Manna Dey and Contemporary Lead Actors – 6

We have covered Manna Dey’s songs with main stream lead actors Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Balraj Sahni, David Abraham, Bharat Bhushan and Kishore Kumar, Shammi Kapoor and Guru Dutt, Raaj Kumar and Rajendra Kumar, Prem Nath, Pradeep Kumar and Sunil Dutt  in the present series till now.

We begin the present episode of our Journey with Manna Dey in his quest for THE big association with the Lead Hero of the film with an indirect association which becomes more pronounced in the later part of carriers of Manna Dey as well as That of that actor.

With Dharmendra

Manna Dey’s first – indirect- association happened with Shola Aur Shabnam (1962). The film had Mohammad Rafi playing back for Dharmendra for two of the most iconic songs – Jaane Kya Dhoondhati Raheti Hai and Jeet Hi Lege Baazi Ham Tum. Khayyam has chosen Manna Dey for the songs filmed on other characters of the film, of which two songs relate to Dharmendra’s character in the film.

Agar Dil Dil Se Takaraye – Shola Aur Shabnam (1962) – with Mohammad Rafi, Geeta Dutt – Khayyam – Kaifi AzmiThe song typically puts in the words from the main protagonists’ mind onto the lips of the actors performing the song on the screen. Dharmendra does sing a few lines @2.0 to 2.18 and @3.06 to 3.36 in Mohammad Rafi’s voice, wherein the third character of the love triangle chips in Manna Dey’s voice in response…

Phir Nahi Aanewali Pyare Aisi Milan Ki Raat – Shola Aur Shabnam (1962) –  with Asha Bhosle – Khayyam – Kaifi Azmi

This time is the song follows the same style of putting the words on singers; lips, nut the song is shaped as public folk song performance.

Hamne Jalwa Dikhaya To Jal Jaoge – Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966) – with Asha Bhosle – Sonik Omi – G L Rawail

In this film too major songs on Dharmendra have been played back by Mohammad Rafi, but Dharmendra and Nutan are masquerading in a disguise, so the playback singer also gets a change. Manna Dey and Asha Bhosle have perfectly teamed up to deliver a qawwali-flavoured light-mood song.

Are Zindagj Hai Khel Koi Pas Koi Fel, Khiladi Hai Koi Anadi Hai Koi–  Seeta Aur Geeta (1972)– with Asha Bhosle R D Burman – Anand Bakshi

The second pair of Hema Malini’s double role plays the couple perfoming on the street for living. As was the practice, the song has high dose of common philosophy flowing from the lips of common, street performers.

Abhi To Haath Mein Jaam Hai, Tauba Kitna Kaam Hai – Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) – R D Burman – Anand Bakshi

Manna Dey doubles up to voice the philosophy in the state of drunkenness.

Bandhu Re Ye Man Dole Bole Kya Re Koi Jane, Jal Bhara Megh Ye Dil Ke Pyasa Ye Man Suna – Anokha Milan (1972) – Salil Chowdhury – Jackie Hameed

Here is the film wherein Dharmendra is successfully seen in a so called ‘serious’ role, away from his usual dhishum dhishum commercial lead roles.  Manna Dey is on his familiar turf of a boatman song, composed by Salil Chowdhury in a typical Bengali boatman folk style.

Dharati Ambar Neend Se Jaage – Chaitali (1975) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Laxmikant Pyarelal – Anand Bakshi

Dharmendra’s transformation to serious, meaningful roles can be credited to Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Here is one such fil, a remake of a Benagli film of the same name.

Yeh Dosti Ham Nahi Todenge – Sholey (1975) – with Kishore Kumar – R D Burman – Anand Bakshi

‘Sholey’ has many records of success to its credit. This friendship-genre duet is one of those records.

With Shashi Kapoor

Manna Dey has played back for Shashi Kapoor, in all that I know, only once.

Aaya Aaya Abdulaa Hey Abdulla– Juari (1968) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Kalyandji Anandji – Anand Baksh

Two other songs filmed on Shashi Kapoor – Hamsafar Ab Ye Safar Kat Jayega and Jaaneman Allah Khabar– respectively a pathos and light romantic mood ones are played back by Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor. In this song Shashi Kapoor is stage-playing a disguised role, hence probably Manna Dey has been chosen as his playback.

With Manoj Kumar

With Manoj Kumar too, I have only one duet wherein Manna Dey play back from him, from his very early film.

Zulfon Ki Ghata Lekar Sawan Ki Pari Aayi – Reshmi Rumal (1961) – With Asha Bhosle – Babul – Raja Mahendi Ali Khan

We have one more case of an now obscure film, a very talented but not-so-successful music director, but a duet that always remain live at  the back of our memory.

More important aspect of Manna Dey- Manoj Kumar association is the song that Manna Dey was to sing for a film produced by Manoj Kumar. The film established Manoj Kumar as ‘Mr. Bharat’, the song cemented the place of Pran as character actor in his second innings.

With Pran

Kasame Vaade Pyar Vafaa Sab Baatein Hai Baaton Ka Kya – Upkar (1967) – Kalyanji Anandji – Indeevar

The song and the character of Malang Baba played by Pran have so become iconic landmarks, that with forgoing prologue, only this song will come up in our memory.

Kya Maar Sakegi Maut Use, Auro Ke Liye Jo Jita Hai – Sanyasi (1975) – Shankar Jaikishan – Indeevar

Pran is in one more of his second innings role, with Manoj Kumar as the focus of the message of the song. Shankar is also in his second innings, without the usual company of Jaikishan and Shailendra.

Pran got to sing songs on a more regular pattern in his second innings.Quite a few of them were played back by Manna Dey too. We have picked up just twoof such songs here.

Raam Raam Raam Krodh Lobh Maya Mai Taj Ke – Krodhi (1981)  Laxmikant Pyarelal – Anand Bakshi

We have picked up  this song because the message of the song is for Dharmendra, who we have covered earlier in the episode.

Yaari Hai Imaan Mera Yaar Meri Zindagi – Zanzeer (1973) – Kalayanji Anandji – Gulshan Bawra

This is one more song which has to come up for a mandatory reference, whenever the matter of Pran’s second inning comes up for discussion.

With Joy Mukherjee

Joy Mukherjee has had almost an exclusive playback of Mohammad Rafi. So, this is a very unusual exception. We may assign the cause to, probably, the presence of Johnny Walker in the song. Jhonny Walker, and even Mehmood, commanded a very high respect – be it in price, footage, song allocation etc., in their films. He might have opted Mohammad Rafi as his first choice. So, it is Manna Dey for Joy Mukherjee.

Hum Bhi Agar Bachche Hot Naam Hamar Hota Babaloo Gabaloo – Door Ki Awaz (1964) – with Asha Bosle, Mohammad Rafi – Ravi  – Shakeel Badayuni

We have an archtypical, light, lilting birthday song. Manna Dey so effortlessly fuses with Joy Mukherjee that some time we wonder was it really him, or was it Mahammad Rafi, singing the lines filmed on Joy Mukerjee?

We will end this episode with a Manna Dey song for Prem Nath, that I had missed out in the earlier episode where we had covered Manna Dey’s songs for Prem Nath.

Jeevan Chalane Ka Naam Chalate Raho Subah Shaam – Shor (1972) – with Mahendra Kapoor, Shyama Chittar – Laxmikant Pyarelal – Inderjeet Singh Tulsi

Manoj Kumar presented Prem Nath in his one of the major second innings role in this film. The song had attained avery wide-spread populairity, because the song sequence is one which is so well konwon the rural-semi urban areas – a non-stop cycling, mainly as bread-earning street performance.

In our next episode, we will now switch over to the third generation actors, for whom Manna Dey once gain plays back in their early phase of the career.