Fading Memories…. Unforgettable Songs: September 2022

(Shankar-) Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri’s Songs Fading From the Memory: 1963

Hasrat Jaipuri (a.k.a. Iqbal Hussain) – B: 15-4-1922 | D: 17-9-1999 – is probably a lyricist who worked with maximum number of big and small composers ever since he joined RK team (and was allowed to do ‘outside’ work) till he passed away in 1999. And that never affected his bond with Shankar-Jaikishan-Shailendra team bond. It is said that his first ever song, Jiya Beqarar Hai, recorded for Barsaat (1949) was set to Music by Shankar whereas the second one Chhod Gaye Balam was composed by Jaikishan.

The success of Barsaat led to a deluge of work and division of work among each one was a necessity of the day. The inherent individual preferences lead Shankar to compose Shailendra’s songs and Jaikishan (a.k.a. Jaikishan Dahyabhai Panchal) – B: 4 November 1929 | D: 12 September 1971] to compose Hasrat Jaipuri’s songs.

During ‘50s too there are several films where Shankar(-Shailendra) songs outnumbered Jaikishan (-Hasrat Jaipuri) Songs. When such instances did happen, Jaikishan continued to lead his natural bent of orchestration. However, in minefield like film industry where every success would attract envy from outside competition, it cannot be expected to be unusual for strong friendship, or even professional, relationships to get infected by the natural human jealousy to weaken and fall apart.

By the 60s, extremely heavy workloads, coupled with such negative external pressures had gradually led Shankar and Jaikishan virtually work individually under the umbrella of Shankar Jaikishan brand. However, there is no denying that pair of Shankar and Jaikishan as composers, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri as lyricists had almost perfect bonding as team, till first the death of Shailendra (1966) and then that of Jaikishan (1971) finally loosened up that never-to-be-loosening four-way bond. It should also be noted here that even after the death of Jaikishan Shankar continued work solo under the flag of Shankar Jaikishan brand only.

But, these inherent or otherwise internal preferences or differences is the not our subject. In the month of Jaikishan’s birth, and Hasrat Jaipuri’s death, we have undertaken to refresh our memories of (Shankar) Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri’s Songs Fading From the Memory on this platform. After we launched the series in 2017, we have covered the years

1949 -1954 in 2017

1955 – 1957 in 2018

1958 – 1959 in 2019,

1960 -1961 in 2020, and

1962 in 2021.

Presently, we will take up (Shankar) Jaikishan and Hasrat Jaipuri’s Songs the Memory for the year 1963. Some of the songs certainly have not faded out from our memory but do need to be taken note of in the context of so-called widening rift between Shankar and Jaikishan.

1963

Shankar Jaikishan had three films – Dil Ek Mandir, Ek Dil Sau Afsane and Hamrahi – in 1963. Dil Ek Mandir and Ek Dil Sau Afsane each had 7 songs, for each of which Shailendra had 4 and Hasrat Jaipuri had 3 songs. Hamrahi had 8 songs of which Hasrat Jaipuri had 5 and Shailendra had 3.

Dil Ek Mandir was a remake of Tamil film Nenjil Ore Ayalam (1962). The whole picture was completed in just 27 days only., and probably the SJ-Shailendra-Hasrat team only could come up with such outstanding musical score in so short a time. Their one big asset was that they could deliver excellent quality despite the challenges of time or quantity. Incidentally, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar won Filmfare awards under different categories and Arjun Dev Rasq for the dialogues.

Hum Tere Pyar Mein Saara Aalam Kho Baithe Hain, Tum Kahate Ho Ke Aise Pyar Ko Bhul Jao – Lata Mangeshkar

Hasrat Jaipuri comes up lyrics that we normally would not associate with his light romantic songs. Let us look at them in details…..

panchhi se chhudakar uska ghar, tum apne ghar par le aaye
ye pyar ka pinjara man bhaaya, hum ji bhar bhar kar musakaye
jab pyar hua is pinjare se, tum kahne lage aazaad raho
hum kaise bhulaye pyar tera, tum apni jubaan se ye na kaho
ab tumsa jahaan me koi nahi hai, hum to tumhare ho baithe

is teri charan ki dhool se hum ne apni jiwan maang bhari
jab hi to suhaagan kahlaayi, duniya ki najar mein pyaar bani
tum pyar ki sundar moorat ho, aur pyar hamari puja hai
ab in charno mein dam nikle, bas itni aur tamanna hai
hum pyar ke gangaajal se balam ji tan man apna dho baithe

sapnoN ka darpan dekha tha, sapnoN kaa darpan tod diya
ye pyar ka aanchal humne to daaman se tumhare baandh liya
ye aisi gaanth hain ulfat ki, jisko naa koi bhi khol saka
tum aan base jab is dil mein, dil fir to kahi na dol saka
o pyar ke saagar hum teri laharo mein naaw dubo baithe

Here is the Tamil version of the song, Sonnathu neethaanaa.. sol sol, which incidentally too has a story of the lyricist coming up with the lyrics almost instantaneously.

Aside Trivia:

Even though such comparisons should never be done, one may still listen to Shankar-Shailendra composition, Ruk Ja Raat Thahar Jaa Re Chanda, to feel how seamlessly the quartet used to work.

Yahan Koi Nahi Tera Mere Siva Kaheti Hai Jhoomati Gaat Hawa Tum Sab Ko Chhod Ke Aa Jao – Mohammad Rafi

Decorated with rich prelude and Mohammad Rafi’s Rajendra Kumar-like histrionics the song is tailor-made to Rajendra Kuamr’s acting style

Dil Ek Mandir Hai. Pyar Ki Jis Mein Hoti Hai Puja Yeh Pritam Ka Ghar Hai – Mohammad Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur, chorus

The song opens with a high-pitched Sakhi, jane wale kabhi nahi aate jane wale ki yaad aati hai, in Rafi’s signature style. However, the rest of the song is another proof, if that is ever needed, for Hasrat Jaipuri’s depth of poetry:

har dhadkan hai aarti bandhan aankh jo michi ho gaye darshan
mout mita de chahe hasti yaad to amar hai

hum yadoN ke phul chdhayein aur aansuoN ke dip jalayein
sansoN ka har tar pukare ye prem nagar hai

Skillfully playing with ups and downs of one-an-half scale weave, the song also epitomizes Jaikishan creativity in the form of use of chorus as countermelody.

Aside Trivia:

The Tamil version of the song, Oruvar vaazhum aalayam, would also show how the SJ music team has creatively reconstructed the song in the Hindi version with their own trademark style.

Ek Dil Sau Afsane had Madhubala in the lead originally. The shooting had started in 1959, but Madhubala’s worsening heart condition left the progress of the film incomplete. Waheeda Rehman was then brought in the lead female role and all the relevant shots were re-filmed.

Ek Dil Aur Sau Afsane Haye Muhabbat Haye Zamane – Lata Mangeshkar

Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra easily switched to role of writing title songs as well.

Jaikishan provides the song with their trademark violin ensemble orchestration with melodious mixing with other instruments.

Urdu words mixed Hasrat Jaipuri’s lyrics do attract the attention.

dil jo na hota kuch bhi na hota, aankh na roti aur dard na uthta
apna ye daman bol bhi gata, kaun kisi ke pyar mein yuN khota

dil jo lagaya chain na paya, sare jahaN ka iljam uthaya
gake sunaye apna tarana, ye to janam janam se hota hi aaya

tu meri manjil pyar ka sahil, jauN kidhar main hai tu hi muqabil
o mere hamdam ek hai mushqil, kar ke rahenge hum tujhko hi hasil

Aside Trivia:

Shankar Jaikishan normally used to reserve one song in every film with extra-large orchestrion. In the present case, its Shankar who has composed such a song with his trademark ‘waltz’ dance rhythm , Dur Ke O Chanda Aa Meri BaahoN Mein Aa, on the lyrics by Shailendra. One more example was how seamlessly the quartet worked.

Kuchh Sher Sunata Hoon Main, Jo Tumse Mukhaatib Hain, Ek Husn Pari Dil Mein Hai, Ye Unse Mukhaatib Hai – Mukesh

In so far as the use of Urdu, the song can be easily identified with Hasrat Jaipuri. However, what is really noteworthy is its synchronization in creating the mood of a party song with an undertone of pathos – the trade mark Raj Kapoor’s depiction of Charlie Chaplin on the Hindi screen,

Aside Trivia:

Shankar- Shailendra take the role of creating a light-mood song in  Suno Ji Suno Hamari Bhi Suno

O Jadoogar Pyar Ke Ye Bata Dil Mera KyuN Tera Ho Gaya   – Lata Mangeshkar

Normally it is believed that a dance song is reserved for Shankar, but in the present case it is Jaikishan-Hasrat Jaipuri who step in the role, with all the trappings of Jaikishan’s orchestrations style.

Hamrahi (1963) may be seen as a signal in the trend of Jaikishan charting his independent course., after Jab Pyar Kis Sse Hota Hai (1961) where Shankar has composed just two songs. Of course, during 50s, there are many a film wherein Jaikishan would have a couple of songs in a film, But the rumor mill of industry had not sense anything wrong then.

Well. Well, to step into this quicksand of controversy is not our subject. So we would rather stick to our course and take up the songs for more attention.

It was perhaps Shankar Jaikishan who had provided the medium to Rajendra Kumar for rise to the level of Jubilee Kumar. These films were set to a very fixed template – Rajendra Kumar would be attracted by the charm of the heroine, sing a song in  the garden while teasing her, to which she would scorn at the beginning of the song but would fully fall into the love with Rajendra Kumar, then would follow a duet of that manifested the agreement, some or other thing would go wrong, the dual would fall apart, Rajendra Kumar would now get to sing a sad song in some forlorn place, and then everything would end well in the end.

Hamrahi was the film that used that template faithfully, and did succeed too, of course.

Main Albela Jawaan Hoon Rangila, Aye Dil Manzil Hai Pyar Ki, Jhoom Jhoom GauN NazaroN Pe ChhauN, Sanam Mehfil Bahar Ki – Mohammad Rafi

The song is supposed to set the stage for presenting us with a young man who is just care-free, even in the case of his dealings with the girls. Just as most of dames Rajendra Kumar sings the song do not fall into the trap, the poor cinegoer has to coast along with story line.

Woh Chale Jatak Ke Daman, Meri Arzoo Mitake – Mohammad Rafi

This the song genre that Shankar Jaikishan had almost patented for Rajendra Kumar’s eve-teasing formula, with Mohammad Rafi joining in with his unique- Rajendra-Kuamr-like histrionic singing style.

Mujhko Apne Gale Lagalo Aye Mere Hamrahi – Mohammad Rafi, Mubarak Begum

There many stories circulating about (Shankar)Jaikishan’s choice of Mubarak Begum for the song. However nowhere do we get a clue how Jaikishan would have ever thought of Mubarak Begum only for the song. Be that as it may, Jaikishan has not only set up a high pedestal for Mubarak Begum but has also set a higher benchmark for duets as well.

Woh Din Yaad Karo, Woh Chhupke Milna, Woh Hasana Hasana, Woh Din Yaad Karo –  Mohammd Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar

Mahmood and Shohha Khote were also a popular pir that would contribute to the box-office success of the film. They would generally be provided with a very decent song sequence too which they would enact so naturally as well.

Yeh Aansoo Mere Dil Ki Zabaan Hai, Main RouN To Ro Dein Aansoo, Main Has DuN To Has Dein Aansoo – Mohammad Rafi

The song on its own is a perfect outcome from the sad song mold that Shankar Jaikishan had designed for Rajendra Kumar.

Whether Hamrahi can be seen as early straw in the wind that portends the beginning of diminishing return for Shankar Jaikishan for their overdependence on “Shammi Kapoor” or Rajendra Kumar” image formula template?

We await for the next episodes to validate the hypothesis…..

We will continue remembering Unforgettable Songs that seem to Fading away from our Memories every second Sunday of the month next year too……..

Disclaimer: All images are sourced from net. All copyrights of the respective image remain with the original owner of the image.