Sab Se Bada Rupaiya: One Song,Three Versions

New generation knew it by movie Bluffmaster song. Yes, I am talking about 'Sab Se Bada Rupaiya' remix version.

It was originally sung by Mehmood. Film name was 'Sab Se Bada Rupaiya'. The film was produced by Mehmood himself. Music was given by Basu Deo Chakravarty and Manohari Singh with name Basu-Manohari. Both were assistant to Rahul Dev (R D) Burman. Lyrics were by Mazrooh Sultanpuri. This song is loosely based/inspired from 42nd street (Year 1933).

But story doesn't end here. Original Song stretches to music director C. Ramchandran who was known for lighter songs. Movie name is Sargam. Song is picturized on Raj Kapoor. Enjoy the song.

Now tell me which song is best according to you.

Bengali-Telugu version of Kannadi Koodum Kootti!

This Bengali song 'Akashe Batashe' from 'Moner Majhe Tumi' was composed on tune copied from Kannadi Koodum Kootti song. This Bengali song is also very melodious. It has altogether different type of lyrics. I couldn't understand much Bengali (and I didn't find English translation of Bengali song), but I understood that song says, lets fly in sky. Malayalam song is of boy and girl's love while Bengali song is of childhood. But both songs' audios and videos are very much enjoyable. Bengali song is from movie Moner Majhe tumi. This movie was joint venture of Bangladesh and Bharat! Song is sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sadhana Sargam. (After revisitng this blog post, I found embedded youtube video not working because it has been taken down. So putting link. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3da1k9 )

Moreover, this Bengali movie is remake of Telugu movie Manasantha Nuvve. So whole video and tune was totally copied from Telugu movie. But I didn't find Telugu song much enjoyable in comparison to Malayalam and Bengali version. To add more surprise, Hindi movie Jeena Sirf Mere Liye was remake of Manasantha Nuvve. But old generation people who have seen Jeena Sirf Mere Liye or Mansantha Nuvve would say it's original film is 'Anmol Ghadi' which featured Surendra, Suraiya, and Noorjehan.

Here is video of telugu song, Tuneega Tuneega from movie Manasantha Nuvve. (After revisitng this post, embedded youtube video of telugu song doesnt show, so putting link. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eFlgLc2wDWI )

Enjoy!

Kannaadi koodum kootti, What a Song!

By chance I found this song Kannaadi koodum kootti and what a song! Singers are two of my favourite #Yesudas and #Chithra. Movie is #Pranayavarangal. I tried to sing with song by searching lyrics, though tongue twisted but I enjoyed so much that I am continuing listening this song. Long live Yesudas and Chithra.

Nanda : Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Tha!

So, one more star has fallen!
60s decade is known as golden era in Hindi film industry! And those who have worked in that era were really having good luck and they gave us very clean and real entertainment. Nanda was among such artists.
Nanda represents two extreme ends: You remember very peaceful and religious song Allah Tero Naam and face of Nanda comes in mind. If you remember very sensuous song, Nanda in white gown emerges in your memory. So Nanda could represent both faces very well.
Many few artists are there in Hindi film industry who have succeeded after they started career as child artists. Jugal Hansraj, Hansika Motwani, Raju Srestha, Junior Mehmood, Sachin (Pilgaonkar) are such names who didn't succeed much. But Nanda's case was different. She started her career as Baby Nanda. Actually her family was totally film industry related. How?
Her father was well known actor and director - Master Vinayak. Full name Vinayak Damodar Karnataki. He was maternal cousin of well known actor and director V. Shantaram. Master Vinayak is also known for giving break or chance to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar in his film Pahilee Mangalagaur. Nanda's brother Jayprakash Karnataki is also actor-director. His wife Jayshree T. is famous face of Hindi/Gujarati film industry. So, naturally film was in air of this family.

Nanda with brother Jayprakash Karnataki

Nanda started her career as child artist and her first film was Mandir. Break was given by her father Master Vinayak. Then her uncle and legendary actor-dirctor V. Shantaram casted her in Toofan Aur Deeya.  Interestingly, Nanda's last film according imdb.com, is 'Diya Aur Toofan'! Nanda witnessed Toofan (storm) in her life and acted as 'Diya' (lamp) for her family.
Her father died when she was eight years old, so Nanda came in film industry and with her earnings she helped her family. She remained unmarried till 1992 but when she found love - legendary producer-director Manmohan Desai, and engaged with him, in just two years Manjee died! She again remained single!
In childhood her father used to relate stories of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Capt. Lakshami, Mahatma Gandhi etc. Her parents were instrumental in imparting high moral and cultural values in all of children. This was the time when the young girl dreamt of becoming another Capt. Lakshami, but her father's death brought her in film industry! (Actually her father has made her acted in his film 'Mandir' and in this film Nanda played role of a boy! But acting was not her first choice, as she said in one of her interviews. While this film was being made, her father died and film was completed by Dinkar Patil. So Nanda decided to continue her film career as child artist.)
First film she did Jaggu(1952) as a child artiste in which Shyama was playing the heroine. In 1954 she did Shankaracharya and Jagad Guru. In the same year she did Angaray directed by K.B. Lal that starred Nargis and Nasir Khan and had a good supporting cast that included Vanmala, Jagirdar, Jeevan among others. Then she did Dinkar Patil's Kuldaivat followed by Shevgacha Shenga produced by Sadashiv Row Kavi and directed by Shantaram Athavle. But her big break was definitely Toofan Aur Deeya.

But Nanda didn't get role in Toofan Aur Deeya just because she was niece of Shantaram. There is interesting story behind this. Actually there was some marriage function at Shantaram's place. Shataram called up Nanda's elder sister Meena and requested her to also get Nanda for the marriage but with a saree on. Nanda did the same and in the middle of the party, Shantaram came up to them and promptly told Meena, "She is the heroine of my next film." But when Meena said that Nanda looked too young to be a heroine of a film, Shantaram shot back saying, "The story of my film involving a brother and a sister demands a young girl and I am sure Nanda will fit the role perfectly." Now the girl Baby Nanda became Nanda.
One interesting incidence of Baby Nanda should be presented here. Raj Kapoor knew Master Vinayak very well through his previous association. Rajji was making Boot Polish. It so happened that he was auditioning a lot of child artistes for the film, among whom besides Baby Naaz and Baby Tabbasum (Phool Khile Hai Gulshan Gulshan show fame),  Nanda was also there. After the screen test, he called Nanda over, spoke high about her father Master Vinayak and then lamented, "Sorry, I can't take you in the film because in no way do you look like a beggar."
She was brave enough to refuse give in to the temptation of a regular income which would come with being shackled by a long-term contract to a big studio. Instead, she played sister to stars like Raaj Kumar (Dulhan) or Dev Anand (Kaala Bazaar) and doing small roles in big films like Dhool Ka Phool. She got Bhabhi and Dulhan (1957), Agra Road, Pehli Raat and Chhoti Bahen(1959) and Kala Bazar (1960).

Nanda in Chhoti Bahen

The title role of L V Prasad's Chhoti Bahen and its superhit rakhsha bandhan song Bhaiya Mere Rakhee Ke Bandhan Ko Nibhana made Nanda a true star. The audiences wept copiously along with Nanda, as they followed the tear-soaked arc of her many travails (rejection from a beloved brother, tounting sister-in-law, blindness), in the film.
After Chhoti Bahen was super hit, Nanda started getting good offers. Now Nanda became heroine in true sense. Nanda played sister of Dev Anand in Kala Bazar and then acted as his heroine in Hum Dono! She played the second lead in B R Chopra's production Dhool Ka Phool (1959), but now she was the heroine of his next release, Kanoon (1960)!
She acted in Char Diwari (with Shashi Kapoor in 1961), Aaj aur Kal and Usne Kaha Tha (both with Sunil Dutt in 1963). Soon big banners started approaching her with good offers. "I excelled in doing emotional roles. It was said in filmy circles that it was first Meena Kumari and then me who excelled in doing emotional type of roles," Nanda said in one interview. It should be noted that both Meena Kumari and Nanda acted together in Abhilasha.

Nanda in Jab Jab Phool Khile

Nanda also acted against Shashi Kapoor's elder brother Raj Kapoor in Aashiq and she had no problem in acting against relatively new comers like Dharmendra (Mera Kasoor Kya Hai) and Manoj Kumar (Bedaag). Although, Nanda's film with Shashi Kapoor Char Diwari didn't do well, this pair gave super hit film Jab Jab Phool Khile. Jab Jab Phool Khile brought Nanda's glamorous image before audience. Obviously reason was song Ye Sama! (Remake of Jab Jab Phool Khile- Raja Hindustani also proved turning point in Shashi Kapoor's grand niece Karishma Kapoor's film career. Before this film, Karishma Kapoor never looked so beautiful and graceful.)

Nanda in Ittefaq

Nanda was ever ready to experiment. That's why she accepted role of criminal in Yash Chopra's film Ittefaq. This film was based on Gujarati play Dhummas in which Arvind Joshi, father of actor Sharman Joshi (Three Idiots fame) played lead role. Later on Nanda made a pair with Rajesh Khanna and both acted in The Train, Joroo Ka Ghulam. She acted with Manoj Kumar as heroine in Gumnaam, a suspense thriller film and Shor. Shor was last film of Nanda as heroine. She was not able to adjust working atmosphere of 70s. So she gradually retired.
But she returned back to work as mother roles. Thus she did Prem Rog, Ahista Ahista and Mazdoor. In all three films, she acted as mother of Marathi actress Padmini Kolhapure. It is interesting incident how Nanda got Prem Rog film of Raj Kapoor.

Nanda In Prem Rog

Rajji met Nanda at Yash Johar's (father of producer, director Karan Johar) party at her best friend Waheeda Rehman's house. Naturally Rajji talked to Nanda and asked why she was not doing films. Nanda gave an excuse, but Rajji immediately offered her a film. Nanda didn't accept film but said she would think after reading script. Two or three days after this party, Rajji called Nanda and said she would be fit the role of chhoti bahu. Next day Jainendra Jain, writer, came at Nanda's house with script. After going through script, Nanda accepted Prem Rog.
For Nanda, as I said above, life was full mix of emotions. Tragedy was big part of it. She didn't get love when she really needed most. When she got, it lasted very short. She engaged with produce-director Manmohan Desai. Interesting thing is that both never worked together!
Her affair with Manmohan Desai was shortlived as within two years after their engagement on June 18, 1992, Desai expired. But though she found this phase sweetest phase of her life. In this period she came to know what love is and she got the reason to live. They had plan to get married. That was the time when Nanda's mother contracted Cancer and she being deeply attached to her mother was constantly besides her.
Manji said he would not marry her now as if he did, Nanda's love would get divided between her mother and Manji. Nanda got two bad and shocking news in very short period. First her mother mother expired in 1993 while in the following year she lost Manji.

Rare picture of yesteryear's beautiful actresses together
(From left) Nanda, Waheeda, Helan and Sadhana.

But then after also she learnt to balance her life and her costars and actresses of 60s Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, Shammi, Helen remained in touch. Their friendship was like a club. But she rarely came in public in her late life.
We will miss you when ever we see Bhaiya Mere Rakhi Ke Bandhan Ko Nibhana or Ye Sama Sama Hai Ye Pyar Ka or Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai!

Known songs: Unknown actors

Some times it happens in Hindi cinema that very very melodious song is either badly picturised or on relatively unknown actors.

When tv was not so much available (and still so many songs are not shown on tv) we used to listen songs on radio and tried to visualize on whom and in what situation it might have been picturised. This is such song. Jane kaisa hai mera deewana. Film Aansoo ban gaye phool. Sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. Music composed by Laxmikant Pyaeelal. But on whom it is picturised?

Alka Bir Sakuja, Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool actress

Well, you can identify hero Deb Mukherjee, brother of romantic hero Joy Mukherjee. But heroine is very unknown. Her name for screen is Alka Bir Sakuja but real name is Firdaus. She was appreciated for her beauty but not for acting talent. She had also acted in Khilona against Sanjeev Kumar. She has played sister of Shatrughan Sinha in Kalicharan film.

Another such song is Ek tera saath humko do jahan se pyara hai. Film Wapas. Sung by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.  Music director again L-P. Alka Bir Sakuja also acted in it but this song was picturised on lead pair Shekhar Purohit and Azra. Both were not known so much.
Now let's take one more song. Film Buddha mil gaya. Hero was Naveen Nischal. But heroine? Many might have forgotten her name. She was Archana. It was her only movie. But songs picturised on her were still popular, be it Raat kali ek khwab mein aayi or bhali bhali si ek surat.

If you take video films (i.e. films were available only on vhs or in today's terminology you may call them music videos) made by Gulshan Kumar of Super Cassette and T Series, most of all sings were quite melodious, but actors were and still quite unknown (even after film release). E.g. Lal Dupatta Malmal ka. All songs composed by Anand-Milind starting from Kya karte the sajna to Suni suni ankhiyon mein were hit and melodioua too. But who were the lead pair? Well hero was Saahil Chaddha and heroine name is Viverly. Saahil Chaddha is comparatively known as he acted as one of the sons of Amitabh Bachchan in Baghban. But Viverly is seen only in its sequel (yes sequel was rare, but this movie's sequel waa made.).

Gulshan Kumar made another such film - Aayee milan ki raat. Heroine was Shaheen. She made sensation at that time because she is niece of famous actress Saira Banu. Later she married to B grade hero Sumeet Saigal. In Aayee milan ki raat hero was Avinash Wadhawan. Comparatively known face as he is still acting on small screen. This film had also melodious songs-kitne dinon ke baad hai aayee sajna raat milan ki, kasam se kasam se, maine kisi ko dil de diya, mat to mere dil etc..

Jeena teri gali mein produced by Gulshan Kumar too had melodious songs like tere hum ai sanam (sung by Kumar Shanu who was new comer at that time), teri baahon mein hai jannat meri sung by S. P. Balasubramaniam, Jaate ho pardes piya sung by Nitin Mukesh (for new generation, father of Neil Nitin Mukesh). By default all songs were sung by Anuradha Paudwal who was regular in T series. Now who were lead pair in this film? Hero was Suraj. His other film was Pyar hua chori chori in which Mithun Chakraborty was lead actor. Lead actress of Jeena teri gali mein was Kavita Kapoor. Yes, same Kavita Kapoor whom you appreciated in tv soap Saas and one of the most successful and longest running comedy serial Yes Boss! She was very slim in this film. 

We are talking about known songs picturised on unknown actors but at this point you may feel that I am continuosly talking about Gulshan Kumar's films, but I have to because he made such films. Now take this Bahar aane tak. Its song were such melodious that on Vividh Bharti (Mumbai) , famous radio announcer Ameen Sayani said in this film advertisement: Aisa lagta hai jaise film ke gaane Rajesh Roshan ne naheen, unke pitajee swargiya Roshan sahab ne compose kiyen hain. Remember its songs? Mohabbat inayat sung by Pankaj Udhas, Kali teri choti hai paranda tera lal ni (sung by Mangal Singh who also could not succeed much), Ek pal hasna jo chaha, etc.

Gulshan Kumar produced another films Aashiqui, Dil hai ki manta nahin, Meera ka mohan, Kasam teri kasam, Bewafa sanam and Papa the great. But they are not included as the had either known faces (before or after the release of the film) or not so much good songs.
If we talk about bad picturisation, there may be long list of the songs. To name few-

(1) Ye jo mohabbat hai (atleat Ihad not imagined that this song is sung by drunken kaka)

(2) Patta patta buta buta- well, this gem song is picturised on Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri (now Bachchan) but Amitabh was still passing through bad initial phase.

(3) Dum dum diga diga- Beautiful song was wasted by showing Raj Kapoor running after wine bottle!

(4) Milo na tum to hum ghabraye- what a song! But picturised on Priya Rajwansh whose only talent or luck was 
that she was favourite of Chetan Anand. In this song, Raaj Kumar doesn't look good dancing like bouncing or jumping whatever you call it.

(5) Chap tilak sab chhen li- originally penned by Aamir Khushroo, this song is sung by so many singers from Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Richa Sharma (on tv music singing show Dhoom macha de). But in Main tulsi tere angan ki, L-P had composed and orchestred in way that there was good scope of dance and expression but somehow director Vijay Anand failed.

Bappi Lahiri: De De Vote De BJP Ko Vote De Re

Bappi lahiri is set to join BJP today. 
(1)Which song he may have sung before agreeing to join?
- Angana mein Mamata, duware pe AAP, kaise aaye gori hum tohare ghar man?

(2) Bappida will sing this song for AAP:
AAP ka to lagta hai bas yehi sapna,
Raam naam japna paraya maal apna

(3) And Bappli Lahiri will not resist himself from this song for Narendra Modi as he always sings in every programme: 
Dil mein ho tum aankhon mein bolo tumhe kaise chahu
Puja karu sajda karu
Jaise kaho vaise chahu

(4) He will certainly ask voters to vote for BJP by singing this song:
De de vote de vote de vote de BJP ko vote de
Cpngress vale kuchh bhi samje hum hai sarkar bananewale, jahan bhi jaye Modi pukare gake Modi tarane

(5) But one thing is sure. He wont sing this song:
Khursi bina chain kaha rain khursi bina chain kaha re
Sona nahin chandi nahin khursi to mili are vote de de

Politics And Cinema : Phir se Aam Aadmi Ki Jay Ho?

It was 50-60s decade. Due to our first prime minister Pt. Nehrujee's inclination towards communism, nation's most of people were talking in way of samanta (equality) by way of communism. From Raj Kapoor to Guru Dutt, film makers were making films under influence of communism. Communism also affected literature and other parts of art. Pessimism and frustration was shown in films.
After Nehrujee's demise, Indira Gandhi rose to power. System became so corrupted that on screen it gave birth to angry young man called Amitabh Bachchan. In parallel or art cinema too, Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani and others were making films in which poor or common man was hero.
But after P V Narsimha Rao together with his finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh went on path of liberalisation, we saw more and and more films in which goody goody state of affairs shown. Film budget went high and high. So was business. Films were made keeping in mind NRI audiences (Karan Johar's films from K3G to Student of the year, Sajid Khan's films Housefull and its sequel). There was no idealism in films like Priyadarshan and David Dhavan's films. Ekta Kapoor and Ram Gopal Varma's films even glorified Dawood Ibrahim who is most wanted terrrorist. Mahesh Bhatt started trend of films with highly intimate scenes. There were very few unsuccessful and ineffective films like Laal Salaam and Summer 2007 which made on some ideology or having social concern.
Again around 2009 when UPA-2 came back in power scams and inflation were high, films made on police taking on piliticans like Wanted, Dabang, Singham, Buddha hoga tera baap. With Anna Hazare started jan lokpal movement we saw Satyagrah. Now with Jai ho will we see more and more films of Aam aadmi taking on corrupt system?

Koi humdum na raha : One song, two voices!

This is amazing. Both were brothers. Both were super stars at their time. I am talking about legendary stars Ashok Kumar and Kishore Kumar. They sang two songs, both were super hit and later versions of these songs (sung by Kishore Kumar) are very popular even today.

When you come to know about some super hit songs copied ditto and changed lyrics then mix feelings emerges. Some times you think later was better, some times you think what skill is there? It is just copied song, nothing else. I don't want to indulge in such debate. I just put it before readers, they decide.

First song is Koi Humdum Na Raha. Yes, you will think that this song is sung and composed by Kishore Kumar and even picturised on Kishore himself. No my friend, original song was sung by Ashok Kumar. Mukhada in both songs are same but antaras are different. You check yourselves here:

This is original song sung by Ashok Kumar, from 'Jeeven Naiya' movie. Saraswati Devi was the music director. Film released in year 1936. This song was adopted in film 'Jhumroo'. Music director was Kishore Kumar himself. Release year of  'Jhumroo' was 1961! Listen Kishore Kumar singing Koi Humdum Na Raha...

You feel that Kishore Kumar's song is far better and there is more feelings in the song.

Now let's talk about another song. This original song is also sung by Ashok Kumar. Film is 'Jhoola', a 1941 film! Again music director is Saraswati Devi. There was also other actor in this film and he was Mumtaz Ali, father of ace comedian Mehmood. So, when Mehmood decided to made film 'Padosan', he thought to keep this song from 'Jhoola' in new version. Kishore Kumar also remembered this song. They both requested R.D. Burman to give a new touch to this song. New song was penned by Rajinder Krishan. 'Padosan' released in year 1968.

First listen Ashok Kumar singing Ek chatur naar:

Now listen this song full of masti from 'Padosan':

In both cases original songs were composed by Saraswati Devi. Both songs were sung and picturised on Ashok Kumar. Both were later sung by Kishore Kumar. Hain na interesting baat!