shab-e-gham’ for all your troubles. Now the ball is in your court.
Hans @46
हौसला अफ़ज़ाई का सुखरिया
I cannot compare my writing to your writing at all, but I do agree that marks are no parameter of the intelligence.
“‘ja aur kahin ro shehnai, ab main hoon meri tanhai’ from film Shaadi”
Incidentally Saira Banu is the heroine in Shaadi too.
I do not know if you are aware or not that Shab e Gham is actually organized during Muharram.
Similar to Mahabharat in Islam a war was fought between two descendants of Prophet Muhammad.
Mahabharat lasted for 18 days and war of qarbala for 10 days.
One of these nights, of male members killings, and women and children mourning is referred as Shab e gham in Shia community.
It is ultimate mourning.
In the discussed antara I think the heroine is telling Shab e gham, (to describe in a a very bambaiya language.)
“” time hanin hai tere saath rone dhone mein doosra ghar dekh”
Jokes apart in short I think krishnan Chander is describing the intensity of the grief the heroine.