Sahir Ludhianvi - The Magician of Words

True to his name "Sahir" which means a magician, he proved to be a magician of words. He painted fascinating images in songs and ghazals, Spellbinding his listeners and readers for decades. For about thirty years, he remained associated with the Hindi film industry. He composed hundreds of songs for Hindi/Urdu films. Most of his songs became hugely popular and are even today sung and hummed by people of all generations. 
 Sahir made his debut as a lyricist with the film "Azadi Ki Raah Par" in 1948. but got fame only associating with S D Burman. Two films, released in 1951, had songs that sky-rocketed in popularity and are hummed even today. First was "Thandi Hawaiian Lehraa Ke Aayen" from Naujawan. The second was a landmark film, marking the directorial debut of Guru Dutt - Baazi. Both films, coincidentally, had music by S. D. Burman.
S.D. Burman and Sahir Ludhianvi went on to compose music for 18 movies, Some of the well-known films are characteristic of Burman-Ludhianvi team: Devdas, Jeevan Jyoti, Jaal, Society, Armaan and Taxi Driver.
The last film Sahir made with Burman was Pyaasa. In Pyaasa, Guru Dutt played a poet named Vijay. After Pyaasa, Sahir and Burman went separate ways due to artistic and contractual differences.
Sahir Ludhianvi has written about 700 songs for 30 music composers in his 32 years career as lyrics writer ( 1921 to 1980 )
Sahir won a Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for Taj Mahal (1963). He won a second Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for his work on Kabhie Kabhie (1976) and he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1971.
Sahir was considered a *romantic*: personal romance and the resultant disillusionment, followed by universal romance and the resultant frustration with *the way it is*. He never minced the words, did not sublimate emotions. He expressed thoughts clearly and directly.
.During the last years of his life, Sahir suffered from alcoholism and underwent a radical personality alteration marked by moodiness and despair. Sahir Ludhianvi passed away at the age of 59 (25 October 1980) from a heart attack. A bungalow named Parchaiyaan in Andheri, Mumbai became Sahir’s abode from the 1970s till his last days.
List of Films with S D Burman

S. D. Burman	Angaarey	1954
S. D. Burman	Armaan	1953
S. D. Burman	Baabla	1953
S. D. Burman	Baazi	1951
S. D. Burman	Devdas	1955
S. D. Burman	Funtoosh	1956
S. D. Burman	House No. 44	1955
S. D. Burman	Jaal	1952
S. D. Burman	Jeevan Jyoti	1953
S. D. Burman	Lal Kunwar	1952
S. D. Burman	Munimji	1955
S. D. Burman	Naujawaan	1951
S. D. Burman	Pyaasa	1957
S. D. Burman	Radha Krishna	1954
S. D. Burman	Sazaa	1951
S. D. Burman	Shahenshah	1953
S. D. Burman	Society	1955
S. D. Burman	Taxi Driver	1954

Songs with N Dutta

N. Dutta	Baalo (Punjabi)	1951
N. Dutta	Bhai Bahen	1959
N. Dutta	Chandi Ki Deewar	1964
N. Dutta	Chandrakanta	1956
N. Dutta	Chehre Pe Chehra	1981
N. Dutta	Dharamputra	1961
N. Dutta	Dhool Ka Phool	1959
N. Dutta	Didi	1959
N. Dutta	Dilli Ka Dada	1962
N. Dutta	Kala Samundar	1962
N. Dutta	Lighthouse	1958
N. Dutta	Marine Drive	1955
N. Dutta	Milaap	1955
N. Dutta	Naach Ghar	1959
N. Dutta	Naya Raasta	1970
N. Dutta	Picnic	UNR
N. Dutta	Sachche Moti	1962
N. Dutta	Sachche Moti	1962
N. Dutta	Sadhanaa	1958

Songs with Ravi

Ravi	Aadmi Aur Insaan	1969
Ravi	Aaj Aur Kal	1963
Ravi	Aankhen	1968
Ravi	Amaanat	1975
Ravi	Bahu Beti	1965
Ravi	Chingaari	1989
Ravi	Dhundh	1973
Ravi	Do Kaliyan	1968
Ravi	Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka	1975
Ravi	Ganga Tera Pani Amrit	1971
Ravi	Gumraah	1963
Ravi	Humraaz	1967
Ravi	Kaajal	1965
Ravi	Mehmaan	1974
Ravi	Neelkamal	1968
Ravi	Paisa Yaa Pyaar	1969
Ravi	Pyaar Ka Bandhan	1963
Ravi	Samaaj Ko Badal Dalo	1970
Ravi	Waqt	1965

Songs with Khayyam

Khaiyyam	Chambal Ki Kasam	1979
Khaiyyam	Kaafir	UNR
Khaiyyam	Kabhi Kabhi	1976
Khaiyyam	Phir Subah Hogi	1958
Khaiyyam	Pyaasi Dharati	UNR
Khaiyyam	Shagun	1964
Khaiyyam	Trishul	1978

Songs with Roshan

Roshan	Babar	1960
Roshan	Bahu Begum	1967
Roshan	Barsaat Ki Raat	1960
Roshan	Bheegi Raat	1965
Roshan	Chitralekha	1964
Roshan	Dil Hi To Hai	1963
Roshan	Dooj Ka Chand	1964
Roshan	Taj Mahal	1963

Songs with O P Nayyar

O. P. Nayyar	12 O' Clock	1958
O. P. Nayyar	Bade Sarkaar	1957
O. P. Nayyar	Naya Daur	1957
O. P. Nayyar	Sone Ki Chidiya	1958
O. P. Nayyar	Tumsa Nahin Dekha	1957

Songs with Jaidev

Jaidev	Hum Dono	1961
Jaidev	Joru Ka Bhai	1955
Jaidev	Mujhe Jeene Do	1963

The First Song of Sahir

Song of Azadi Ki Raah Par" 1948

Song of Naujawan 1951

Song of Baazi 1951

Song of Jaal 1952

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Naya Daur (1957)

Song of  Pyaasa (1957)

Song of  Dhool Ka Phool (1959) 

Song of Hum Dono (1961)  

Song of  Gumrah (1963)

Song of  Chitralekha (1964)

Song of Waqt (1965 film)

Song of Kabhi Kabhi (1976)

Master Nissar- The First Star of Hindi Cinema

Master Nisar( 5-3-1902 -13-7-1980 ) was the most popular hero of the early talkie films. His ability to speak fluent Urdu and sing songs made him an instant success. He worked in the second Talkie Movie Shirin Farhad (1931), which was super hit. He made a sought-after team with actress Jehan Ara Kajjan.both of them gave many hit movies one after another.
His popularity was immense, people used to flock in large numbers to studios to catch a glimpse of him. It is said that once due to a very large crowd gathered to see him, the Governor of Bengal was forced to divert his car to another road. He was the first actor in the Hindi film industry to own a Rolls Royce car. His heroines were many like Padma Devi, Zebunnisa, Bibbo, Haseena, Sardar Akhtar, Kanta, etc
He also acted in India’s first homemade the color film ‘Kisaan Kanya’ (1937). This was also his last film as a hero. His popularity started to decrease in the wake of the rise of K L Saigal, Ashok Kumar, Surendra etc. After that, he switched to character roles. He appeared in 75 films during his career. The situation came that he would take whatever role came his way. The last time he was seen in the 1971 film Guddi, Those who have seen film ‘Guddi’ (1971), there is a scene in which a lanky, thin person is massaging Om Prakash. Dharmendra tells Guddi, “Do you know who he is? Master Nissar, one time a great actor who was popular and very rich. 
In the 50s he was seen in many Qawwalis, He was seen as the on-screen lead singer in the qawwali “Aaj Kyon Hum Se Parda Hai” in the film ‘Sadhna’ (1958). He was also seen in the popular Qawwali '"Na to Karvan ki Talash Hain” from Barsat Ki Raat.
In later years, Master Nisar fell on hard times and was often seen begging near the Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai. He died in penury in 1980. 

 Song from ‘Kisaan Kanya 1937. 

 song from ‘Azad 1955

Song of Sadhna’ (1958)

Song of Barsat Ki Raat.1960

Hindi Films With Cities/Places In The Title

The trend of keeping the Title of a film in the name of cities or places is not a new trend but it is very old. Since the 40s such titles were in use. In 1941 two films with such titles were released. Bambai Ki Sair also known as Holiday in Bombay was a Bollywood social comedy film. It was released in 1941 The film starred Shobhna Samarth (mother of Nutan and Tanuja). The other was Bambaiwali (The Girl from Bombay). This film was directed by Homi Wadia and produced by Wadia Movietone. It starred Fearless Nadia,
There are many hit movies with such titles in the following years. Few of them are Bombai Ka Babu, Love in Shimla, Love in Tokyo, Ab Dilli Door Nahin, etc. In this blog, I am discussing a few such films.

In 1945 released the film  Kurukshetra. The film was cited as an offbeat film of K. L. Saigal, directed by a relatively unknown director; it's stated to be a "forerunner" to later Art Cinema

Song of Kurukshetra (1945 film) Audio only

Baghdad Ka Chor was another Bollywood film. It was released in 1946 directed by Nanubhai Vakil. starring K L Saigal

Baghdad Ka Chor 1946

Dilli Express was a film released in 1949 starring Fearless Nadia and Prakash It was a musical thriller with the music by Chitragupta

Hyderabad Ki Nazneen was a film released in 1952, The star cast includes  Manhar Desai, Nigar Sultana, Wasti, Murad, Durga Khote,

Chandni Chowk was a 1954 classic Muslim social drama film directed by B. R. Chopra. The film starred Meena Kumari, Shekhar, Kumar, Jeevan, Smriti Biswas and Achala Sachdev

Song of Chandni Chowk 1954

Marine Drive (1955) It was the first film that G. P. Sippy released under his production house Sippy Films. The film starring Ajeet and Bina Rai

Song of Marine Drive (1955)

Ab Dilli Dur Nahin  is a 1957 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Amar Kumar and written by Rajinder Singh Bedi The film was produced by Raj Kapoor and starred Yakub, Anwar Hussain, Motilal, Nand Kishore, and Jagdeep

Song of Ab Dilli Dur Nahin  1957

 Miss Bombay was a 1957 movie directed by Kedar Kapoor featuring Nalini Jaywant, Ajit.

Song of Miss Bombay  1957

Howrah Bridge is a 1958 film directed by Shakti Samanta. It features the well known Hindi song "Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu" Starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala

Song of Howrah Bridge  1958

Dilli Ka Thug is a 1958 Hindi comedy film. It stars Kishore Kumar, Nutan, Madan Puri, and Iftekhar. 

Song of Dilli Ka Thug  1958

Bombai Ka Babu is a 1960 Hindi film directed by Raj Khosla and written by Rajinder Singh Bedi. The film stars Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen in a rare appearance in the Hindi cinema.

Song of Bombai Ka Babu  1960

Love In Simla is a 1960 romantic Indian Hindi film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee. The actress Sadhana made her Hindi movie lead debut in the film and became a star

Song of  Love In Simla 1960

Mr. X in Bombay,, was a 1964 Indian science fiction thriller film starring Kishore Kumar, Kumkum and Madan Puri.

Song of Mr. X in Bombay  1964

Love In Tokyo is a 1966 Hindi film The film stars Joy Mukherjee, Asha Parekh, Pran, Mehmood, 

Song of Love in Tokyo  1966

Kashmir Ki Kali (lit. The Bud of Kashmir) is a 1964 Indian romance film directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Shammi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore in her debut role, Pran, Dhumal, Nazir Hussain, and Anoop Kumar. The music was composed by O.P. Nayyar 

Song of  Kashmir Ki Kali 1964

Johar Mehmood in Goa is a 1965 Bollywood comedy film directed by I. S. Johar with he himself, along with Mehmood and Simi Garewal playing the lead roles

Song of Johar Mehmood in Goa  (1965)

Bombay to Goa is a 1972 adventure-comedy film directed by S. Ramanathan, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Aruna Irani in lead roles,

Song of  Bombay to Goa 1972

Here are a few more films

Jhansi Ki Rani (1956)

New Delhi (1956)

Kya Yeh Bombay Hai (1959)

China Town (1962)

Bombay Race Course (1965)

Himalay Ki Godmein (1965)

Johar in Bombay (1967)

Road To Sikkim (1969)

Bombay by Nite (1979)

36 Chowringhee Lane 1981

Salaam Bombay! (1988)

Bombay (1995)

Bhopal Express (1999)

Mission Kashmir (2000)

Calcutta Mail (2003)

Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost (2003)

Bombay to Bangkok (2008)

Chandni Chowk to China (2009)

Delhi-6 (2009)

Delhi Belly (2011)

Chennai Express (2013)

Madras Cafe (2013)

Bombay Velvet  (2015)

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Amirbai Karnatki - A Singer whose Fan was Mahatma Gandhi

Amirbai Karnatki (19 Feb 1906 – 3 March 1965), was a famous actress/singer and playback singer of the early Hindi cinema She was a singing star of the late 30s and 40s.In 1943, with the release of Bombay Talkies' Kismet (1943 film), she achieved popularity: the songs of Kismet became a rage and Amirbai became famous.
 Mahatma Gandhi was an ardent fan of her song Vaishnav Jan To. She was fluent in Kannada (mother tongue) and Gujarati languages. "Mahre te gamray ek baar aawjo" is one of her famous Gujarati songs from the film Ranrakdevi.
  She was not a trained singer but during the 1940s, Amirbai became one of the most sought after singers. She reached her career peak by 1947. There was a time. when other singers used to get Rs. 500 for singing a song, Amirbai used to get Rs. 1000 per recording. Those days she avoided taking acting roles and concentrated more on her singing.

After 1947, Lata Mangeshkar became a rising star, so once again Amirbai switched over to acting. In her later years, she mostly played character roles. Amirbai also composed music for Wahab Pictures' film Shehnaaz (1948). In the same year, she almost left Hindi Cinema for Gujarati and Marwari films. 

She had a paralytic attack in 1965, died just four days later and was buried in her hometown. A cinema hall is still run in the name of "Amir Talkies" in the city of Bijapur, by her family. 

Songs of Amirbai Karnataki

Song of Zamana 1938

Song of Kismet 1943

Song of  Prithvi Vallabh 1943

Song of Rattan 1944

Song of Nargis 1946

Song of Shikari

Song of Sindoor 1947

Song of Elan 1948

Song of Shehnaz 1948

Song of Naghma 1953