Shair Aur Sargam

(Shakeel) Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)

Most of the following write up appeared in one of my earlier postings to this Forum...

This outstanding achievement in Hindi film history started when Guru Dutt bought the rights from Bimal Mitra whose novel was the basis of this movie. The movie was made in Bengali earlier in 1956 and was a success. It was directed by Kartik Chatopadhyay and starred Uttam Kumar as Bhootnath (Guru played it in Hindi) and Sumitra Devi as Chhoti Bahu (Meena Kumari in an unforgettable performance lived the role in Hindi).

Bimal Mitra was hired to work with Abrar Alvi, a lifelong friend and associate of Guru, who eventually also directed the movie. Mitra translated with the help of Alvi the Bengali novel into Hindi and Urdu. At Guru’s advice, Alvi taped the entire Urdu script in his own voice to get a sense of dramatic appeal the story offers.

Raj Khosla, who worked as an assistant to Guru and got his first break as a director with Guru’s “C.I.D. (1956)”, said that if “Pyaasa” was based on thoughts and deep rooted feelings of Guru’s youth, “Ghulam” showed the maturity of an artist that resulted in an immaculate film.

Guru Dutt originally considered Shashi Kapoor to play the role of Bhootnath. Then he changed his mind and considered Biswajeet for the role. As often is the case with Guru, he changed his mind again and settled himself to play the role. Guru gave a dignified performance by bringing a great deal of pathos and sincere sensitivity to the character. Rehman, his longtime friend from Prabhat Studios days and who has worked with him earlier in two of his very successful movies (“Pyaasa” in 1957 and “Chaudhvin ka Chand” in 1960), was brought in to play the role of Chhote Babu. Rehman was just marvelously natural and was very unforgettable in the character he played. For Manjhle Babu, Guru cast Sapru, again an old friend from Prabhat days. Interestingly, Sapru’s character spoke only once in the entire movie. This was done deliberately. It was felt that his silence should create a menacing and sinister presence the role called for. Indeed it was.

Guru originally wanted Nargis to play the role of Chhoti Bahu. Nargis excused herself saying that she was retired from acting. But most film people are of the opinion that Nargis rejected Guru’s offer because Guru dropped the movie “Raaz” he was making with Sunil Dutt, and didn’t even inform him. He also considered a London-based lady named Chhaya, who was a friend’s wife. Because she had no prior acting experience, he dropped that idea. Finally he turned to Meena Kumari. This was almost like a stroke of genius. Meenaji brought a unique perspective, silent dignity, solemn suffering, sincere subtlety, and unique depth to the character. Her stunning portrayal of the rebellious spirit of Chhote Bahu she forcibly put forth will be remembered for ages to come. Meenaji was only 32 at the time, and was going through some rough period in her life herself. In Vinod Mehta’s biography, “Meena Kumari”, the author quotes a paragraph from her diary that illustrates how she was obsessed with the character she was portraying. She wrote, “This woman is troubling me a great deal. All day long – and a good part of the night – it is nothing else but Chhoti Bahu’s helplessness, Chhoti Bahu’s sorrows, Chhoti Bahu’s smiles, Chhoti Bahu’s hopes, Chhoti Bahu’s tribulations, Chhoti Bahu’s endurance, Chhoti Bahu’s, Chhoti Bahu’s, Chhoti Bahu’s … Oh! I am sick of it.” For her performance of a lifetime, Meenaji won the Best Actress Filmfare ward. She was also nominated the very same year in the same category for her portrayals in “Aarti” and “Main Chhup Rahoongi”.

Guru initially wanted S.D. Burman to score the music for the film. But Burmanda was indisposed and wasn’t available. Guru also offered Sahir Ludhianvi to write the lyrics. But Sahir declined the offer. Then he turned to Hemant Kumar to compose the music and Shakeel, who worked with him in “Chaudhvin Ka Chand”, to write the lyrics. The score probably was one of the best score ever provided by Hemantda. The delicate, fine, and the haunting quality of the songs all have that Hemantda’s imprint on them. (The song “Na Jaao Saiyyaan” was itself based on Hemantda’s original Bengali song, “Oliro Katha Sune”.) One of the highlights of the score was that not just the songs were simply superb, but also the highly atmospheric background music. The aura of tragedy, the scars of loneliness, the frustrations raised out of neglect and rejection, these moods are all given expression in the background score with that deeply affecting melancholic touch. An eerie feeling, just like the one Hemantda gave music to one of his own films that very same year, “Bees Saal Baad”. For all his magnificent efforts Hemantda was not even nominated for any awards!

Originally it was Geetaji who was supposed to sing all the songs in the movie. But she and Guru were having serious marital problems during the shooting of this film. Guru tried to commit suicide during the filming of the movie. In a desperate situation, he decided not to have Geetaji sing any songs for the film. This was eventually resolved with Geetaji singing three songs, all for Meenaji. Interestingly these three are some of the magnificent songs ever sung by Geetaji. Her personal life at this stage was not much different from the songs for which she was singing for, that of the character of Chhoti Bahu. Sometime ago, our fellow member Aditya Pant wrote a nice article about how the lives of Meenaji and Geetaji mirrored each other. This can be seen at the following link:

http://www.geetadutt.com/blog/?p=559

Guru Dutt had the habit of sending his associates to theaters to observe audience reactions when his movies were released. When his associates informed him about the public uproar about two scenes in the movie, he decided to replace them. One of the scenes is where Chhoti Bahu rests her head in Bhootnath’s lap out of an affectionate affinity. The other scene was in which Chhoti Bahu tells her husband to allow her to take the last sip of liquor for the last time because she has decided to give it up completely. Based on audiences’ reaction, Guru decided to reshoot those scenes immediately. He asked Meenaji to be back for a reshoot from Lonavla where she was shooting for another movie. Rehman was also called back. Guru had all the film reels in Bombay replaced with the new prints. The last scene was replaced with a paralyzed Chhote Babu repenting his decadent ways. In the original release, the movie ends with a song by Hemantda himself, “Saahil Ki Taraf”, while Chhote Bahu was riding the carriage. The song was completely deleted from the movie. However, Hemantda reused the same tune for Hrishida’s classic “Anupama (1966)” for the song “Yaa Dil Ki Suno Duniyaawaalo”.

Guru originally considered both Nitin Bose and Satyen Bose to direct the film. He changed his mind and decided to give his friend Alvi a break as a director. It was Abrar Alvi’s first and only film as a director. Even though many people think it was Guru who ghost directed the movie, Alvi Saab in his own book “Ten Years with Guru Dutt – Abrar Alvi’s Journey”, written by Sathya Saran, says that it was his effort all the way. In an interview, Waheeda Rehman, who had a principal role in the film, claimed that “It was not really directed by Guru Dutt. Of course, he did help Mr. Alvi throughout but this was because the two were close friends, and he wanted to give Mr. Alvi a chance to direct the film.” She continued that “I’m sure he helped quite a bit, but then any director, when giving a film to a colleague, does take interest and lend a hand of support.” Finally she concluded that “Guru Dutt did not direct the film”.

Abrar Alvi, who passed away two years ago in November 2009, did admit of help from Guru in the picturization of the songs. For those who are familiar with Guru’s work, can easily see his stamp all over the movie including picturization of the songs. But let us not take any credit away from Alvi Saab. He made a magnificent movie that generations will remember. Guru never got any award as a film director, but Alvi was recognized with the Best Film Director award for that year by the Filmfare magazine.

The movie was shot partly in a haveli forty miles from Kolkata in a place called Dhankuria. It was an old haveli with approximately 50 rooms in it. The mansion with huge pillars and a huge garden was a perfect setting for the movie. At Guru’s request, Alvi spent several months studying habits of zamindars by staying with some of them in and near Kolkata. Bhanumati, who was an illustrator and designer for the “Eve’s Weekly” magazine, was hired to design costumes.

The movie also won a Filmfare Award as the Best Picture of the year. V.K. Murty’s brilliant photography won him the Best Photography Filmfare Award. The movie also won the President’s Silver Award. It entered the Berlin Film Festival in 1963. India had another entry for that festival, the same year, Satyajit Ray’s “Jalsaghar”. Guru, Abrar, and Waheeda attended the festival. Meena Kumari was invited but could not attend because her husband, Kamal Amrohi, declined to go. Guru had much admiration for Ray that he expressed time and again. Interestingly both movies, his and Ray’s, showed the zamindari life in a specific period of time in Bengal. Ray’s film reflected dignified and cultured zamindari life whereas Guru’s film showed sinful and decadent way of the same set of people. Guru’s movie did o’t make any waves at Berlin. Later it was also entered Oscars in the Best Foreign Film category. But Oscar Awards Committee members also did not think much of the movie. It really does not matter. It still is one of the best movies made in this country. India Times magazine rates it as the best top 25.

Here are the last few words about Meenaji’s unforgettable performance. A critic in Upperstall.com wrote this about Meenaji’s memorable performance. “ … Her portrayal of Chhoti Bahu is perhaps the greatest performance ever seen on the Indian Screen. The sequence where Chhoti Bahu dresses for her husband singing ‘Piya Aiso Jiya Mein’ is a poignant exploration of a woman's expectations and sexual desire. And later on when she has become a desperate alcoholic, you cannot help but cry with her in the sequence where she pleads with her husband to stay with her and then angrily turns on him to tell him how she has prostituted her basic values and morals to please him. However the common factors between the actress's life and Chhoti Bahu are too dramatic to be merely coincidental - The estranged marital relationship, the taking of alcohol, turning towards younger male company, the craving to be understood and loved - all elements evident in Meena Kumari's own life …”

I am uploading all the songs, some specials and instrumentals in two back-to-back posts. The first post contains all the songs from the film. The second post contains specials and instrumentals.

Here are the songs starting in the next post…

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) - Post 1 (Songs)

Here are all the songs from this beautiful album...

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) - Post 2 (Specials & Instrumentals)

Here are some specials and instrumentals of some of the songs from the film...

(Anand Bakshi) Lootera (1965)

The central theme of this film was lifted from the Hollywood 1958 movie “The Vikings”. The English film starred Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. In the Hindi film these roles were reprised by Prithviraj Kapoor and Dara Singh. Whereas the English film is considered a classic, unfortunately the Hindi film is simply atrocious and trashy. Kapoor Saab in his role was simply unwatchable. His histrionics were too theatrical and the dialogues were unintelligible. Because there are no high expectations from Dara Singhji, though bearable, he had a full song donned as a woman that was the height of what can be considered as simply ludicrous.

But there is one bright light in these proceedings. That is the music of Laxmikant & Pyarelal. Their music was simply outstanding. With the support of great lyrics by Bakshi Saab, Lataji brought to life several melodious songs. This team of LP, Anand Bakshi and Lataji went on to give one chartbuster after other for many more years.

I am uploading songs from this film in two back-to-back posts. Here are the songs in the first set…

Concluding Songs from "Lootera (1965)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this beautiful album...

(Hasrat) Patrani (1956)

Songs from this film were recently uploaded in this very thread. They are available starting at the following location...

http://www.hamaraforums.com/index.php?show...4658&st=768

(Rajinder Krishan) Jahan Mile Dharti Akash (1968)

I am re-uploading two songs from this unreleased film on request...

(Javed Akhtar) Sardari Begum (1996)

This drama was directed by Shyam Benegal about a woman who pursues her dream to become a singer against all odds facing her. Its music is mostly classical and there are some excellent songs in it. The movie won National Awards for Kiron Kher, Rajeshwari Sachdev (who played the daughter of Kher), and its producers Amit Khanna and Mahesh Bhatt.

In spite of all the accolades and awards I felt the movie overall was a letdown. I expected a lot because with Benegal at the helm one is seldom disappointed. My problem is that the central character’s role was not etched well enough to have empathy for her.

Music is definitely the highlight of the film. Several songs are repeated, sometimes piecemeal throughout the film. Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar is a pleasant surprise. I am not sure why she did not get more opportunities to sing. A note on the song “Ghir Ghir Aaye”. This appeared three times in the film. All three times, in piecemeal, it had two singers. Yet in the CD version, this song is a solo by Arati. I am including all versions of this song and others from the film in two back-to-back posts. Here is the first set of songs…

Concluding Songs from "Sardari Begum (1996)"...

Here are the rest of the songs from this fine album...

(Majrooh) Lajwanti (1958)

Here is a movie which shows to prove that even a well-educated man can ruin his own life and those around him when he is clouded by baseless suspicion. The movie won the National Film Award for the Best Regional Film. It was also entered in the Best Picture category at the 1959 Cannes Festival. In spite of these accolades and with great Nargis taking the center stage, in this day of age and norms, it is difficult to swallow this type of premise as the main theme of a movie.

But one thing remains ageless in this movie. Once again Burmanda proves why he was such a great music director. With Asha at top of her form and Majrooh Saab at his lyrical best, almost all songs come out well and worth remembering. I am uploading these in two back-to-back posts. Here is the first set of songs…

Concluding Songs from "Lajwanti (1958)"...

Here are the rest of the beautiful songs from this fine album...

Sure thing Soumik. I will do the best I can. Please only few requests at a time. Thanks. Cheers. -S

This post has been edited by swarapriya: Mar 16 2014, 12:06 PM

(Rajinder Krishan) Jashan (1955)

Here are all the songs except one from this album. The missing song is shown in red italics in the table below. I am requesting members to share this song if they can. Thank you.

Now for the songs...