This article is written by Raja, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
Let me start with a confession.
In my childhood – and for many years thereafter – whenever there was a “mujra” song in a Hindi film, I wouldn’t pay much attention to it.
Unless of course, it was a well-known song. Like songs of Pakeezah. Then I would sit through and enjoy the song.
But otherwise, that would be the time I’d take a break, go pick up refreshments, or (if I’m watching on video), fast forward the song.
The reason for this is simple. It had nothing to do with the mujra as such. But what I used to feel was that , most of the time, the story doesn’t move forward at all during a mujra. So, if you’re focussed on the story and you need a break (or are short of time), the mujra becomes the casualty.
Now, as I’ve grown older, and my grey hairs suggest (rather deceptively) an increase in wisdom, I think I might have missed out on something.
I think I might have missed out on some very good music. A mujra song doesn’t need to be as famous as Pakeezah songs to be of a high quality by itself.
If you are a true music lover, you will care about the music side of a song, not whether it moves the story forward or not. You will care about the composition, the instruments, the lyrics, the vocals and so on. After all, a LOT of effort – of a LOT of people – goes into making ONE song. That alone needs to be appreciated and respected, regardless of other factors.
So just as a song might be incidental to a storyline (my thought process in my early years), the storyline can be incidental to a song. It depends on what your perspective is – what angle you are approaching the song from.
In addition, a mujra involves dance skills too. So the dance director would have spent time training the dancer(s). Whether the song is a hit or not, whether it moves the story forward or not, this effort cannot be denied.
Also, if you really look at it, hero-heroine running around trees does not move the story forward either.
Yet, I used to watch these songs. Maybe because of the outdoor scenes, the scenery. A mujra is within the confines of four walls of a room, giving an impression that things are stagnant.
All this was perception, nothing else. But as a youngster, I wasn’t thinking too much.
Today, I can claim to be wiser in this respect.
And as evidence of this enlightenment, today I present the third (and final) song of my Naqli Nawab trilogy.
This is a mujra where the dancer is Indira Billi and the patron-in-chief is the Nawab, K N Singh. Such a scene was extremely common in films in the past. Nawabs (or aristocrats in general) would be shown as “aiyaash”, spending their wealth on “vices like wine and women”. Depending on whether this is important in the storyline, there would be somebody trying to exploit the situation. In Mere Huzoor, we had this same Indira Billi playing a similar role. In that film her partner-in-crime is Ram Mohan, here it is Kamal Kapoor.
As I was listening to the song to note down the lyrics, I realized I quite liked the song. The more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Just validated my point about all the songs of Naqli Nawab being very pleasant on the ear. So full marks to Babul, the composer.
That reminds me. In my previous post, I’d expressed a desire to know more about Babul. Arunji has promptly sent me an e-mail with some information – I am sharing it below. Thank you, Arunji.
“There was a pair of composers called BIPIN-BABUL.
Bipin Dutta ( born 17-8-1930) and Babul ( born 22-1-1923) worked as a pair and gave music to 12 films. Bipin Dutta had started working as an assistant first to Khayyam and then to Madan Mohan, where he met Babul, who too was assistant to Madan Mohan for quite some time. In 1955 they decided to separate from madan Mohan and became a composer team for film Salaam E Mohabbat ( original name Diler ). This Costume film made by Kohinoor Films, Bombay was not completed. Its 4 songs were recorded in 1955. The singers were Talat mehmood, Sudha Malhotra, Shamshad Begum and Madhubala Jhaveri.
With this inauspicious beginning, they gave music to another 11 films….Shahi mehmaan-55, Sultana Daku-56, Baadal aur Bijli-56, Taaj Poshi-57, Silver King-57, Chandu-58, Chaubees Ghante-58, Jungle King-59, Raat ke Raahi-59, Bus Conductor-59 and Daawat-74. Film Jungle King, though censored in 1959 was released in 1969 and film Daawat was Censored and released in 1974. By this time, not only the pair had separated but Babul had already migrated to Pakistan, in 1963 itself.
After splitting they did not have any better luck as independent composers. Bipin Dutt gave music to ‘Kya ye Bambai hai’-59, Alam Ara ki beti-60, Diamond king-61 and Baghi Shehzada-64.
Babul gave music to Forty days-59, Reshmi Roomal-61, Sara jahan hamara-61, Naqli Nawab-62 and Mujrim kaun khooni kaun-65.”
With this, I end this trilogy. I trust you will listen to the song and enjoy it like I did.
With this, all songs of Naqli Nawab (1962) have been posted on the blog. In other words, it’s a YIPPEEE moment for this film on this blog.
Song-Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re (Naqli Nawaab)(1962) Singer-Asha Bhonsle, Lyrics-Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, MD-Baabul
Lyrics
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Main ulfat ke sholon mein jal gayi re
Allah
Main jal gayi re ae
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re ae
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Tere ishq mein is tarah kho gayi
Zamaana kahe baawri ho gayi ee
Tere ishq mein is tarah kho gayi
Zamaana kahe baawri ho gayi ee
Zamaana kahe baawri ho gayi
Nazar ki chhuri dil pe chal gayi re
Main ulfat ke sholon mein jal gayi re
Allah
Main jal gayi re ae
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Aji kya ye ulfat mein dhokha nahin
Main badhti gayi toone roka nahin een
Aji kya ye ulfat mein dhokha nahin
Main badhti gayi toone roka nahin een
Main badhti gayi toone roka nahin
Ab to manzil se aage nikal gayi re
Main ulfat ke sholon mein jal gayi re
Allah
Main jal gayi re ae
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
Arrey sangdil kya kahoon tujhe
Nigaahon se aisi pila de mujhe ae
Arrey sangdil kya kahoon tujhe
Nigaahon se aisi pila de mujhe
Nigaahon se aisi pila de mujhe
Ki main girte girte sambhal gayi re
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re ae
Nazar teri kaise badal gayi re
