Parody songs: Part 1

2 March 2018

Wishing the readers a very Happy Holi

(I have been compiling parody songs for a while, when I got a mail from Ashok M Vaishnav that he has also been doing such a list, and whether he could write a guest article for SoY on this. No one does compilation and analysis better than him, but he very generously allowed me to go ahead with my article. His list has been very useful. Therefore, I start with acknowledging and thanking Ashokji. – AK)

ParodyAs is commonly known, parody is an exaggerated imitation of a person, song, literature or performance to produce a comic effect. It seems parody has existed from the earliest days of dramatic performance. Wikipedia states that according to Aristotle, Hegemon of Thasos was the inventor of a kind of parody; by slightly altering the wording in well-known poems he transformed the sublime into the ridiculous. In ancient Greek literature, a parodia was a narrative poem imitating the style and prosody of epics “but treating light, satirical or mock-heroic subjects”. The ancient Indian treatise on dramaturgy, Natyashstra by Bharat Muni, is of similar antiquity. Though it mentions Prahasan as one of the ten types of play, from its definition it seems to be a low form of performance – something like burlesque – and not quite parody as we know today.

Imitation is the basic building block of various forms of comic re-creation, such as mimicry, spoof, pastiche and parody. Therefore, there is some overlap in their meanings. Humour is common to all; but whereas some forms are inoffensive and, often, respectful to the original, parody at times is offensive, and ridicules the subject. Most of the Rahul Gandhi jokes and spoofs floating on the social media border on the latter. On the other hand, Sudesh Bhosle mimicking different actors’ and singers’ voices, especially SD Burman, and Sugandha Mishra mimicking Lata Mangeshkar are pure fun and showcase the talent of the mimic. Johnny Lever and Javed Jaffrey started their career primarily as mimics, which gave them a bigger platform of films. There is a whole industry of spoofs and pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, most of them acquiring huge popularity derived from the cult character of the ‘consulting detective’. Some turn the story on its head. Without a Clue (1988), starring Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley, tells us that Sherlock Holmes was quite dumb and a buffoon, and it was Dr Watson who solved the cases which were attributed to Holmes. Soon after BBC’s highly popular latest series Sherlock (2010), The American TV channel CBS unveiled another ‘modern retelling’ of the story in their series Elementary (2012), in which Holmes is now relocated in New York after rehabilitation from drug addiction. His housemate is changed from John to a lady doctor, Joan Watson, who has been hired by Holmes’ father to help him through transition from rehab to a normal life.

One interesting form of parody is self-parody. This is the best antidote for disparaging jokes about oneself. American stand-up (or, sit-down) comedians can be quite ruthless while lampooning the President. The Presidents have developed a tradition of roasting themselves, redoing the jokes against them, at the Annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Our public leaders have very low threshold for taking any joke on them. It is refreshing to see Alia Bhatt mocking at herself in this video, after some of her answers on Koffee with Karan led to a barrage of jokes on her, painting her as a dumb bimbette.

Can parody be art? Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator parodies Hitler mercilessly. But there is no doubt this film is high art. Talking of Hitler, the maniacal dictator and parody seem to be made for each other. We all remember Asrani’s jailor-act in Sholay. Downfall (2004, German: Der Untergang) is a dark and intense film depicting the last days of Hitler in his bunker in which, faced with a hopeless situation, he, his close aides and their families choose macabre death for themselves. Yet, a 5-minute scene from the film in which Hitler rants when briefed about the defeat of his forces on all fronts, has become a favourite of spoof-makers all over the world, by changing the sub-titles. In one interesting spoof, Hitler blows his top when told that Arnab Goswami’s interview of Rahul Gandhi threatens to destroy the entertainment industry of Germany.

Where do parody songs in Hindi films fit in the above general description? Parody songs do not have any pretensions of being art. They are not intended to mock the original either. Very simply, these songs are a recognition of the original’s popularity. Ashokji and my list together include a large number of such songs. He has broadly classified parody songs in two types: one, parody based on a single song, and the other, a medley of songs. There could be some more subtle variations within these broad categories. It is difficult to choose 10-15 songs from such a big list. To do justice to the theme, let me present in Part 1 of this post a selection of parodies based on single songs, wishing the readers a very Happy Holi. The remaining type I would cover in the Part 2.

Parody based on a single song

1. Gao gao ae mere sadhu raho guru ke sang from Miss Frontier Mail (1936), singer Meenu Kooper, music Master Mohammad

I start with what should be the earliest parody, or at least, the earliest known parody. This spoofs KC Dey’s Jaao jaao ae mere sadhu raho guru ke sang from Puran Bhagat (1933, RC Boral), a song that I revere and which always gives me goosebumps. Just shows, there were no Holy Cows for parody-makers.

2. Shor na karana gulshan mein by Moti and Noorjehan from Dil (1946), music Zafar Khursheed

This very early parody of SD Burman’s Dheere se jana bagiyan mein O bhanwra also shows nothing was too sacrosanct for parodying.

3. Hotel ka kinara ho by AR Oza and Leela Mehta from Gunasundari (1948), lyrics Pt Indra, music Hansraj Bahal

I strongly believe it to be a parody of some vintage song, though I am not able to put finger to it with full confidence. The nearest I can think of is Zindagi hai pyar se by Khan Mastana from Sikandar (1941, Rafiq Ghazanavi and Mir Sahib). I am sure the knowledgeable readers of SoY would be able to identify the original.

4. Jab tum hi chali England bajakar band O Mohantara by Agha from Meri Asha (1950), music K Narayan Rao

The most poignant song from Ratan (1944, Naushad) is Jab tum hi chale parde, laga kar thes. But here the music director turns it into a comic parody. I take this as a recognition of the huge popularity of Naushad among music directors from South.

5. Suno suno ae duniyawalo paketmaar ki ajab kahaani by Asha Bhosle and Manna Dey from Jasoos (1957 unreleased), lyrics Kaif Irfani, music Anil Biswas

Now a parody of the reverential song in the honour of Gandhiji, Suno suno ae duniyawalo Bapu ki ye amar kahani (Rafi NFS), composed by Husnlal Bhagatram. This discovery is due to Arunkumar Deshmukh’s article on Atul Song A Day.

6. Ghalat hai loota tumhein mil ke husnwalon ne by Unknown Singers from Aflatoon (1961), lyrics Niyaz Usmani, music S Kishan

They have slightly changed the tune of the famous qawwali Humein to loot liya mil ke husnwaalon ne from Al Hilal (1958, Bulo C Rani), but there is no doubt that the original would have acquired an iconic status as soon as it hit the airwaves.

7. Khatmal aan baso khatiyan mein by Shankar Dasgupta from Lucky Number (1961), music Anil Biswas

The Bhishm Pitamah of film music, Anil Biswas, creates an outstanding parody of KL Saigal’s Baalam aye baso mere man mein from Devdas (1935). In-between, Shankar Dasguta changes the tune to Abdul Karim Khan’s classic thumri, Piya bin naahi aavat chain, which was also hummed by Saigal in the film. The singer suddenly realizes, Aayen, gaana hi badal diya, and comes back to Baalam aan baso. Many years later, in the iconic song Ek chatur naar in Padosan, Mehmood (lip-synching in Manna Dey’s voice) is flustered when Kishore Kumar suddenly changes the tune, and he is desperate to somehow catch the sur. The song itself was based on Ek chatur naar sung by Ashok Kumar in Jhoola (1941), composed by Saraswati Devi. But RD Burman/Kishore Kumar might have taken inspiration for the gadbad in sur from Anil Biswas. Was this the maestro’s way of compensating for not being able to compose any song for KL Saigal? Bhagwan’s acting and the comic words make this song a delightful package. It is also interesting to note that the invitation to bedbugs to come to the khatiyan was used many years later to parody SD Burman’s Dheere se jana bagiyan mein by Kishore Kumar in Chhupa Rustam, composed by Dada himself. It is a small world indeed.

8. Tere poojan ko bhagawan banaun bank main alishan by Rafi from Shadi (1962), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Chitragupta

Now it is Anil Biswas’s turn to have his classic song parodied. This is an excellent parody of his very first composition in Hindi films, Tere pujan ko bhagwan bana man mandir aalishan sung by Ratan Bai from Bharat Ki Beti (1935)

9. Mera naam hai umarjaani by Mukesh from Johar In Kashmir (1966), lyrics Indeevar, music Kalyanji-Anandji

Now KA parody Shankar-Jaikishan’s iconic song, Mera joota hai Japani from Shree 420. Mukesh was also KA’s favourite, so they retain him for doing the honours.

10. Jab pyar kiya to marana kyun by Manna Dey from Raaz (1967), music Kalyanji Anandji

IS Johar’s acting makes it a memorable parody. Manna Dey is in full form, switching to English in between – I am a lover, not a criminal yaaro, I should marna kyun. Suddenly he switches to the qawwali Ishq ishq hai ishq ishq, before coming back to the tune of Jab pyar kiya to darana kya.

11. Meri pyari pyari surat ko by Mahendra Kapoor from Johar In Bombay (1967), music Usha Khanna

IS Johar again adding to the fun in this parody of Teri pyari pyari soorat ko (1960, Sasural). Now Mahendra Kapoor imitates his mentor Rafi’s original. This song was mentioned by Hans in the post on Mahendra Kapoor.

12. Damadum mast kalandar by Amit Kumar and Nitin Mukesh from Nasbandi (1978), music Kalyanji-Anandji

I do not know whether this film was released. But IS Johar discovered some look-alikes of the top heroes and gave them similar sounding names. He made a number of films with these actors, which were hugely popular in the neighbourhoods they came from. In this ‘political satire’ on sterilization you can see Anitabh Bachchan and Shahi Kapoor singing this parody of Damadum mast kalandar, made famous by Runa Laila. Thus, this song can be described as a double parody, in which not only a famous song, but also famous actors have been imitated.

13. Kya mil gaya sarkar emergency laga ke from Nasbandi

Nasbandi seemed to have a panoply of parody songs. Here IS Johar and Rajendranath are berating government officials for the forced sterilization drive. Now they choose Naushad/Noorjehan’s Kya mil gaya Bhagwan tujhe dil ko dukkha ke from Anmol Ghadi for the parody.

14. Humein to maar diya kasti topiwaalon ne from Nasbandi

Now IS Johar and Rajendranath in drag choose the famous qawwali Humein to maar diya mil ke husnwaalon ne for their ‘message’. The YT links says that the film was initially banned, but was released after the change of regime to huge popularity (?).

{ 73 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Mehfil Mein Meri March 2, 2018 at 9:13 am

What a wonderful list Akji,
I haven’t listened to all the songs, but will do that surely.
Such old songs you have presented. Must have been an exhausting journey.
May I suggest a song that might fit here, I think.
Hay re main to prem deewana by Manna Dey. From bedag.
It may not be taken as a parody actually. But based on ae ri main to prem deewana.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wOxPT9nnhfg

2 AK March 2, 2018 at 10:14 am

Anup,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. I always look for unfamiliar songs which impress you on the first hearing. Haye re main to prem diwana may be treated as a parody.

3 N Venkataraman March 2, 2018 at 10:37 am

AKji,
Holi special with Parody Songs, Parody songs based on single songs. Fantastic Theme. Thanks Akji and Ashok ji for the painstaking
compilation. I will go through the article in detail.

Here is a parody song from Shagoofa (1953) by Sundar & Geeta Dutt, lyrics Rajinder Krishan, music C Ramchandra. It was a parody of the song Maine Lakho Ke Bol Sahe (which again was a traditional classical bandish) by Binapani Mukherjee, film Leela (1947), lyrics Gopal Singh Nepali, music C Ramchandra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=51&v=jtfpOp2xZ3Y

here is the original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV8JRiI7Npw

4 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 2, 2018 at 12:03 pm

AK ji,
Parody songs are actually a relief in Hindi films. They are highly enjoyable too. Unlike what everyone thinks, it is not so easy to compose a Parody song at all.
I had run a series on Parody songs from 16-3-2013 to 2-4-2013, discussing 10 songs on atulsongaday.
I had collected a list of more than 250 Parody songs as a preparation for this series. There is a variety available on the net, if one takes efforts.
I always enjoy Parody songs.
Thanks for this post.
-AD

5 Siddharth March 2, 2018 at 12:17 pm

AKji,
First of all a very happy Holi to you and everyone at SoY.
Few days back I was thinking what will you write this time on HOLI.
As usual you have come up with another interesting theme.
Thanks to you and Ashok ji for the lovely write up and songs.
I was surprised to know that there are so many parody songs dating back to 30s and 40s.
On the occasion of Holi here is a parody from Ashok Chakradhar in his inimitable style –
http://kavitakosh.org/kk/रंग_जमा_लो_(कविता)_/_अशोक_चक्रधर

6 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 2, 2018 at 12:20 pm

AK ji,
I am writing with reference to the Parody song of Miss Frontier Mail-36, which features here. I reproduce here my comments made in April 2012, on this song, when it was posted on atulsongaday, by someone else….
” Actually it seems this is NOT the FIRST parody song in Hindi films.
It so happens that in the early 1936,a parody song in film “Sunehra Sansar” had appeared.The song was a parody of the famous Dr.Iqbal song-Saare jahan se acchha Hindostan hamara…..
The words of this parody song were-
‘Saare jahan se achha sabun bana hamara,hum kishtiyan hai iski….’
The lyricist was Vijay kumar B.A. and the Music was by K.C.Dey.
After this parody of the patriotic song was released,people were angry,instead of being amused and then as a retaliation,a parody of K.C.Dey’s song ‘Jao jao aye mere sadho….’ from Puran Bhagat was introduced in the film ‘Miss Frontier mail’ in the same year.
By the way,the singer of the song posted here is Mr.Minu Cooper(Minoo the Mystiqe),who was a popular singer in Parsi circle those days and used to sing in various hotels of Bombay.”
-AD

7 AK March 2, 2018 at 12:51 pm

Venkataramanji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Maine kya kya na papad bele sitamgar is a nice example of the sublime being made into ridiculous. Probably this is a hallmark of parody.

Siddharth,
Wishing you a very Happy Holi too. Ashok Chakradhar has been very creative in this parody. Thanks a lot for sharing it.

Arunji,
Thanks a lot for your detailed comments. I have taken care to qualify that the parody from Miss Frontier Mail (1936) was perhaps the first known parody. The earlier parody from Sunehra Sansar is probably not available on YT, though a couple of songs fom this film are available. It is interesting to know the back story of Gaao gaao re mere sadho. Your writings on the Atul’s and other sites and inputs elsewhere are a great source of knowledge on the vintage era.

8 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 2, 2018 at 1:34 pm

AK ji,

Here is another Parody song from the 30s…
Surendra sings in film Deccan Queen-1936, making a parody of K L Saigal’s famous song- Balam aye baso more man me from Devdas-1935.
The words of this parody are – Birha ki aag lagi more man me
Enjoy….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd5gjqPzQO8

-AD

9 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 2, 2018 at 1:36 pm

No 9 song is probably the only parody song in history where the singer of the original song has also sung its Parody song- Mukesh.
-AD

10 Ashok M Vaishnav March 2, 2018 at 1:55 pm

SoY, and its knowledgeable community of readers always help in expanding (my) present frontiers of knowledge of HFM by miles.
So, I do not deserve a special mention for my small contribution to this subject.

When i read the figure of 250 parody songs (#Arunji @#4) , I wish some day we have chance to get them all in one place.

11 Tijoy March 2, 2018 at 2:17 pm

Another hallmark parody song (which is actually a parody of multiple songs) is :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXlGfbNtNao
from the film Ek Phool Do Mali, written by Prem Dhawan and ‘composed’ by Ravi.

A different type of parody in which the style of popular actors is lampooned is (and is done quite well) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBJAPPM2Sz0

from Johar in Kashmir

12 mumbaikar8 March 2, 2018 at 2:41 pm

AK,
Another Holi celebration your way….loved it as always!
Thanks to you, Ashokji and Arunji for mostly unknown single song parody songs.
I can think of one but not appropriate for today (Holi celebration).
Will come back later with that.
Happy Holi !!!!!!

13 mumbaikar8 March 2, 2018 at 4:12 pm

AK,
This may be not be a parody of pinjre wali muniya par chalta hai……. Holi Hai………….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YBl3Zbt80A
Badri Ki Dulhania (Title Track) Varun, Alia, Tanishk, Neha, Monali, Ikka | “Badrinath Ki Dulhania”

14 AK March 2, 2018 at 4:29 pm

Arunji,
Birha ki aag lagi mere man mein was perhaps not meant as a parody. They were launching Surendra as the Saigal of Bombay, and they gave this song to him.

Tijoy,
I have mentioned that in the first part I am covering parodies of a single song. The parody from Ek Phool Do Mali is a very nice medley of parody songs. The song from Johar in Kashmir is an excellent discovery.

Mumbaikar8,
The song from Badri ki Dulhaniya is undoubtedly inspired by Pinjrewali muniya. It is an excellent fun song.

15 N Venkataraman March 2, 2018 at 5:11 pm

Akji,
The introductory writing was quite interesting, touching upon various forms of comic-recreation. I would expect some more discussion on mimicry, spoof, pastiche and parody from our esteemed & knowledgeable company.

Parody is meant for mocking and does not contain anything serious. Parody is pure entertainment and nothing else. But Indian film songs, as you have correctly pointed out, not intended to mock the original either. Parody does not intend to bring about societal change. Satire ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about a change. Satire makes a serious point, usually through humor, while attacking some aspect of society. Satire can sometimes use parody to make a point, but not all parodies are satire.

Stan Freberg’s Banana Boat clearly imitates Harry Belafonte’s recording earlier that year (1957), while exaggerating stylistic mannerisms. I think we can consider it as an example of parody.

Banana Boat Song (Day-O)-Harry Belafonte (1957)- The masterpiece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkvFXpsWmwA

Stan Freberg – Banana Boat Day O (1957)- the parody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vuzGIGlzws

The following can be considered as both Parody and Satire.
LAGAAN – Mitwa Song Parody || Shudh Desi Gaane || Salil Jamdar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=53&v=YnCJldGL26w

The reference to Sherlock Holmes, made me remember the Tamil detective short-story series, Thuppariyum Sambu, written by Devan in the early 20th century. The central character is Sambu, a not-very-intelligent bank clerk who solves difficult crime puzzles out of serendipity, is sometimes considered to be a comical version of Sherlock Holmes.

16 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty March 2, 2018 at 5:26 pm

The delightful parody song from Mr India,1987, Javed Akhtar, Laxmikant Pyarelal that showcased Sridevi’s comic ability is a favourite of mine. LP have used their own hits.
Na chahoon sona chandi,Chahoonga main tujhe saanj savere, Saawan ka mahina,Ek pyar ka nagma hai,Tere mere beech mein,Dafliwale dafli bajaa,Mera naam hai Chameli,O khilona jaan kar tum toh,Waada tera waada,Om Shanti Om.
I think, with Shabbir Kumar and Anuradha Paudwal, there is a third voice going on Sathish Kaushik ( mera naam hai Calendar…).Or,is it Shabbir Kumar only?
The parody songs from Maine Pyar Kiya and Lamhe aren’t that great,in my opinion.

17 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty March 2, 2018 at 5:31 pm

Oh! I too,in my over enthusiasm, overlooked the basic premise of the post.. parody of single songs! Sorry!
The parody of multiple songs are many and easy to recollect. The former are less and hard to find. Didn’t know many of the songs from the post. The very first to come to my mind,on reading the opening lines, was,Dheere se jaana bhagiyan mein….

18 AK March 2, 2018 at 6:23 pm

Venkataramanji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Shalan Lal had obliquely referred to some of these forms in her article Dekho Dosto Chhed ka Maza. My intention was not go into a theoretical discussion, there are more learned persons on the blog to take it forward. The parody of Mitwa song from Lagaan is wonderful and unique in many ways. It faithfully reproduces AR Rahman’s music, the remake video is great, and most importantly, it deals with the serious issue of farmers’ distress. And while doing so, it makes a biting comment about the unreliability of Indian politicians who are worse than Captain Russel. I find ‘Shudh Desi Gaane’ have made videos of many popular songs, but this one is the best. Thank you for posting it.

There is something about detectives and comedy. Since they are engaged in a very dry pursuit, dealing with clues, chemicals, lab, analysis, the writers have probably given them a comic aspect to relieve the tedium. The original Sherlock Holms himself has several eccentricities, so has Poirot. Our own home-grown Karamchand’s staggering popularity was, in no small measure, due to his crazy mannerisms.

19 AK March 2, 2018 at 6:29 pm

Dr Shetty,
I think that parody of single songs are more than that of medley of songs. But both varieties are too many. Therefore, I have divided it in many parts. Besides these two broad types, I have categorised another special type, which is far more interesting. I am keeping the suspense for my next post.

20 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty March 2, 2018 at 6:50 pm

AKji, eagerly waiting for the suspense to be unravelled. I am sure it will be worth the wait.

21 N Venkataraman March 2, 2018 at 8:11 pm

Listened to the songs. Thanks for the lovely selection.

Gao gao ae mere sadhu raho guru ke sangis an interesting parody. Thanks to Arunji for the additional information on the song and its making. Hats off to Arunji. I wonder how many of those 250 parody songs, would be based on single songs.

The songs Shor na karana gulshan mein, Hotel ka kinara ho and Suno suno ae duniyawalo paketmaar ki ajab kahaani were new to me.

The song Humein to loot liya mil ke husnwaalon ne has another parody with similar mukhda posted by you (song no.6). Seems the song was quite popular. There two more female voice which I could not identify.

Galat Hai Loot Liya Tumko Husnawaalon Ne by Rangnath Jadhav & others (?), film Chand (1959), lyrics Akhtar Lakhnavi, music Hemant Kumar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiirSPL_FHo

Interesting to note that the last six songs are all films associated with associated with I S Johar. The mention of Nasbandi reminds me of another film 5 Rifles, where he had introduced Rakesh Khanna and Shahi Kapoor. I presume the names were meant for the films and not their original names. There were no parody songs in 5 Rifles, but Jhoom barabar jhoom sharabi by Aziz Nazan was a popular hit song.

22 Ashwin Bhandarkar March 2, 2018 at 9:27 pm

A well known song from ‘Boot Polish’ parodying Hindustani classical music :

‘Lapak jhapak tu aare baadarwa’ (Manna Dey & Chorus/Hasrat Jaipuri/Shankar-Jaikishan)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDr9g_x2nYk

2.

23 Ashwin Bhandarkar March 2, 2018 at 9:39 pm

Here’s another one, featuring the inimitable Kishore Kumar:

‘Sa sa sa sa re’ from ‘Naughty Boy'(Kishore-Asha/ Lyricist???/ S.D.Burman)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVs00ae66qQ

24 Ashwin Bhandarkar March 2, 2018 at 10:28 pm

Ironically, in this song, the portion which is a parody of Hindustani classical music is sung by Saraswati Rane:

‘Tinaka tin taani’ from ‘Sargam’ (Lata-Saraswati Rane-Chorus/ P.L.Santoshi/C.Ramchandra)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvH1VZtBTbM

25 AK March 2, 2018 at 11:09 pm

Venkataramanji,
If we have to choose one song parodied most, it could be Humein to loot liya. IS Johar did very well in parody songs. I think there are several more than what I have posted.

26 ksbhatia March 2, 2018 at 11:11 pm

AK ji;
A walk thru of the comic songs that made some unknown original songs famous too . Your reference to Charlie Chaplin’s film….The Great Dictator…reminds me of his witty act of barber matching a great hungarian melody being played on the radio .

The Barbers scene….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaaDiCwfTxY

In continuation two songs inacted by Mehmood…..

Haye re mein to prem diwana mera ….Manna Dey….Bedaag…SDB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKGSI8tca5Y

Meri bhains ko danda…..Manna Dey…Pagla Kahin Ka…SJ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyRpZjW65Yo

27 AK March 2, 2018 at 11:20 pm

Ashwin,
Parody songs of classical music are basically on exaggerating the mannerisms, and mudra. Some well-known singers had mudra-dosh. Manna Dey was often made to sing parodies based on classical music – Anup has cited Haye re main to prem diwana, you have cited Lapat jhapat, which has been the subject of a PHD. There are several more – Phul gendawa na maro; Hato kaahe ko jhoothi banao batiyan etc. They were meant to be picturised on comedians for comic effect. But can you imagine a serious scholar singing classical music for political satire? Here is Peter Manuel singing in Raag Suh Suharai a bandish to give an anti-Trump message –
Trump ki batiya na maano dosto
Durjan ka raaj girega ek din

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKl2vgAZzH0

Peter Manuel sings Trump ki batiya na maano dosto in Raag Suh Sohrai

28 Ashwin Bhandarkar March 3, 2018 at 12:09 am

:). Is the artiste is the same Peter Manuel who penned the authoritative book on Thumri published by Motilal Banarsidas?

29 AK March 3, 2018 at 12:46 am

Ashwin,
He should be the one. He has written a path-breaking book on the impact of cassette culture on our music. I remember many years ago he had a site which had the most impressive collection of mp3 of 78rpms of Indian classical music of 1920s through 1950s. I don’t find the site now. I have been desperately looking for that site. I don’t know whether it was the same person, but I do remember it was a French scholar deeply interested in Indian classical music. He also broadcast programmes on Hindustani classical music on French radio. The site cannot vanish like that.

30 N Venkataraman March 3, 2018 at 11:05 am

Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya by Shamshad Begum & Mahendra Kapoor, film Raaton ka Raja (1970), lyrics Rajesh Nahata, music R D Burman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=TkzwOj88NH4

Parody of Aaj se teri from Padman. The latest Parody doing the rounds
Aaj se mere, saare kharche tere hogaye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=16&v=hdPg_pWQoJo

31 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 3, 2018 at 1:46 pm

AK ji,

Here is a parody song from film Vishwas-1943, sung by Baby Madhuri.
This song is a parody of the more popular song,” Savan ke nazare hain” from film Khazanchi – 1941.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4aEsxHlHYE

32 AK March 3, 2018 at 5:56 pm

Venkataramanji,
Nice additions. Aaj se teri is on a very contemporary theme.

Arunji,
This is a medley of songs, therefore, Iha e kept it for the next part.

33 N Venkataraman March 3, 2018 at 6:16 pm

Akji,
@25
You mean there are several more Parody songs of I S Johar or several more parody songs based on single song. The Peter Manuel parody was good one. Thanks for the additional information.
one more….
Dekh Tere Bhagwan Ki Halat Kya Ho Gayi Insaan by Mohammed Rafi, & Manmohan Krishna, film Railway Platform (1955), lyrics Sahir Ludhianvi, music Madan Mohan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONhVXPh_kvQ

34 Anu Warrier March 3, 2018 at 6:23 pm

Interesting premise, AK. And quite a few songs that I haven’t heard (or heard of) before. I’ve come late to this, but I’m surprised that this fantatastic – but bitter – parody hasn’t been mentioned yet. Sahir – obviously!

Chino Arab hamara from Phir Subah Hogi which parodied Iqbal’s Sara jahan hamara

35 Subodh Agrawal March 3, 2018 at 6:29 pm

Thanks AK for this fun post. Thanks also to Ashok Vaishnav for his meticulous compilation. The songs are interesting – I wasn’t aware there are so many of them. The Peter Manuel piece is outstanding!

‘Paanch rupaiya barah aana’ has some parodies in the stanzas, but it is not a full parody song.

36 AK March 3, 2018 at 7:51 pm

Venkataramanji,
We can’t surely claim that we have covered all IS Johar parodies. It is my intelligent guess that the parodies of single songs would be more than medley songs. I am discovering a lot more interesting stuff about Peter Manuel. It seems he has done serious study of Chowtal which is folk music of Bhojpur area (where I come from), which is also sung in Trinidad, Fiji and Caribbean with some variations. This is sung in Holi by the group of male singers who go from house to house late in the night ending up early morning. I have experienced this culture in my early years, the Chowtal group’s turn to visit our house came at about 2AM. Alas, this style is in danger of extinction, as are other folk traditions. Here is an interview of Peter Manuel which seems to have been taken a week before Holi some time, followed by an interview and singing by Chowtal singers based in New York.

Interview of Peter Manuel about Chowtal singing

Here is his site which also mentions his book on Thumri mentioned by Ashwin.
http://jjay-cuny.academia.edu/PeterManuel

Serendipity brought me to Peter Manuel. It seems the French scholar I am remembering is some other person. I am hoping for some stroke of luck because he had the most impressive collection of 78rpms of our earliest classical artistes who recorded on gramophone.

37 AK March 3, 2018 at 7:55 pm

Anu,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Probably we missed because Chino Arab hamara because its tune was not based on any well-known song. Sahir makes a hard-hitting statement, unlike a common parody which does not have any serious message.

38 AK March 3, 2018 at 8:04 pm

Subodh,
You are welcome. There are many more parodies of other types than based on a single song. You will have to wait for the Part 2. Since you have liked Peter Manuel you may judge how good he is in this Bhairavi.

Peter Manuel plays Bhairavi

39 AK March 3, 2018 at 9:24 pm

KS Bhatiaji,
Charlie Chaplin’s barber act is a wonderful parody. Another one which may fit here is from Modern Times. His girlfriend rehearses him for his dancing-singing in the restaurant, and since he is afraid he wouldn’t remember the words, she writes the lyrics on his cuff. In his excited dancing, the cuff loosens and flies off. Watch his fantastic performance to handle the crisis, prompted by the girl from the background.

Charlie Chaplin sings nonsense song

40 ksbhatia March 3, 2018 at 11:32 pm

AK @27 ;
Here is the beautiful original thumri of ….Phool gendwa na maro….by Rasoolan Bai ….a non filmi song .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zkd2WG2NB8Y

41 ksbhatia March 3, 2018 at 11:54 pm

AK’ji @39 ;

Yes , this charlie chaplin act from Modern Times is famous with me and my family . There are quite a few more such parody act by charlie chaplin . Here is one from Gold Rush . The act is a parody of an old 1911 song …Oceana Rolls….by Arthur Collins .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZGHR7J1lUQ

There are few by Laural and Hardy which I will try to post one or two .

42 Shalan Lal March 4, 2018 at 6:36 pm

Shalan Lal
Great post with great introduction and added photographs of Peter Manuel, Charlie Chaplin etc.!

In England Parody started with the Canterbury Tales of Geoffrey Chaucer in fifteen century. He wrote Canterbury Tales. These are the tales that some travellers told each other on the pilgrimage to Canterbury. These are comical and full of parodies.

It is believed that Chaucer was very much influenced by the Italian writer who wrote a storybook called Decameron which was comical and also full of parodies.

Parodies were also in Shakespeare as he used in his plays in today’s word “lampooning” the mighty ones and without getting caught.

In Hamlet the dumb show is a good example. In many of his sonnets in which he made oblique, subtle and tilted remarks at various social, political situations and criticised literatures and theatre etc..

The cartoons came when Georgian kings started ruling United Kingdom. In later centuries they developed them in the art and in the weekly “Punch” that became most loved by the educated and later on the Newspapers and monthly magazines started using Cartoon artists to draw cartoon daily in the Daily Papers. At present we have a “Private Eye” fortnightly published going on for last fifty years and it is satire and parody of great subtlety and nuances.

During Thatcher’s Time we had most offensive comical and parodyful show Called Muppets every week. We also have satirical and comical reviews of the week one called “Weekly Wipe” that lampoons many politicians and literary person and business men etc.

Shalan La

43 Canasya March 4, 2018 at 6:39 pm

AKji:

SoY community has come to look forward to this wonderful gift from you on Holi every year. This year too you have fully lived up to our expectations. Here is one for the tormented souls suffering from exam-fever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnxnPXqQp_Q

44 Shalan Lal March 4, 2018 at 6:57 pm

Anu Warrier @34 & AK 37

Yes indeed so!

But many of his songs in the film Pyasa are bitter parodies as well and some other films. A parody does not have to be comical. But it needs to have a bitter slant. Also it does not have to have base in the previous song. I have already mentioned Chaucer, Decameron and Shakespeare and the Muppet show etc.

When the film “Phir Subha ..” came first time I went to see it with a News paper writer and later he firmly mentioned that the song was Parody on its own and when I mentioned to him “Sare Jahan Se Achha..” he went on saying” it is the extreme and blind patriotism of Indian songs that Sahir was aiming at”.

Shalan La

45 AK March 5, 2018 at 5:51 am

KS Bhatiaji,
Thanks for posting Rasoolan Bai’s Phool gendawa na maaro.

Shalan Lal,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. You seem to be suggesting that it is not necessary to have an underlying original for a parody. All the sources I have tried to look up for its meaning mention ‘imitation’. That is how the word is commonly understood. One source mentions that the word first came into use by Ben Johnson in 1590. We do have other words like ‘spoof’, ‘satire’, ‘sarcasm’ etc. to describe other forms you have mentioned.

Many news channels in India have now weekly or more frequent parodies based on current events and public figures.

Canasya,
Another reader has mentioned expectation on Holi. That is scary. But thanks a lot for your appreciation. The parody on school examination fever is very nice

46 N Venkataraman March 5, 2018 at 2:21 pm

Akji ,
@36
As the saying goes, one thing leads to another. The information on Bhojpuri Chowtal was interesting and new to me. I knew about Choutaal and Ada Choutaal, both musical meters or beats.

47 Shalan Lal March 5, 2018 at 5:53 pm

AK @ 45

In the comic creation people must not do strict definitions. But provide information. Otherwise the fun is lost and the debate becomes dry verbal gymnastics.

Following statement may help:

There is a lot of discussion took place by the intellectual in English about the plays of Oscar Wild and Bernard Shaw. The following is said about the play “Importance of being Earnest” written by Oscar Wild which had no previous specimen to imitate or mock or satire.

The genre of the Importance of Being Earnest has been deeply debated by scholars and critics alike who have placed the play within a wide variety of genres ranging from parody to satire. In his critique of Wilde, Foster argues that the play creates a world where “real values are inverted [and], reason and unreason are interchanged”. Similarly, Wilde’s use of dialogue mocks the upper classes of Victorian England lending the play a satirical tone. Reinhart further stipulates that the use of farcical humour to mock the upper classes “merits the play both as satire and as parody drama”.

The above statement is also good for the “My Fair Lady” the version of “Pygmalion of Bernard Shaw.

In this context the song “Chino Arab Hamara” should be viewed.

Shalan La

48 AK March 5, 2018 at 7:19 pm

Shalan Lal,
Thanks a lot for your obeservations.

49 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 5, 2018 at 9:37 pm

AK ji,
Does this song fit into the post ?
From film ‘ Hum kahan jaa rahe hain’-1966
singer- Mahendra kapoor, krishna kalle and chorus
Song- Humen to loot liya mil ke…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpGR0IHRlO4

50 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 5, 2018 at 9:37 pm

AK ji,
Does this song fit into the post ?
From film ‘ Hum kahan jaa rahe hain’-1966
singer- Mahendra kapoor, krishna kalle and chorus
Song- Humen to loot liya mil ke…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpGR0IHRlO4

51 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 5, 2018 at 9:40 pm

The song is- Hamen to maar diya mil ke

52 AK March 5, 2018 at 11:47 pm

Arunji,
It is a very nice parody. But in the later parts, there is a brief parody of Mere mehboob meri mohabbat ki kasam. I am looking for the original of song #3, Hotel ka kinara ho.

53 ksbhatia March 7, 2018 at 12:02 am

Ms. Shalan lal , AK ji @47 ;

My Fair Lady is a perfect example of Humour , Mockery or perhaps Parody of Victorian / Shakespearean English satires . Audrey Hepburn untiringly did that until the song…..I could have dance all the night….when she attained the near perfection to pronunciation thru repeated lines…..The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains . You are right , the comic situation truly should not follow strict rules . I have read Charles Dickens Pickwick Papers in my younger Days and some how liked the english humour ; but more than that what impressed me were the beautiful illustrations of all the important events covered in the book . I looked up to check the movies and serials made on Pickwick Papers but some how found them not upto the mark . So I am glued to my memory of enjoying the Illustrations forgetting the videos.

The other day I was looking for an original song which followed the parody comic song composed many years ahead of it . Strange to look for such songs but I think there are one or two …..which got hidden from myself ! There are , however, some songs where the second stanza is an opposite or parody of the first stanza . As an example here is Manna Dey , Kishore Kumar duet from Bewaqoof….

Tu Jaam Liye Ja…….SDB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFuRGhRRI3k

Continuing my effort to tap some parody songs of hollywood , here is a one…..

The Trail of the lonesome Pine.[1937]……Laural and Hardy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyYZvO8S398

The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine [1913]….Albert cambell , Henry Burr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDaV-eY63aQ

54 Arunkumar Deshmukh March 7, 2018 at 9:50 pm

AK ji,

Here is one more, if it fits the bill.
Film- Shadi-62
Song- Tere poojan ko Bhagwan….
Singer- Mohd. Rafi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9f197I1m1o

55 AK March 8, 2018 at 7:49 am

Arunji,
Tere poojan ko Bhagwan fits perfectly.

56 ksbhatia March 8, 2018 at 1:33 pm

AK ji ;

I could not eat my lunch after listening to this parody song full of laughing riot lyrics.

Zindgi fareb hai fareb se nibahaye ja….Noor Mohd. Charlie….Chand Taara[1945]…..Gyan Dutt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpORSMl-09A

57 Shalan Lal March 8, 2018 at 8:01 pm

ksbhatia @ 53, 56

Your comments are good contribution to this post.

The Noor Moh. Charlie’s song is a classic parody.

The Trail of the lonesome Pine.[1937″ is extremely wonderful parody of the Westerns.

You always come out with so many interesting references.

The films and various TV versions on Dickens books are all very popular but so far very little efforts have done about the illustrations in the old books.

Good to read your comments.

Shalan La

58 Ashwin Bhandarkar March 9, 2018 at 1:36 am

AK @ 49:

Is Patrick Moutal the person whose site you have been looking for ? If your answer is in the affirmative, here’s the URL for the site:

http://www.moutal.eu/

59 AK March 9, 2018 at 10:22 am

Ashwin,
Absolutely, this is the one. There is a good deal of French too on the site. Thanks a lot. Now I have to look for downloadable compilation on 78rpms classical music. Or that could be another site.

60 ksbhatia March 10, 2018 at 10:48 pm

Ms. Shalan Lal;

In continuation of my comments from #53….

Here is a comic , sort of parody song from 1941 movie Dhandoora sung by Noor Mohd Charlie…..the lyrics of which very much matches the famous song of Madhuri Dixit …..Ek do teen char paanch. A cart before a horse !….A parody before a song !

Ek do teen chaar……Gyaan Dutt [MD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOyi5yGhcc8

61 Shalan Lal March 11, 2018 at 6:35 pm

kasbahtia @ 60

“A cart before a horse !….A parody before a song !”

Wonderfully put. Three cheers! You must come out with more such gems of songs and gems of thoughts!

Shalan La

62 ksbhatia March 14, 2018 at 4:56 pm

Ms. Shalan Lal ;

Thanks for your nice words . The more I browse the more I am getting such version parodies .

1. Inehi logo ne…..Yakub singing Pakeeza song in Aabroo [1943]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UzZlIZwQ9Q

2.Maine to kaha tha….Rafi, Asha …singing old classic english song …Never on a Sunday…from Ustadon ke Ustad….Ravi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z75jYGC-8gQ

3. Two films , Baap Bete and Dil Deke Dekho , were released in 1956 and both had similar tune based on famous oldie english song …..stand by me diaana . One is serious romantic and other is hillarious one or parody .

Kaun ye aaya mehfil mein …..Dil Deke Dekho….Usha Khanna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XRibZvrIN8

O my little doll….Baap Bete…..MM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdGPxbodkpw&t=62s

Two more songs on main theme….

pyar kiya to darna kya…Shamshad , MK….Film ?….RDB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkzwOj88NH4

Mere desh ki ladki…..Rafi….?….?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQNtsv0VG5s

63 Tijoy March 25, 2018 at 1:53 pm

There is also a (sort of) parody of the famous English nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep in Indian classical style from the movie Bombay Talkies (1970):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCHLuu6QsuU

beginning around 1:07:00. ( although it is not a full-fledged ‘song’).

64 Canasya April 18, 2018 at 8:06 pm

AKji:

‘Tumhin ne mujhko maar khilaaya’, Lallubhai Nayak in Challenge (1937), MD: Lallubhai Nayak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfI66s9KXyI

Interestingly, this film also seems to have an earlier version of ‘Woh humse chup hain’ that became a Chitalkar-Lata hit in Sargam (1950). Lallubhai Nayak, M. Esmail, Shirin Bano in Challenge (1937), MD: Lallubhai Nayak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43o2e6fFThs

65 AK April 19, 2018 at 7:22 am

Canasya,
A great discovery. Its original Tumhin ne mujhko pyaar sikhaya came only a year earlier in Manmohan. Wo humse chup hain surprisingly sounds the same. Thanks for posting it.

66 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty April 28, 2018 at 6:00 pm

Meri pyari pyari Surat ko kisi ki churi na lage.. chashme baddoor.JOHAR IN BOMBAY,1967. Mahendra Kapoor, Asad Bhopali, Kalyanji Anandji.
If it is a repeat, please ignore.

67 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty May 10, 2018 at 12:19 pm

As usual, posting with a request. If it is a repeat, please ignore.
Dekh tere Bhagwan ke haalat kya ho gayi Insaan,
Kitna badal gaya Bhagwan!….
RAILWAY PLATFORM,1955,Rafi ,S D Batish, Manmohan Krishna; Sahir Ludhianvi ,
Madan Mohan.

The original,Dekh tera Insaan ki haalat kya ho gayi Bhagwan…NASTIK,Kavi Pradeep as lyricist and singer,C Ramchandra…had come just an year earlier,1954.

There are only three Sahir Ludhianvi ,Madan Mohan combinations spread over there decades,at the rate of one movie per decade!
RAILWAY PLATFORM,1955.
GAZAL,1964.
LAILA MAJNU,1976.

One knows that SDB, Roshan,Ravi, Khayyam were the composers Sahir has worked largely with ( O P Nayyar…in 5),and, Madan Mohan has Rajinder Kishan, Majrooh Sultanpuri and later Raja Mehdi Ali Khan (till his untimely death at the age of 38 in 1966.

68 ksbhatia June 9, 2018 at 12:58 pm

AK ji ;

A comic parody song by Rafi , not on Johny walker but on Radha Kishan ! It will be worth exploring song picturised on or sung by Radha Kishan . His peculier style of dialogue delivery raised many laughs ….even in serious mode . A song that I am unable to trace where he sings part of the song…….tup tup tup how sweet…..with a steno typist singing the main song . Lets see if venkatraman ji gives a helping hand in tracing it .

Over to main song…..

Meyke se aaja ri bibi……Rafi…..Devar Bhabhi……Ravi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL2pKSHhNhY

69 N Venkataraman June 11, 2018 at 10:26 pm

Bhatiaji @68
Great singing by Md.Rafi. The song was posted in the article on Tasveer too. I am trying to locate the song you mentioned, no luck till now.

70 Satyajay Mandal December 23, 2018 at 7:16 pm

as per rules,few songs are there which cannot be parodied at all,they are
the national anthems of their corresponding countries

71 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty March 18, 2019 at 5:04 pm

The post was during Holi last year. Holi is almost upon us. One year challenge?

Pyar Kiya toh darna kya
Jab pyar Kiya toh darna kya
Pyar Kiya koi daaroo nahin pee
Chup chup pyale bharna kya?

RATON KA RAJA,1970.
Shamshad Begum, Mahinder Kapoor; Rajesh Nahata (who? All the other songs: Majrooh Sultanpuri); RDB.

The only song I was familiar with was the Title song which used to be aired regularly in my school days.

My posting this here is because of my curiosity about the rare singer_ composer combination. I can almost vouch for it’s being the only duet of SB,MK; RDB combo.
To the best of my knowledge,RDB worked with SB only twice. The first time was in his debut film CHOTE NAWAB,1961…A duet with Rafi: Koi aane ko hai Dil machalne laga.( Interestingly, the only time RDB worked with Shailendra!)
Mahinder Kapoor, also, wasn’t a great favourite of RDB. My findings say that between 1973 ( SHAREEF BADMAASH,BANDHE HAATH) and 1984 (DUNIYA), the combo gave us less than a dozen songs in a total of half a dozen movies.
Another interesting fact: SDB’s( who gave 30 songs to SB in all, starting 1946) last song with SB was in the year 1960!

72 Manmohan Singh April 22, 2019 at 3:35 am

Salil Jamdar has made so many parodies on popular songs:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPpRFAQ80ycUmzSIR-5ZPSQ/videos

73 Dr Pradeep Kumar Shetty July 4, 2019 at 5:12 pm

PURNIMA,1965.
Mehmood, Gulshan Bawra,Kalyanji Anandji.

Lori suna suna ke sulati hain naariyan
Ye mard bhi kar sakte hain
Mard Zindabad…
The song goes on to include a portion of Muskura laadle Muskura…koi bhi phool nahin khoobsurat( ZINDAGII,1964).
Very competent singing by Mehmood here.
Has another good song in the movie with Krishna Kalle and Kamal Barot.

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