Aankhen milaa ke mera dil churaa ke

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Today’s song is from the film Captain Kishore-1957. The film was made by Wadia Movietone and it was directed by J.B.H.Wadia. The music was by the Music Magician- Chitragupt. Out of the total 7 songs, 6 are already discussed here. Today’s song is the last and final song from this film.

The cast of the film was Suresh, Shashikala, Roopmala, Shaikh, Mirza Musharraf, Tun Tun,Azeem and many others. The title of the film has a resemblance to another film- Captain Kishori-1940, in which Lalita pawar was in the lead role. The word ” Captain” seems to be a favourite of film producers. These titles had started from the first decade of the Talkie films. The list of such films is….

There was one film Lieutenant-1944 and one Majorsaab-1998. So much for the Army ranks. The Air Force was spared. The Navy gave 2 films, Commander-1959 and 1981.

HFGK mentions that today’s film is a Social film. However, looking at its story and its cast, it seems to be more of a Costume/Action/Stunt film. The story is….

The story is set in a kingdom, before India got independence. The senapati of the army of Rajnagar, Balwant Singh, kills the king with the desire to rule the kingdom. He throws the blame of the king’s murder on a fictitious, imaginary person called Captain Kishore. When he wants to kill the Boy Prince, he is saved by a mysterious masked man calling himself Captain Kishore ! While taking the prince, he sees the sleeping Princess, Kiran, with a book of poems in her hand. He likes and recites a few poems. She wakes up and starts shouting. Her security man Buddu Singh and his fiancee Dolly, the dancer, try to stop him, but he escapes with the boy.

Leela, cousin of Kiran, loves Kishore and arranges for him to work in the palace as a Munshi. Kiran comes to meet Leela and falls in love with Kishore, but she suspects that Kishore loves Leela. Meanwhile Balwant Singh sees them and is about to kill Kishore when the Boy Prince saves him and they escape. Now Balwant Singh forces Kiran to marry him. In the celebration, Dolly starts dancing. Kishore, Boy Prince and a small army come there. Balwant tries to shoot Kishore, but Leela comes between them and dies while saving Kishore. Balwant snatches Boy Prince and runs away in a car, with Kishore following in another car. At one railway crossing, Boy Prince jumps but gets stuck on rails and becomes unconscious. Kishore jumps on a running train and going to the engine front, picks up Prince in time to save him. Balwant Singh’s car falls into a valley and he dies.

Boy Prince becomes the king. Captain Kishore weds Kiran and becomes Army Chief cum Vazir. All is well. Film ends and the audience goes home.

I have seen this film and I felt that the hero-Suresh as well as the heroine – Shashikala were not comfortable in their roles, because of the type of the film. They had never acted in an action/ stunt film or worn such costumes, possibly. I wonder how and why these actors were selected in the first place.

Iun India’s Hindi film history Wadia Movietone stands first to introduce, establish and popularise the genre of Stunt and Action films. Fearless Nadia’s contribution is, ofcourse, one of the major points in it.. The second number should go to Master Bhagwan.

Wadia Movietone was a noted Indian film production company and studio based in Mumbai, established in 1933 by Wadia brothers J. B. H. Wadia and Homi Wadia. It was most known for stunt, fantasy and mythological films, including Hunterwali (1935).

Wadia brothers belonged to a Parsi family, and their ancestors came from the ship building Wadia family (Wadia Group), originally from Surat, which also built the British wartime ship HMS Trincomalee (1817). Their ancestors moved to Bombay in the 18th century. It was co-established in 1933, by producer and screenwriter J. B. H. Wadia, his younger brother director Homi Wadia, film distributor Manchersha B. Billimoria, and brothers Burjor and Nadirsha Tata.

However, the Tata brothers left the partnership within three years. The company then continued production of film, documentaries and newsreels from its studios near Lowjee Castle, Mumbai, the Wadia family mansion, owned by their great-grandfather Lovji Nusserwanjee Wadia, a noted shipbuilder, who founded the Wadia Group in 1736. The company even had its logo as a ship, honouring their family legacy. Their company made Hunterwali (1935) starring Fearless Nadia, Boman Shroff and John Cawas, which became a surprise hit and its first big success. Thereafter, they made several films based on the Arabian Nights.

However, by the end the 1930s, the genre of stunt, fantasy and mythology films which dominated the early films, was beginning to fail and the company ran into heavy losses, after they invested into ambitious projects which flopped. The last film made by the company was Raj Nartaki (1941) under the direction of Madhu Bose. Thereafter, the studio premises were up for sale; V. Shantaram hired the studio in 1942 and established Rajkamal Kalamandir on the premises. Homi Wadia, who worked as a director of the company, went on to establish Basant Pictures in the same year, though initially as a film production house. Subsequently, he established a film studio under the same banner in 1947, which functioned till 1981.

Wadia Movietone made films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bangla, Sindhi and Gujarati. The first songless Talkie film of India, ” Naujawan”-1937 was made by wadia. The first English film ” Court Dancer’-1941 (Raj Nartaki in Hindi and Bangla) was also made by Wadia. From 1933 to 1942 Wadia made 42 films. After the split, JBH Wadia continued to make films but slowly, in the name of Wadia Movietone and from 1943 to 1973, he made 24 films. Their first film was Laal-E-Yaman-1933 and the last film was a Gujarati film ” Walo Nawori”-1973.

Riyad Vinci Wadia, grandson of J.B.H. Wadia inherited the studio in 1990. He is most known for his film, Bomgay (1996) and a documentary on Nadia, Fearless: The Hunterwali Story. He died in 2003.

The film was directed by one of the 2 brothers who owned Wadia Movietone – J.B.H.Wadia. Looking at his biography, it seems he lost interest in the film making after the brothers split in 1942. He took more interest in social activities and film industry affairs. Jamshed Boman Homi Wadia (13-9-1901 to 4-1-1986) Hindi director and producer born in Surat, Gujarat. Literary scholar at Bombay University. Worked in a bank while taking a law degree. Major supporter and biographer of Communist (usually referred to as ‘radical humanist’) reformer M.N. Roy. Founder member of Radical Democratic Party of India (1937).

He Combined literary and political interests with fascination for US western and stunt films. Wrote and co-produced his first film (Vasant Leela, 1928) with Kohinoor cinematographer and producer G.S. Devare. Together they ran the Devare Film Laboratory and the Wadia Film Exchange. Established Young United Players (1931) with his brother Homi and made five silent films inspired by the Fairbanks-Niblo Mark of Zorro (1920), including one direct adaptation, Diler Daku (1931).

With support from Manchersha B. Bilimoria, set up Wadia Movietone (1933) with his brother Homi. Personally made the Yeshwant Dave and Boman Shroff silents but functioned mainly as studio boss and scenarist. Best-known Wadia Movietone work, the Fearless Nadia films, were made by Homi Wadia, who also married the star. Although the Wadia signature is linked to the stunt genre, J.B.H.’s work is marked by his political adherences and the conventions of Parsee theatre (e.g. the Jal Khambatta films, Lal-e-Yaman, Baag-e-Misar, Kala Gulab). His Naujawan (Aspi, 1937) was a rare commercial feature without ‘song cushions’.

When he insisted on prioritizing social themes in the production programme, Homi left (1942). Influential documentary and newsreel producer (e.g. his Short Films of Musical Value, recording musical performances by the likes of Mallika Pukhraj and the child Kumar Gandharva). President of the Film Advisory Board (1941-2). Unsuccessful Indian Screen Gazette, modelled on Pathé Gazette, with early work by P.V. Pathy.

Collaborated with ad agency D.J. Keymer on British war-effort films (1940). Apparently made three 30’ thrillers for US television in 1949. Also made All Under the Heaven by Force, directed by Zul Velani (1964), condemning China’s 1962 military operations in India. Established J.B.H. Wadia Publications, issuing e.g. M.N. Roy’s New Humanism and wrote M.N. Roy: The Man (1983). Wrote his autobiography, Those Were The Days (unpublished, 1977), and Gujarati poetry. Excerpts of his silent film Vantolio survive.

1932: Sinh Garjana, Toofan Mail, 1933: Lal-e-Yaman (Director, Writer), Vantolio, 1934: Baag-e-Misar, Bag-E-Misar, Kala Gulab, Vaman Avatar, 1935: Desh Deepak (Director, Writer), Hind Kesari (Writer), Hunterwali (Writer), Noor-e-Yaman, 1936: Miss Frontier Mail(Writer), 1937: Hurricane Hansa (Writer), Naujawan (Writer), Toofani Tarzan (Producer, Writer), 1940: Diamond Queen (Writer), 1942:Jungle Princess (Producer), Muqabala (Writer, Presented by, Story), 1943: Aankh Ki Sharam (Producer), 1944: Krishna Bhakta Bodana, 1951: Madhosh, 1953: Husn Ka Chor, 1954: Alibaba and the Forty Thieves (Producer, Writer), 1955: Veer Rajputani, 1956: Hatimtai(Writer), 1957: Captain Kishore, 1958: Zimbo (Writer), 1960: Duniya Jhukti Hai (Director, Producer), 1966: Tasveer, 1971: Saaz Aur Sanam (Director, Producer) ( based on information from Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema, with thanks.)

Here is the last and final song of this film, sung by Geeta Dutt- my favourite singer. With this song, the film gets YIPPEED, with all its songs covered.

Song- Aankhen mila ke mera dil chura ke (Captain Kishore)(1957) Singer- Geeta Dutt, Lyricist- Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, MD-Chitragupt

Lyrics

aankhen mila ke
mera dil chura ke
nigaahen bacha ke kahaan chale ho ji
aankhen mila ke
mera dil chura ke
nigaahen bacha ke kahaan chale ho ji

dil ko jalaaye wo pyaar nahin maangta
dekho mister humko intzaar nahin maangta
dil ko jalaaye wo pyaar nahi maangta
dekho mister humko intzar nahin maangta
baaten karle pakki
main tere liye lucky
ye mauka thhukra ke kahaan chale ho ji
la lalla lalla
lalaalalalalla
lalaalalalaalaa
lallalallalaa
aankhen mila ke mera dil chura ke
nigaahen bacha ke kahaan chale ho ji

hum tumko milta
to kahta hello hello
tum kabhi na bola
madam dil mein rah lo rah lo
hum tumko milta
to kahta hello hello
tum kabhi na bola
madam dil mein rah lo rah lo
o janaabe aali
main badi bholi bhaali
mera dil dukhha ke kahaan chale ho ji
aankhen mila ke mera dil chura ke
nigaahen bacha ke kahaan chale ho ji

hum tum pe marta
tum hum pe kyun na marta
four twenty karta hai
mohabbat nahin karta
hum tum pe marta
tum hum pe kyun na marta
four twenty karta hai
mohabbat nahi nkarta
shaadi ko main ready
ready hai mera daddy
aise mein dum daba ke kahaan chale ho ji
la lalla lalla
lalaalalalalla
lalaalalalaalaa
lallalallalaa
aankhen mila ke mera dil chura ke
nigaahen bacha ke kahaan chale ho ji