Rajendra Krishan-The Lyricist who gave us many Immortal Songs

Those who love Bollywood songs are not unknown to the great Rajendra Krishan.He gave us many immortal songs like "Chup chup khade ho zaroor koi baat hai" (Badi-Behen), "Man doley mera tan doley" (Nagin), "Ai dil mujhe bata de,tu kis pe aa gaya hai" (Bhai-Bhai), "Main chali main chali dekho pyaar ki gali" ( Padosan)."Chal ud ja re panchhi ki ab yeh des hua begaana..." and penned such stirring lyrics as "Suno suno ai duniya waalon, bapu ki yeh amar kahani..."
He was born on June 6, 1919 to Parvati and Jagannath Duggal in Jalalpur Jattan of Gujarat district (now in Pakistan). 
When he was studying in the eighth class he was attracted towards poetry. In his early work life he had a clerk's job in the municipal office in Simla, where he toiled up to 1942.In the mid-1940s, Krishan shifted to Mumbai to become a screenwriter. His first screenplay was Janta (1947). His first film as a lyricist was Zanjeer (1947). He was first noted for the script and lyrics of the Motilal-Suraiya starrer Aaj Ki Rat (1948). After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Krishan wrote a song Suno Suno Aye Duniyawalon, Bapu Ki Yeh Amar Kahani. The song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and composed by Husnlal Bhagatram, and was a great hit. He also tasted success as a lyricist with the films Badi Bahen (1949) and Lahore (1949).

with Raj Kumar 

When he was active the great 4 lyricists of Bollywood  Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Shailendra, and Shakeel Badayuni were also there.He was an equal amongst giants like them.He gave lyrics to a wide variety of songs, ranging from Ghazals to Bhajans, Geets to Nazms with great flair. His songs are simple, inventive and full of meaning. He could write a swinging song like Mr John, o Baba Khan and in the same film Barish (’57) a philosophical song, Dane dane pe likha hai khanewale ka nam, lenewale karod, denewale ek Ram. The songs he wrote for Anarkali (’53), Yeh zindagi usiki hai and Jaag dard-e-ishq jaag have attained legendary status. His Nagin (’54) songs Man dole mera tan dole and Mera dil ye pukare aja are reverberating in our hearts even today. Apart from the three music directors mentioned above, he also wrote for other great composers like Sajjid Hussain (Saiyan ’51, Sangdil ’52), SD Burman (Bahar ’51, Sazaa ’51, Ek Nazar ’51), S Mohinder (Papi ’53), Chitragupt (Bhabhi ’57, Kangan ’59), Salil Choudhry (Chaya ’61), Laxmikant-Pyarelal (Intaqam ’69). He could pen love-ballads and comedy songs with equal ease and effect. In the first category come the standards like Ye hawa ye raat ye Chandni (Sandgil), Koun aya mere man ke dware payal ki jhankar liye (Dekh Kabira Roya ’57), Mera Qarar leja mujhe beqarar kar ja (Ashiana ’52) and Ai dil mujhe bata de (Bhai Bhai ’56). As the whole world knows C Ramchandra and Madan Mohan put a special ingredient into the songs they gave to Lata. One can not remain unmoved when listening to the following songs Rajendra Krishan wrote for her: Ham pyar me jalnewalon ko chain kahan aram kahan (Jailor ’58), Sapne me sajan se do bate ik yad rahi ik bhool gayen (Gateway Of India ’57), Dil se bhulado tum hamen (Patanga ’49)), Balma bada nadan re (Albela ’50), Ai chand pyar mera (Khazana ’51) and Wo bhuli dastan lo phir yad agayi (Sanjog ’61). 
Rajendra Krishan won Filmfare Award for best lyricist for the movie Khandan (1965) for the song "Tumhi mere mandir, tumhi meri pooja".
Rajendra Krishan knew Tamil language and wrote 18 scripts for AVM Studios films.He wrote dialogues for more than 50 hindi films like Bari Behen ,Nagin,Shaadi ,Bharosa,Khandan,Pyar Kiye Jaa ,Padosan,Bombay to Goa,Naya Din Nai Raat
Besides literature he had the hobby of Horse race.In fact he won a Jackpot in the 60s winning a huge amount which made him the richest Lyricist.He died on 23 September 1987 in Mumbai. After his death, HMV brought out an LP containing 12 of his songs.

Song from Badi Bahen (1949)

Song from Albela (1951)

Song from Anarkali (1953)

Song from Nagin (1954)

Song from Bhaabi 1957

Song from Adalat (1958) 

Song from Jailor 1958

Song from Chhaya ( 1961)

Song from Khandan (1965)

Song from Sikandar-E-Azam 1965

Song from Black Mail 1973

Baat Ek Raat Ki - The Songs keep you entertained.

The 1962 film has music by Sachin Dev Burman, who gave some memorable songs in the films such as "Na Tum Hamen Jano", sung by Hemant Kumar, "Akela Hoon Main Is Duniya Mein", by Mohammad Rafi, and the hit Qawwali, "Kisne Chilman Se Mara Nazara Mujhe", by Manna Dey.
The film directed by Shankar Mukherjee, starring Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman and Johnny Walker.

The story of Neela (Waheeda Rehman) is in police custody for committing a murder, which she believes she did. But her mother cried foul and pleads with Rajesh (Dev Anand) to fight her case.

 It is during one of her suicide-trials that she comes across Rajesh. This happy go-lucky lawyer saves her from drowning and slowly gets to know more about her. He learns that this woman has lost the will to live. He requests the warden of the jail where Neela is to let her go with him to a mental institution to be treated for depression. He also visits her home and finds out that there are many loose ends to the case. The doctor asks Rajesh to pretend that he in love with her so that she feels happy and rejuvenated again.

While Rajesh and Neela romance each other, S D Burman's songs keep you entertained.there are many memorable songs well picturised.There is Johny walker to entertain you.
 Dev Anand as a lawyer, sure did do things a wee bit differently. And, though the film was saved at the last moment by the clever inclusion of the smart antics by the director (the funny scenes by Johny Walker and the benevolence by Manmohan Krishna).

Nutan- An Actress Par Excellence

Her mother a top heroine of her time Shobhna Samarth wanted her daughter to be a heroine.She was actually dismissed by unfeeling relatives as skinny and ugly.So she launched her as a heroine in Hamari Beti (1950) but the film didn't do well.she got recognition only in 1955 with the film Seema,she received her first Filmfare Award for this role.

Nutan(born on 4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991) continued playing leading roles through the 1960s until the late 1970s and went on to win the award on four other occasions for her roles in Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Milan (1967) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).

She formed a popular screen couple with co-star Dev Anand and the two acted in four films together – Paying Guest (1957), Baarish (1957), Manzil (1960) and Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963).She also worked with Raj Kapoor.Anari1959 and Chhalia in 1960.

In 1959, Nutan married Naval Lieutenant Commander Rajneesh Behl and took a small break when her son Monish was born. She did do a film with her husband, the critically acknowledged Soorat Aur Seerat (1962) and made a stinging comeback to 
mainstream Hindi cinema with 
Navketan’s Tere Ghar ke Samne (1963), a refreshing romantic comedy opposite Dev Anand, and Bimal Roy’s masterpiece, Bandini (1963), boasting of possibly her greatest ever performance and certainly one of the greatest performances of Indian Cinema. 
Nutan’s career shone bright right through the 1960s and 1970s with strong performances in films like Milan (1967) – another Filmfare Award for Best Actress though it has to be said her dual roles in this reincarnation drama were not as challenging as some of the ones she had done earlier – Saraswatichandra (1968), Saudagar (1973) with rising star Amitabh Bachchan, Sajan Bina Suhagan (1978), Kasturi (1978) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). She carries the last film, directed most ably by Raj Khosla, entirely on her shoulders 
In the 1980s, she played roles in blockbuster films such as Meri Jung (1985), Naam (1986) and Karma (1986). Karma was notable for being the first time she was paired with actor Dilip Kumar. For Mere Jung she won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her last film released while she was alive was Kanoon Apna Apna in 1989. She died in 1991 of cancer.Two of her films Naseebwala (1992) and Insaniyat (1994) were released after her death.

Song from Seema 1955

Song from Paying Guest 1957

Song from Dilli Ka Thug 1958 

Song from Sujata 1959

Song from Anari 1959

Song from  Chhabili 1960 (audio) Nutan sings & acts

Song from Bandini 1963

Song from Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Song from Milan 1967

Song from Saraswatichandra 1968

Song from Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki 1978

Nargis Dutt- Her love story was nothing less than a fairytale.

Nargis and Sunil Dutt came from very different backgrounds when they first met each other. Nargis was the daughter of Mohan Babu and Jaddanbai, and Sunil was the son of a Punjabi land-owning family. The two actors met on the sets of Do Bigha Zameen. At that time, Sunil Dutt was an aspiring actor and student while Nargis was already an established star.
Sunil and Nargis Dutt crossed each other’s paths at many film gatherings but were officially introduced to each other on the sets of their film Mother India by filmmaker Mehboob Khan. Khan thought it was important for Nargis, who played the title role in the film, to befriend the other actors, particularly Sunil Dutt, who played her errant son Birju.

Everyone is aware of their dramatic love story that was triggered by a fatal fire on the sets of Mother India in 1957, where Sunil Dutt sensing danger, jumped into raging flames without a thought for his own life to save Nargis and won her heart. She visited him every day at the hospital after shooting.  She nursed Dutt back to health for two weeks. In that time, the two got very close, and she even opened up about her past to him. and a few weeks later, when Sunil Dutt proposed marriage to her, she agreed immediately.
The two started dating, and wanted to get married, but they played mother and son on screen in Mother India, and the news of their relationship would be disastrous for the film, so they maintained a low profile. In 1958, they got married in a secret ceremony and didn't make the news public for nearly a year. Even after getting married, they stayed with their respective families. They'd meet late into the nights and communicate through letters and telegrams. In 1959, after making the news of their marriage public, they held a reception, and moved in together. 
Sunil Dutt was once asked about Raj Kapoor and Nargis' equation, to which he had said, "I never knew there was a romance. The only thing I knew was that she came into my life. I was not concerned about her past. I know these questions arise. But I am concerned about the person who comes in my life; what matters from that day on is how true the person is to me. The past is nothing to me."
Nargis left films to look after Dutt saheb.The mother of 3 – Priya, Namrata and Sanjay Dutt, Nargis took up the full time job of being a mom and gave up stardom while she was at the peak of her career. She was the one with a modern approach and yet juggled her life amidst the work part, where she was involved in her husband’s production venture and also formed Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe.

Despite the threshold of responsibilities, she was very much active in her individual self which included swimming, watching movies, shopping, getting a massage and constantly being on the phone. She also ditched the burqa and would enjoy paani puri from the street vendors. Yes, she was very much like the young girl inside every woman.Nargis never followed the bandwagon of her contemporaries and was always in sync with global fashion trends. She sported a short haircut when others would go for their long tresses. She ditched jewellery and wore only cotton saris for which she was dubbed as the Lady in White.

Sunil Dutt was not the first love of Nargis, but their years of marriage never once fell in doubt about Dutt being her second love. Nargis and Sunil Dutt loved each other and supported each other during their marriage.Their love was pure and forever.

Years later, Nargis was detected with cancer, and went through a lot of treatments for many years. Sunil was always by her side during her struggle. He even took her to America for the treatment. However, she could not win her battle against cancer and died on May 3, 1981.

Song from Andaz (1949)

Song from Barsaat (1949)

Song from Awara (1951)

Song from Chori Chori (1956)

Song from Mother India (1957)

Song from Adalat (1958)

The Shelved Films Of Dev Anand

A film has a long, arduous journey before it finally hits the screens.Not all films complete their journey.Many films are announced in the hope that once a current project will be successful, the next will take off with the same team only to come to a crashing halt.because of unsuccessful of their previous project.
Dev Anand was one of the most salable star of his time even then many of his films were shelved or unreleased.There was a movie named "Kaafir"starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali in the 50s but it was not completed after shooting 6 reels.The film was being directed by Chetan Anand .There was another film Saajan Ki Galiyan(1966) starring Dev Anand and Sadhana which was also not completed,

Very few know that Dev Anand wanted to make a sequel of Hare Rama Hare Krishna.He planned to return to Nepal to film a sequel and was scouting for a younger Zeenat Aman to carry forward Jasbir’s story of a girl swept by the Hippie culture. But the film never took off — on December 3 that year, Dev Anand died in a London hotel.

There was a multi starrer film Ek Do Teen Chaar launched on October 3, 1980 amidst a lot of fanfare at Mehboob studios.Salim-Javed wrote the script for this film

Though the film starring Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, Rakhee, Hema Malini, Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Parveen Babi and Amjad Khan, never saw the light of day,The film was being produced and directed by Vijay Anand.

There was a film anounced by Dev Anand in 1991 called Purana Paapi in which Amitabh Bachchan was working for the first time with Dev Anand.Amitabh couldn't work because doctors advised him for rest and the film was shelved.

There was another film Jana Na Dil Se Door It  was an unreleased movie of his brother, Vijay Anand on which he was working before he, Vijay Anand passed away after a massive heart attack.

There was a film Shrimanji (1968)  Dev anand was playing a guest appearance for the first time but this film also couldn't see the daylight. Kahin Aur Chal (1968)  a film directed by Vijay Anand was released but not in all territories 

Mahesh Bhatt started a film "Ab Meri Bari"starring Dev Anand,Rekha Tina Munim and Rishi Kapoor.

Vijay Anand wanted to make a film with Dev,Dilip and Raj Kapoor but it couldn't materialized.The movie got shelved due to ego and dates hassles

Humne jinke khwab sajaaye film Saajan ki Galiyan 1966

Kahin Aur Chal (1968)

                      Zindagi Sehra Bhi Hai Lata Mangeshkar Film Kahin Aur Chal 1968 

The Songs Sung in Praise For His Beloved

Very recently I heard a song "You are my chicken fry"from a film Ragini MMS,immediately in my mind came the idea how in old days our lyricist used to write songs in praise of the beloved.They used to compare the beauty with Moon or the eyes with Sagar or Jheel,. Hair with Reshmi Julfen.
 There are probably hundreds of songs in Bollywood and more than one-third of them are romantic in nature.The best song for praise of your beloved comes in my mind "Chaudvin Ka Chaand Ho" another beautiful song is Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga from 1942 A Love Story.
 I sometimes wonder why there are no such lovely songs in the current decade,So, just selecting fifteen songs to appreciate your beloved is an arduous task.There is a slight bias to the old songs compare to the songs of 90s.
The first song in my list is "Mein kya Jaanoon Kya Jaadu Hai" from the film Zindagi released in 1940 written by Kedar Sharma.The song about praising the eyes of his beloved.main kyaa jaanoon kyaa
jaadoo hai
in do matwaale nainon mein ek ek athaah saagar saa hai
in do matwaale nainon mein
jaadoo hai

Song from Zindagi 1940

Another beautiful song of K L Saigal is "Do nainaa matwaare tihaare

ham par zulm karen" from the 1944 film My Sister the song was written by Pt Bhushan, Music by-Pankaj Mullick

Song from My Sister 1944

The next song in my list is a Rare song " Matwaale nainon waali ghunghraale baalon waali" from Izzat released in 1937 This song is sung and acted by Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani

Song from Izzat 1937

This is the best any poet could write in praise of the beloved.The writer of song is Shakeel Badayuni for the film Chaudvin Ka Chand 1960  "Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho, Ya Aaftaab Ho

Jo Bhi Ho Tum Khuda Ki Kasam, Lajawab Ho
Zulfein Hain Jaise Kaandhe Pe Baadal Jhuke Hue
Aankhen Hain Jaise Maey Ke Pyaale Bhare Hue
Masti Hai Jisme Pyaar Ki Tum, Woh Sharaab Ho

Song from Chaudvin Ka Chaand 1960

The song  “Ek but banaaungaa”  is sung by Rafi and it is picturised on Dev Anand and Sadhana. Hasrat Jaipuri is the lyricist and music is composed by Shankar Jaikishan. Dev Anand, instead to simply saying “I love you” would go to elaborate lengths and would use flowery and grandiloquent round about ways of expressing his love for the lady. 

Song from Asli Naqli (1962) 

Song from Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai 1961

Immensely popular song composed by Shankar-Jaikishan with the lyric   being of Hasrat Jaipuri. Rajender Kumar sings it in praise of B. Saroja   Devi.

Song from Sasuraal – 1961

 Rafi's great  admiring song which is picturized on  Pradeep Kumar who sings it for  Meena Kumari in the movie. Roshan has  composed the lyric of Majrooh  Sultanpuri.

Song from Aarti - 1962

 A classic song of Rafi, the singer and Shammi Kapoor, the actor who sings it in praise of Sharmila Tagore. S.H. Bihari’s lyric has been composed by O.P. Nayyar.

Song from Kashmir Ki Kali - 1964

A very  touching admiring duet of Lata and Manna Dey, picturized  on Mahipal and  Anjali Devi, penned by Bharat Vyas and composed by  Laxmikant Pyarelal.

Song from Sati Savitri -  1964

This song picturized on Rajender  Kumar praising Saadhna  through it. Shankar-Jaikishan's composition is  for the lyric of Hasrat  Jaipuri.

Song from Aarzoo - 1965

An immortal admiring song  sung by Mukesh and Lata separately for Maneesh and Nutan respectively on  the screen. Indeevar's beautiful lyric has been composed by Kalyanji  Anandji.

Song from Saraswatichandra - 1968

This super hit song sung by Md Rafi picturised on Rajesh Kanna in Do Raaste released in 1969,beautiful words written by Anand Bakshi

Song from Do Raaste 1969

Song from The Train 1970

Song from 1942 A Love Story

Prithviraj Kapoor-The Pillar of Hindi Cinema and Theatre

 Prithviraj Kapoor( 3 November 1906;– 29 May 1972) started his career as an actor in the Silent era of Hindi cinema and starred in the first Talkie film Alam Ara.He acted as an extra in his first film, Do Dhari Talwar, though he went on to earn a lead role for his third film, titled Cinema Girl, in 1929.His performance in Vidyapati (1937) was much appreciated.His best-known performance is perhaps as Alexander the Great in Sohrab Modi's Sikandar (1941). Our generation know him for his performance in Mughal E Azam.
He began his acting career in the theatres of Lyallpur and Peshawar. Later he shifted to Bombay.There he joined the Imperial Films Company. He also joined the Grant Anderson Theater Company, an English theatrical company that remained in Bombay for a year.Through all these years, Kapoor remained devoted to the theatre and performed on stage regularly. He developed a reputation as a very fine and versatile actor on both stage and screen.
He established Prithvi Theatre in 1944 which staged memorable productions across India. The plays were highly influential and inspired young people to participate in the Indian independence movement and the Quit India Movement. In over 16 years of existence, the theatre staged some 2,662 performances. Prithviraj starred as the lead actor in every single show. One of his popular plays was called Pathan (1947), which was performed on stage nearly 600 times in Mumbai. It opened on 13 April 1947, and is a story of a Muslim and his Hindu friend.
As he progressed into his 50s, he gradually ceased theatre activities and accepted occasional offers from film-makers, including his own sons. He appeared with his son Raj in the 1951 film Awara as a stern judge who had thrown his own wife out of his house.
.His major films include V.Shantaram`s Dahej (1950), Raj Kapoor`s Awaara (1951), Aasmaan Mahal (1965), Teen Bahuraniyaan (1968), Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) and the Punjabi film Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (1969). He lost his voice while directing a film entitled Paisa, as a result Prithvi Theatre was closed and he even gave up films.
He was also the patriarch of the Kapoor family, five generations of which have played active roles in Bollywood.Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor are his great grandchildren.
He passed away on 29th May 1972. The government of India honored Prithviraj Kapoor with the Padma Bhushan in 1969. For his unparalleled contribution to Indian Cinema, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1971. Prithvi Theatre was later revived in his honor by his son, Shashi Kapoor.

Song from Vidyapati.1937

song from Sikandar 1941

Song from  Ishara (1943)

Song from Dahej (1950)

Song from Anand Math (1952)

Song from Rustom Sohrab (1963)

Song from HARISHCHANDRA TARAMATI 1963