Romancing the Jaadugar Balma

Jadugar qatilBy now the regular readers of the SOY can easily answer if Amitabh Bachchan were to ask on KBC, बलमा के कितने प्रमुख प्रकार हैं? It is sad that this season of KBC has come to an end; if it is revived, he might some day ask this question! We have met with anaari, pardesi, ajanabi, and beimaan balmas. It is difficult to make an exhaustive list of the several types of ‘balmas’ found in our films – in which category would you put the ‘Balma’ Shakti Kapoor in Chaalbaaz (1989)?. But there is one major category, Jaadugar Balma/Baalma, which was quite ubiquitous in our films once, and quite distinct from the other forms covered on SOY. These categories are not watertight compartments. There are shades of meaning and the context which may overlap in more than one category. In my last post on the ‘Beimaan baalma’, many readers posted songs which were closer to ‘Jaadugar baalma’, and I had to be careful not to let out this planned post.

Nothing in our films is without some connection to our folklore, mythology or social mores. The biggest enchanter was Krishna during his Brij period. His this romantic aspect, his felicity with music, dance and sixteen arts, besides his divine purpose of taking birth as a human being on the earth – of slaying the demons and helping the good prevail over the evil – make him a Poorna Avatar. Drawing inspiration from the Krishna mythology, Jaadugar Balma has an exalted origin.

The female enchantresses in our mythology are not quite the counterpart of Krishna. Mohini, the female form of Vishnu, appears a number of times in different tales. During the joint Samudra Manthan by the gods and the demons, among many things the belly of the ocean yielded, the most precious was the ‘Amrit Kalash’ (elixir). A fierce fight broke out between the two sides over its possession. Had the demons been able to lay their hands on it, it would have made them invincible. Vishnu appeared as Mohini, a femme fatale, who charmed the demons to their destruction. In another tale, Bhasmaasur, armed with the boon given by Lord Shiva to turn anyone into ashes by touching his head, decided to try his powers on Shiva himself. On Shiva’s pleadings, Vishnu came in the form of Mohini, who enchanted the demon to dance with his hand on his head, thus instantly reducing him to ashes.

The apsaras were celestial dancing beauties in Indralok. From time to time, when Indra felt threatened by the extreme penance of some mortal on the earth, he would send one of the apsaras to seduce the person and break his penance.

In folklore and fairy tales, the witches or jaadugarnis have an evil aspect. Calcutta was once the epicentre of industry, economic activity, and jobs which drew droves of men from Bihar and UP. Their left-behind women pined for their visits which became rarer with the passage of time. The plight of Calcutta-widows led to the folklore of enchantresses of Bengal who seduced their men by their charms, and transformed them into a parrot or pigeon and put them in a cage. I was puzzled what these Bengal jaadugarnis gained by keeping their men in a pinjra. A sympathetic messenger, endowed with special powers, would go to locate, identify this caged parrot, and rescue him from the spell of the jaadugarni. I am sure the readers have heard the common saying बंगाल का काला जादू. This predates PC Sircar Sr; the special association of magic with Bengal made him a legendary magician of India.

Numerous films, literature and TV serials present femme fatales as vamps whose primary aim is to trap the hero by their charms, with evil intentions. Invariably this brings doom to the person and the family, unless he is careful to keep away from her. This depiction is highly sexist which paints men as innocent victims, being devoid of any agency.

The jaadugars in our film songs are not evil. The women find their charm irresistible. Here the man has the agency; the woman can do nothing but helplessly pine for him. This trope, too, is not very dignified for women, but we can’t have it both ways. The Jaadugar Balma is a benign, well-meaning person. Let us enjoy some songs which completes our romance with different types of balmas.

1. Kaahe jaadu kiya, mujhko itna bata jaadugar balma jaadugar balma by Shamshad Begum/Amirbai Karnataki, lyrics Naushad Jarchavi, music Nashad

This is the best song showing the lady’s helplessness faced with the charm of the enchanter – Mujhko apani khabar hai naa dil ka pata. It was apparently  sung by Shamshad Begum in the film, but Amirbai Karnataki also recorded it in her voice. This combined video contains both the versions, both are our great favourites.

2. Kar gaya re kar gaya dil pe jaadu sanwariya by Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle from Basant Bahaar (1956), lyrics Shailendra, music Shankar Jaikishan

The spell cast by the enchanter has contrasting effect on the dancer Kumkum and the singer on the tanpura, Nimmi. Nimmi has reason to be sad at the Patthar ki moorat Bharat Bhushan. Bharat Bhushan, who seems to be the object of attraction of both, gives blank looks to each of them, I don’t know why. Even with him, Kumkum is high-spirited and joyous in her dance. Though the film could not become a Baiju Baawra, it had some absolutely fascinating songs by Shankar-Jaikishan.

3. O ji O ji chhodo ji dupatta mera jaadugar baalma by Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar from Champakali (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Hemant Kumar

Bharat Bhushan comes to life in his romancing with Suchitra Sen. A joyous duet, Suchitra Sen’s pleading with her jaadugar baalma to let go of her dupatta is a put-on.

4. Jaadugar sainya chhod mori bainya, ho gayi aadhi raat ab ghar jane de by Lata Mangeshkar from Naagin (1954), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Hemant Kumar

You can make out, Vyjayanthimala is in no hurry to leave her enchanter and go home. Yet, she has to pretend that Pradeep Kumar is holding her up. When the enchanter and woman are together, everything is blissful. Another outstanding song of romancing the jaadugar baalma/sainya from the combination of Rajendra-Krishna and Hemant Kumar.

5. Jaadugar qaatil, haazir hai mera dil by Asha Bhosle from Kohinoor (1960). lyrics Shakeel Badayuni, music Naushad

Dilip Kumar was one of the biggest enchanters in his heydays, but here Kumkum is no less qaatil, though she has been completely enchanted by the jaadugar and given him his heart. The dancer and the sitarist is a terrific combination.

6. Dil lootnewale jaadugar ab maine tujhe pahchana hai by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar from Madari (1959), lyrics Farooq Kaisar, music Kalyani-Anandji

Kalyanji-Anandji 1.0 became known for such sweet melodies, sung by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar. Kalyanji had Hemant Kumar-Naagin connection which explains the sweetness in his music. He is said to have played the been tune in Naagin on his clavioline. The duo created a Naagin-style song in a B-grade film, which became a rage in the radio era.

7. Koi kahe rasiya koi man basiya, main piya tujhe chor kahun ya chhaliya re by Lata Mangeshkar from Madari (1959), lyrics Pt. Madhur, music Kalyanji-Anandji

I can’t help posting another absolutely melodious dance song in the voice of Lata Mangeshkar from the film Madari. The enchanter here is called by different loving names: rasiya, man basiya, chor, chhaliya. This may seem to overlap with Beimaan balma, but is closer to the Jaadugar balma. Kalyanji (Virji Shah) had started as a solo music director a year earlier with Samrat Chandragupta. In the very first year of his younger brother joining him to form a duo, they strike gold with great music.

8. Ja re jaadugar dekhi teri jaadugari by Lata Mangeshkar from Bhabhi (1957), lyrics Rajendra Krishna, music Chitragupta

Now Shyama is the delighted target of the enchanter’s spell. The jaadugar seems to be expressionless. Chitragupta is one of the top favourites of the SOY community. Bhabhi was his first super-success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHA9pzEUlM4

9. Tu ne wo rangeele kaisa jaadu kiya by Lata Mangeshkar from Kudrat (1981), lyrics Majrooh Sultanpuri, music RD Burman

Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini are transported into their previous lives, when they were lovers. The man had cast such a spell that she started calling piya, piya as if in delirium.

10. Rasik balma haye dil kyun lagaya tose from Chori Chori (1956), lyrics Hasrat Jaipuri, music Shankar-Jaikishan

I take Rasik balma as a synonym of Jaadugar balma. The spell brings grief to Nargis as she starts repenting why she fell in love with him. A timeless song.

11. Baazigar O baazigar, tu hai bada jaadugar by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik from Baazigar (1993), lyric Nawab Arzoo, music Anu Malik.

Now as an exception, here is a song where the enchanter does not have benign intentions, because there is a reason with which we empathise. Baazigar (acrobat?) is also an enchanter and, therefore, the smitten lady tells him that he is a jaadugar. She does not yet realise that the ‘enchanter’ has come with the purpose of avenging past insults and harrowing villainy of the girl’s daddy.

12. Jaadu teri nazar, khushboo tera badan, tu haan kar ya na kar by Udit Narayan from Darr (1993), lyrics Anand Bakhshi, music Shiv-Hari

Now a song of a lady who has enchanted the hero who is, incidentally, tongue-tied in her presence. That takes him nowhere, turning him into an obsessive lover with a twisted personality.

13. Jab se Kanhaiya gaile Gokul bisaari dehile, aaho aaho Udho kaun re joginiya jogwa saadhe ho raam (Bhojpuri Purbi) by Chandan Tiwari, lyrics Mahender Misir

We do not see much of the ‘jaadugarni’ in our film songs. In Krishna mythology there is very little or absolutely no mention of Radha in our ancient texts. But in the middle ages, Jayadev’s Geet Govind, and later Bhakti Kaal poet Surdas and others, made Krishna-Radha love and dance and song, the centre of people’s imagination. An intriguing part of Krishna story is that once he left Brij for Mathura, he never came back there, leaving behind the pining Radha, other gopis, his foster parents and all his associations there. Realising the pain of Radha and the gopis, Krishna dispatched the learned scholar Uddhav to teach them some Gyanyog to forget him, and devote their life instead to realise the Supreme Being, the all pervasive Formless Brahman (ब्रह्म). The gopis would have none of this; Uddhav was no match for their taunts, sarcasm and their overwhelming love for the Sagun Krishna:

Since the day Kanhaiya left us, he has erased all the remembrances of Gokul
Tell us O Udho, which jogin has cast her jog on him.
(Which enchantress has cast her spell on him)

Radha has become a skeleton staring at the village pathway for your arrival
You have been very cruel to her and all of us
Without you Kanha, Vrindavan and Madhuban have become still
Tell us Udho which enchantress has poisoned the mind of Kanha
The real jogin is the birahin Radha who is performing such an arduous jog

You can see the first use of jogin/jog is in the sense of enchantress and her spell. From satire it moves to the pathos of the forlorn Radha, gopis and Gokul, and finally it ends with jogin/jogi in the literal sense while describing Radha’s unbearable pain and sacrifice in separation. This is one of the famous songs of Mahender Misir (16 March 1865-26 October 1946), popularly described as the Purbi Samrat. Chandan Tiwari is a leading current singer at the forefront of re-establishing the spirit of traditional Bhojpuri folk over its Bollywood-style vulgarity in the Bhojpuri film songs. A very poignant song which would move anyone transcending the barriers of language and culture.

14. Jaadu bhareli kaun albeli naar raseele…naina raseele Thumri in Mishra Gara by Bhimsen Joshi

Continuing the jadugarni theme, I am sure a deep search would yield many songs about enchantresses in folk and light classical. I end here with a thumri by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi in his divine voice as my tribute to him in his centenary year (4 Feb 1922-24 January 2011). A beautiful song – I understand it is about a damsel who casts a spell on men.

Acknowledgements and Disclaimer:
The song links have been embedded from the YouTube only for the listening pleasure of the music lovers. This blog does not claim any copyright over them, which rests with the respective owners of the rights.

113 comments…read them below or add one

  1. Such a beautiful post and nice sing list.
    I’m yet to listen to the classical songs, but enjoyed other songs, most of those were well known.
    Would Jadu Hai Tera hi Jadu from Ghulam fit?

    And

    The sensuous number Jadu Hai Nasha Hai by Shreya Ghoshal from jism?

    Anup:-)

  3. Yet another jaadugar, though not a benign one.

    Ragini, Madhumati and Rani dance to a fabulous melodious song. They play sisters, princesses of a Kingdom and the one on the throne is villian. But the song is good, though I guess doesn’t exactly fit here. But I’m too fond of it to avoid it.

    Jadugar dekho kaise ye jaadu kiye jaye

    https://youtu.be/2qbPgKfEOPM

  5. Akji:

    Thanks for a wonderful post again. You are maintaining a punishing schedule of new posts with novel themes.

    Often, the victim of magic is totally overwhelmed by the magician’s persona. But sometimes, s/he retains enough sense to pinpoint the source of magic. Here is ‘Jadugar tere naina’ (Lata and KK in Man Mandir; MD: LP):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxG_a8l0AJQ

  6. AKji,

    Jadugar Balma is a nice follow-up post to Bedardi balma.
    Good selection of songs with many favourites there – Madari, Kohinoor, Nagin and the ones from the new era.

    Here’s one to begin with:

    Ek Phool Do Mali 1969
    Ravi – Prem Dhawan – Asha

    Saiyan le gayi jiya teri pehli nazar
    kaisa jaadu kina tune mo pe o jaadugar

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBk3175WaC8

  10. Ak ji
    Nice way to apply jadubhara balm for the pain caused by bedardi balma.
    You observation about jadugar sajani is spot on. Jadugar balmas far outnumber jadugar sajanis.
    May be they are reluctant about conceding power of Jadu their sajanis possess. And when they rarely do acknowledge the power it is invariably attributed to nainas. Sample the following
    Main kya janu kya jadu hai
    – Zindagi- K L Saigal – Punkaj Mullick
    https://youtu.be/JJlHdQlw9y0

    Naina hai jadubhare – Bedard Jamana kya jane – Bharat Vyas- Mukesh- KA
    https://youtu.be/hDSkUS2W-ms

    Feroze however is enchanted by the face and the persona
    Tere chere me wo Jadoo hai – Dharmatma – Indeevar – Kishor – KA
    https://youtu.be/QsrB3hX5QIg

    Kisi ne jadu Kiya – Chaand aur Suraj – Shailendra- Mukesh- Salil Chowdhury
    https://youtu.be/dHoh-ibM4vQ

  11. So you have decided to exhaust all of the baalmas. A nice topic with a nice narrative. I think Indians have always been attracted to ‘jadoo’ of any kind. Every body has been mesmerised at some moment or the other and might have exclaimed ‘ye to jadoo ho gaya’. So we all like this thing. The song are no less jadu-filled by our great artists and you have selected great ones.

    But, there is one thing missing. There was a film Jadoo-1951. Why did not you explore it for at least one song. The famous ‘lara loo’ has it in the mukhda.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkCizoNMt-Y

    ‘Lo pyar ki ho gayi jeet’ has it in the antara , ‘dil pe kiya wo jadu apna banake chhoda’.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8-DBV4ZzAE

    Another famous song from Suraiyya ‘tere nainon ne chori kiya’ has ‘jane kaisa jadoo kiya teri meethi baat ne’.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSklV0J0pms

  12. A nice theme and great presentation with good song selection. I believe the heroes in most movies have true ‘jadugar like’ qualities .

    One such song from a not so popular movie …

    ‘ Kaisa jadu balam…’/ 1958 / 12 O’ CLOCK / Majrooh Sultanpuri / OPN / Geeta

    https://youtu.be/1aAqjFfYHfE

  13. Anup @1,
    I don’t thing I would put these songs in this category.

    @2,
    Na dekho humein jaadugar sainya fits my theme perfectly.

    @3,
    The name of the film Cobra Girl and the song Jaadugar dekho kaisa ye jaade kiye jaye set the tone. Perfectly fitting song.

    @4,
    Obviously, all the songs fit perfectly.

  14. Canasya @5,
    You are welcome and thanks a lot for your appreciation. Nice observation about the victim identifying a specific cause. I thought of another, but ‘jaadugar’ word is not mentioned upfront:Sainya teri ankhiyon mein dil Kho gaya.

  15. Dr Deshpande @6,
    I think ‘jaadugar baalma’ nicely completes the different types I have covered. Kai’s jaadu kiya tune mo pe wo jaadugar is a perfect song. This is also an example of identifying the cause – Teri pahli nazar – as theorised by Canasya.

    @7, 8, 9,
    All the three songs are excellent fit here.

  16. Mr Muli @10,
    It it is interesting two theoreticians – you and Canasya – should notice the ‘naina’ as the cause for most cases of spell. ‘Chehra’ comes next as the culprit. Nice songs.

  17. Hans @11,
    There may be some minor types still left. If I find enough of them, I might think of writing on the assorted types. But for the present, I think, we have covered the main types. I thought of the film Jaadu after the post was published. Thanks for mentioning it. Other two songs are all-time classics.

  20. Ak ji
    Continuing with Jadui Aankhe
    Though gazals cast their own spell on listeners very few of them have used jadu or jadugar. Here is one of them by Bahadurshaha Jafar.
    I am posting 2 versions one by Mehedi Hasan and the other by Runa Laila
    Unki aankho ne khuda jane Kiya kya jadu
    Ke tabiyat meri kabhi aisi maieel to na thi
    Baat karni kabhi mushkil
    https://youtu.be/lQmfg4ua3qk

    https://youtu.be/APsCj3G3grQ

  21. Leke pehla pehla pyar..
    ..
    Jaadoo nagree se aaya hai
    Koi Jaadoogar.

    CID.

    Tu ne O Rangeela kaise jaadoo kiya..

    KUDRAT.

    Jaadoo hai tera hi jaadoo..

    GHULAM.

    Aisa jaadoo daala re..

    KHAKEE.

  22. Kum Kum and Asha Bhosle.

    Dekh idar O Jadugar..

    HOUSE NUMBER 44.

    Jadugar Qatil hazir hai mera dil..

    KOHINOOR.

    Suman Kalyanpur, A Bakshi, S Kwatra.

    O Jadugar, na mujhpe kar
    Ye jhoota jadoo..

    AIRMAIL, 1960.

    Amir Bai, Nakshab, Nashad.

    Kaahe jaadoo kiya..
    …
    O Jadugar baalma…

    NAGMA, 1953.

    Tha thayya karke aana
    Jadugar more sainya.

    PANCHAYAT, 1958.

    Sanjeev Kumar and Waheeda Rehman both find each other ‘s eyes Jadugar in MAN MANDIR, 1971.

    Jadugar, tere naina
    Dil jaayega bachke kahan?

  24. A classic that is heard even today should qualify under ‘ Jadugar songs ‘ category due to the words ‘…sudh-budh bhuli khadi gopiyan jane kaisa jadu dara…’

    ‘ Brindavan ka krishn…/ 1957 / MISS MARY / Rajinder Krishan / Hemant Kumar / Lata , Rafi

    https://youtu.be/-h8iQwgX38Q

  25. If there is jadoo then there must be people advising against it. Canasya talked about ‘ankhon ka jadoo’. ‘Ankhon pe bharosa mat kar, duniya jadoo ka khel hai’ also confirms it.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0LyW7yDcY4

    ‘Tere nainon ne chori kiya’ talked about ‘meethi baat ka jadoo’. This is also confirmed by the prohibitory tone in ‘meethi meethi baton se bachna jara, duniya ke logon men hai jadoo bhara’.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsH24zE_oHI

    But what happens if ‘jadoo’ of a person has already done the trick and another tries his luck. See this in ‘tera jadoo na chalega o sapere’.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0WoZPP-O-c

  27. AK Ji
    One more off beat theme and nice research and selection of songs (though I was surprised to see 90’s songs in this forum!!).
    As far as your comment on Basant Bahar is concerned , it had very good songs , totally 9 if I can remember , with each one being a masterpiece and had silenced the critics who always had bracketed Shankar-Jaikishan being more of “mass” and not ” class”; it is definitely in the league of Naushad’s Baiju Bawaraa. Personally, I am a very big fan of S-J.
    I think “Ja ja re jaa balama ” from this film may qualify for your earlier article on Bedardi Baalamwaa-which, to the best of my memory didn’t get discussed in your article and neither in the comments section also. The lines “Sautan ke sang raat bitayee, kahe karat ab jhooti batiyaan should denote a bedardi baalma.
    Song Singer
    1 “Badi Der Bhai” Mohammed Rafi
    2 “Bhay Bhajana Vandana Sun” Manna Dey
    3 “Duniya Na Bhaye” Mohammed Rafi
    4 “Ja Ja Re Ja Balama” Lata Mangeshkar
    5 “Kar Gaya Re” Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle
    6 “Ketaki Gulab Juhi” Manna Dey, Pt . Bhimsen Joshi
    7 “Main Piya Teri” Lata Mangeshkar
    8 “Nain Mile Chain Kahan” Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey
    9 “Sur Na Saje” Manna Dey

  28. Little hat ke. Lady teaches pyar ka jaadoo to a gentleman!

    Seekh le Babu
    Pyar ka jaadoo…

    DILLI KA THUG.

  29. In a love duet it is immaterial who uses the word, because both are under a spell. Here are three duets. In the first heroine uses the word, in the second the hero and in the third both of them.

    Tumne hansi hi hansi men – Lata/M. Kapoor – Ghar Basake Dekho
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS9opeWuZtw

    Isharon isharon men dil lene wale – Asha/Rafi – Kashmir Ki Kali
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNsNuCitZys

    Aap yun hi agar humse milte rahe – Asha/Rafi – Ek Musafir Ek Haseena
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnYDNOsv-RM

  30. Anita @19,
    Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Knowing you by now, I am sure you can find a dozen more categories. I have read your post. Interesting. I remember I have watched this film in Siri Fort Auditorium during centenary celebrations of Hindi cinema. I would like to watch it again if available in public domain with subtitles.

    Just curious to know and you are in a position to confirm, many film historians give the honour of the first feature film to Pundalik released in 1912. The debate now centres on what qualifies to be a ‘feature film’.

  31. Mr Muli @20,
    Unki aankhon ne khuda jaane kiya kya jaadu: There is double jaadu in this, the second one hearing it in the voice of Mehdi Hasan. Thanks a lot for refreshing our memory.

  32. Dr Shetty @22, 23, 28,
    Thanks a lot for the flurry of songs. Great recall. Unfamiliar songs, one would have clicked on the links. You have not been able to crack this gadget challenge?

  33. Hans @25,
    Interesting. The victim herself tries not to come under the spell. Others too caution about it. Tera jaadu na chalega O sanpere is a rare song of defiance. Chitragupta created another great duet of defiance in another film,
    Main hun gori naagin banungi rasiya kaise aaj teri baaje nahin been re.

  34. Mr S Joseph @26,
    I had heard it earlier only once. Meena Kumari’s bath under a public water tap must be her most erotic scene, matched later by Chitralekha?

  35. Mr Sivanandam Palamadai @27,
    Thanks a lot for your appreciation. SJ in Basant Bahar were superb, its music was matchless. But Naushad had created an aura about Baiju Bawra.

    Yes, Ja ja re ja baalma fits perfectly in Bedardi baalma. I had earlier covered prominently as ‘Khandita Nayika’ in my post on ‘Nayika Bhed in songs’.

    https://www.songsofyore.com/nayika-bhed-in-songs/

  36. AKji @ 30
    The movie is available on YouTube along with English subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICvCtMpexfg
    Just curious to know and you are in a position to confirm, many film historians give the honour of the first feature film to Pundalik released in 1912. The debate now centres on what qualifies to be a ‘feature film’.
    I will have to find out more about this. I had planned to visit the National Museum of Indian Cinema at leisure but it just did not work out.

  37. The first song that popped into my head when I saw the theme is Jaadugar Saiyyan. 🙂 The song from Kohinoor is also a great favourite.

    I haven’t read the comments so I don’t know if this has already been mentioned, but there’s Jaadugar tera jaadu niraala from an obscure film called Jung aur Aman.

    Usha Khanna’s composition for Flat No. 9 – Jaadugar mujhko itna bata.

    And Dil lootnewaale jaadugar from Madan (1959)

  39. Anita @36,
    I will one day watch it on YT. I will wait for your confirmation, but it is no longer a matter of ‘fact’, but of ‘definition’. Whose word is authentic?

  40. Anu @37,
    You can be sure Jaadugar tera jaadu tera nirala and Jaadugar mujhko itna bata could not have been posted earlier. How do you ever come across such songs?

    Last sentence: Perhaps you mean the film Madari.

  41. Mr S Joseph @38,
    Beimaan tori batiyan is a beautiful song. Charming contrast between the tempo of Kalyani and Hemant Kumar.

  43. Ak ji
    Hansji @ 29 has posted
    Tera jadu na chalega o sapere
    An obvious contra to this is
    Chal baith Ja – Amir Garib – AB – LP
    – Lata & Kishor
    Where Hema meekly accepts Dev’s assertion
    Mera Jadu chal Gaya
    Chal gaya
    But wait, the real jadu of AB is in the next line
    Kal aaya tha kal Gaya
    Kal Gaya.
    https://youtu.be/V69V9Ieb_Gw

  44. Mr S Joseph @42,
    Sajan ke naina jaadu baan: Wonderful vintage female duet from Mehboob Khan’s first production venture. Najma film itself had some more songs of Mumtaz.

  45. Mr Muli @43,
    There are hundreds of contra songs to Tera jaadu na chalega wo sapere, but Baith ja, faith gayi; khadi ho ja, khadi ho gayi is the ultimate. I noticed another jaadu, Dev Anand looked to me 80% Rajesh Khanna.

  47. The lyrics of the well-known Bhairavi thumri ‘Baajuband khul khul ja’ go as follows:’

    Sthaayi:
    Baajuband khul khul jaaye
    Saawariya ne jaadu daala

    Antara:
    Jaadu ki puDiyaa bhar bhar maare
    Kaahe karega baid bechaaraa

    The fist jaadu is the spell cast by the saawariya which causes the nayika to go without food and become so emaciated that her arm-band has become loose. The 2nd jaadu is the magic in the remedy of the ‘baid’ but unfortunately it proves to be ineffective in curing her of her lovesickness.

    Here is Pt.Bhimsen Joshi rendering the thumri:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpG_1v2sUaU

  57. Dr Deshpande @55,
    Jaadu bhare tore naina kanteele: Nice song. Heard for the first time. Now we are exploring the magic of ‘naina’.

  59. AK Dear

    The recent articles exploring the “flip side of the filmy songs” are going well with the readers.

    However these articles are very helpful to understand the ethos of light and heavy songs of the Hindi films.
    I enjoyed the article.

    Shalan La

  63. Ak ji
    There is no second guess required to decipher what magic Bharat bhooshan experienced here.
    Kabhi dekhi na suni aise Tilismat ki raat – Barsaat ki Raat – Sahir – Roshan – Rafi
    Though it does not directly qualify for the theme I cannot resist posing it because it may be a rare song where the word Tilismat is used.
    https://youtu.be/-tuPIVNiJVE

  64. Mr Muli,
    Wah! You are a Master Discoverer. We have heard this song a million times without taking much notice. ‘Tilism’ was adequate, I don’t think its plural is in common use. Zahir must have used it to rhyme with ‘Barsaat’ in the opening line.

  65. “The real jogin is the birahin Radha who is performing such an arduous jog”–oof.

    Beautiful songs around an interesting theme, as usual. “Naagin” has been on my to-watch list for some time. After hearing this lovely song from it, I think I must prioritize it.

  66. Shelomit,
    I am impressed that an Angrez 🙂 could be so attracted by Bhojpuri Purbi. I find you are quite partial to Hindi pop films of 1970s and 1980s I would not much care for. I am sure you know that there were some really excellent films too in these years 🙂 . But I do drop in your blog off and on to enjoy some humour.

  67. You may be unsurprised to learn that “Nagin” (1954) used to sit on the to-watch list directly adjacent to “Nagin” (1976) and “Nagina” (1986), both of which I got around to seeing first! I do watch and enjoy pre-’60s films, although I find I often don’t have much intelligent to say about them afterwards.

    Thank you for stopping by my blog : ) There is yet another ’80s post queued up for this coming week, but the week after that is “Milan” (1967).

  68. Another pre -1950s song that I do not recollect having heard earlier. Singing to herself behind closed doors but with expressions and all . It is nayanon ka Jadu . Thankfully we have the video though not of good quality .

    ‘ Jadu kar Gaye…’/ 1948 / ZIDDI / Prem Dhawan / Khemchand Prakash / Lata

    https://youtu.be/ZAv1hWuU_Js

  74. AK,
    I am curious about your next category.
    With Jadugar Baalam I thought you had exhausted all of them, but you obviously have some more up your sleeve.
    Jadugar Balam or Jadugar Balma such a catchy phrase could have been a very popular movie title wonder why it was not picked.
    we do have a Maya Memsaab

    Ek Haseen Nigah ka dil pe saaya hai Jadu hai junoon hai
    https://youtu.be/9nBuQ5_KIZk

    Dr. Rajesh has posted a song from Alladdin and Wonderful Lamp 1978
    1952 had Aladin Aur Jadui Chirag one of those Meena Kumari’s pre Baiju Bawra movies.

    Aankh Main Jadu Bhar Ke – Meena Kumari, Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag Song
    https://youtu.be/xQPk-yxyJQk

  75. Muliji, @63
    You have a great catch. Though ’tilism’ has a wide meaning, Sahir used it in the sense which is perfect for the present theme. He was a master at the use of Urdu as well as Hindi words. The lyricists of the golden era were not only well read but also close to society.

  77. Shelomit @67,
    I am sure ‘Nagin’ and ‘Nagina’ must have been great fun. Compared to these the first Nagin could be quite tepid, except the songs.

    Milan: I am curious to see your humour in this serious film.

  78. Mr Joseph @68,
    Jaadu kar gaye kisi ke naina is a beautiful song. Thanks for mentioning it. Chanda re ja re ja re from this film became immortal, leaving this song far behind.

  79. Dr Deshpande @69,
    This jaadugar is also a zalim. Nice one.

    @70,
    N Datta gave some landmark songs for Asha Bhosle. The eyes do cast a spell, but the song does not for me.

    @71,
    Jaadu bhari aankhonwali suno: Is this an unabashed imitation of Is rang badalti duniya mein? Therefore, the song is quite melodious, gives feel of the 1960s.

    @72,
    Jaadu teri nazar ka chal hi gaya diwane: No wonder. The song is from a tilismi film.

    @73,
    Teri tirchhi nazar main hai jaadu is a very enjoyable song. This man find jaadu in the lady’s ‘ang ang mein’ and in all her gestures.

  80. AK, @ 34
    Consider two scenes. One is from Footpath where Meena Kumari is taking bath in an enclosed space where nobody is present, which was a common thing to do for every girl or woman. The other one is from Phool Aur Pathhar, where Meena Kumari exposes her shoulder deliberately to show beating marks in the court in full public view. Look at different public reactions to the two scenes. The first one draws the remark ‘oh, Meena Kumari too’ in ‘thou too Brutus’ style. The second one elicits sympathy and sobs.

    Is this a fit case of ‘jaaki rahi bhavna jaisi’? 😉

    BTW, it is said that in Chitralekha her body double was used.

  81. Mumbaikar 8,
    There is no next category. Broadly it is all sewed up as far as I can think. I made a mention in passing about ‘assorted type of other balmas’ – you never know something interesting may turn up in the readers’ comments.

    Aankh mein jaadu bhar bhaar ke is a real magical song. Firstly, Shamshad Begum, and secondly Meena Kumari’s uninhibited Arabic dance. I think her miserable married life, made her into a scree tragidienne.

  83. Ak ji , Hans ji
    Thanks for appreciation. I recalled the song when in a casual chat with friends somebody mentioned Zinda Tilismat and I don’t know how Tilismat ki raat reverberated in my ears.
    Ak ji your comment @ 78 spurred me to write this.
    As Hans ji has said lyricists of golden era were simply superb. They had the ability to use precise words for the given situation. You have written about assorted categories of balmas. And apart from the main categories covered by you we have bhola, nadaan, jhootha, farebi , chotasa , babua and few other types of balmas and sajanas.
    And to top it all I feel there is a unique balama sipahiya.

  84. Mr Muli,
    Bhola, naadan would fall under anadi baalma (the dunce). Jhootha, farebi I would include under Beimaan, bedardi etc. Chhota sa, babua, sipahiya are different from the main types. Thanks a lot for adding so many assorted types.

  85. Hansji @76
    Thanks for your comment. Just trying to recollect befitting songs.

    @ 80
    Your observations on the two scenes featuring Meena Kumar is both interesting and appropriate.
    I am wondering if any furore was raised that time over the Footpath scene.

  91. Hans @80,
    What we all do is not important, what is shown on the screen is. Since Meena Kumari is associated as a Sati Savitri, seeing her exposed on the screen, without cinematic reason, is odd.

  92. Dr Deshpande @86,
    I was just wondering, this post was about the ‘jadugar’. With the discussion veering towards ‘main ka jadu’ (the magical spell of the eyes, the focus shifts to the eyes.

    @87,
    OP Nayyar comes up with an Ace in his debut film.

    @88,
    Nice song.

    @89,
    Here the bedardi baalam casts a spell. Nice song which can fit my both the posts which heralded the new year.

    @90,
    Shamshad Begum adds her own magic to the song.

  93. Pre partition song . The video is not found. Not many would recollect having heard this . Both the MD as well as the lyricist are new to me.

    ‘ Kya jadu hai…’/ 1946 / CHEHRA / I C Kapoor / MA Mukhtar / Shamshad , Mukesh

    https://youtu.be/iI_fgB83iZs

  95. Hans @82,
    In my previous post on ‘Beimaan balma’, there was a song by Chitragupta- Kajra na dekhe, gajra na dekhe/ Hoga bada naadan beimaan balma. That unified the dunce with the rogue. Now we find that there is some overlapping between the enchanter and the rogue. This is getting interesting.

  96. Mr S Joseph @93,
    Kya jaadu hai tere paas piya is a beautiful song. No two singers would be more different than Mukesh and Shamshad Begum in their tonal quality and singing style. It is interesting how wonderfully they have gelled in a number of vintage duets.

    @94,
    New song for me.

  103. Mr Mauli @97,
    Thanks for this song, We were very close to ‘kala jadu’. The search continues. Or is it getting difficult because kala jadu’ was undisputedly evil?

  104. Mr S Joseph @98, 99,
    We are getting more songs of jaadu than jaadugar. In ‘jaadu’ too, the magic of the eyes dominates.

  105. Dr Deshpande @100,
    The music of the film was very goo, but strangely the film bombed.

    @101,
    This is a poor copy of AR Rahman’s ‘Muqabla, muqabla’. How many clones of this song are floating around?

    @102,
    This is a unique composition. After Shahrukh Khan’s tentative line ‘Tu mere saamne hai, main tere saamne, tujhko dekhun ki pyar karun, Juhi Chawla comes very sensuously Toot gayi, toot ke main choor ho gayi. Then the songs has both the enchanter and his spell.

  106. Ak ji
    We will not have patience to search for kala jadu because it belongs to literally and figuratively in post golden era years.
    One of my younger friends found for me a gem which I do not dare to post here. I will just mention it
    Kala jadu from Mission Mumbai .

  113. Dr Deshpande @108,
    Jaadugar tune kaisa jaadu ye kiya is a very melodious song. 50s! Heard for the first time.

    @109, 110, 111, 112,
    I am completely unfamiliar with songs. But I am haay that we are discovering more ‘black magic’.

Leave a comment