Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs for Other Actors [1]

We have noted that Manna Dey’s formal association with comedy songs with the text-book comedians of the cinema roots in Manzil (1960) song Hato Kahe Ko Jhoothi Banao BatiyaN.. This certainly blazed a trail that distinguished the career of Manna Dey as well as Mehmood.  As can be expected many other music directors subsequently used Manna Dey’s voice for comedy songs with other comedians as well.

Before we fully explore this dimension, it is certainly worth its while to note that Manna Dey has recorded quite a few comedy songs for what is broadly termed as Hero in the cinemas. We begin our present, and last for the time being, leg of Manna Dey’s career journey.

Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs for Lead Actors.

We have had a multi-part series journey of Manna Dey’s Songs for the Lead Actors. Barring a few songs, we had refrained discussing Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs with Lead Actors there..

Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs for THE Kapoor Brothers

The active singing careers of some of the playback singers like Mohammad Rafi, or Kishore Kumar or Manna Dey have spread over several decades and were so potently dominant in their own times that each one having rendered playback voices for the Kapoor Brothers Trio has not attracted any attention. Manna Dey singing a comedy song for each of the three Kapoor brothers, there for does require a special mention.

Manna Dey and Raj Kapoor

Manna Dey had emerged as the principal alternative playback voice for Raj Kapoor from the very first film – Awara (1951) – of their association. It was therefore very obvious that he would get to sing special situation songs like, a sad song Tere Bina Aag Ye Chandani or sheer romantic duet Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua or very light-station dance number Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh or a song bordering to a classical comedy song Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala.

However, the first truly comedy song that Manna Dey sang for Raj Kapoor for the first time came up in Paravarish (1958)

Mama Oh Mama Oh Pyare Mama.. Gharwale Khaye Chakkar… – Paravarish (1958) – with Mohammad Rafi – Dattaram – Hasrat Jaipuri

Manna Dey was used as (almost) a default playback for Raj Kapoor in this film. So it was very natural that Manna Dey would playback to Raj Kapoor and Mohammad Rafi to Mehmood.

Next big comedy song that Manna Dey sang for Raj Kapoor came up in Dil Hi To Hai (1963)

Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Chuupaun Kaise – Dil Hi To Hai (1963) – Roshan – Sahir Ludhyanavi

It was Mukesh who was the default playback singer for Raj Kapoor in this film. However, for so strong classical rag-based comedy song, Roshan easily seems to have preferred Manna Dey

Manna Dey And Shammi Kapoor

Manna Dey had had an occasional chance to playback for Shammi Kapoor – Ab Kahan Jaye Hum – in Ujala  and a few other films, which we have covered in details in our Manna Dey – Shammi Kapoor piece earlier.

Meri Bhains Ko Dand Kyun Mara – Pagla Kahin Ka (1969) – Shankar Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

It was Shankar Jaikishan who again recalled Manna Dey for a full-fledged comedy song, filmed on Shammi Kapoor, when Mohammad Rafi had become THE ShammI Kapoor Playback voice.

Manna Dey and Shashi Kapoor

Manna Dey also had his share of Shashi Kapoor songs. It was in Pyar Kiye Ja (1966) that he gets a very light song to sing for Shashi Kapoor

Sun Le Pyar Ki Dushman Duniya – Pyar Kiye Ja (1966) – with Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle – Laxmikant Pyarelal – Rajendra Krishna

This is a cry against the tyranny of the world towards the young people in love, but presented in a lighter tone.

Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs with Other Lead Actors

We have had a detailed look at Ashok Kumar – Manna Dey Comedy Song Jaa Re Beiman Tujhe Jaan Liya (Private Secretary, 1962; Music Director – Dilip Dholakia; Lyrics – Prem Dhawan), in Ashok Kumar – Manna Dey piece @ Manna Dey and Lead Actors. So, we will be satisfied here with taking a note of that one excellent comedy songs of Manna Dey. Of course, no discussion of Manna Dey’s comedy sngs for Ashok Kumar can ever be complete without mention of Babu Samajo Ishare, Horn Pukare (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, 1958; Music – S D Burman; Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri)

One of the rarest find while working for this entire series is Manna Dey’s Comedy Song for Vijay Ananad.

O Mister, O Mister Suno Ek Baat – Agra Road (1957) – with Geeta Dutt – Roshan –  Prem Dhawan

Vijay Anand was considered to be one of the most competent drifters of the films. Picturization of the songs was his forte. He would suddenly briefly appear, in Alfred Hitchcock’s signature style, in some in  the films he directed,  His attempts to act, and that too as lead actors, have been considered to be equally rare, and by and large not very successful.

Agra Road was his first maiden such effort. The film direction was in th every able thriller film directors, (Nagina -1951– fame) Ravindra Dave.

Here Vijay Anand is seen lip-synching Manaa Dey in a very light situation dance sequence. Of course, he himself wi very seriously dressed in a full suit, a tie, shoes and all.

Manna Dey’s Comedy Songs with Other Comedians

After Hato Kahe Banao Jhoothi Batiyan (Manzil, 1960) for Mehmood, we get to listen Manna Dey’s comedy songs for full-fledged comedians in 1962 for Johnny Walker.

Manna Dey’s comedy songs for Johnny Walker

The default playback voice for Johnny Walker has always been Mohammad Rafi. Mohammad Rafi had in fact so much developed a style of throw of words that synched perfectly with Johnny Walker’s theatrics that just by listening  to a song one would know this is Johnny Walker song..

Arre Kisne Chilman Se Maara – Baat Ek Raat Ki – S D Burman – Majrooh Sultanpuri

It is probably no coincidence that it is S D Burman who has chosen to use Manna Dey for Johnny Walker, taking on a contrarian step of not using Mohammad Rafi.. In fact SDB has already used Mohamad Rafi for Johnny Walker, right in this film – Aaj Ka Din Bhi Pheeka Pheeka. However, for this classical styled mujra, S D Burman has opted for Manna Dey. S D Burman has maintained spaces for Johhny Walker’s signature theatrics, while creating one of the most iconic comedy song in the annals of Hindi film history.

We have next three songs, all composed by Kalyanji Anadji.

Mere Mehboob Mujhko – Haseena Man Jayegi (1968)  – with Asha Bhosle –  Kalyanji Ananadji – Qamar Jalalabadi

This is a masala comedy song involving a sulking ‘the other half’ with our ‘comedian’ displaying all the theatrics available in his arsenal to win her over.

Ek Anar Do Bimar – Baazi 1968   -Kalayanji Anandji – Shakeel Badayuni

The templates are so rigidly cast, that even a new combination of music director – lyricist also is not able to inject any noteworthy variation.

Haye Re Raama Raam Qasam Kaisa Aaya Ye Zamaana  – Ek Haseena Do Deewaane (1972)  -Kalyanji Anandji –  Qamar Jalalabadi,

If a film has a comedian, and that too of the order of Johnny Walker, or Mehmood, he has to be allotted one song. By now there are some standard templates typecast. Any one of that template style will be lifted up and a song will be worked out by crafting some variation here or some variation there.

We would once again to end an episode in this series by ruefully noting the sudden drop in the quality of compositions that Manna Dey had to sing as the years pass, starting always from an iconic song to end with most certainly the forgettable song.

We have one song that can help us move away from that gloom –

Munh Se Mat Laga Ye Cheez Hai Buri – Johnny Walker (9157) – with Mohammad Rafi – O P Nayyar – Hasrat Jaipuri

This is an all-Johnny Walker- Mohammad Rafi song. Manna Dey has played back for some unknown ‘on-screen’ friends. But that has not made a shade of difference to Manna Dey – he matches a note-to-note with Mohammad Rafi.

That is the beauty of a really ‘class’ composition!!

We still have one more episode-worth material for Manna Dey’s comedy songs for Other Comedians. We would take that up in our next episode.

Manna Dey and Contemporary Lead Actors – 3

We have covered Manna Dey’s songs with main stream lead actors Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Balraj Sahni, David Abraham and Bharat Bhushan in the present series till now.

Our search for Manna Dey’s songs for the lead actor has basically reached the period of second half the decade of ‘50s. From what we have seen till now, it appears that it is not incorrect to infer that his songs that have attained fame have rooted deeper his image of niche singer and his romantic songs for the lead player still hunt for a permanent association that can turn out to be game changer for his career.

With Kishore Kumar

There was a period in Kishore Kumar career where he was so active as working as the main lead actor for the films that he has  accepted some of his songs on the screen played back by Mohammad Rafi, and as we shall presently see, by Manna Dey. In each of this case, the song would invariably be a one-off case in that film, all other songs being enacted and sung by Kishore Kumar himself. That would, normally, mean that the music director has some or other valid reason for opting for the other playback singer. However, presently, we have no intention to look out for such reasons. We will be content with listing such songs within the scope of our present series.

Din Albele Pyar Ka Mausam, Chanchal Man Mein Toofan – Begunah (1957) – with Lata Mangeshkar – Shanker Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

Here we have an ideal romantic duet, once again Shanker Jaikishan choosing to use Manna Dey for such a lovely song. The song did become famous and is quite known even today. But, being filmed on Kishor Kumar, its fate as catalyst for Manna Dey being set as a lead actor’s principal voice does not help the cause. That Begunah was banned within just a few days of hitting the screen further aggravated the case.

Pahele Murgi Ke Pahele Anda Zara Soch Ke Batana – Krorepati (1961) – Shanker Jaikishan – Shailendra

Manna Dey matches Kishore Kumar’s comedy theatrics on the screen. The song is filmed as satirist comedy on the establishment. However, because of the presence of Kishore Kumar as the actor, the song does not fall into the cast of so called comedy genre that Jhonny Walker and Mahemood brought on the screen.

Ho Gayi Shaam Dil Badnam Leta Jaaye Tera Naam – Naughty Boy (1962) – With Asha Bhosle – S D Burman – Shailendra

Here too Manna Dey sounds so natural to Kishore Kumar’s acting. The song is a party song whereat Kishore Kumar resorts to his comedy acting while remaining very faithful to the romance in the lyrics of the song.

Alakh Niranajan – Haaye Mera Dil (1968) – Usha Khanna

One of those non-descript comedy songs that Manna Dey would get after getting type cast for comedy genre songs.

‘Haaye Mera Dil’ has one more Manna Dey song – a duet with Usha Khanna – Jaaneman Jaaneman Tum Din Raat Mere Saath Ho – which is filmed a club song.

With Shammi Kapoor                                                            

Shammi Kapoor’s acting career is normally divided into pre-Tumsa nahi Dekha and post-Tumsa Nahi Dekha films. If Talat Mahmood had a lion’s share for the playback songs for the former part, it was Mohammad Rafi who sang to Shammi Kapoor’s style in the latter part. We have two films which can be considered as twilight zone between these two phases.

Tangewaali (1955) has a duet with Geeta Dutt – Tina Tan Ta Tina Kisi Ne Dil Hai (Music: Salil Chaudhari; Lyrics- Prem Dhawan) –  which Shammi Kapoor ought to have lip-synched on the screen, like a genuine tonga Rafi solo cast on a punjabi folk tune, and two duets  – A Rafi-Lata duet and a Tonga-genre Hemant-Lata duet. Unfortunately, we do not have a digital link.for this Manna Dey- Geeta Dutt duet.

The second film Ujala (1959) was an idealistic socialist theme film. The two songs of the film probably would easily fit in for Manna Dey’s voice, particularly when Shankar Jaikishan have composed the music.

Ab Kahan Jaaye Dil Ye Bata  Aye Zameen, Ab Kisi Ko Kise Pe Bharosa Nahi – Lyrics: Shailendra

This again a choir-Church tune and after the success of a similar song – Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hai, Teri Ek Boond Ke Pyaase Ham (Seema 1955), choice of Manna Dey to playback for Shammi Kapoor is quite obvious. This song also went to get respect and fame.

Suraj Jara Aa Paas Aa, Aaj Sapnon Ki Roti Pakayenge Ham – Lyrics: Shailendra

The song is deeply stepped into a socialist moulid, and with Shankar Jaikishan having successfully executed  O Raat Gayi (Boot Polish, 1954) and  Dil Ka Haal Sune Dilwala (Shree 420, 1955) with Manna Dey it is again obvious that Shankar Jaikishna would repeat Manna Dey for this song, whoever would be the actor..

And it was not the sheer momentum that would have led Shankar Jaikishan to opt for two romantic, peppy duets with Manna Dey, when they had set one Mukesh – Lata duet and a Rafi-Mukeshi duet in  Mukesh and Rafi’s voice respectively for Shammi Kapoor in this film.

Jumta Mausam Mast Mahina, Chand Si Gori Ek Hasina, Ya Allah Ya Allah Dil Le Gayi– – With Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri

An excellent off-the-sets outdoor song, that is as much playful as is romantic. Manna Dey sings the song with a caressingly smooth ease.

Chham Chham Lo Suno Chham Chham, O Suno Chham Chham – With Lata Mangeshkar – Lyrics: Shailendra

Here we have a typical Shankar Jaikishan folk-dance composition, based on a fast dholak-rhythm with a violin-ensemble orchestration. Manna Dey enters at the beginning of the 1^st stanza on a very happy, positive note synching melody of the tune with the delivery of the song..

By the time Wallah Kya Baat Hai (1962) was released on the screen, Shammi Kappoor’s happy-go-lucky image formula had tasted great success @ Tumsa Nahi Dekha. Wallah Kya Baat Hai (1962) songs had naturally that Shammi-halo at the core of Shammi’s on-screen songs. Roshan suddenly opts to use Manna Dey for Shammi Kapoor in twin-version song – Katon Ke Saaye Men Phulo Ka Ghar Hai – Vallah Kya Baat Hai (1962) – Roshan – Prem Dhawan

Even when you are soaked with hugely playful Khanke To Khanke KyuN Kahanke, Raat Ko Mera Kangana or a pathos-laden Gam-E-Hasti Se Begana Hota in Mohammad Rafi’s voice, Manna Dey effortlessly slips into Shammi Kapoor’s playback in the first happy version

The second version has a pinch of worry as Shammi Kapoor seems to be in search of his child. The song varies in low to high pitch, maintain a moderately fast rhythm.

Yeh Umar Hai Kaya Rangili – Professor (1962) – Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar – Shankar Jaikishan – Hasrat Jaipuri

Young Shammi Kapoor is masquerading as an old professor, so Manna Dey(unfortunately) becomes a natural choice to playback for an old Shammi Kappor on the screen.

Tumhen Husn Deke Khuda Ne Sitamgar Banaya – Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai (1963) – With  Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle – Dattaram – Anand Baxi

Dattaram chooses Manna Dey to sing for Shammi Kapoor in this qawwali.

Chham Chham Baje Re Payaliya – Jaane Anjaane (1971) – Shankar Jaikishan – S H Bihari

Here, too, Shammi Kapoor is in a disguise of an old classical singer, so call of type-cast would befell on Manna Dey as the playback singer.

This is post-Jaikishan, post-Shailendra song, but Shankar has effortlessly maintained his hold on composing a Manna Dey song.

With Guru Dutt

In fact, to the best of the information that I could verify, most of the songs filmed on Guru Dutt have been played back by Mohammd Rafi, with Jaane Wo Kaiase Jinko Pyar Hi Pyar Mila (Pyaasa, 1957) and  Eetal Ke Ghar Mein Teetal and Umra Hui Phir Bhi Jaane Kyun (Bahurani 1963) being rendered by Hemant Kumar or Tumhi To Meri Pooja Ho (Suhagan, 1964) rendered by Talat Mehamood as only the exceptions.

However, there is one more unusual exceptional song that Manna Dey has indirectly played back for Guru Dutt. The song is Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahan Hai, which is recorded as a cover version for the officially filmed Mohammad Rafi classic in Pyaasa (1957)..

At present, we do not have any knowledge as to why this cover version will have been recorded. We have only the end result with us.

We draw curtains to our journey of Manna Dey’s songs for the lead actors, to await the opening bell for the next episode wherein we will continue with our search for Manna Dey’s songs with the second-generation lead actors like Raj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sunil Dutt, Manoj Kumar etc.