Sahir Ludhianvi was one lyricist who would not hesitate to take up cudgel with anyone when the matter was the pride of lyrics. He firmly believed in, and even demanded for, the primacy of lyrics, in comparison with a music composition of the song or the delivery of the song by way of singing by a singer. He was the only lyricist in those time, who demanded, and got, royalty for his lyrics. His fight for accepting royalty almost equal to Lata Mangeshkar is already a story laced with several colours in the annals of Hindi film music history. Many of his relationships broke down over this issue – the cases of those with Jaidev or S D Burman are the more known ones. It also remains an almost accepted fact that his association with a production banner or the music director turned out to be the most bankable instrument, as can be seen in the cases of Jaidev or N Dutta, whose careers could never reach the full potentials after their association with Sahir had ended.
Jaidev (B: 3-8-1918 | D: 6-1-1987) and Sahir Ludhianvi, both, had a common period of their youth spent in Ludhiana. So, when they got together in Joru Ka Bhai (1955) it was expected to a reunion which would be very fruitful. But, the prides of both the talented artists created the situation where the relationship remained soured from the first stage. Fate gave them another chance in Hum Dono (1961). Their work together in this film revived the hopes. But the egos clashed again in the next outing, Mujhe Jeene Do (1963), and the paths separated out. Fate intervened once again in Laila Majnu (1976) when Jaidev took up the unfinished work of Madan Mohan. But that was too late to fill up the chasm of the separation of minds.
Surmai Raat Hai Sitare Hai, Aaj Dono Jahaan Hamare Hai, Subah Ka Intezaar Kaun Kare – Joru Ka Bhai (1955) – Lata Mangeshkar – Music: Jaidev
phir yah rut yah samaaN mile na mile
aarzu kaa chaman khile na khile
vaqt kaa aitabaar kaun kare
le bhi lo ham ko apani baahoN mein
ruh bechain hai nigaaho mein
iltejaa baar baar kaun kare
nayi raat dhalati jaati hai
ruh gam se pighalati jaati hai
teri zulfoN se pyaar kaun kare
Surmai Raat Dhalati Jaati Hai, Ruh Gam Se Pighalati Jaati Hai, Teri ZulfoN Se Payar Kaun Kare, Ab Tera Intezar Kaun Kare – Joru Ka Bhai (1955) – Talat Mahmood – Music: Jaidev
tumko apna bana ke dekh liya
ek baar aazma ke dekh liyaa
baar baar aitbaar kaun kare
ae dil e zaar saugwar na ho
unki chaahat mein beqaraar na ho
badnaseeboN se pyaar kaun kare
Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar Ke Dil Abhi Bhara NahiN – Hum Dono (1961) – Mohammad Rafi, Asha Bhosle – Music: Jaidev
abhi abhi to aai ho, bahaar banake chhaai ho
havaa zara mahak to le, nazar zara bahak to le
ye shaam dhal to le zara, ye dil sambhal to le zara
maiN thodi der ji to lun, nashe ke ghunt pee to luN
nashe ke ghunt pee to luN
abhi to kuchh kaha nahiN, abhi to kuchh suna nahNi
sitare jhilamilaa uthe,
charaag jagamagaa uthe
bas ab na mujhako tokanaa …..
na badhake raah rokna
agar maiN ruk gayi abhi to jaa na paaungi kabhi
yahi kahoge tum sadaa ke dil abhi nahiN bharaa
jo khatm ho kisi jagah ye aisa silsilaa nahiN
adhuri aas, adhuri pyaas chhod ke, adhuri pyaas chhod ke
jo roz yunhi jaaogi to kis tarah nibhaaogi
ki zindagi ki raah mein, javaaN dilo ki chaah mein
kai mukaam aayenge jo ham ko aajmayenge
buraa na maano baat kaa ye pyaar hai gila nahiN
haaN, yahi kahoge tum sadaa ke dil abhi nahiN bharaa
haaN, dil abhi bharaa nahiN nahiN nahNi nahiN nahiN
Maang Mein Bhar Le Rang Sakhi …Anchal Bhar Le Taare Ke Milan Ritu Aa Gayi….Jaegi Tu Un Sang Jo Tohe Lage Pyare, Milan Ritu Aa Gayi – Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) – Asha Bhosle, Chorus – Music: Jaidev
koi chandi ke rath mein aya hai
mere babul, mere babul ki rajadhani mein
maiN use dekhati huN chhup chhup kar
ek halachal si hai jawani mein
tadake ek ek ang sakhi re
aaj khushi ke mare, milan ritu aa gayi
surkh chudaa hai meri baaho me
surkh jodaa mere badan par hai
sab ki nazarein hai mere chahare par
aur meri nazar sajan par hai
machali jaye umang sakhi ri
dhadakan kare ishaare, milan ritu aa gayi
meri doli saja rahe hai kahar
phul bikhare hue hai raahoN mein
phul bikhare hue hai raahoN mein
jinki baho ki arazu thi mujhe
jaa rahi huN maiN unaki bahoN mein
angna lage tag sakhi ri
piya jab banh pasare, milan ritu aa gayi
Raat Bhi Hai Kuchh Bhigi Bhigi, Chand Bhi Hai Kuchh Madhdham Madhdham, Tum Aao To Aankhein Khole Soyi Hui Payal Ki Chham Chham – Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) – Lata Mangeshkar – Music: Jaidev
kisko bataaeN kaise bataaeN
aaj ajab hai dil kaa aalam
chain bhi hai kuchh halkaa halkaa
dard bhi hai kuchh maddham maddham
tapte dil par yu girati hai
teri nazar se pyaar ki shabanam
teri nazar se pyaar ki shabanam
jalate hue jangal par jaise
barakhaa barase ruk-ruk tham-tham
hosh mein thodi behoshi hai
…. …… …….. ……. …..
behoshi mein hosh hai kam kam
…. …… …….. ……. …..
tujhko paane ki koshish mein
…. …… …….. ……. …..
dono jahaaN se kho gae ham
…. …… …….. ……. …..
chham-chham, chham-chham
Madan Mohan (B: 25—6-1924 | D: 14-7-1975) was another music director who did justice to the poetry of Sahir Ludhianvi, as can be seen in just one example of radiff[1] kise pesh karuN in the set of three ghazals in the same film, Ghazal (1964), viz.
Nagma-o-sher Ki Saugat Kise Pesh KaruN – Lata Mangeshkar
Ishq Ki Garmi- e-jaazbat Kise Pesh KaruN – Mohammad Rafi, and
Rang Aur Noor Ki Baraat Kise Pesh KaruN – Mohammad Rafi
Each one is as exquisitely penned by Sahir as is composed Madan Mohan.
Chand Madhdham Hai AasmaN Chup Hai, NeeNd Ki God Mein JahaaN Chup Hai – Railway Platform (1955) – Lata Mangeshkar – Music: Madan Mohan
door vaadi mein doodhiyaa baadal
jhuk ke parbat ko pyaar karte hain
dil mein naakaam hasratein lekar
ham teraa intazaar karte hain
in bahaaroN ke saaye mein aajaa
phir mohabbat javaaN rahe na rahe
zindagi tere naamuraadoN par
kal talak meharbaaN rahe na rahe
roz ki tarah aaj bhi taare
subah ki gard mein na kho jaayein
aa tere gham mein jaagti aankhein
kam-se-kam ek raat so jaayein
Jiya Kho Gaya Ho Tera Ho Gaya, Main KahuN To Kaise KahuN, Jiya Kho Gaya – Railway Platform (1955) – Lata Mangeshkar – Music: Madan Mohan
gair hai phir bhii tu mujhko apna lage
terii har baat chahat ka sapna lage
uthate uthate jhukuN, jhukte jhukte uthuN
aur takra gai do nigahein
phul se khil gaye dil se dil mil gaye
jaise milti hai manzil se rahein
mujhko apne pe bhii laaj aane lagii
main akele mein chhup chhup ke gane lagi
Mujhe Ye Phool Na De Tujhko Dilbari Ki Qasam, Ye Kuchh Nahi….Tere HothoN Ki Tajhagi Ki Qasam – Ghazal (1964) – Mohammad Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur – Music: Madan Mohan
najhar hasiN ho to jalve hasiN lagte hai
main kuch nahiN huN mujhe husn ki qasam
tu ek saaz hai chheda nahi kisi ne jise
tere badan mein chhupi narm ragini ki qasam
ye ragani tere dil mein hai mere tan mein nahi
parkhne wale mujhe teri sadgi ki qasam
gazal ka lauch hai tu najam ka shabab hai tu
yakin kar mujhe meri hi shayri ki qasam
Unse Nazarein Mili Aur Hijhab Aa Gaya, Zinagai Mein HasiN Inquilab Aa Gaya – Ghazal (1964) – Lata Mangeshkar, Minoo Purushottam – Music: Madan Mohan
bekhabar the umar ke taqaazoN se ham
hamko maalum na tha aise bhi din aayege
aayina dekhe to aap apne se sharamaayege
….. …… …… …… ……
bekhabar the umar ke taqaazo se ham
aaj jaana ki sach much shabaab aa gaya
aankh jhukati hai kyoN saans rukati hai kyoN
in savaalo ka khud se javaab aa gaya
dil ke aane ko ham kis tarah rokate
jispe aana tha khaana kharaab aa gaya
Is Reshami Pazeb Ki Zankar Ke Sadquay … Jisne Yeh Pehnai Hai Us Dildar Ke Sadquay – Laila Majnu (1976) – Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar – Music Madan Mohan
us jhulf ke qurbaN lab-o-rukhsar ke sadquay
har jalwa tha ik shola husn-e-yar ke sadquay
jawani mangati thi yeh hasin jhankar barsoN se
tamanna bun rahi thi dhadakno ke tar barsoN se
….. …… …… ……
chhup-chhup ke aanewale tere pyar ke sadquay
jawani so rahi thi husn ki rangin panaho mein
chura laye ham unke najani jalwe nigaho mein
….. …… …… …… ……….
kismat se jo huwa hai us didar ke sadquay
… ….. ……. …… ……..
us jhulf ke qurban lab-o-ruksar ke sadquay
najhar lahra rahi hai jism pe masti si chhayi hai
dubara dekhne ki shauk ne halchal machai hai
….. …… ……. ………. ……
dil ko jo lag gaya hai us ajhar ke sadquay
Ye Diwane Ki Zid Hai…Apne Diwane Ki Khatir Aa – Laila Majnu (1976) – Mohammad Rafi – Music: Jaidev
jahaN mein quais jhinda hai
to laila mar nahiN sakati
ye da’awaa aaj
duniya bhar se
manwane ke liye aa
…. ….. ….. . ….. ….. ……
tere dar se main khali laut jauN
kya qayamat hai
tu meri ruh ka kaa’aba
meri jaan-e- ibaadat hai
jhabeen-e-shauq ke
sajdon ko apnaane
ki khaatir aa
Sahir’s lyrics also spans over two decades with the common link of 1976 film Laila Majnu However, the subject of the film, Laila Majnu, and support of music of two music directors – Jaidev and Madan Mohan – who could truly lend music to his poetry, provide ample opportunity to Sahir Ludhiyanvi to maintain his elements in his lyrics even after the quite transformed period of HFM in the second half of ‘70s.
In the next episode, we will take up Sahir Ludhianvi’s romantic songs composed by R D Burman for four films they did together.
[1] Radiff (Arabic: رديف) is a rule in Persian, Turkic, and Urdu poetry which states that, in the form of poetry known as a Ghazal, the second line of all the couplets (bayts or Shers) must end with the same word/s. This repeating of common words is the “Radfif” of the Ghazal. (Source: Wikipedia)
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