Bollywood has had more than its fair share of deadwood. Usually male, these cartoons couldn’t act or emote even with Mohammad Emwazi (aka Jihadi John) holding a knife at their throat. Frankly we should have introduced him to these blocks of wood with heavy make up that were often related to the powers that be. Hindi films have had a slew of faces that James Parkinson somehow thought of nearly 150 years before they arrived on celluloid film and described the neurological syndrome that’s named after him and now well known in the medical world. The moment you manage to get an emotively challenged lead pair together, this results in a traumatic experience for the audience. One such example caused widespread heart disease. The movie Buddha Mil Gaya had the latest of the immobile (un)worthies, aptly called Navin Nischol and a lady who clearly is ectopic to the environment, Archana. The best thing (& about the only compliment I can give the lady based on her “performance” in this movie) is 1)she had lovely long hair braided into a thick plait, and 2)she could wear a saree elegantly. The movie is actually quite nice with Om Prakash in an unforgettable role, and I am sure the scriptwriter got it wrong when he showed the multiple suicides many characters committed as murders. They were clearly co-actors in the movie frustrated by the emotive obstipation of the lead pair. The director went bald tearing his hair out and both Kishore da and Panchamda as well as Deven Verma developed heart disease as a result of this movie. Amazingly this thriller was directed by the legend, Hrishikesh Mukherjee. MajroohSultanpuri who had been jailed for 2 years by the paragon of freedom of press and expression as well as civil liberties (if you were to believe the Presstitutes) aka JLN, must’ve regretted seeing his beautiful lyrics come to nought after having the unexpressive lead pair on-screen. https://youtu.be/qgsbn8IoUqc
This is one song for which I purposely chose a link that doesn’t inflict you with visual torture. The song is one of Kishoreda/Panchamda’s best and a personal favourite since 50 plus years. The words just ooze romance and passion. What a shame it wasn’t a better pair to do justice to this wonderful song, one of Kishore da’s best.
हे हँसी में उड़ा दो ये क्या हुआ मुझे मुझ को ख़बर नहीं हो सके तुम्हीं बता दो चाहे कहो इसे मेरी मोहब्बत चाहे हँसी में उड़ा दो ये क्या हुआ मुझे मुझ को ख़बर नहीं हो सके तुम्हीं बता दो तुम ने क़दम तो रखा ज़मीं पर सीने में क्यूँ झनकार हुई रात कली एक ख़ाब में आई और गले का हार हुई
यूँ तो हसीनों के माहजबीनों के होते हैं रोज़ नज़ारे पर उन्हें देख के देखा है जब तुम्हें, तुम लगे और भी प्यारे यूँ तो हसीनों के माहजबीनों के होते हैं रोज़ नज़ारे पर उन्हें देख के देखा है जब तुम्हें, तुम लगे और भी प्यारे बाँहों में ले लूँ ऐसी तमन्ना एक नहीं, कई बार हुई रात कली एक ख़ाब में आई और गले का हार हुई सुबह को जब हम नींद से जागे आँख उन्हीं से चार हुई रात कली एक ख़ाब में आई और गले का हार हुई
Have fun folks as the summer finally roasts the country. A western failed state that is an epicenter of world terror is busy imploding while all the Nero’s run away and even the Army resorts to behaviour that’s not short of mutiny.
I saw this movie in the late 80s while travelling overnight to Rural Maharashtra for helping to serve the underserved people of the state. I was unable to bribe the cleaner of the video coach I was travelling by in time, as I had reached late to do it. I had worked out thebribe-the-cleaner-routine (who would make the VCR “malfunction” a short time into the journey) very successfully scores of times so that I would be spared the assault by the Dolby sound systems (that made me feel like a Tom and Jerry movie when a heavy metal band of street cats descend on their neighborhood and start an impromptu, noisy concert, with resultant eardrums knocking on one other inside their skulls and a monstrous headache) & give me a few hours shuteye in the reclining seat (that usually refused to recline as much as it was supposed to).
The movie is called Sunny eponymously after the male lead (Sunny Deol whose character is also called Sunny in the movie). The movie has Dharmendra as the father who’s married to Waheeda Rehman but she can’t get pregnant, so Garam Dharam quenches his thirst (so to speak) with a Kothewali (Sharmila Tagore) who promptly and predictably gets pregnant. Waheeda gets enraged at the sowing of the oats, but before the delivery, Dharam dies in a plane crash. The lady now under the pretext of caring for the pregnant prostitute, organises the parturition and claims the baby is stillborn. The boy is now brought up by Waheeda as her own. The boy, Sunny, grows up and falls in love with a dancer/singer, Amrita Singh, who most inconveniently (for Waheeda, that is) turns out to be Sharmila Tagore’s niece. The utterly melodramatic movie had a great score by RD Burman. This is one of his best songs, Anand Bakshi wrote the lyrics which Lata didi has sung soulfully. Dharmendra and Sunny Deol don’t appear in a single frame together in the movie. https://youtu.be/FQYcjNxfsoc
Sunny Deol was a truly wonderful actor and has won Filmfares as well as National Awards for Best Actor as well as Best Actor in a SupportingRole. Surprisingly the plot of this film is very similar to the film Zameen Aasman starring Sanjay Dutt released in the same year. Even more surprisingly- and this can only happen in Bollywood-both the movies hadmusic by R. D. Burman. Sunny also had another wonderful composition, Aur Kya Ahd-E-Wafa, sung as solos by Suresh Wadkar and also by Asha Bhosle.
Hope you folks like the song I was forced to see some 3 decades ago. Take my advise and don’t bother seeing the movie.
An earlier blog on the same song had touched upon its Bangla source. Amazingly the Bangla version is sung by Asha Bhosle. Why Pancham asked Latadidi to sing the Hindi version, I don’t know. You can read the earlier blog written 2 years ago on this link. https://abchandorkar.wordpress.com/2021/02/22/melody-recast-and-reborn/
Have a wonderful Sunday, folks. Enjoy the day. I will make the transition from 15 to 32 degrees.
I saw the movie in the early 80s with Aruna when we were dating. I loved the movie. Shekhar Kapur directed it with sensitivity. Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi were at the time only committed to acting. Naseer had struck a purple patch at the time. Unfortunately I discovered it was virtually a frame by frame, line by line copy of Erich Segal’s “Man, Woman and Child” which I saw a year or two after the Hindi copy. That took the gloss away somewhat. Martin Sheen was brilliant in the original, I loved this role more than his epic performance in the Viet Nam war movie, Apocalypse Now. In keeping with the grand old Bollywoodtradition of shamelessly copying without crediting the source even in the passing, forget about actually giving credit, Masoom actually picked up the Filmfares for Best Music Director ( RD Burman) Best Actor ( Naseeruddin) and Critic’s Award for Best Film (Shekhar Kapur). I am sure both the director and actor were aware of the original but sadly didn’t show the integrity to acknowledge the “inspiration”
The music by Rahuldev Burman is superb and original. I loved all the songs. I think this one stands apart. https://youtu.be/qfrdkbQHw48
The soulful vocals are by Aartee Mukherjee and the delicious, well crafted verse is by the one and only Gulzar. I loved the dard in her singing.
दो नैना और एक कहानी थोड़ा-सा बादल, थोड़ा-सा पानी और एक कहानी
छोटी सी दो, झीलों में वो, बहती रहती है कोई सुने या ना सुने, कहती रहती है कुछ लिख के और कुछ ज़ुबानी थोड़ा सा बादल…
थोड़ी सी है जानी हुई, थोड़ी सी नयी जहाँ रुके आँसू वहीं, पूरी हो गयी है तो नयी फिर भी है पुरानी थोड़ा सा बादल…
इक ख़त्म हो तो दूसरी, रात आ जाती है होठों पे फिर भूली हुई, बात आ जाती है दो नैनों की है ये कहानी थोड़ा सा बादल…
A wonderful movie that I would have undoubtedly loved much more had I not known it’s genealogy.
Que sera sera……
Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the sunshine on a cool day. Isn’t it amazing? Here we are shivering on a day with maximum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, and my son in Minneapolis joked about the maximum temperature there being 21 degrees Celsius, too?
In India, we are of course talking of a temperature that many degrees above zero and he is referring to Minus 21 degrees Celsius…..
One of my favourite quotes is from a John Greenleaf Whittier poem, Maud Muller: ‘ For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, “It might have been.” ‘
After the epic finals of the FIFA World Cup that took place in Qatar (an unlikely venue for the event, frankly), and being initially crestfallen for the first eighty minutes or so, with what was one way traffic with wave upon wave of the Gauchos attack the camp of the seemingly hapless and clearly out of sorts Les Bleus, the La Albiceleste had not only brought the French down to their knees but were pretty much rubbing their noses in the gravel. The French woke up, somewhat miraculously from their hibernation, and restored parity. 30 minutes of extra time and I was marvelling at the extremely high level of physical endurance that these athletes had built up, everyone was just continuously apparently in Brownian motion, the deadlock was broken, and miraculously restored by the ex Cameroonian whose name poses a conundrum related to its pronunciation, Kylian Mbappe who virtually made the match something of an Mbappe v Argentina affair. A high voltage drama of the Penalty Shootout followed and the better team of the night deservedly won. France and Argentina were really equally matched. Argentina lost the very first match of the tournament that they played, and the French lost the last (sadly). I fantasized what would have happened if the finals had seen a role reversal: and France had won instead.
For sure Messi would be heartbroken and would on returning to Buenos Aires wouldn’t have been given the unprecedented hero’s welcome that now awaits him. He might have had to choose a song to best express his thoughts. This comes closest to the one he’d be looking for. https://youtu.be/HMUYMtCr_ic
A song from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, sung by Julie Covington. The bittersweet song of parting based on Eva Peron’s fictionalised and romanticized travails.
Just in case, imagine just in case Messi were to be a Bollywood fan, he might have chosen this immortal Kishoreda lamentation from a timeless classic, Amar Prem directed by Shakti Samanta with one of Pancham‘s best scores of a very prolific career. The lyrics for all the wonderful songs were by the master wordsmith, Anand Bakshi, who thought he was a great singer as well (an opinion that he fondly held on to butwasn’t shared by too many others)https://youtu.be/_Vj4gJkHei8
Amar Prem is actually a remake of the Bengali film Nishi Padma made 2 years before, and directed by Arabinda Mukherjee, who wrote screenplay for both the films based on the Bengali short story Hinger Kochuri by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.
An amazing acting duel, jugalbandi in a sense, between the man with the Midas touch, who holds the record for 19 consecutive hits , a feat unparalleled and unequalled before or after his reign,Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore.
Imagine the reversal of fortune for Argentina and France.
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. If turnips were watches, I’d wear one by my side. If “ifs” and “ands” were pots and pans, There’d be no work for tinker’s hands.
So goes the nursery rhyme. Since we don’t actually live in an imaginary world, this wasn’t the script followed.
So it all stuck to the staid, rather unfanciful script and Argentina did pip France to the post. Stay safe, folks. Stay healthy and happy and have a wonderful wintry day.
My father was in the Indian Air Force and the earliest recollections I have from my childhood are during the Air Force days. Days of happiness, of sharing, of contentment. We were in Tezpur just before the brutal Chinese Aggression and moved to Hakimpet in 1963. We remained there just for 2 years or so, and in the summer of 65, moved with Dad’s squadron to Adampur in the doaba, between Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. We stayed there for nearly 3 years. It was during this period that I could get introduced to The Sikh Faith. Some of the most divine moments I’ve experienced have been inside of Gurudwaras, ranging from Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar , to Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh where while sitting on the steps of the Gurudwara in the mid 90s, I had an unforgettable precious moment of brush with divinity, and a fleeting feeling I can only describe as one where I briefly became one with Him, and, a very brief but most exhilarating out of body experience as I felt enveloped by a warm moisture, a miasma of infinite softness as I sat after the langar , having felt Dashamesh’s presence in the place where he distilled the Bhagavadgita into the colloquial language for the benefit of the common people. Something akin to what Sant Dnyaneshwar did in Maharashtra, albeit a few centuries earlier.
Today happens to be Guruparb, the day Guru Nanak Dev Ji descended on this planet to lead the ignorant out of the darkness. Born in what is today Nankana Sahib (then known as Rai Bhoi ki Talwandi) , which is now sadly in the land of the Paapis thanks to a grave and mortal mischief perpetrated on our great country by the Brits and a wimpish Political leadership in India at the time. The Guru’s parents, Kalyan Chand Das Bedi (commonly referred to as Mehta Kalu) and his mother Mata Tripta were both Hindu Khatri, his father was employed as a Patwari (an accountant) in the village Talwandi for computing and collecting crop revenue.
Nanaki, Guru Nanak’s only sister, was five years older than him. In 1475, she married and moved to Sultanpur.
Jai Ram, Nanaki’s husband, was employed at a modikhana (a storehouse for revenues collected in non-cash form), in the service of the Delhi Sultanate’s Lahore governor Daulat Khan. Jai Ram would help Nanak get a job when he was 16.
Guru Nanak Devji moved to Sultanpur, and started working at the modikhana around the age of 16. He married when he was around 18, Sulakhani, daughter of Moolchand (aka Mula) and Chando Raṇi. They were married in the town of Batala, and would go on to have two sons of their own, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand (also referred to as Lakhmi Das). He had great interest in spirituality from a tender age of 5 or so and actually explained the concept of the first letter representing One and God. His teachings are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib to which he has contributed nearly a thousand (974 to be precise) hymns. His Japji Sahib (जपजी साहिब) is considered to be the most frequently recited Gurbani in Sikhism. Guru Granth Sahib begins with Japji and It is the part of Nitnem (daily worship) of every devout Sikh. Guru Nanak Dev preached that any person could connect to God by worshipping with clear conscience. His teachings are included in Guru Granth Sahib.
Of all the verses written by GuruNanak Dev Ji, this is the one that I adore the most. Japji Sahib is the first composition of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and is considered the comprehensive essence of Sikhism. The entire Guru Granth Sahib is considered to be an expanded, elaborate exposition of Japji Sahib . It is first GurBani in every devout Sikh’s daily prayers (called Nitnem). Guru Nanak Dev ji tells us about “what is true worship” and “what is the nature of God“. https://youtu.be/uuAPRAydzqg
The Japji was said to have been edited and corrected by Guru Angad, the hand picked successor to Guru Nanak Devji. Guru Angad (who was known as Bhai Lehna) was hand-picked by Guru Nanak Dev himself and christened Guru Angad. Guru Angad contributed one final verse in the Japji, which has 38 paudis by Guru Nanak himself. For the sake of those who cannot understand the language as expressed, I have taken the liberty of presenting an English translation.
ੴ सत नाम करता पुरख निरभओ निरवैर अकाल मूरत अजूनी सैभं गुर प्रसाद ॥ ॥ जप ॥ आद सच जुगाद सच ॥ है भी सच नानक होसी भी सच ॥१॥
There is Only One God, Truth is His Name, He is the creator, Protector, without fear, without any enmity, without form, without any temporal limitations (akaal) , he is without birth , self perpetuating and with the Guru’s blessings: Recite! It was true in the beginning of time, and will remain true through the ages, it is true today and Nanak says will remain true through to the future.
सोचै सोच न होवई जे सोची लख वार ॥ चुपै चुप न होवई जे लाए रहा लिव तार ॥ भुखिआ भुख न उतरी जे बंना पुरीआ भार ॥ सहस सिआणपा लख होहे त इक न चलै नाल ॥ किव सचिआरा होईऐ किव कूड़ै तुटै पाल ॥ हुकम रजाई चलणा नानक लिखिआ नाल ॥१॥
One cannot find God by bathing in holy places a hundred thousand times, one cannot find Him by staying silent (maun) one cannot find Him by observing fasts, one may come up with a hundred thousand intelligent ideas but not one will accompany oneself. How does one purify oneself? How does one throw away false ideas? Says Nanak, by being satisfied with God’s command, which is ordained for all of us.
हुकमी होवन आकार हुकम न कहिआ जाई ॥ हुकमी होवन जीअ हुकम मिलै वडिआई ॥ हुकमी उतम नीच हुकम लिख दुख सुख पाईअह ॥ इकना हुकमी बखसीस इक हुकमी सदा भवाईअह ॥ हुकमै अंदर सभ को बाहर हुकम न कोए ॥ नानक हुकमै जे बुझै त हओमै कहै न कोए ॥२॥
At your command, all living beings get a shape, no one can describe your command, with your command the soul enters the body and we get respect from others. Some commands are noble (great) while others appear ordinary (lowly). We get happiness and sorrow only by your commands. Some are blessed by your command and some entrapped in the cycle of birth and rebirth. Your command is always an integral part of every being, it is never outside any being. Nanak says, “Whoever understands your command , does not speak of himself”
गावै को ताण होवै किसै ताण ॥ गावै को दात जाणै नीसाण ॥ गावै को गुण वडिआईआ चार ॥ गावै को विद्या विखम वीचार ॥ गावै को साज करे तन खेह ॥ गावै को जीअ लै फिर देह ॥ गावै को जापै दिसै दूर ॥ गावै को वेखै हादरा हदूर ॥ कथना कथी न आवै तोट ॥ कथ कथ कथी कोटी कोट कोट ॥ देदा दे लैदे थक पाहे ॥ जुगा जुगंतर खाही खाहे ॥ हुकमी हुकम चलाए राहो ॥ नानक विगसै वेपरवाहो ॥३॥
Those who know of His power, sing of that power. Many sing of the Gift, who know of the sign. Some sing of His virtues, and praise his greatness. Some sing of His knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Some sing about how He creates the bodily forms and then turns it back to dust. Some sing about how He takes the soul then give it to the bodily forms. Some sing, chant and perceive distant objects, Some sing that He is ever watchful, is ever-present. There are plenty of those who preach and teach. Millions upon millions offer millions of sermons and narrate His glory. He the Universal Giver keeps on giving, the receivers get tired of receiving. Throughout the ages, those who are used to feed off His blessings keep on feeding. Only the one who walks on the true path of His faith, O Nanak, only He thrives untroubled and free of worries.
He is the True Master, True is His Name – one must utter it with utmost submission and profound love. Ask for His grace and ask for more,The Giver always gives plentifully. What will we have to give before Him, when we meet Him in His Darbar (day of judgement)? With your mouth utter words of His praise and affection at the Amrit Vela (early, predawn hours) and dwell upon His name and praise His deeds, karma is the cloth that one’s soul wears, those with clean clothes (good deeds) will pass through the Gate of Moksha. O Nanak, know this well: Everything rests with the Divine Lord!
थापेआ न जाए कीता न होए ॥ आपे आप निरंजन सोए ॥ जिन सेविआ तेन पाया मान ॥ नानक गावीऐ गुणी निधान ॥ गावीऐ सुणीऐ मन रखीऐ भाओ ॥ दुख परहर सुख घर लै जाए ॥ गुरमुख नादं गुरमुख वेदं गुरमुख रहेआ समाई ॥ गुर ईसर गुर गोरख बरमा गुर पारबती माई ॥ जे हओ जाणा आखा नाही कहणा कथन न जाई ॥ गुरा इक देहे बुझाई ॥ सभना जीआ का इक दाता सो मै विसर न जाई ॥५॥
He cannot be delimited; He is not performed. He is inherently immaculate and pure. Whoever serves Him receives respect. O Nanak sing of the Only Lord with the endless virtues. Sing, listen, and stay steeped in humility. Leave your pain behind, and take satisfaction home with you. One who submits to God: Gurmukh – one who faces Him, speaks like the reverberation of the Naad, possesses the knowledge of the Vedas and becomes one with Him. The Supreme Teacher [Guru : God] is in Shiva, Goraksha, Brahma, and the divine mother Parvati. He who possesses this knowledge, cannot describe it merely in words. One feature that I have understood completely :All creatures have only the one God – May I never forget this!
तीरथ नावा जे तिस भावा विण भाणे कि नाए करी ॥ जेती सिरठि उपाई वेखा विण करमा कि मिलै लई ॥ मत विच रतन जवाहर माणेक जे इक गुर की सिख सुणी ॥ गुरा इक देहे बुझाई ॥ सभना जीआ का इक दाता सो मै विसर न जाई ॥६॥
I would bathe at holy places, if it pleases my Lord, But I will not do that which He asks me not to do. I gaze upon those He has created, without good karma, will they receive (His blessings)? Within one’s mind are invaluable gems, jewels and rubies, when the Sikh listens to the One Guru. The Guru has removed this doubt: all creatures have The one Giver – may I never forget this!
जे जुग चारे आरजा होर दसूणी होए ॥ नवा खंडा विच जाणीऐ नाल चलै सभ कोए ॥ चंगा नाओ रखाए कै जस कीरत जग लेए ॥ जे तिस नदर न आवई त वात न पुछै के ॥ कीटा अंदर कीट कर दोसी दोस धरे ॥ नानक निरगुण गुण करे गुणवंतेआ गुण दे ॥ तेहा कोए न सुझई ज तिस गुण कोए करे ॥७॥
Even if you lived the four ages, or even ten times longer, and even if you were famous through the nine continents and everyone were to follow you, with a good name, the universe sang of your success and praises, nevertheless, if you do not please the Lord, no one will enquire of you. O Nanak, He makes the unworthy, worthy and gives virtues to the virtuous, I know of no other who is the eternal giver.
सुणिअै सिध पीर सुर नाथ ॥ सुणिअै धरत धवल आकास ॥ सुणिअै दीप लोअ पाताल ॥ सुणिअै पोहे न सकै काल ॥ नानक भगता सदा विगास ॥ सुणिअै दूख पाप का नास ॥८॥
Listening to God’s name – a person becomes a virtuous saint, and a respected chieftain. Listening to Him the earth and sky become brilliant and spotless. Listening to Him brightens even the netherworld. Listening to Him, you transcend Time. O Nanak, the devotees forever thrive in progress, listening to Him, they lose their pain and sins.
Listening to Him, one becomes as powerful as God, Brahma and Indra. Listening to Him makes the idiot capable of giving advice to others. Listening to Him a person gets the knowledge of Yoga, and the secrets of the body. Listening to Him, one gets knowledge of worldly matters like politics meditation and the Vedas. O Nanak, the devotees forever thrive in progress, listening to Him, they lose their pain and sins.
सुणिअै सत संतोख ज्ञान ॥ सुणिअै अठसठ का इसनान ॥ सुणिअै पड़ पड़ पावहे मान ॥ सुणिअै लागै सहज ध्यान ॥ नानक भगता सदा विगास ॥ सुणिअै दूख पाप का नास ॥१०॥
Listening to Him a person gets true contentment and wisdom, has the same benefit as bathing in the sixty eight holy places. Listening to Him and reciting His teachings gives us respect, one is easily able to meditate. O Nanak, the devotees forever thrive in progress, listening to Him, they lose their pain and sins.
Listening to Him is to dive into the ocean of virtues, and makes one a religious scholar, spiritual teacher and an emperor. Only by following His advice the blind find the true path, and one is able to grasp what is beyond reach. O Nanak, the devotees forever thrive in progress, listening to Him, they lose their pain and sins.
मंने की गत कही न जाए ॥ जे को कहै पिछै पछुताए ॥ कागद कलम न लिखणहार ॥ मंने का बहे करन वीचार ॥ ऐसा नाम निरंजन होए ॥ जे को मंन जाणै मन कोए ॥१२॥
The state of the true follower is beyond the pale of words, the one who tries to do it will only meet regret. It cannot be written by pen and paper. Those who study and follow the process of the True Faith, will attain sublime purity, after understanding one’s own mind and soul.
मंनै सुरत होवै मन बुध ॥ मंनै सगल भवण की सुध ॥ मंनै मुहे चोटा ना खाए ॥ मंनै जम कै साथ न जाए ॥ ऐसा नाम निरंजन होए ॥ जे को मंन जाणै मन कोए ॥१३॥
With true faith, one gets a pleasant countenance, and gets knowledge of the entire world. The faithful do not ever get injured, do not accompany Yama (attain immortality). Such faithful attain sublime purity, after understanding one’s own mind and soul.
मंनै मारग ठाक न पाए ॥ मंनै पत सिओ परगट जाए ॥ मंनै मग न चलै पंथ ॥ मंनै धरम सेती सनबंध ॥ ऐसा नाम निरंजन होए ॥ जे को मंन जाणै मन कोए ॥१४॥
The faithful do not face obstacles in their path, they leave with fame and respect. They do not blindly follow rituals, but are bound to the true path of the true Dharma. Such faithful attain sublime purity, after understanding one’s own mind and soul.
मंनै पावहे मोख दुआर ॥ मंनै परवारै साधार ॥ मंनै तरै तारे गुर सिख ॥ मंनै नानक भवहे न भिख ॥ ऐसा नाम निरंजन होए ॥ जे को मंन जाणै मन कोए ॥१५॥
The faithful always get to the door of Moksha, and will uplift their friends and family. The faithful easily swim the seas of life with the teachings of the Guru. The faithful, O Nanak, never go around begging. Such faithful attain sublime purity, after understanding one’s own mind and soul.
पंच परवाण पंच परधान ॥ पंचे पावहे दरगहे मान ॥ पंचे सोहहे दर राजान ॥ पंचा का गुर एक ध्यान ॥ जे को कहै करै वीचार ॥ करते कै करणै नाही सुमार ॥ धौल धरम दया का पूत ॥ संतोख थाप रखिआ जिन सूत ॥ जे को बुझै होवै सचिआर ॥ धवलै उपर केता भार ॥ धरती होर परै होर होर ॥ तिस ते भार तलै कवण जोर ॥ जीअ जात रंगा के नाव ॥ सभना लिखिआ वुड़ी कलाम ॥ एहो लेखा लिख जाणै कोए ॥ लेखा लिखिआ केता होए ॥ केता ताण सुआलिहो रूप ॥ केती दात जाणै कौण कूत ॥ कीता पसाओ एको कवाओ ॥ तिस ते होए लख दरीआओ ॥ कुदरत कवण कहा वीचार ॥ वारिआ न जावा एक वार ॥ जो तुध भावै साई भली कार ॥ तू सदा सलामत निरंकार ॥१६॥
The chosen are accepted and preside as one of the five leaders. The chosen are respected in the Court of the Lord. They adorn the courts of kings. The chosen ones focus in their meditation on the Guru. Think about this if you wish, the actions of the Creator are innumerable. Dharma, is the son of compassion; and being content and having patience will keep it in its place. One who understands becomes blessed. What is the great load on the soul? (A metaphor of the bull has been used for the soul) . There is many other worlds beyond this one. Who holds them together in balance with this force? Creatures, species, even colours have names. all inscribed by His Pen. The written account, known to a few is massive in its expanse. So many are given power and others given beauty! So many innumerable gifts are given by Him. He created the Universe with just the one Word, within which flow hundreds of thousands of rivers. Just think about His creative powers that I cannot even start describing. Whoever pleases you, all will be blessed, You will always protect us, Formless One!
असंख जप असंख भाओ ॥ असंख पूजा असंख तप ताओ ॥ असंख ग्रंथ मुख वेद पाठ ॥ असंख जोग मन रहहे उदास ॥ असंख भगत गुण ज्ञान वीचार ॥ असंख सती असंख दातार ॥ असंख सूर मुह भख सार ॥ असंख मोन लिव लाए तार ॥ कुदरत कवण कहा वीचार ॥ वारिआ न जावा एक वार ॥ जो तुध भावै साई भली कार ॥ तू सदा सलामत निरंकार ॥१७॥
Countless meditate, and countless aspire, Countless worship, countless exercise penance. Countless read the granths and Vedas. Countless Yogis stay detached far removed from the world. Countless devotees think of His Virtues and Wisdom, sacrifice, donate. Countless warriors, face the enemy and attack head on. Countless maintain their silence, focussed on their thoughts. Just think about His creative powers that I cannot even start describing. Whoever pleases you, all will be blessed, You will always protect us, Formless One!
असंख मूरख अंध घोर ॥ असंख चोर हरामखोर ॥ असंख अमर कर जाहे जोर ॥ असंख गलवढ हत्या कमाहे ॥ असंख पापी पाप कर जाहे ॥ असंख कूड़िआर कूड़े फिराहे ॥ असंख मलेछ मल भख खाहे ॥ असंख निंदक सिर करह भार ॥ नानक नीच कहै वीचार ॥ वारिआ न जावा एक वार ॥ जो तुध भावै साई भली कार ॥ तू सदा सलामत निरंकार ॥१८॥
Countless fools, blinded in the darkness of their ignorance. Innumerable thieves and cheats. Innumerable forcefully impose their will. Innumerable ones kill and gather sins. Innumerable sinners keep on sinning; liars, wander engulfed in their lies. Innumerable non-believers, eat filth for food. Innumerable critics, with their heads heavy with the burden. Lowly Nanak, speaks his mind. I cannot even begin describing it. Whoever pleases you, all will be blessed, You will always protect us, Formless One!
असंख नाव असंख थाव ॥ अगम अगम असंख लोअ ॥ असंख कहह सिर भार होए ॥ अखरी नाम अखरी सालाह ॥ अखरी ज्ञान गीत गुण गाह ॥ अखरी लिखण बोलण बाण ॥ अखरा सिर संजोग वखाण ॥ जिन एहे लिखे तिस सिर नाहे ॥ जिव फुरमाए तेव तेव पाहे ॥ जेता कीता तेता नाओ ॥ विण नावै नाही को थाओ ॥ कुदरत कवण कहा वीचार ॥ वारिआ न जावा एक वार ॥ जो तुध भावै साई भली कार ॥ तू सदा सलामत निरंकार ॥१९॥
Innumerable names, places. Inaccessible, unreachable, innumerable celestial bodies. Even to call them innumerable is to burden your mind. The Word is His Name; the Word is His Praise, wisdom and the songs of His Glory. The Word brings wise thoughts, words and hymns. The Word tells of destiny written for one (on one’s forehead). But not on the Writer of every one’s destiny. As He ordains, so do we receive.Whatever you do, it is in His name. There is no place in the universe without His name. Just think about His creative powers that I cannot even start describing. Whoever pleases you, all will be blessed, You will always protect us, Formless One!
भरीअै हथ पैर तन देह ॥ पाणी धोतै उतरस खेह ॥ मूत पलीती कपड़ होए ॥ दे साबूण लईऐ ओहो धोए ॥ भरीअै मत पापा कै संग ॥ ओहो धोपै नावै कै रंग ॥ पुंनी पापी आखण नाहे ॥ कर कर करणा लिख लै जाहो ॥ आपे बीज आपे ही खाहो ॥ नानक हुकमी आवहो जाहो ॥२०॥
If the Hands, feet and the body are dirty, we can wash the dirt with water. If clothes that are soiled and stained by excrement, soap and water can wash them clean. When the mind is polluted by sin, That can be cleansed by taking His name. Virtue and vice are not mere words; one’s actions when repeated are engraved on the soul. What you sow is what you shall eat, O Nanak, we die and take birth as He commands.
तीरथ तप दया दत दान ॥ जे को पावै तेल का मान ॥ सुणेआ मंनिआ मन कीता भाओ ॥ अंतरगत तीरथ मल नाओ ॥ सभ गुण तेरे मै नाही कोए ॥ विण गुण कीते भगत न होए ॥ सुअसत आथ बाणी बरमाओ ॥ सत सुहाण सदा मन चाओ ॥ कवण सु वेला वखत कवण कवण थित कवण वार ॥ कवण सि रुती माहो कवण जित होआ आकार ॥ वेल न पाईआ पंडती जे होवै लेख पुराण ॥ वखत न पाइओ कादीआ जे लिखन लेख कुराण ॥ थित वार ना जोगी जाणै रुत माहो ना कोई ॥ जा करता सिरठी कओ साजे आपे जाणै सोई ॥ किव कर आखा किव सालाही किओ वरनी किव जाणा ॥ नानक आखण सभ को आखै इक दू इक सिआणा ॥ वडा साहिब वडी नाई कीता जा का होवै ॥ नानक जे को आपौ जाणै अगै गया न सोहै ॥२१॥
Pilgrimages, penance, compassion and charity, by themselves, bring only a small amount of merit. Only by listening and believing to His word, and being humble we can cleanse one’s mind within the sacred inner shrine. All virtues are Yours, O Lord, none are mine. Without these blessings all saints would not have existed. May Brahma’s words resonate. O Mind, just seek the Truth and be with it forever. Does any one know the time, the moment, the day, the date, the season, the month, when the Universe was created? Pandits, who know the the Puraans, cannot tell us this time. This is not known to the Qazis, who study the Qu’raan. The Yogis do not know day and date nor the month nor the season. Only The Creator who created this universe knows. How does one talk of him, form an opinion of Him or praise or get to know Him? O Nanak, everyone speaks of Him, each wiser than the other. Every thing happens only by an act and knowledge of The Great Master with a Great Name. O Nanak, the human who thinks he knows all, shall not go ahead.
The universe has many netherworlds and hundreds of thousands of skies upon skies. One can search forever and forever until one grows tired, the Vedas only mention one thing. The holy books mention 18,000 worlds, in reality there is only One Universe. With the knowledge, one could write the account, but it can never be finished. Nanak, just call Him Great, for He Himself knows all
सालाही सालाहे एती सुरत न पाईआ ॥ नदीआ अतै वाह पवह समुंद न जाणीअहे ॥ समुंद साह सुलतान गिरहा सेती माल धन ॥ कीड़ी तुल न होवनी जे तिस मनहो न वीसरहे ॥२३॥
Wise men give plenty of advice, but this is not how they attain Him! All the streams and rivers entering the ocean do not know its vastness. Ocean sized kingdoms with mountains of wealth are outweighed bye an ant with pious thoughts of the Lord.
अंत न सिफती कहण न अंत ॥ अंत न करणै देण न अंत ॥ अंत न वेखण सुणण न अंत ॥ अंत न जापै किआ मन मंत ॥ अंत न जापै कीता आकार ॥ अंत न जापै पारावार ॥ अंत कारण केते बिललाहे ॥ ता के अंत न पाए जाहे ॥ एहो अंत न जाणै कोए ॥ बहुता कहीऐ बहुता होए ॥ वडा साहिब ऊचा थाओ ॥ ऊचे उपर ऊचा नाओ ॥ एवड ऊचा होवै कोए ॥ तिस ऊचे कओ जाणै सोए ॥ जेवड आप जाणै आप आप ॥ नानक नदरी करमी दात ॥२४॥
There cannot be a limit to God’s praises; to his noble acts; to his gifts. There can be no end to God; he is timeless, and there is no limit to those pious ones who meditate about him, to creatures He has shaped; to the creations He nurtures. Many swear by the limit of God; but His limit truly cannot be found. No one knows His limit. Many have tried to speak of this and failed. Great is the Master and great is His status, He is the tallest one and still greater is His Name. Only He knows how great he really is. Only He truly knows Himself. Nanak, may He bless us with the good karma
For many, he absolves them of their sins. He gives unconditionally, not holding back. Innumerable ones ask from God courageously. So many ask but do not receive. So many receive but deny that it is gifted by Him. So many fools keep using and abusing God’s gifts. So many endure pain, deprivation and constant abuse. Even these are Gifts from you, O Great Giver! Liberation from worldly bondage will only come by your will alone. No one else has any say in this. If some fool were to speak otherwise, he certainly will have himself exposed. He Himself knows, He Himself gives. Very few acknowledge this. One who is blessed to sing His Praises is Nanak, the king of kings.
Priceless are Virtues, Dealings, Dealers, Treasures, the comings and goings, the take home messages, the Love for Him, and becoming one with Him. Priceless is Dharma, His Court, the scales and the weights (an allusion to His judgement), His Blessings, the Sacred Banner and Insignia, His mercy, and His covenant, beyond expression is the act of remaining absorbed in His love. The Vedas, Puraanas , vedic and religious scholars speak and talk about it, Brahma ,Indra, Gopis and Krishna, Shiva, the Siddhas, the many created Buddhas , demons and the demi-gods , warriors, the heavenly beings, the silent sages, the humble Sewadars speak the word and of their love for Him. Many say you can reach Him by speaking the word, prayers. Many having spoken over and over have achieved salvation. Despite this no one has fully described Him. Whatever He wishes will happen. O Nanak, Only the True Lord knows all. If anyone claims to be able to understand and fully describe God, he shall be known as the greatest fool of them all!
सो दर केहा सो घर केहा जित बह सरब समाले ॥ वाजे नाद अनेक असंखा केते वावणहारे ॥ केते राग परी सिओ कहीअन केते गावणहारे ॥ गावह तुहनो पौण पाणी बैसंतर गावै राजा धरम दुआरे ॥ गावह चित गुपत लिख जाणह लिख लिख धरम वीचारे ॥ गावह ईसर बरमा देवी सोहन सदा सवारे ॥ गावह इंद इदासण बैठे देवतेआ दर नाले ॥ गावह सिध समाधी अंदर गावन साध विचारे ॥ गावन जती सती संतोखी गावह वीर करारे ॥ गावन पंडित पड़न रखीसर जुग जुग वेदा नाले ॥ गावहे मोहणीआ मन मोहन सुरगा मछ पयाले ॥ गावन रतन उपाए तेरे अठसठ तीरथ नाले ॥ गावहे जोध महाबल सूरा गावह खाणी चारे ॥ गावहे खंड मंडल वरभंडा कर कर रखे धारे ॥ सेई तुधनो गावह जो तु भावन रते तेरे भगत रसाले ॥ होर केते गावन से मै चित न आवन नानक क्या वीचारे ॥ सोई सोई सदा सच साहिब साचा साची नाई ॥ है भी होसी जाए न जासी रचना जिन रचाई ॥ रंगी रंगी भाती कर कर जिनसी माया जिन उपाई ॥ कर कर वेखै कीता आपणा जिव तिस दी वडिआई ॥ जो तिस भावै सोई करसी हुकम न करणा जाई ॥ सो पातसाहो साहा पातसाहिब नानक रहण रजाई ॥२७॥
What is that Place, the House where the Lord stays like? Numerous notes resonate continuously, many melodious Raags are sung without the singers or the musicians seen. The wind, water and fire make music; Dharmaraj himself sings at His door. Chitragupta sings, Dharmaraj writes and thinks, and sings as well. Shiva, Brahma and the Devi(s), beautifully adorned, Indra, seated upon His Throne, with all the deities at His door, sing. Yogis in their samadhi; the holy priests in contemplation, as well as celibates, religious zealots as well as the peaceful believers, the fearless warriors, Pandits, the religious scholars who have studied the Vedas for a lifetime, Mohini, the one who seduces many a heart on earth, in paradise, and in the underworld; the celestial jewels, the 68 holy places of pilgrimage, the four sources of creation all sing in His praise, as also the Sun, planets and stars all created by Him along with all those who worship him, named and unnamed. Nanak cannot remember who else sings His praises. He and only He, the True Lord is always True and True is His Name. He is, and shall be forever, He shall never depart – the Creator of the Universe. He created the world, with its various colours, creatures, and the all the manifestations of Maya. Having created , He watches over it Himself, in His Greatness. He does whatever He pleases. No order can be issued to Him. He is the King – the King of Kings. Nanak remains subservient to His Will.
मुंदा संतोख सरम पत झोली ध्यान की करह बिभूत ॥ खिंथा काल कुआरी काया जुगत डंडा परतीत ॥ आई पंथी सगल जमाती मन जीतै जग जीत ॥ आदेस तिसै आदेस ॥ आद अनील अनाद अनाहत जुग जुग एको वेस ॥२८॥
Stay content, humble and make meditation the body ash. The thought of passing time as your base; the passage of time turns the young into the aged. Oh traveller and all you gathered faithful; by conquering your mind you will conquer the world. My humble salutations to You, the Primal One, the Pure Light, the one without beginning or end. Throughout time you remain the same..
भुगत ज्ञान दया भंडारण घट घट वाजह नाद ॥ आप नाथ नाथी सभ जा की रिध सिध अवरा साद ॥ संजोग विजोग दुए कार चलावहे लेखे आवहे भाग ॥ आदेस तिसै आदेस ॥ आद अनील अनाद अनाहत जुग जुग एको वेस ॥२९॥
Make wisdom your food and compassion your companion; let this resonate in each and every heart. You are Supreme Lord of all beings and possess all wealth and miraculous spiritual powers. Union and separation both drive the body and mind; whatever our fate has. My humble salutations to You, the Primal One, the Pure Light, the one without beginning or end. Throughout time you remain the same..
The One Divine Mother conceived and gave birth to the three deities: the Creator, Sustainer and the Destroyer. Whatever He wishes, will happen. He watches all, but no one sees Him! My humble salutations to You, the Primal One, the Pure Light, the one without beginning or end. Throughout time you remain the same..
आसण लोए लोए भंडार ॥ जो किछ पाया सु एका वार ॥ कर कर वेखै सिरजणहार ॥ नानक सचे की साची कार ॥ आदेस तिसै आदेस ॥ आद अनील अनाद अनाहत जुग जुग एको वेस ॥३१॥
Every world is under His authority. Whatever was put into them, was put there once and for all. Having created the Universe, He watches over it. Nanak, says this is His True Creation. My humble salutations to You, the Primal One, the Pure Light, the one without beginning or end. Throughout time you remain the same..
Instead of the one tongue, if I had 100,000 tongues, and these were then multiplied by twenty more, I would only repeat, hundreds of thousands of times, the one name of the Creator. Walk on this path that leads to our Lord, by climbing these steps one merges with Him. Hearing of talks of the cosmos, even worms want to go down the path. Nanak, only by His grace is He obtained. The boasts of the false ones are a sham.
आखण जोर चुपै नह जोर ॥ जोर न मंगण देण न जोर ॥ जोर न जीवण मरण नह जोर ॥ जोर न राज माल मन सोर ॥ जोर न सुरती ज्ञान वीचार ॥ जोर न जुगती छुटै संसार ॥ जिस हथ जोर कर वेखै सोए ॥ नानक उतम नीच न कोए ॥३३॥
Creatures have no power to speak neither to stay silent, nor the power to force God to give anything. No power to live when time is up; no power to die as all this is decided by God. No one can forcibly become a king, get rich and acquire occult powers, become pretty, gain spiritual wisdom and power, or wilfully escape the cycle of life and death. He who has all these powers, He watches over all and every time. For him, O Nanak, no one is low nor anyone high.
राती रुती थिती वार ॥ पवण पाणी अगनी पाताल ॥ तिस विच धरती थाप रखी धरम साल ॥ तिस विच जीअ जुगत के रंग ॥ तिन के नाम अनेक अनंत ॥ करमी करमी होए वीचार ॥ सचा आप सचा दरबार ॥ तिथै सोहन पंच परवाण ॥ नदरी करम पवै नीसाण ॥ कच पकाई ओथै पाए ॥ नानक गया जापै जाए ॥३४॥
Nights, days, weeks and seasons; wind, water, fire and the netherworld, in the midst of these, He established the earth as a home for Dharma. Upon it, He placed creatures of various species. Their names are innumerable. They will be judged by their deeds. God Himself is True, and blessed is His Court. There, in perfect grace sit the elected courtiers. Through their karma they will be judged there. O Nanak, only those who have worshipped Him go there.
धरम खंड का एहो धरम ॥ ज्ञान खंड का आखहो करम ॥ केते पवण पाणी वैसंतर केते कान्ह महेस ॥ केते बरमे घाड़त घड़ीअह रूप रंग के वेस ॥ केतीआ करम भूमी मेर केते केते धू उपदेस ॥ केते इंद चंद सूर केते केते मंडल देस ॥ केते सिध बुध नाथ केते केते देवी वेस ॥ केते देव दानव मुन केते केते रतन समुंद ॥ केतीआ खाणी केतीआ बाणी केते पात नरिंद ॥ केतीआ सुरती सेवक केते नानक अंत न अंत ॥३५॥
The Kingdom of Dharma has its set of rules that speak of the qualities of the eternal world. So many winds, waters and fires; so many Krishnas, Shivas, Brahmas, fashion beautiful forms adorned and dressed in many colours. So many worlds for living and performing karma. So many lessons to be learned! So many Indras, moons and suns, s worlds and lands, Siddhas and Buddhas, Yogic masters. So many goddesses of various kinds, demi-gods and demons, silent sages, oceans of jewels, ways of life, languages, dynasties, intuitive people, selfless servants. O Nanak, Limitless is His reign.
ज्ञान खंड मह ज्ञान परचंड ॥ तिथै नाद बिनोद कोड अनंद ॥ सरम खंड की बाणी रूप ॥ तिथै घाड़त घड़ीऐ बहुत अनूप ॥ ता कीआ गला कथीआ ना जाहे ॥ जे को कहै पिछै पछुताए ॥ तिथै घड़ीअै सुरत मत मन बुध ॥ तिथै घड़ीअै सुरा सिधा की सुध ॥३६॥
In His realm, spiritual wisdom reigns supreme with a divine reverberation of notes amidst the sights and sounds of bliss. In the realm of humility the supreme Word reigns. Forms of unequalled beauty are created here. The quality is indescribable. Whoever attempts to do so will only meet failure. he intuition, consciousness, intellect and understanding of the mind are shaped here. The consciousness of the spiritual warriors and spiritually evolved beings are shaped here.
करम खंड की बाणी जोर ॥ तिथै होर न कोई होर ॥ तिथै जोध महाबल सूर ॥ तिन मह राम रहिआ भरपूर ॥ तिथै सीतो सीता महिमा माहे ॥ ता के रूप न कथने जाहे ॥ ना ओह मरह न ठागे जाहे ॥ जिन कै राम वसै मन माहे ॥ तिथै भगत वसह के लोअ ॥ करह अनंद सचा मन सोए ॥ सच खंड वसै निरंकार ॥ कर कर वेखै नदर निहाल ॥ तिथै खंड मंडल वरभंड ॥ जे को कथै त अंत न अंत ॥ तिथै लोअ लोअ आकार ॥ जिव जिव हुकम तिवै तिव कार ॥ वेखै विगसै कर वीचार ॥ नानक कथना करड़ा सार ॥३७॥
In the realm of karma, the Word is Power and prevails over everything else. Great warriors in whose hearts Ram dwells. Many Sitas, whose spiritual power and beauty are beyond description. Those in whose minds Ram resides do not die nor can they be robbed. The devotees of many worlds dwell there. They are in bliss; the True Lord dwells in their minds. In the realm of Truth, the formless Lord abides. Having created, He watches over His creation bestowing grace and happiness. There are planets, solar systems and galaxies. If one describes them, there is no limit. There are many worlds in His Creation. As He commands, so do they exist. He watches, contemplates and rejoices upon His Creation, O Nanak, description is extremely difficult
Let self-control be the furnace, and patience be the goldsmith. Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tool. May fear of God be the bellows and may they fan the flames of your body. In the crucible of love, may you get the nectar of the Word, Forge the prayer in the true mint. Whoever is showered with His Grace, their actions excel. O Nanak, the Merciful Lord’s kind vision uplifts and rescues their souls
सलोक ॥ पवण गुरू पाणी पिता माता धरत महत ॥ दिवस रात दुए दाई दाया खेलै सगल जगत ॥ चंगिआईआ बुरिआईआ वाचै धरम हदूर ॥ करमी आपो आपणी के नेड़ै के दूर ॥ जिनी नाम धिआया गए मसकत घाल ॥ नानक ते मुख उजले केती छुटी नाल ॥१॥
Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all. Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap the entire world is at play. Good deeds and bad are announced in the Presence of Lord Dharma. According to their own actions, some are drawn closer, and some are driven farther away. Those who have recited His word have departed after having been perseverant in their prayers. O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Lord’s Court, and many are saved along with them!
The last “Salok” (shlok) is attributed to Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s successor, the second Guru Angad Dev.
On this most auspicious and pious day of Kartik Pournima, the Guruparb of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, it is my honour and prerogative to dedicate this brief write up to Him. May He continue to guide all of us in our lives and of the lives of those who will follow us, as He has done for more than 500 years. I must also thank the Sikh lady who insisted I do this today in a communication late last evening, without which I would probably not undertaken this exercise at all.
Yesterday was the 90th birthday of a man who overcame great difficulties in his personal life, was never quite utilized properly by Bollywood, being typecast to one kind of role, that of a bumbling comic and went on to accept that with élan and pulled off hundreds of these with a fair bit of panache. He went on to make movies where, like Kishore Kumar, he used comedy as a vehicle to drive home a more serious message.
This quote from Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr fits him perfectly like a glove.
A tramp, a gentleman, a poet, a dreamer, a lonely fellow, always hopeful of romance and adventure.
In a prolific career lasting more than half a century , he acted in more than 300 movies and received more than 25 Filmfare nominations. In the early days these were as Best Supporting Actor, till they created a separate category for Best Supporting Actor in a comic role , I suspect due, in a big part, to his efforts.
Mehmood Ali’s father was the famous dancer of stage and films, Mumtaz Ali, who had a troupe of his own. Mehmood actually debuted in the first movie to break the ₹1 Crore barrier in ticket sales in the history of Bollywood, Kismet in the WWII era (which made Ashok Kumar a real superstar who was mobbed everywhere he went), where he acts the role of a young Dadamoni.
He went on to make movies of his own, his very first movie as producer and director was Chhote Nawab, which was also the first movie for R D Burman. Bhoot Bangla, a movie that was also produced and directed by Mehmood naturally had Pancham as composer. This song was actually composed by a collaborative effort between Kishore Kumar and Pancham. I love the song for its upbeat, very positive message and also the pantomime that is an integral part. The legacy of a famous dancer father shows very clearly. https://youtu.be/luaTQG0pvQY
The open chested shirt antedated Salmon Bhai’s antics, the latter only acted as a billboard for a hair remover cream or body shaving razor in his roles.
Mehmood after the debut in Kismet while still a preteen boy, went on to do an assortment of odd jobs, sometimes even selling poultry products and for a time working as a driver for director P. L. Santoshi.
It was an amazing twist of fate that PL Santoshi’s son, Rajkumar Santoshi, actually would later cast him in the cult classic film Andaz Apna Apna, Mehmood’s last known film as an actor.
Mehmood actually taught Meena Kumari how to play table tennis. He married her younger sister Madhu in the early 1950s and became a father of his oldest son Masood, and decided to act to earn a better living starting with a small break (as an adult) as a killer in the classic film C.I.D. in the mid 50s.
He did small, unnoticed roles in films like the peanut seller in Bimal Roy‘s classic Do Bigha Zameen and the villainous brother of the protagonist in GuruDutt‘s classic Pyaasa. Later he used a unique type of Urdu/Hyderabadi Hindi. Mehmood knew exactly how to tickle the audience’s funny bone. He was really good at the side hero’s role, and would help him out of sticky situations with his street-smart ways. Many of Mehmood’s film songs were sung by Manna Dey. He enjoyed very fruitful partnerships with Shubha Khote and later, Aruna Irani, who was actually the female lead in Bombay to Goa, a film he produced and co-directed with S Ramanathan. It is one of the earliest roles as male lead (if you can call it that with Mehmood hogging the meatiest role by far) for a struggling Amitabh Bachchan.
A man who made hundreds of millions laugh, had a sad side to him, too and sadly died at a relatively young age in faraway Dunmore, Pennsylvania.
Here’s to you, Mehmood, you lit up many an afternoon and evening for me with your zany, utterly predictable funniness.
Stay happy and healthy, folks as I look forward to a rendezvous over the weekend.
I have always felt the essential ingredients of an unforgettable melody be it in Hindi Film Music, Ghazals or Marathi Bhavgeet to be good poetry, a melodious composition and great vocals. Only when all three are present in good measure. This song shows the immense strengths and beauty of the three who collaborated in the creation of this amazing pensive euphony. This is a sort of a title song for the movie. https://youtu.be/lqEUqLGkhng
Three geniuses: Gulzar, Pancham (Rahul Dev Burman) & Bhupinder Singh came together to create this amazing meaningful narrative. The verse is set to a minimalist composition with a Hindustani Classical Music base with apt, non intrusive instrumentation and vocals that are almost conversational. An immortal creation that seems to have been made with such a lasting, profound influence and impact on my neurons I can’t just forget it. The good night’s sleep after many days led to me being better rested than other days in almost a week and the recall of this song was just the tonic my soul needed. Kinara was a movie written and directed by Gulzar, with two actors who were happy being quite stuck in a rut till Gulzar made them show off their acting skills. Dharmendra performed in Gulzar’s movies as he had never otherwise performed. Jeetendra was an utter loss as Jumping Jack, till Gulzar got him to actually act…
कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं कोई नहीं कोई नहीं हैं कही सपनो में क्यों खो गयी सपनो में क्यों खो गयी बोलो न बोलो न कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही
हो फिर आँख नम हो गयी फिर आँख नम हो गयी फिर कोई यद् आ गया है रोशनी कम हो गयी
फिर आँख नम हो गयी फिर कोई यद् आ गया है रोशनी कम हो गयी किनारा मिलेगा यही रे मिलेगा किनारा यही यही रे यहि रे
कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही बात थी ख्वाब की बात थी ख्वाब की ख़्वाब में बीत चुकी है ख्वाब दोहराते नहीं
बात थी ख्वाब की बात थी ख्वाब की ख़्वाब में बीत चुकी है ख्वाब दोहराते नहीं ज़िन्दगी सपना नहीं रे ज़िन्दगी सपना नहीं नहीं रे नहीं ऋ
कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं कोई नहीं कोई नहीं हैं कही कोई नहीं हैं कही.
The on-screen chemistry between Dharmendra and Hema Malini is clearly evident in another song. The plot is quite intriguing and I loved how the maestro handled it.
Almost an intimate conversation between two souls in love, turned into an unforgettable song. https://youtu.be/XE0aX22y7yI
Bhupinder Singh passed away earlier this year and my blog on his demise attracted plenty of visits. I have always loved his singing. Some had wrong ideas about his debut in Bollywood, hope the clip that follows will clear that part. The clip also gives wonderful insights into the genius that was Bhupinder. https://youtu.be/0BbBLpdEivA
A wonderful melody , two great songs by Bhupinder in the same movie, with entirely different moods and impact.
Have a wonderful day ahead, folks. Stay healthy with downpours in my part of the country over the last few days and more promised over the days to come.
Sometimes the dice don’t quite roll properly for a given person in life. Despite a horrendous situation that looks utterly unsalvageable, some rise, literally from the ashes, Phoenix like and end up scaling the tallest summits. Others who start off well, find themselves inexplicably and hopelessly adrift of their original trajectory.
Look at the lady who made a memorable “debut” in films as Mala Sinha’s teenaged daughter in Anpadh with sublime music by Madan Mohan, prancing to the amazing Lata Mangeshkar timeless classic , Jiya Le Gayo Ji Mora Sanwariya , and had received 2 Filmfare nominations for her roles in Ittefaq and Do Raaste, in 7 years’ time, just the next year committed a horrendous mistake of acting in Shakti Samanta’s Kati Patang in this role which in a way defined her future in films. Even now I wonder why Bindu Nanubhai Desai ever decided to finish her own acting career by taking on such a crass and short role. https://youtu.be/JQC85Nq7V0s
This song became very famous for all the wrong reasons. For starters, there were no real lyrics, but more like a single line of prose repeated amidst loud lecherous panting. The body language doesn’t leave much to imagination, doesn’t it? None of the blithe lissomness of Helen, the real progenitor of a “dance form” quirkily called Cabaret by Bollywood which was a poorly disguised show of flesh and skin. Bindu, Fariyal, Kalpana Iyer, Prema Narayan , Padma Khanna et al excelled (?!?) in this type of visual assault on the audience jiggling tons of lard just to provide cheap gratification for the testosterone charged members of the front rows in the sweaty theaters.
The impact of such visually distressing and utterly distasteful few minutes was expectedly very rewarding financially, but it all but finished Bindu’s career as a serious actress, which she undoubtedly was. Her acting in Imtihaan (with Vinod Khanna and Tanuja) was excellent in an otherwise challenging role. There was yet another fantastic role in Abhimaanwith Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.
Despite all these great and memorable roles, Bindu was sadly confined to virtually thedustbin of history. I don’t think her advisors were thinking right when she did a movie like Hawas which was a rather voyeuristic movie. ( Compare that character with Nargis’s grey character in her last hurrah: Raat Aur Din)
Both female characters were about an insatiable carnal appetite but was handled far more sensitively in Raat Aur Din.
From then on, Bindu went into a bit of a tailspin and despite acting in 160 odd movies, doesn’t have a monumental performance that she was definitely capable of.
Que sera sera….
You make one wrong choice in Bollywood and the sharks pounce on you.
Here’s to What Might Have Been..
Stay safe folks and enjoy catching up with your sisters. Today is the day of filial love.
Yesterday was Kishore Kumar‘s 93rd birthday. All my music loving friends expected me to post a song by him, but the social media were awash with scores if not hundreds of his well known (& also less known) melodies. As a result, I consciously held back my Kishore da post by 24 hours.
It is truly impossible to pick up just one song by such a prolific singer and an unforgettable, multifaceted genius for so many reasons. As it should be for another prolific and much loved unmistakable one, RahuldevDev Burman, for pretty much the same reasons: for both of these guys, you’re really spoilt for choice. I therefore decided to choose one which shows their oeuvre more. It would have to be a delicious song from an utterly forgettable movie. This was a great fit. https://youtu.be/9wI3UXRYW-s
A self confessed , utterly amoral junkie who was foisted on the cine going public (by his doting parents and their D Gang coterie and family connections through his mother) cast opposite an actress who looked out of place in necking the guy, and an utterly inane storyline sums up Rocky.
Pancham is expectedly brilliant witha melody that’s typical of him. Kishore da let’s his full throated voice soar in this sublime song. Lata Mangeshkar is the perfect foil , the anchor on which voice rests and brings him back to terra firma.
Anand Bakshi wrote the lyrics, in his trademark style, again a very prolific craftsman who actually believed he was a good singer. Unfortunately others didn’t share his opinion of his vocal skills. After a couple of movies of agony, the lid came down firmly on his ( & the suffering audience) pain. D
An easily identified Kishoreda and Latadidi duet of brilliance, oozing romance from a movie you would need to drag me gagged and shackled to get me within a mile of. By the end of the movie, I suppose I would be ready to admit I’ve killed JFK and MLK Jr as well as Abe Lincoln.
Stay safe, folks as I am mentally in a different locale already, 24 hours ahead of my being physically transported there.
I remember seeing this movie in Goregaon in Anupam theatre. I had seen the original English movie a few months ago and also watched the Marathi play (which was never credited sadly by Hrishikesh Mukherjee) . It featured a memorable acting duel in every one of its avatars.
It started off as a 1935 play by T S Eliot on the same subject, Murder in the Cathedral, which was intended primarily as a religious treatment. However, there are one or two similarities in the interpretation with the play by Jean Anouilh , Becket which was published and staged nearly a quarter of a century later , a world war apart and in French, but based on the same state vs religion conflict of It is a depiction of the conflict between Thomas Becket and the then King, Henry II of England, that resulted in Becket’s murder (Contract Killing in today’s parlance) in 1170. The French play contains many historical inaccuracies, which the author acknowledged. But that was a liberty taken by a playwright to improve the dramatic effect of the narrative. Thomas Becket also known as Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Thomas of London and later called Thomas à Becket was the much respected and venerated Archbishop of Canterburyfrom 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is widely venerated as a Saint and even as a Martyr by both the Catholic Church as well as the Anglican Church. He engaged in conflict (Church vs State) with the then King of England, Henry II, over the rights and privileges of the Church. The conflict started creating much discomfiture for the King who asked his cronies to bump off the Archbishop, ironically and cynically carried out in the Canterbury Cathedral itself, following which the dead Archbishop was immediately canonised by the then Pope, Alexander III. At that time, the British Monarchy still paid obeisance to the Vatican, the break and establishment of the Anglican Church happened during the reign of the polygamous and sex-crazed King Henry VIII who wanted the pope to solemnise his marriage(s) to a divorcee, which of course the Pope refused. So our man Henry broke away from the Vatican and established his own Church (shades of what is happening on the Political Scene in India?)
The movie based on the late 50s play was called, expectedly, Becket, a must-watch for all serious students of cinema. It has a feast of acting talent: Richard Burton as Thomas Becket, Peter O’Toole as King Henry II and the legendary John Gielgud as King Louis VII. It won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for eleven other awards, including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and twice for Best Actor. Jean Anouilh’s play was adapted by the great Marathi Playwright Vasant Kanetkar as Beimaan. Satish Dubhashi and Prabhakar Panashikar were just terrific in the original Marathi Play and every one of my generation (and one senior) who has seen the play will remember and relish their acting duel. Sparks flew and I was very influenced at the time and used some of the lessons in my own attempts. Hrishikesh Mukherji was a very big fan of Marathi dramas. Theatre, Literature and Music are all shared passions for all Marathi and Bangla speaking people. He adapted Beimaan to make Namak Haram but didn’t credit Vasant Kanetkar properly. This song is from the same movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4IKtYalRW4
The movie has a fantastic acting duel between Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, the movie was made soon after Anand. It is said that according to the initial script, Bachchan was supposed to die at the end. When Kaka got to know this, he insisted that Hrishikesh Mukherjee to change the ending so he dies in the end instead of Bachchan. It was Khanna’s view that death in the end gets viewers’ sympathy. The same had happened in Anand, and had succeeded in getting a lot of popularity for Khanna. Although Mukherjee did not want this change, Khanna was such a big star, he had to do this. This made Amitabh very angry and he vowed never to work with Khanna again.I personally don’t believe in this version at all on the grapevine. The original story from history has the priest getting killed by the King’s men and so it would be logical for the poor worker being killed by the rich milliner’s henchmen by logical continuity.
Great lyrics by Gulzar, Great composition and singing by R D Burman and Kishore Kumar, respectively.
All in all, a great movie despite the alleged controversy.
Aniruddha Chandorkar 