This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
This is the 22nd and the last song of the series ” VINTAGE KISHORE “. This song is also the last song of Kishore from the film- Muqaddar-50. The Music Director is Bhola Shreshtha.
The series had started on 17-12-2013 with a song from Muqaddar and it is ending also with a song from the same film. There were 22 songs that Kishore sung in his early days. With this song ALL Kishore songs of 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952 have been covered in this Blog. Though the plan was to cover all songs upto the end of 1953, we could not do so as many of these songs are not available on You Tube or elsewhere. Thus we have missed 10 songs of 1952 and 5 songs of 1953. Instead 4 songs of 1954 were included.
Out of the songs featured in the series, my personal favourites are the first two songs,i.e. 1) aati hai yaad hum ko Janwary Farwary and 2) Subah ki pahli kiran, from films muqaddar and Andolan respectively.
The journey of Kishore Kumar on the path of becoming a singer was full of mostly downs rather than ups. The rare occasions of Ups were when he got to sing 7 out of 11 songs in film “Chham chhama chham” and 3 out of 5 songs in the film Naukari. The latter was more satisfying because the film had a grudging composer,Salil Chaudhari, who needed lot of cajoling and convincing by Kishore’s well wishers to allow him to sing in the film.
From an early age, Kishore was drawn towards singing and he used to imitate the then famous singer, Kundan Lal Saigal, who reigned as a singer actor. Those were the days when actors sang their songs themselves. Today, however, actors just lip sync to the singer on screen.
Kishore was a very versatile singer but even the best of music directors of that era were not convinced of his genius and so had to wait for more than 20 years, after he set foot in the Hindi flim industry, before he could bag recognition for singing with the first of his coveted awards.
Kishore never had any sort of formal training in music, whatsoever. But from an early age, he could be found singing and humming to himself. Most critics, since they knew of his lack of formal training, were of the common view that he could not sing classical, gazals, qawwalis or bhajans. These genres of singing required one to have a classical base in singing. They accepted that he could only sing straightforward fast numbers.
It’s true that these type of songs were his forte and he excelled in these genre of songs. But he was a born genius and born with the talent to sing any type of song.
Kishore Kumar did not have to struggle for work in the film industry because of his brother Ashok Kumar’s connections. He started out as a chorus singer for films made by “Bombay talkies” a film company that produced films. Ashok Kumar was also employed by this company. In those days, actors and musicians were employed by film companies unlike today.
Simultaneously, he started getting offers to act in films, the first being “Shikari” in 1946 when he was about 17. However, in 1948, he got an offer to sing his first solo song for the film “Ziddi”. You can see that he is imitating his idol, K.L.Saigal, when you listen to him in this song. Since he started getting offers to sing, Kishore shifted base to Mumbai (the erstwhile Bombay) in 1949. Mumbai is the hub of the Indian film industry, even today.
He started getting offers to act in films. Since his brother was keen that he should become an actor Kishore took up these offers but his mind was not into being an actor.
S.D.Burman, the musical genius saw the latent singing talent in Kishore and advised him to break out of his K.L.Saigal fixation and develop his own singing style. Kishore’s associated with Burman saw him singing for all songs of Dev Anand’s films where Burman provided music in the 50′s and the 60′s.
Early on in his career, Kishore developed a penchant for yodelling, an art he took to when he listened to the gramophone records of Tex Morton and Jimmie Rodgers, at his brother’s place. He incorporated yodelling into most of his songs and so successfully that these songs would sound spiritless, bereft of his yodelling.
In his career, Kishore sang for all the actors, new and established, singing all genres of songs, ghazals, fast, slow, bhajans, comedy, sad, happy, semi classical, folk etc. His voice was manly, effervescent, bubbly, joyful, sad, and expressed all shades of emotions as the song demanded.
Kishore never smoked or drank, never socialized and had very few friends. He was a recluse preferring his solitude over these film parties. Like true geniuses, he was labelled an eccentric and there are numerous instances of his oddities of behaviour that are legends.
But in spite of all the eccentricities and oddities of behaviour Kishore had a lot of goodness in him. He helped a lot of people financially. Like a few instances here show:
He recorded free even when producers were willing to pay like for the superstar Rajesh Khanna and Danny Denzongpa.
He helped producer Bipin Gupta with an aid of Rs 20000, to help him out with the film “Dal Mein Kala” in 1964. In those days this was a princely sum.
And when a lesser known singer/composer and his cousin, Arun Kumar Mukherjee died, Kishore used to regularly send money to his family just because Arun Kumar was one of the first persons to recognise Kishore kumar’s talent for singing.
He never forgot those who had helped him in any way.” ( adapted with thanks from Encyclopedia of Indian films).
The cast of Muqaddar-1950 included actor Krishnakant (Krishnakant Maganlal Bukhanwala),known popularly as KK only. He was a Radio and Electrical Engineer, but started working in Rooptara studios. He worked as assistant director to Nitin Bose, Arvind Sen and Subodh Mukherjee also. Starting his acting career in film Paraya Dhan-1943, he had acted in many films with Kishore Kumar,like Muqaddar, Andolan, Dhobi Doctor, Naukari,B andi, Dilli ka thug, Begunah etc. He acted in 109 Hindi films, 16,Gujarati, 2 Bangla and 2 English movies. He also acted in 8 Hindi and 6 Gujarati TV serials plus acted in 1 Hindi and 7 Gujarati Dramas. He has directed 2 Hindi and 13 Gujarati films as well as 3 Hindi TV serials.
Born on 15th September 1922, KK’s journey of filmline is a mix of old and new. He has worked with all Top stars and has been an object of their respect and love due to his good nature. He has written a book ” Guzra huwa Zamana”, in Gujarati. It is edited by shri Biren Kothari ji. A copy of his book is, very kindly, gifted to me by Biren ji and his brother Urvish Kothari ji.
Being in Mumbai for so long, I can manage reading and understanding Gujarati reasonably well. This book is a gold mine of information on Old film studios, Directors, stars and films from 40s to 80s. The language of the book is so flowing that the reader can not put down the book without reading it completely.
Film Muqaddar was produced by Bombay Talkies. KK had been with Bombay Talkies from 1945 to 1951 and was a witness to all films made in this period. See how he describes Bombay Talkies,in his book- ( a free translation from Gujarati)..
” In those times, New Theatres,Sagar,Ranjit,prabhat.Bombay talkies etc film studios were operating with their own studios and equipments. Himanshu Rai and his wife Devika Rani had established Bombay Talkies in 1934,in Malad,a suburb of Bombay. The studio was hardly 10 minutes distance from the station.
When you enter from the main gate ,on the right side was a hugh Laboratory. On the left were a big Carpentry workshop,setting dept.,moulding dept.,Godown etc. Go ahead and Studio no 1 is on the right side.In the centre a very big marble Bungalow housed various offices.On entering,you could see a bust of Himanshu Rai-garlanded daily- and the Reception office.On the upper floor,different Directors and their Units had offices.One portion of the floor was reserved for the residence of the german Cameraman Joseph Warsching. In 1934,Himanshu Rai had called all Technicians from Germany. When the II world war started,except Joseph,all other Germans left for Germany. Joseph had done such wonderful camera work for Kamaal Amrohi’s ‘ Mahal”-49,that in 1971,even for ” Paakiza”, Amrohi called Joseph as a Cameraman !
Joseph and his wife were very good natured and friendly and so were very popular in the BT staff. On the back side of the ground floor, was a very big Canteen for the workers and staff. They had a concession to sign the daily bills and settle the account once they got the salaries,on every first of the month.
In the open space there was a hugh garden, a Dispensary and 3 studio floors. There was a Cricket pitch also,because Bombay Talkies had their own Cricket team. ”
The book goes on to tell various anecdotes and plenty of information bits. All in all,it is an excellent chronicle of Film History,from one who has been there in those times. Thanks to KK ji for recording these things for the posterity.
So,finally we come to the end of the series ” VINTAGE KISHORE “. Thanks for being with me and hoping to come back with yet another series….may be….!
to me
Song-Ghar ke maalik ghar nahin hamen kisi ka dar nahin (Muqaddar)(1950) Singers-Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhonsle, Arunkumar Mukherji, Lyrics-Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, MD-Bhola Shreshtha
Male chorus
Kishore Kumar + Asha Bhonsle
All together
Lyrics
hey ae ae
jo karna hai so karlo aaj
apna ghar hai
apna raaj
ghar ke maalik ghar nahin
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
hoy
ghar ke maalik ghar nahin
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
haan aan aan aan
haan aan aan aan aan aan aan aan
hoy
ghar ke maalik ghar nahin
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
bhaaji waali
aaja teri gadbad ghotaali
le lo le lo le lo le lo
bhaaji laayi hoon maharaj
bhaaji laayi hoon maharaj
kya hai teri tokariya mein
arre kya le aayi aaj
laal laal tamaatar laayi
hare hare karele
aay haay karele
chikne chikne baingan laayi
jo chaahe so le le
bhaaji laayi hoon maharaj
bhaaji laayi hoon maharaj
he ae ae ae
he tokariya baje ??
?? ho
naach chhokariya
hile kamariya
ho kamariya
baje ghunghariya ho
jogi najariya bachaana
bachaana
mera husn hai atom bomb ji
bachke rehna
mohe na chhoona
main bijli ka taar re
le ja mere ghar se
apne prem ki motor car aar aar aar re
paan paan paan paan paan paan
raste se tujhko hataaungi
bhagaaungi
main karke pam pam pam ji
chhi chhi chhi chhi chhi chhi chhi
o sone waale topidaar
khabardar
hoshiyaar
kya laayi albeli naar
main to aayi hoon banke bahaar
rapat huyi bela
ho le le albela
phir lage prem ka mela
duniya do din ki
ho duniya do din ki
ho
duniya do din ko
jee wo chaar ki
ho
duniyaa chhe din
ho duniya saat din ki
dekh malaniya ghar hai mera
nahin ye company baag
malaniya
nahin ye company baag
hmm
ghar ke maalik chale gaye
to lagi prem ki aag
lagi prem ki aag
prem hamaara dekh dekh ke
jalte ho kyun lala
pyaar ki handiya hamne pakaayi
padne do garam masala
padne do ji garam masaala
ho pakodimal lala
ho pakodimal lala
ho
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
ghar ke maalik ghar nahin
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
ho
ghar ke maalik ghar nahin
hamen kisi ka dar nahin
