Ballads of Love: Flippant

Guest article by DP Rangan completing his Trilogy of Love

(Our octogenarian guest author, DP Rangan, surely has great experience in ‘Love’. This is an evidence that age is not just a number, but wisdom and knowledge. After his previous two articles on the ‘Ecstasy’ and ‘Agony’ aspects of love, he concludes his trilogy with the flippant side of love. This is a very important feature of our film songs which have parallel comic tracks, and also mainstream actors acting wild on the screen. These are songs of pure fun, and qualitatively different from leg pulling or teasing.   

When Mr Rangan is not travelling around the US and Canada, his fingers itch to pen an article for SOY. His enthusiasm is inspiring. ‘Love’ is such a complex emotion that one can’t claim that it can be encompassed in three articles. But Mr Rangan covers a fairly broad range of love. Thank you Mr Rangan for a befitting end to your trilogy of love. – AK)

This is the last post on this theme. The title may strike one as “irreverent or weird” to say the least. Being in love is a serious affair and the previous two posts have amply demonstrated it. There is also another way of exhibiting it to the other partner or by both mutually, i.e., treating it as a light affair, each pulling the others leg literally.

Majority of social dramas made into movies is of romantic nature as the viewing public will welcome it as a brief sojourn in a make believe world of stress free happiness. Besides heroes and heroines, side characters also are introduced to usher in an element of comedy of which our great joker – Johnny Walker – is a shining example. In many Tamil historical movies, I have seen such sidekicks as a bosom friend of the hero, keeping him in company through all his adventures seeking to vanquish villains and entering into a paradise of love at the end along with him.

Music directors have come up with light tunes to match lyricists who are equally adept in penning ditties with numerous words which do not exist in Hindi lexicon such as “Eena meena deeka, dai damonika”.  According to my understanding almost all the songs should be duets with free flow of light barbs between the lovers. Who else can be the best crooners other than Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhonsle to breathe life into such songs! This does not exclude our late great legend Lata Mangeshkar, though I came across fewer songs as the female component. I found a few songs which could fit first part too in addition depending on how the listeners interpret it. Since such classification is subjective, I have left them out.

I will now present a few songs.  I had difficulty in compiling a good list and our blogmaster AKji was immensely helpful in this regard.  Without his active encouragement, I would not have dared to write these posts. There is not much to describe the songs by me as live videos are better at portraying it.

1. Namaste pahle to ho gayi namaste namaste by Chitalkar, Mohammad Rafi, Mohantara Talpade and Shamshad Begum from Patanga (1949), music C Ramchandra, lyrics Rajendra Krishna

A light hearted comedy, the film is full of such light songs. Here Yaqub, Gope, Nigar Sultana etc. are indulging in a happy get together.

2. Hai chhore ki jaat badi bewafa by Lata Mangeshkar and G M Durrani from Chandni Raat (1949), music Naushad, lyrics Shakeel Badayuni

Naseem Banu is not sure of love of Shyam and stresses at every point while he is refuting it.

3. Humse nain milana BA pass kar ke by Shamshad Begum and Mukesh from Aankhen (1950), music Madan Mohan, lyrics Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

The lyricist is great in penning such type of ‘chhed chhad’ songs. This is Madan Mohan’s maiden venture as an independent music director and how good he is at the start! I think the lady is Cuckoo. She makes it plain to Yaqub that she will not love him unless he passes B.A.  Yaqub obviously not in a position to do so, tries to outwit her with his proficiency as a holder of fake degree in love. She is not taken in and browbeats him. It is enjoyable from start to finish.

4. Unko rupaye mein solah aane by G M Durrani and Asha Bhonsle from Pyar Ki Baatein (1951), music Khayyam, lyrics Khawar Zaman

Khayyam pulls out a humorous song from his repertoire and a fast-paced ‘masti bhara geet’ is the result portrayed probably by Neelam and Rashid Khan.

5. Arre re na na na na na na tauba tauba by Geeta Dutt and Mohammad Rafi from Aar Paar (1954), music O P Nayyar, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

Johnny Walker’s light hearted tussle with his love is a nice per saltum pas de deux. O P Nayyar’s tune adds lustre.

6. Thoda sa dil laga ke dekh by Shamshad Begum and Mohammad Rafi from Musafirkhana (1955), music O P Nayyar, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

Shammi is suggesting that Johnny Walker love her. Throughout the song Mohammad Rafi’s unintelligible utterings as – tara rumpum pum -, his sole contribution, reverberate and are yet very enjoyable. O P Nayyar is again in his elements.

7. Ho chat mangni to pat shaadi by Geeta Dutt and Mohammad Rafi from Chaalbaaz (1958), music Chitragupt, lyrics Anjum Jaipuri

The title of the movie is an indicator of how the film would proceed filled with fun filled light hearted songs. This song is a classic case of the female decoying the male into falling into the cleverly woven marriage trap and a wary male shying away from it recounting the perils of entering into matrimony. Both the singers are indulging in this affaires de coeur and full kudos to them.

8. Main sitaron ka tarana by Asha Bhonse and Kishore Kumar from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), music S D Burman, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

On a stormy night, Madhubala comes into the garage run by disciplinarian Ashok Kumar and his two younger brothers (Anoop and Kishore), gets her car repaired by Kishore Kumar who falls in love with her, but does not collect charges of – Paanch rupaiyah barah aana. A dream song and Kishore pleads with Madhubala to cough up to prevent his being beaten by his elder brother.  This song portrays all this so well. An imaginative tune from S D Burman, and Kishore Kumar is in his elements.

9. Hum kala tum white by Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Dutt from Ek Shola (1958), music Madan Mohan, lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri

Dhumal and Tun Tun enact this light hearted romantic scene entwined with an apartheid regime song, but still appeals to our heart thanks to genius of Madan Mohan.

10. Do do aane chaaku by Geeta Dutt and Mohammad Rafi from Raj Singhasan (1958), music Chitragupt, lyrics Anjum Jaipuri

Amita is prepared to shower her love but Mahipal is not and is afraid for his life because of this love. A light themed song by Chitragupt and singers as usual rise to the occasion.

11. Chala na jaaye dil haathon se by Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar from Raj Singhasan (1958), music Chitragupt, lyrics Anjum Jaipuri

Here is a song by two ladies. It is for readers to decide whether this is covered by the theme.

12. Main Bengali chhokra karun pyar ko namaskaram by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle from Ragini (1958), music O P Nayyar, lyrics Qamar Jalalabadi

Chicken-hearted Kishore Kumar is afraid of the aggressive Padmini wooing him with all ardour and they are correct in stating their region of birth. The song is fun throughout.

13. Dekho idhar ae haseena by Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Dutt from 12 O’ Clock (1958), music O P Nayyar, lyrics Sahir Ludyanvi

Johnny Walker and Tun Tun are going through the pantomime of love.

14. Mehbooba mehbooba bana lo mujhe dulha by Mohammad Rafi from Sadhu aur Shaitan (1968), music Laxmikant Pyarelal, lyrics Rajinder Krishan

Mehmood is wooing Bharati and this song is the means of expressing his love. I would never have known about this song. It was one of the songs suggested by AKji himself.  A rare solo song on this theme I have to presume.

I conclude the post with a top of the line song by Kishore Kumar who reveals his great talents in singing by acting as a a female.  Listen to the song to feel its impact. Half Ticket is a wonderful film worth watching.

15. Aake seedhi lagi dil by Kishore Kumar from Half Ticket (1962), music Salil Chowdhury, lyrics Shailendra

Kishore Kumar donning the role of a female fools Pran and the result is this funny song. He sings both for Pran in male voice and himself mimicking in female voice. A complete farce, only he could carry this off.

May I hope I have been able to post songs which convey a sense of delight but not ecstasy in this post.

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers.