Poesy in passion personified

Bollywood throws up a surprise now and then when you least expect it. A beautiful song in a movie not known for (or of a type you wouldn’t associate with great) songs.

A melody in a myth that is very memorable is this one that I stumbled across after ages. https://youtu.be/mBbd53FtxWA

One of the many movies based on the same story that’s well known in India about a devoted wife who prevails over the God of Death to get her husband back, Sati Savitri released in the 60s. Directed by Shantilal Soni, the movie was made by B R Films (not B R Chopra, this was by B R Pachisia) & had the lead pair of Mahipal and Anjali Devi. Mahipal was a firm follower of the hoary tradition of leading men in Bollywood who refused to act even at the pain of death, such was their steadfast commitment. In some ways he was pleasant to look at and he acted in more mythological movies than other actors of his generation. Anjali Devi started life as Anjamma, changed this to Anjani Kumari when she started acting in Telugu theater and was christened Anjali Devi by a director of Telugu films, C Pullaiah. He made her a huge star almost overnight after his movie Gollabhama released. She went on to act in more than 350 movies, mainly in Telugu but also a number in Tamizh, Hindi & even Kannada. She married P Adinarayana Rao, a lyricist, playwright, producer, director and composer. Their Suvarna Sundari has some outstanding compositions based on Hindustani Classical Music.

Sati Savitri has music by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics by Pandit Bharat Vyas which are a lesson in pure Hindi poetry, full of lavish praise from both for one other with marvellous metaphors strung along.

तुम गगन के चंद्रमा हो, मैं धरा की धूल हूँ
तुम प्रणय के देवता हो, मैं समर्पित फूल हूँ
तुम हो पूजा मैं पुजारी, तुम सुधा मैं प्यास हूँ

तुम महासागर की सीमा, मैं किनारे की लहर
तुम महासंगीत के स्वर, मैं अधूरी साँस भर
तुम हो काया मैं हूँ छाया, तुम क्षमा मैं भूल हूँ

तुम उषा की लालिमा हो, भोर का सिंदूर हो
मेरे प्राणों की हो गुँजन, मेरे मन की मयूर हो
तुम हो पूजा मैं पुजारी, तुम सुधा मैं प्यास हूँ

Very few poets write so beautifully and when one comes across such exquisite beauty, coupled by a melodious composition (that LP were definitely more than capable of, see any of their songs from the debut film Parasmani) & backed by fantastic vocals by Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey, the effect is truly magical.

The other songs from the movie are equally good. Unfortunately the video clips of this particular song aren’t available on YouTube, something which the many fans of Mahipal won’t regret one bit. https://youtu.be/qBVNC23Ve3o

Have a great week ahead, folks. The summer heat has been largely mitigated by the unseasonal rains in my part of the country. Almost as if spring continued as the rainy season.

Stay healthy and happy.