Let's Go Back: Azad (1955)
Asif
of Hariyaali Aur Raasta (1962). Kalraji's input would have made the
thread look complete, but it will remain open for him to enrich us with
his memories whenever he chooses to talk.
The next film in the series 'Let's Go Back' is Azad (1955). This
swashbuckling fantasy starring Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari was one of
the biggest hits of 1955. By then Dilip Kumar was already established
as a tragedy king; but here he forayed into comedy and romanced Meena
Kumari in a comic turn of events. C. Ramchandra's melodious music;
however, stole the limelight from the lead pair. I saw the film first
time on TV as late as in 1987, yet I do not remember much from it,
except the song-and-dance sequence 'Aplam chaplam chaplaai re'
featuring two actresses I later came to know only as the 'Travancore
Sisters'. To put it plainly, I never saw such a scintillating dance
performance on silver screen before or after, not even from
Vyjayanthimala, Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, or Helen. The song itself
is so pulsating that it invariably makes you tap your feet in a trance.
Other gems, such as 'Kitna haseen hai mausam', 'Radha na bole na
bole', 'Dekho ji bahaar aayi', and 'Jaa ri jaa ri o kaari
badariya', still mesmerize you on a flight back to those good, old
days. My favorite from this memorable album is 'Dekho ji bahaar
aayi' - CR's composition is out of the world and Lata's
rendition heavenly. I properly listened to this song first time in
1990 on a 'Geetmala Hit Parade' cassette featuring hit songs of
1955, and I just kept rewinding to it then. CR's music in it is
awesome, especially toward the end of each antara where some wind
instrument prepares the mood for Lata's swing into high pitch for the
mukhada. They don't make such music anymore.
So, how did you receive those songs then? Did the album meet your high
expectations after CR had enthralled you earlier with Anaarkali (1953)?
Didn't you mistake the male voice in 'Kitna haseen hai mausam'
to be Talat Mehmood's? Surprisingly, none of those great songs made
it to the annual Binaca Geetmala show of 1955, and even Ameen Sayani
himself admitted his shock too in 1990. Yet, I believe those songs
were big hits in their time, no? How much did they contribute to the
film's success? Where and when you happened to see the film? How
did others around you react to the music? How did a rather
serene-looking Meena Kumari suit the lively pace of a 'Dekho ji
bahaar aayi' or a 'Radha na bole na bole'? Were you disappointed
that Dilip Kumar did not get to sing even a single sad song in this
film for a change? Who were those 'Travancore Sisters'? Did you
plug your ears at such seemingly nonsensical, yet catchy, words
'Aplam chaplam' then, or you just loved them and wanted more?
Which song between the two similar-sounding songs 'Jaa ri jaari o
kaari badariya' and 'Radha na bole' did you like more, or you did
not notice any similarity then? I often wonder how come CR still did
not achieve the star status after this fabulous album. Did you miss
anything in it, or you just did not like Dilip Kumar crooning just one
song in the film? Do you remember any news report then about any
artiste talking about the film and/or its music? Let's go back,
recall, and share.
Thanks.
Asif
Poma
"Asif" <alvi...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1165192327....@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
Azad, Chandrashekhar Azad? Rings bell about history or even Sunny Deol who
played a character by this name. But thanks to my love for old film music I
know this is about Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari's Azad.
Although I did not see the film, the songs are familiar to me. Most
prominent are Kitna Haseen Hai Mausam and Aplam Chaplam.
My personal favourite is Kitni Jawan Hai Raat Koi Yaad Aa Gaya, Badhne Lagi
Hai Baat Koi Yaad Aa Gaya and Jaa Ri Jaa Ri and of course Dekhoji Bahaar
Ayi, Baagon Mein Khili Kaliyan.
Still mesmerising and melodious.
Why is that only some selected songs from the same film become more famous
than others even if almost all are equally good. Example here is Kitna
Haseen Hai Mausam and Aplam Chaplam.
I think even Chhayageet or some radio programs use to broadcast only these
songs.
I somewhat recall the Travancore sisters dancing to Aplam Chaplam.
What a surprise to note that even you feel Chitalkar's voice must be that of
Talat Mehmood in Kitna Haseen Hai Mausam.
CRC is also my favourite. The point you made about him making Lata sing in a
high pitch is wonderful.
CRC is probably most known for Albela and although most songs from this film
were hit people identify mostly with Bholi Surat and Shola Jo Bhadke.
I dont know whose contribution was it but listen to how Lata and Chitalkar
render the duet Shola Jo Bhadke. It has a line "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Dekha Jo
Tumko Dard Gaya Tham and then Chitalkar sings Ab To Na Honge Tumse Judaa
Ham"
It really feels that they just don't sing for the sake of it but actually
mean the lyrics to mesmerise listeners.
Rgds Poms
Surjit Singh
Asif wrote:
> Thanks everybody for sharing your memories and knowledge of the music
> of Hariyaali Aur Raasta (1962). Kalraji's input would have made the
> thread look complete, but it will remain open for him to enrich us with
> his memories whenever he chooses to talk.
>
> The next film in the series 'Let's Go Back' is Azad (1955). This
> swashbuckling fantasy starring Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari was one of
> the biggest hits of 1955. By then Dilip Kumar was already established
> as a tragedy king; but here he forayed into comedy and romanced Meena
> Kumari in a comic turn of events. C. Ramchandra's melodious music;
> however, stole the limelight from the lead pair. I saw the film first
> time on TV as late as in 1987, yet I do not remember much from it,
> except the song-and-dance sequence 'Aplam chaplam chaplaai re'
> featuring two actresses I later came to know only as the 'Travancore
Soory, Travancore sisters were not these two, they were lalli, pappi,
raggi, these three:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travancore_sisters
The two you have in mind were Sai and Subbulaxmi. I am quite ignorant
about any other name they had.
s.bhouman
Asif wrote:
> The next film in the series 'Let's Go Back' is Azad (1955). This
> swashbuckling fantasy starring Dilip Kumar and Meena Kumari was one of
> the biggest hits of 1955. By then Dilip Kumar was already established
> as a tragedy king; but here he forayed into comedy and romanced Meena
> Kumari in a comic turn of events.
This film was remade in Hindi by Pakshiraja Films from their original
Tamil film Malaikallan (Thief of the Mountains) which starred MGR and
P.Bhanumathy and was a super hit and consolidated MGR's position as a
star. If I remember right, the aplam chaplam in Tamil was by Sai &
Subbulaxmi (who had done what is today called "item nos) in a few other
movies like Alibaba of MGR (incidentally the first color film, in Geva
color). As another pointed out Travancore sisters were Lalita Padmini
and Ragini. who started appearing in dance sequences right from 40s.
While Padmini later became a full fledged and popular heroine, Lalita
had to contend with a few villainic or vamp or second roles and Ragini
was even less popular (and btw more popular in mallu movies). She acted
in a few Hindi movies also, perhaps one or two with Kishore Kumar (apna
haath Jagannath?)
maild...@yahoo.com
1 Pakshiraja Studio, where most of the indoor shooting was done, was
located
in Coimbatore -Tamil Nadu (if I recall it correctly), a small town,
quite far
away from film making centers like Madras and Bangalore
2 The rope trolly, featured in this film was a big attraction.
3 The producers first tried to get Naushad to compose the music (being
the 1st
choice of film's hero - Dilip Kumar). Ofcouse, Naushad Saheb's
fee was
quite high plus he needed quite a bit of time to compose the
songs.
This film being a quickie, the producer asked Anna Saheb (C.
Ramchandra)
if he could complete the job in a short while. Well, not only
did he charge
a reasonable fee but also composed all the songs in less than 30
days.
They lyrics and music may or may not have fitted the story line
to a T, and
it was left to the director to create the situation and fit the
song, to the
best of his ability.
The music was a big hit, specially Aplam and his yonger brother
Chaplam, so
much so that few years later I S Johar made a film, titled:
Aplam Chaplam
Aother song which I like a lot and has not been featured in the
write-up is:
Marna Bhi Mohabbat Mein Kisi Kaam Na Aaya (Raghunath Jadhav
and
party - traditional qawwali singers)
Sudhir
-----------------------------------------------------------
Narsingh
Ah, sweet memories. I was young, a student at the DAV College,
Jalandhar, Punjab, in the 2nd year of F.Sc. (medical). I must have seen
this movie at least three times, primarily to see the dance performed
by Sai and Subbulaxmi. Such beauty and synchrony of movements. And, the
two girls had large smile on their faces all the time. They had a
second dance number in the movie: O baliye chal chaliye which,
unfortunately, was not quite as good as Aplam Chaplam. These dances
made them quite "famous" and they went on to appear in many movies
afterwards (Chori Chori, with Nargis and Raj Kapoor, comes to mind).
In an interview, Usha Mangeshkar mentioned that this was the first song
she sang (is it true?) as a duet with her sister Lata. Apparently, she
was quite reluctant to sing but CR kept on insisting. Usha let Lata
sing the difficult parts of the song, etc. Usha also mentioned that she
was happy to learn that the song in the movie was lyp-synched by two
sisters. However, I don't know if they were sisters in real life (they
were sisters in the movie). I wonder whatever became of the two
dancers.
Talat was supposed to sing the Kitna hasin hai mausam duet with Lata
but did not make it to the recording. CR pitched in as a last-minute
replacement and tried to sing like Talat.
Another anecdote (read somewhere): Dalip Kumar, known for sad roles,
was beginning to suffer from depression. His psychiatric recommended
that he play a comedic role to uplift his spirits. Azad was the answer.
I have a DVD of Azad (among 120 or so other Indian movie DVDs) and I
watch it quite often along with my two other favorites: Jhanak Jhanak
Payal Baje and Dekh Kabira Roya.
The DVD of the movie is readily available and I strongly recommend it.
Afzal A. Khan
Having seen four responses, here is a recap of my memories.
I saw the film in a town in (old) Madhya Pradesh. I say
"old" because the new Madhya Pradesh came into being a little
later. And now, even that has become "old", with the creation
of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
Dilip Kumar essayed a sort of double role in the film --- as
the debonair Indian Robin Hood and as an urbane, titled
zameendaar, KhanSaheb Abdur Rahim Khan. And, for his pains,
got his first Filmfare Award as Best Actor.
The film, and its music, was a huge hit. As someone mentioned,
CR did compose the music in a record time --- 19 days, as con-
temporary reports said. Another remarkable thing was that the
film as such (without the songs) was completed first and then
all the songs were picturized and woven into the already
completed film.
Badri Prasad (as Meena Kumari's father) excelled in his patented
role, that of a doting parent. His Urdu diction was pleasing.
A youngish Achla Sachdev was made to look older by putting
streaks of grey in her hair.
To the director's credit, every actor fitted into his or her
role in a most effective manner. Pran, besotted with the charms
of Meena Kumari (apart from her father's riches), S. Nazir (as
his henchman), and Murad (as an impoverished zameendaar). The film
evoked the atmosphere of old Hyderabad state, from the uniform of
the policemen to the titles of Murad "raees-e-'azam, jaageerdaar".
I can vouch for it, because one of my own elderly relatives bore
the same titles ! In one scene, Badri Prasad is shown riding home
in a well-appointed bullock cart -- and the bulls I think belonged
to a breed found in Andhra.
Om Prakash, as the lazy, befuddled head constable brought the house
down time and again with his inimitable brand of comedy, though he
did tend to go overboard now and then. I am sure filmgoers of that
period still remember his "billa number", as I do --- 443. His
boss, played by Raj Mehra, was an apt foil for Om Prakash's comedy.
There are so many small things about the movie that I can still
recall. Pran repeating "Ai ai yo" (an exclamation from the South)
that was much enjoyed by the audience. And the sher he recites,
when he thinks he has succeeded in kidnapping Meena Kumari :
KahaaN tak dard-e-dil koi chhupaaye apne seene men
TaRap uThta hai jab yeh dil to phir kehna hi paRta hai
Later, this sher was used as the opening lines of the last song in
the film, which also happens to be my favourite : "Pi ke daras ko
taras gayeeN aNkhiyaaN". And the way Dilip (in his Muslim raees
garb) keeps pace with the beat, by wiggling his fingers through his
beard --- it was quite hilarious.
Shammi (a Parsi actress who started off as a heroine and can be
seen occasionally in bit roles in films and TV serials today) did
a brief cameo. She was Pran's wife and gets strangled by him.
When Meena Kumari finds the dead body, she exclaims in horror,
"Maar Daala ?". Except that it sounded more like "MaaDDaala",
which brought howls of laughter from the crowd.
Sai and Subbulaxmi put over a couple of other dances in hindi
films. "Aplam chaplam" is by far their most popular number.
But my own favourite is SJ's "Man bhaavan ke ghar jaaye gori"
from "Chori Chori".
The fact that the songs were "fitted" into the movie afterwards
made editing slightly difficult and at places rather jarring.
Early in the film, an attempt is made to kidnap Meena but Azaad
manages to have her rescued and she stays for a while in his
lavish jungle hideout. When the time comes for her to leave that
sanctuary, she is requested to put over a song-cum-dance perfor-
mance. Probably "Ja ri ja ri O kaari badariya". When the song
ends, one expects a prolonged applause. Instead, a wizened old
bandit (the original Azaad and Dilip's guru and benefactor)
hurriedly tells Dilip to take her away immediately. And you feel
a bit of resentment at this seeming lack of propriety. The old
bandit's role was played by Nayampalli, I think. We saw him in
"Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai" also.
Dilip's diction as an Urdu-speaking rich landlord was impeccable.
And his mannerisms endeared him to the filmgoers. All in all,
he was a very popular choice as Best Actor.
I had seen the Tamil original too. But I think the hindi remake
was far superior in all respects.
Afzal
surjit singh
Afzal A. Khan wrote:
> Dilip Kumar essayed a sort of double role in the film --- as
> the debonair Indian Robin Hood and as an urbane, titled
> zameendaar, KhanSaheb Abdur Rahim Khan. And, for his pains,
> got his first Filmfare Award as Best Actor.
>
No, Sir! His first was in Daagh.
>
> Afzal
Sukesh
rope trolley and Om Prakash's role as policeman and his superior always
summoning by his badge number ( I remember it as 441 - Afzal remembers it
as 443) and he always responding with "Yes, Sir". As kids, we found that
quite funny.
Haven't seen it again either in a theatre or TV.
I appreciated the some of the songs much later. No particular favoutires.
Afzal A. Khan
You are absolutely right. It was 441. I mistyped it.
Afzal
Afzal A. Khan
You are right. But that was such a morbid movie that I
always tend to forget it ! Despite SJ's music.
Another correction. The Urdu sher I quoted does not come
at the beginning of the song, but towards the end.
Those were comparatively peaceful and happy times. I think
that was the year of the Bandung Conference, that marked the
first enunciation of Panchsheel --- the five principles of
peaceful co-existence. We may deride it today, but all the tur-
moil and warfare of the preceding 50 years seem to suggest that
there was something in it after all. A rotund Bengali
gentleman was the Pakistani premier. Another rotund and a
much shorter Bengali gentleman had already occupied that
position briefly -- KHwaaja Nazimuddin.
In '55, the Shama Group of Publications brought out an outstanding
Urdu Weekly Magazine, somewhat on the lines of Newsweek and
Time. At first, they called it "Riyaasat" --- that was the
name of another Urdu Views-magazine that used to get published
from the Punjab in the twenties and thirties. That was a classy
magazine; its editor was Sardar Diwan Singh Maftoon. Maybe, the
good Professor may recollect that name. At my home in India, I
still have some old files of "Riyaasat". So the "Shama" folks
also called their new mag "Riyaasat", but then changed it soon
to "Aaina". It too was a very classy magazine, priced at aaTh
aana (half-rupee). But the cost of production was too high, and
there won't have been any buyers if it was priced higher. So, it
soon folded up. Today, old issues of "Riyaasat"/"Aaina" would be
collectors' items. Maybe, I should donate them to some good
library.
Somebody remarked that "Azaad" was a major triumph for CR, after
"Anarkali". I think "Yasmin" too was released around the same
time. So we can call them as twin triumphs. This would be a hint
for Asif Mian too, for including "Yasmin" in this series at some
time.
Afzal
Asif
Afzal Sahab, do you have any Shama issues too at your home? By the
way, please do not donate the 'Riyaasat/Aaina' stuff to any library yet
- kindly let me read them first. You plan to donate them in India or
here in US?
Asif
Asif
> The music was a big hit, specially Aplam and his yonger brother
> Chaplam, so
> much so that few years later I S Johar made a film, titled:
> Aplam Chaplam
>
> Aother song which I like a lot and has not been featured in the
> write-up is:
> Marna Bhi Mohabbat Mein Kisi Kaam Na Aaya (Raghunath Jadhav
> and
> party - traditional qawwali singers)
>
Aplam and his younger brother Chaplam?? Are these names of two
characters in the film? As for the qawwali, I never heard of it
before. Who sang it on the screen and what was the situation of it in
the film? Thanks.
Asif
skalr...@yahoo.com
I don't have too much to add, except that in those days, I saw almost
every film that hit the screen, even by bunking college, if I had to.
:)
The film was released in Delhi in late Feb. or early March of 1955, and
that is when I saw it - don't recollect which theater I saw it on. The
film was a runaway hit, and its music hit the charts right away.
Binaca Geet Mala had not yet completed its first full year (in the
16-songs one hour format), but 'kitanaa hasiin hai mausam" was played
for a number of weeks. "aplam chaplam..." overtook it in populairty,
which I could not understand, since I liked the Lata/CR duet more. The
best song, IMO, was the qawwali number "maranaa bhii muhabbat mein
kisii kaam na aayaa....".
That sher, "kabhii khaamosh rahate hain..." is in the beginning of the
song, "pii ke daras ko...". As far as C. Ramchandra's work is
concerned, it was rumored that Naushad turned the film down because he
said he could not deliver the songs within the stipulated 30 days.
CR was appraoched, and he said he would deliver the goods within the
required time, but would charge the same price as Naushad used to. He
kept his promise, and collected a cool Rs. 1 lac, the usual fee charged
by Naushad in those days.
Even though the film celebrated silver jubilee in many centers, it did
not do so in Delhi.
Musically, the two most enduring numbers todate are "na bole na
bole...", and "kitanaa hasiin hai mausam...".
Happy Listenings.
Satish Kalra
s.bhouman
C.Ramachandra was great in his own way. Just that if one listens to the
song "kitna hazi hai mausam" and a Tamil song in the original (Ethanai
kaalamthan Yematruvar - not the corresponding duet, a male solo), both
sound very much same in scale and rythm.
Afzal A. Khan
> That sher, "kabhii khaamosh rahate hain..." is in the beginning of the
> song, "pii ke daras ko...".
> Satish Kalra
>
This sher (part of which has been quoted by you above) does occur at
the beginning of the song. But the other sher which I had quoted
earlier and which was recited by Pran at the time of Meena's
kidnapping occurs towards the end of the song.
Afzal
Pramod
Asif schrieb:
This is really a good series, Asif! Thank you!
When I hear everybody memories, I also feel whafted to that era.
Afzalsaab's report on the political situation that time, roudn up the
picture so well.
Anyway, I saw the movie in 1978, during my winter vacation at my aunt's
place in Dadar, Bombay. They used to live in the BEST chawls and there
was more mixing up with the people than in Kandivli block system. When
the movie for Sunday was announced as Azad, everybody thought it is the
new Azad with Dharmendra and Hema Malini in lead. But I remember,
everybody enjoyed the old film just the same. Thanks to the other
contributors, I know the story line now, which I'd completely
forgotten. The songs though, which remained in my memory are: "kitnaa
hasii.n hai mausam", "aplam chaplam" and "raadhaa naa bole, naa bole".
After the broadcast, everybody was impressed with the dance in aplam
chaplam. It was the piece of conversation for the next week altogether.
I differed in my opinion, but didn't dare to tell it openly. And I was
trememdously relieved to hear my opinion confirmed by a dance expert in
a show by the handsome Benjamin Gilani in mid 80s on movies (I forget
the title, it was very informative!). And this expert, she tore apart
every film dances starting from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, Azad,
Shankara Bharanam and what not.
Now when I watched the song in You tube. I found them quite endearing,
even though some dance of their movements don't really coordinate, for
my taste, with the music.
But all said and done, the song, which really remained in my mind and I
still like is "raadhaa naa bole naa bole naa bole re". This song is for
me Lata Mangeshkar (of the 50's) personified. Every virtue of hers is
in this song. Her dulcet tones, quite subdued, is what makes this song
so special for me.
Pramod
Poma
"Afzal A. Khan" <me_a...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:el2bu8$obk$1...@registered.motzarella.org...
But "Billa number saat sau chheyaasi - 786" in Deewar and Coolie -
inarguably would lead the list.
Poms
Poma
"Pramod" <harv...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1165322149.6...@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Pramod, the show by BJ that you are referring to is Baatein Filmon Ki. IIRC,
it was a primer on film-making techniques et al.
I remember him explaining that when we see a clip in fast motion, the
machine is actually running very slow and vice versa.
Then there was another scene when he explained how important is the
background score/music. Two same scenes one without music and the other with
the background music. It surely makes lot of difference. Then I realised why
the dhishoom dhishoom was so important. Another scene was about how actors
smear ketchup to depict blood.
Rgds Poms
Pramod
Poma schrieb:
> "Pramod" <harv...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1165322149.6...@j72g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > This is really a good series, Asif! Thank you!
You are right! It was Baatein Filmon Ki. As you point out it was very
informative.
I was also very impressed, by the difference made by presence or
absence of background score/music from the scenes of Inkaar, if I
remember right. They had shown a scene another movie as well. Can you
remember that? Or they didn't?
And to justify the placement of this mail in this group: I found the
intro music to the show, quite good as well. The scene I remember very
well, is the one where the glorious Waheeda Rehman dancing on the
ruins, taken from the song "kaa.NTo.n se khii.nch ke ye aa.Nchal", the
song was naturally omitted but the intro music synchronised with the
scene perfectly.
Pramod
surjit singh
Are any of these old TV programs available anywhere? I remember Phool
Khile Hain etc. by Tabassum. Her new Yaden Radio Ceylon Ki is horrible.
Saket
Dilip Kumar in the movie who is having a false beard & all, makeup
stuff - possible doubling up as an old man, like Hakim Ji or something
!!
He listens & enjoys the perf..........I never thought such a good stuff
was on screen, I thought qawaali in Hindi movies really started with
Barsat Ki Raat, atleast that one is the earliest one still popular.
The lead qawwals are two, one of which may be Raghunath Jadhav ......&
their co-ordiantion is just fabulous, the way they take their turns to
recite...
-SJ
Vinayak
really stole the show.
All songs of Azad were one of the top scores of CR.
CR was not famous only for Albela.
He had great scores in Sangeeta, Jhanjhar, Jhamela,Samadhi and many
more and later ones included one great score in Nausher Wan E Adil and
Amardeep.
I have seen the film in school and college days too.
Story is not much but overall it was entertainment.
Music of course was outstanding.
Vinayak